Somali ePassport | |
---|---|
Type | Passport |
Issued by | Somalia |
First issued | 1960 (First edition) 28 February 2007 (Current biometric version) |
Purpose | Identification |
Eligibility | Somali citizenship |
Expiration | 10 years |
The Somali passport (Somali : baasaboor) is a passport issued to citizens of Somalia for international travel. Green Passports were formerly used, which have since been replaced with biometric passports to ensure authenticity. The passports are regulated by the federal government of Somalia.
Somalia's former socialist government originally used to issue a non-biometric Green Passport. This travel document still remained in use after the collapse of former President Siad Barre's regime. [1]
In response to widespread counterfeit Somali passports that subsequently flooded the black market, the Transitional National Government opened a new office in the 2000s to issue official state-approved passports. According to then Foreign Affairs Minister Muhammad Mahmud Shiil, the government would continue issuing old Somali passports with a new dry seal to prevent forgery or duplication, and passports already in circulation would a stamp with the new seal. [2] The government announced in 2006 that it would issue a new machine-readable document to further ensure authenticity. [3]
Since 2007, the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) of Somalia has issued an e-passport to comply with stricter international rules. [4] In November 2010, the TFG opened a new passport-making facility in Mogadishu, the nation's capital. [5] Printing of the travel documents had previously been conducted in the United Arab Emirates, [6] which reportedly engendered a backlog in passport issuance. The repatriated printing facilities are believed to offer a more responsive passport delivery process. Officially issued by the Somali Immigration Department, the passports now contain built-in security features comparable with other countries. [7]
In September 2011, the Transitional Federal Government officially banned use of Somalia's old Green Passport. According to Somali Immigration Officer, General Abdulaahi Gaafow Mohamoud, the identification document would no longer be accepted for business trips or travel by the end of the month. He added that the Green Passport would be replaced with a new blue model of e-passports that are particularly difficult to forge. [1]
In December 2013, the Deputy Director-General of Somali Immigration and Naturalization Abdullahi Hagi Bashir Ismail announced that the Federal Government officially launched Somalia's new e-passport. Part of a broader initiative to strengthen security, the passport is issued by the Ministry of Interior's Department of Immigration. Citizens are eligible for the e-passport upon production of government-issued national identity documents and birth certificates. [8]
The Somali passport is not considered as valid travel document by Canada. Canada considers any passport issued by Somalia as unreliable document. [9]
In the old days, a British Somaliland passport was used.
As of 1 January 2017, Somali citizens had visa-free or visa on arrival access to 30 countries and territories, ranking the Somali passport 100th in terms of travel freedom according to the Henley visa restrictions index. [10]
A visa is a conditional authorization granted by a polity to a foreigner that allows them to enter, remain within, or leave its territory. Visas typically include limits on the duration of the foreigner's stay, areas within the country they may enter, the dates they may enter, the number of permitted visits, or if the individual can work in the country in question. Visas are associated with the request for permission to enter a territory and thus are, in most countries, distinct from actual formal permission for an alien to enter and remain in the country. In each instance, a visa is subject to entry permission by an immigration official at the time of actual entry and can be revoked at any time. Visa evidence most commonly takes the form of a sticker endorsed in the applicant's passport or other travel document but may also exist electronically. Some countries no longer issue physical visa evidence, instead recording details only in immigration databases.
A Canadian passport is the passport issued to citizens of Canada. It enables the bearer to enter or re-enter Canada freely; travel to and from other countries in accordance with visa requirements; facilitates the process of securing assistance from Canadian consular officials abroad, if necessary; and requests protection for the bearer while abroad.
The Malaysian passport is the passport issued to citizens of Malaysia by the Immigration Department of Malaysia.
The Singapore passport is a travel document and passport issued to citizens and nationals of the Republic of Singapore. It enables the bearer to exit and re-enter Singapore freely, travel to and from other countries in accordance with visa requirements, facilitates the process of securing assistance from Singapore consular officials abroad, if necessary, and requests protection for the bearer while abroad.
Serbian passports are issued to Serbian citizens at any age, and it is the primary document of international travel issued by Serbia.
