By Zamzam Osman - Reporter
Mogadishu (Dawan Africa) Somali passport applicants must present a national ID or proof of application from July 1, the immigration agency said.
In a statement, the agency urged citizens who have not yet obtained the national ID card to apply as soon as possible to avoid difficulties when seeking passport services.
The agency also said documents submitted for passport applications will now be received as copies, while original documents will be returned to applicants.
Previously, applicants’ original documents were not returned. The change takes effect from May 13, 2026, according to the notice issued by the Immigration and Citizenship Agency.
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The move is part of Somalia’s wider efforts to unify citizens’ identity data and strengthen identity verification for people seeking key government services.
The National Identification and Registration Authority (NIRA) is mandated to issue national ID cards and unique identification numbers to Somali citizens and legal residents in the country.
Somalia officially launched its national ID system in September 2023. Since then, NIRA has expanded registration and the use of the national ID across government services, finance, education, social affairs and other essential sectors.