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| Jean Philbert Nsengimana |
According
to the minister, issuance of all documents including passports,
laissez-passer and visas has significantly improved thanks to the use
of ICT. "The progress is good, though there is still a lot to
do," the Minister said on Thursday after visiting the migration
services.
The
minister noted that a Rwandan from Ngororero in Western Province can
get his laissez-passer just by presenting his identity card at his
district. "There is a system that decodes and sends all
information containing the ID card to the main office,"
explained the minister. "With the technology, it's no longer
necessary for someone to leave Ngororero or Muhanga since he can get
the service from his home."
He
also noted that all processes have been made automatic and that it
requires only 40 minutes for an individual to get his laissez-passer
document.
The
improvement is also noticed by people who apply for travel documents.
"Ten years ago we could wait for two weeks, without getting a
passport, but we get it now after three days," said Thomas
Gahundi, a resident of Rusororo in Gasabo.
Though
the migration services have made great strides in the use of
technology, Nsengimana said the next step would be to think about
introducing a self-service system where anyone who has access to
internet can get all the services from his home.
The
Minister pointed out that there are more than 100 documents that
Rwandans can apply for without having to go to a ministry or public
office in Kigali, such as birth and marriage certificates which can
be obtained at the sector level.
Minister
Nsengimana also visited the migration office at Kigali international
airport to see how ICT is improving service delivery
Rwanda
Focus