Permanent Secretary for Immigration Yogesh Karan says more than 23 thousand E-Passports have been issued since September last year.

The new system Karan says has already equalized the number of passports issued annually previously with much-improved security features.

However, the PS says in the rush to get new E-Passports, it appears that a number of Fijians have yet to complete the application process.

“We’ve got close to 2000 applications, we are inviting people to come and do their biometrics. They said that their passport was needed on an urgent basis, unfortunately, they have not come to the office and we want to clear this backlog and we’ve sent messages and we’ve put some advertisements as well inviting them to come forward and to do their biometrics, that’s one. Second, we have done the passports, it’s in the office and they are not coming forward.”

Karan adding that they are also urging Fijians who had applied and completed the process to pick up their E-Passports which are with the Immigration Department.

The Permanent Secretary says to date, more than 500 Fijian E-Passports are waiting to be claimed.