An Indonesian passport is a travel document issued by the Government of Indonesia to Indonesian citizens residing in Indonesia or overseas. The main governing body with regards to the issuance of such passport(s), possession(s), withdrawal and related matters is the Directorate General of Immigration under the Ministry of Law and Human Rights. Indonesia does not recognize multiple citizenship for its citizens and such citizens will automatically lose their Indonesian citizenship if another citizenship is acquired voluntarily. Special exceptions allow newly born citizens to hold dual nationalities until his/her eighteenth birthday after which a choice of either nationalities should be decided. The latest Indonesian passport has different national birds and sceneries on each page.
A Peruvian passport is a travel document issued to citizens of Peru with the purpose of identification and to travel outside the country. It is issued by the Superintendencia Nacional de Migraciones, the Peruvian immigration and naturalization authority, which is part of the Ministry of the Interior. The Peruvian passport has the benefit of "visa free" status for member nations of the Andean Community and Mercosur, as well as several Central American nations.
Pakistani passports are passports issued by the Government of Pakistan to Pakistani citizens and nationals for the purpose of international travel. They are issued by the Directorate General of Immigration & Passports (DGIP) of the Ministry of Interior from regional passport offices and Pakistani embassies. Since January 2014, Pakistani passports have validity for 5 and 10 years. Under national law, Pakistani passports are explicitly invalid for travel to Israel. However, Pakistanis may travel to Israel after receiving confirmation from the Israeli Foreign Ministry.
The Brazilian passport is the official document for foreign travel issued by the federal government, through the Federal Police.
Maldivian passport is a proof of citizenship, issued by Maldives Immigration, to all the nationals of the Maldives for international travel. The current passport, the 2nd generation e-passport, was launched on 24 January 2016. This passport consists of a highly secured poly-carbonate data page with laser engraved photo and data. Each visa page of the passport has a different design, represented with numerous illustrations by the Maldivian local artist, Hussain Ali Manik. A Maldivian Passport can be issued to any Maldivian citizen who applies for a passport.
The visa policy of Canada requires that any foreign national wishing to enter Canada must obtain a temporary resident visa from one of the Canadian diplomatic missions unless they hold a passport issued by one of the 54 eligible visa exempt countries and territories or proof of permanent residence in the United States.
Visa requirements for Afghan citizens are administrative entry restrictions by the authorities of other states placed on citizens of Afghanistan. In its second quarter 2022 report, the Henley Passport Index indicated that Afghan citizens have visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 26 countries and territories, ranking the Afghan passport 112th and the least powerful passport in the world. Obtaining foreign visas from within Afghanistan is difficult as many embassies in Afghanistan have closed since Taliban takeover of the government in August 2021.
Visa requirements for Emirati citizens are administrative entry restrictions by the authorities of other states placed on citizens of the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Visa requirements for Pakistani citizens are administrative entry restrictions imposed on citizens of Pakistan by the authorities of other states. As of September 2023, Pakistani citizens had Visa free, visa-on-arrival and eVisa access to 77 countries and territories. All of the updated links and visa-related requirements can be found listed in the chart below. Pakistani passport holders that hold multi-entry visas or permanent residency permits in certain European countries, Canada, USA, GCC states or Australia may grant the ability to apply for eVisas to certain nations, as well as Visa on Arrival access that they would not have without visas to these nations. The Pakistani passport is currently ranked 100th in terms of travel freedom according to the Henley Passport Index in the first Quarter of 2023.
Visa requirements for Iraqi citizens are administrative entry restrictions by the authorities of other states placed on citizens of Iraq. As of January 2023, Iraqi citizens had visa free, visa on arrival or eVisa access to 29 countries and territories, ranking the Iraqi passport 107th in the world in terms of travel freedom according to the Henley Passport Index. Visa cancellation between Iran and Iraq came into force on October 26, 2021
Visa requirements for Costa Rican citizens are administrative entry restrictions by the authorities of other states placed on citizens of Costa Rica.
Visa requirements for Czech citizens are administrative entry restrictions by the authorities of other states placed on citizens of the Czech Republic.
Visa requirements for Democratic Republic of the Congo citizens are administrative entry restrictions by the authorities of other states placed on citizens of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Visa requirements for Zimbabwean citizens are administrative entry restrictions by the authorities of other states placed on citizens of Zimbabwe. As of 2 July 2019, Zimbabwean citizens had visa-free or visa on arrival access to 64 countries and territories, ranking the Zimbabwean passport 80th in terms of travel freedom according to the Henley Passport Index.
Immigration in Somalia is regulated by the Somali Immigration Department of the Federal Government of Somalia.