The Internal Affairs Ministry has cautioned foreign nationals against acquiring Ugandan passports fraudulently.

Simon Mundeyi, the spokesperson for the Internal Affairs Ministry, said that a section of foreigners are using fraudulent means to acquire passports.

Mundeyi said this during a weekly security press briefing at Naguru Police Headquarters on Monday, September 4, 2023.

He noted that immigration has also recorded a surge in demand for Ugandan passports and attributed it to international recognition.

“Some of these individuals are going as far as hiring people at a fee of $2 million to pose as their parents in an attempt to dishonestly obtain Ugandan passports; we warn such persons that they will be arrested and prosecuted,” said Mundeyi.

Mundeyi noted that citizens from countries that have faced passport restrictions or been blacklisted for some criminal reasons in certain nations have found ways to acquire Ugandan passports for use.

“Such persons have found ways of living here temporarily and eventually crafted ways of applying for Ugandan passports; last week, a group of Congolese nationals were arrested for trying to fraudulently acquire passports,” said Mundeyi.

The whole group, their ‘hired ‘parents, and Congolese who were in possession of national ID cards were arrested and will be arraigned in court to face legal action.