South Africa High Commission rejects non-biometric passports

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General News of Thursday, 3 December 2015

Source: Myjoyonline.com

Southafrica High CommissionFile photo

The South Africa High Commission says visa applicants will need to have a biometric passport before their application can be considered.

In a statement posted on its website, the High Commission says it is no longer accepting passports that are not biometric.

“The South Africa High Commission wish to inform all visa applicants that effective 24 November 2015 applicants using machine readable passports and handwritten passport MUST acquire a Biometric Passports before a visa will be granted”.

The Commission stated, “Therefore Applicants are advised to acquire the Biometrics Passports before attending the submission center for submission”.

The decision undermines the position of the government of Ghana that non-Biometric passports are as valid as biometric passports.

Government had moved to calm passport applicants who were growing increasingly frustrated with the slow and bureaucratic process of acquiring a biometric passport.

A visa applicant told myoyonline.com Thursday, “There were a few angry applicants at the VFS this morning when I went for my passports. I applied for SA visa scheduled to travel to SA on Sunday but my application has been queried/rejected on the grounds my passport is not a Bio-passport”.

The decision of the South African High Commission is reportedly causing a stir at its Visa Section as expectant applicants seethe with frustration.

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