The Immigrations Department has introduced new passport procedures for adopted children, to enhance the accurate identification of passport applicants and aid in the prevention of child trafficking.
Eunice Kisembo, the Immigrations department public relations officer, says that under the new procedures, foster parents will be required to prove that the probation officers in the countries where the adopted children are being taken will be in position to update the Ministry of Gender, about the child’s situation before a passport is issued.
The adopted children will also be required to appear in person during the passport application process.
Prior to the introduction of this requirement, foster parents were not routinely required to bring a child under the age of 14 with them when they applied on the child’s behalf.
In addition, the immigrations department has tightened its interview procedures at the border points, to ensure that people do not sneak out with children. Immigration officials at the border points have also been asked to suspend the issuance of temporary travel documents to minors.
Kisembo says that the new procedures will help control, the loopholes that have been used in the past to smuggle children out of the country.
Statistics from the immigrations department show that between five and fifty children are presented to the immigrations department weekly, seeking for passports.
Uganda has been sighted as one of the source, transit and destination for children trafficked for both forced labour and sexual exploitation.