(JUBA) – South Sudan has introduced temporary passports and emergency travel documents to assist citizens with urgent travel needs, particularly for medical treatment abroad, amid a nationwide shortage of regular and diplomatic passport booklets and nationality cards.
Director General of Civil Registry, Nationality, Passports and Immigration, Major General Elia Costa, made the announcement following a meeting on 2 December 2025 between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and the Ministry of Interior. The discussion focused on passport availability, eligibility, and the deployment of immigration staff abroad.
Gen. Costa explained that special and official passports will now only be issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, strictly adhering to eligibility rules. For urgent cases, including medical referrals, citizens can receive business passports or temporary travel documents to enable timely international travel.
“The leadership of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Interior met and discussed issues of mutual concern. We resolved that special and official passports will only be issued according to the rules and regulations. For critical emergencies, such as medical referrals abroad, business passports or travel documents will be provided,” Gen. Costa said during a broadcast on SSBC TV.
Officials also agreed to deploy immigration attachés to South Sudanese missions abroad, taking into account government budget limits and downsizing requirements.
Gen. Costa added that ongoing discussions with the Ministry of Finance and Planning aim to resolve payment and production issues affecting the availability of passports and nationality cards. The measures are intended to ensure smoother processing for citizens requiring urgent travel, while maintaining proper regulatory oversight.
South Sudan Temporary Passport Measures
| Component | Key Details |
|---|---|
| Authority | Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Ministry of Interior |
| Announced by | Gen. Elia Costa, Director General, Civil Registry & Passports |
| Purpose | Provide urgent travel documents amid passport shortage |
| Eligible Cases | Critical medical referrals, urgent business travel |
| Type of Documents | Temporary business passports, emergency travel documents |
| Special/Official Passports | Only issued by Ministry of Foreign Affairs under existing rules |
| Deployment | Immigration attachés to missions abroad, subject to budget limits |
| Ongoing Measures | Coordination with Ministry of Finance to ensure passport and nationality card production |
| Expected Outcome | Citizens with urgent needs can travel abroad despite passport shortages |
