FBC News visited the Department of Immigration in Suva this morning where people were queueing up.

The Department of Immigration is fighting against time to complete the processing of new and pending passport applications.

Director Nemani Vuniwaqa confirmed this to FBC News with hundreds of people queuing up outside the Immigration Department to receive their new passports.

Vuniwaqa says to date there are over 13,000 pending passport applications since February, and this continues to increase.

He adds these applications have to be re-enrolled into the new e-passport system and staff are doing their best.

“The period in which  we had planned to cover all those, even the pending ones, we could not do it within the time. Because of  the fact that  there are new applications that have been received and we have to re-enroll them. Therefore, everyone needs thorough  practice whereby one has to go through the bio-metrics, that has to be undertaken.”

FBC News visited the Department of Immigration in Suva this morning where people were queueing up.

Some have told FBC News they have been coming back day after day without being served.

Immigration Director Vuniwaqa assured that as soon as all pending applications are re-enrolled, services will resume as normal.