Foreign Affairs Ministry cancels 701 diplomatic, service passports

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has cancelled 701 Diplomatic and Service passports as part of an ongoing nationwide recall of official travel documents.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, May 6, the Ministry revealed that the cancelled documents comprise 341 unreturned Diplomatic passports and 360 Service passports.

All have been placed on a stop-list and are now invalid for international travel.

The cancellations follow public notices issued on January 15 and March 10, 2025, urging the return of official passports held by individuals no longer in government service.

Those affected include:

• Former Ministers and their spouses

• Ex-Members of Parliament

• Former Council of State members and spouses

• Retired Justices of the Superior and Lower Courts

• Former Regional Ministers, MMDCEs, and board members

• Officials of the National Cathedral Project

• Former non-career ambassadors and their dependents

• Religious and traditional leaders

• Businesspersons and entrepreneurs

• Other former government appointees not currently in office

The Ministry warned that any cancelled passport found in use will be confiscated, with strict enforcement measures at all ports of entry and exit.

The move, the Ministry said, is intended to enforce compliance with the Passports and Travel Certificates Act, 1967 (NLCD 155), particularly sections 6 and 7, which govern the issuance and proper use of official travel documents.

Read the ministry’s statement below