The Ministry of Internal Affairs has announced plans to open a new Ugandan diaspora passport office in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in a bid to bring passport services closer to citizens living and working in the region.
Speaking at a weekly press briefing at Police Headquarters in Naguru, Ministry spokesperson Simon Mundeyi said the decision follows increasing demand from Ugandan migrant workers who often face travel hurdles to access services in existing embassies in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, or back in Uganda.
“Many of our people have had to travel long distances just to renew their passports. Starting July 2025, our new office in Riyadh will ease that burden by offering services right where they are,” Mundeyi said.
The Riyadh office will become Uganda’s eighth diaspora passport centre, joining others in London, Washington D.C., Ottawa, Copenhagen, Pretoria, Beijing, and Abu Dhabi. Although Turkey had initially been considered for expansion, Saudi Arabia was prioritized due to its larger Ugandan population.
Mundeyi confirmed that the necessary infrastructure and staffing are already in place, with operations expected to begin mid-2025.
In addition to international efforts, the Ministry is implementing structural reforms to improve service delivery at home.
Passport enrolment—including fingerprinting and biometric data capture—will continue to be done at the Ministry’s headquarters. However, passport collection has been relocated to a newly established centre in Kyambogo, Nakawa Division.
“We now have two service points—one for enrolment and another for collection. This change is aimed at decongesting our headquarters and making services more efficient,” Mundeyi explained.
To further enhance accessibility, the Ministry is rolling out mobile passport enrolment kits. These will allow officials to capture biometric data for clients unable to travel—such as hospital patients or Ugandans in remote areas, both domestically and abroad.
“This innovation is especially crucial for our diaspora in the United States, where interstate travel can be costly and time-consuming. With mobile kits, our officers will reach the people,” he said, adding that similar services will also benefit Ugandans within the country.
