passport

Germany formally recognizes Somali diplomatic passports for entry and residence MOGADISHU, Somalia — Germany has officially recognized the Somali diplomatic passport for entry and residence, a decision published in the German Federal Gazette (Bundesanzeiger) on Dec. 1, 2025, in a move Somali officials hailed as a milestone for the country’s travel document credibility and its international mobility. The designation gives full official status to Somalia’s diplomatic passport at German borders and for residence purposes,…

Overview: a surge in Irish passport applications from the UK Nearly a quarter of a million people living in the United Kingdom applied for Irish passports in 2024, the highest number recorded since the UK formally left the European Union. The wave of applications cuts across Britain and Northern Ireland and reflects both practical responses to Brexit and longer-running family ties. Department of Foreign Affairs figures show 242,772 applications in 2024. Just over half (53%) of those applications came from people living…

When a diploma isn’t the barrier — a passport is Mustaf Moha­­med Takoy had done everything right. He won a full scholarship to study a master’s in Environment and International Development at the University of Copenhagen, bought health insurance, secured an acceptance letter and packed the hope of a better future. Then Denmark’s immigration service told him that his Somali passport was not a valid travel document — and that was that. Mustaf’s story, relayed in a short but stark exchange with Danish authorities, speaks to…

Somalia’s identity shake-up: a bid to reclaim control sparks questions about reach and rights MOGADISHU — In a forceful televised address that mixed alarm at security risks with the blunt tools of statecraft, President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud announced a sweeping overhaul of how Somalis are identified: passports, he said, will no longer be the primary credential for accessing government or private services. Instead, the National Identification and Registration Authority (NIRA) card must be used — and those who refuse to…

Over the last ten years, the Somali passport has clawed back some of its lost prestige, moving up the ranks from a dismal 128th to a more respectable 95th on the Passport Power Index. However, challenges linger around how this document is distributed and its perception on the global stage.

In a bold move, three West African nations—Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger—governed by military juntas, are set to unveil new biometric passports as they distance themselves from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

Former Ivorian President Laurent Gbagboa, according to several sources, completed the formalities in Belgium on Monday to obtain a diplomatic passport. Following statements by President Alassane Ouattara on RFI and France 24, who, a few days before the presidential election, had confirmed that he was in favor of the delivery of…

This travel document will now be issued for $ 99. The price was set by the State Department along with the Ministry of Finance. Until recently, it was necessary to pay almost double to get this valuable sesame. as reported from Kinshasa, Kamanda wa KamandaIf, according to Congolese opinion, satisfaction dominates after the…

In Côte d'Ivoire, according to La Lettre du Continent, President Alassane Ouattara has just signed the delivery of a diplomatic passport to Laurent Gbagbo. According to our colleagues, this would pave the way for his return to the country. Laurent Gbagbo's entourage says he is not aware of such a decision. But there is a scenario of handing over a passport to Laurent Gbagbo within the authorities.…