Gen. Costa: Passport delays due to system upgrades, new Minister signatures

2026-01-27 - 16:53

JUBA, South Sudan (Eye Radio) – The Directorate of Civil Registry, Passports, Immigration and Nationality (DCRNPI) has clarified that the current delays in passport issuance are primarily due to the recent appointment of a new Minister of Interior, which necessitated a transition of official digital signatures and system-wide data updates. Speaking to Eye Radio, Maj. Gen. Elia Costa Castino, the Director of Immigration and Passports, explained that while issuance was slated to begin early this week, technical hurdles involving old data and international compliance measures caused a temporary setback. System and Leadership Updates According to Gen. Castino, the passport system still holds data from the previous administration. Following the appointment of Gen. Aleu Ayieny Aleu as the new Minister of Interior on January 19, 2026, the system must be updated to reflect his official signature and authority. “The new minister must have his signature in the system,” Gen. Castino stated. “We are changing the passport data from the old minister to the new minister. This is a primary reason for the pause as we ensure the legal validity of the documents.” Global Standards and Code Changes Beyond internal leadership shifts, Gen. Castino highlighted that South Sudan is undergoing a significant transition to meet International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards. This modernization involves changing the national passport code from the previous “PR” designation to the now-standardized “PP.” “This is a matter for the whole world, not just us,” he noted, adding that the process of migrating to the “PP” system has been an ongoing technical project since last year.