Ghana, Kenya facilitate biometric passport services for compatriots in Canada, China

The Ghanaian High Commission in Canada recently undertook what has been described as an innovative process to facilitate passport issuance or renewal for many compatriots living in that country, specifically in western Canada. Kenya is pursuing a similar exercise with a mobile team expected to provide ID card and passport related services for citizens living in different cities of China later this month.

New biometric capture locations for Ghanaians in Canada

A mobile team was recently dispatched to some parts of Canada to collect biometric information from applicants, saving them the stress to travel to the High Commission in Ottawa to complete the process, according to a write-up on Peace FM Online.

The embassy set up a biometrics capture center at the Ghana House in Calgary on March 16 where many passport applicants showed up to have their biometrics captured. Later, the team also pitched tent in Regina where the same exercise was carried out.

According to the writer, Dr Charles Odame-Ankrah, President of the Ghanaian-Canadian Association of Calgary, the move by the High Commission has received approbation from Ghanaians who have incurred huge costs in the past, having to travel to Ottawa from far-away locations for biometric capture. He mentioned that on average, an applicant requires $1,200 for that purpose.

Kenyans in China to get passport, ID services from April 13

The State Department of Diaspora Affairs of Kenya’s Foreign Ministry has dispatched a mobile team to provide some consular services to Kenyans abroad. The exercise will reach China this month, The Star reports, quoting Kenya’s Ambassador to China Willy Bett.

From April 13, the team will be in the capital Beijing to provide ID card obtention or replacement, passport application and certificate authentication services. Two days later (April 15), the team will be in Guangzhou for the same activity, while on April 17, they’ll serve those in Shanghai, and later Hong Kong. Kenyans in locations neighbouring to these cities are expected to benefit.

The China lap is the third phase of an exercise initiated by the government to facilitate access to important services for Kenyans living in different parts of the world.

Article Topics

biometric passport  |  digital ID  |  Ghana  |  identity document  |  Kenya  |  travel documents