Ugandans living in Saudi Arabia are set to benefit from a newly established passport office in Riyadh, designed to simplify the process of renewing and replacing their travel documents.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs revealed the development on Monday through spokesperson Simon Mundeyi, who emphasized the convenience the new office is expected to bring.
“This office, located in Riyadh, will be handling passport renewals and replacements for Ugandans living in Saudi Arabia,” Mundeyi said.
Previously, Ugandans in the region had to travel to countries like the United Arab Emirates to access these services a process that often involved significant travel costs and delays.
With the establishment of the Riyadh office, that challenge will now be resolved.
The move follows a detailed review of the Ugandan diaspora across the Middle East. Originally, Turkey had been considered as a potential location, but priorities shifted based on population data.
“Initially, we had planned to open an office in Turkey, but upon reviewing the number of Ugandans in Saudi Arabia, we realised there is a much higher demand for this service,” Mundeyi added.
The new passport office will be situated within Uganda’s embassy in Riyadh and is expected to begin operations in July.
It will provide Ugandans with direct access to essential consular services, eliminating the need for cross-border travel.
This development reflects the Ugandan government’s broader strategy to decentralize consular services and enhance support for its citizens living abroad.