Department to operate in two shifts to ease passport delivery

Sagar Chhetri traveled from Dhangadhi to Kathmandu hoping to secure his passport for a job in South Korea. Twelve days later, he remains in the capital, uncertain if he will receive the document before the application deadline for the Korean language test.

"Each day, I was told that the passport would be ready soon, but so many days have already passed," Chhetri said, recounting significant expenses for food and accommodation. He questioned whether the government would compensate applicants for delays caused by administrative issues.

Chhetri's plight is shared by others, including Bharat BK, who traveled from Kalikot. He paid 12,000 Nepalese rupees for an emergency passport, promised within three days, but has waited a week with no clear issuance date.

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Each day, I was told that the passport would be ready soon, but so many days have already passed.

In response to mounting complaints, technical issues, and long queues, the Department of Passports announced emergency measures. These include operating in two shifts and providing services on weekends and public holidays to clear the backlog. The department cited a sharp increase in demand, particularly for South Korea's Employment Permit System (EPS), as the cause of the bottlenecks.

The temporary two-shift system will run from 7:00 AM to 2:00 PM and 2:00 PM to 9:00 PM until August 7. Electronic passport services will also be available on Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM.

The surge in applications is linked to the EPS, which is seeking 7,200 Nepali workers for South Korea in sectors like manufacturing and agriculture. A valid passport is essential for these applications, leading thousands of prospective migrant workers to rush for new or renewed documents.

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I paid Rs12,000 for an emergency passport after being told it would be ready within three days. But a week has already passed, and I still do not know when I will receive it.