IN Groupe and the Seychelles government continue their partnership for biometric passport issuance
After the creation of biometric passports and their issuing system on Seychellois territory in 2022, the long-standing partnership between IN Group and the Seychelles government continues. Since 1st March 2024, the country's nationals living, working or studying in France, England, the United Arab Emirates and in a few months in Canada and Australia can apply for their passport and collect it from the Seychelles embassy in their country of residence, after personalization in the Seychelles.
A solution for thousands of Seychellois nationals abroad
Hitherto, Seychelles nationals residing in one of the five aforesaid countries had to be physically present in the Seychelles and apply for their passports in person at the passport office in Victoria. They thus had to return to the island nation to complete the registration process.
To meet the needs of the Seychellois population abroad, permanent enrolment stations have been set up in embassies in Paris, London and Abu Dhabi since 1st March 2024. Accordingly, ordinary, official and diplomatic passports can now be obtained more easily.
In Canada and Australia, mobile enrolment kiosks will go and meet Seychellois nationals in the main cities of these 2 countries.
The ongoing introduction of the biometric passport
Since 2021, the Ministry of Internal Affairs with the collaboration of the Foreign Affairs Department of the Seychelles have been working to facilitate passport applications for all Seychellois nationals, as part of its commitment to engage and assist the Seychellois diaspora.
Drawing on the solutions of the French IN Group, global specialists in identity documents and secure digital services, the government wishes to offer Seychellois nationals a travel experience, combining security and seamlessness while at the same time strengthening security at its borders.
With the possibility of completing the whole passport application or renewal process in one of its embassies, the Seychelles government is sending out a strong message to its fellow citizens living abroad.
Remote enrolment but personalization of passports in the Seychelles
IN Group supplies the embassies with enrolment kiosks and cases for capturing all the biometric data needed for passport applications. A very intuitive and easy-to-use fixed or mobile solution for administrative officers in charge of enrolment.
Although secure documents can now be applied for in certain embassies abroad, passports are still personalized in the capital Victoria. This is because the country wishes to retain control of its management of secure documents. It is also a question of essential security to limit the circulation of blank passports, a potential source of fraud.
Once personalized, passports are sent to the embassies to be handed over in person to Seychellois workers, student and residents abroad who have applied for one.
Announced by the immigration and Civil Status Department of the Seychelles, this new procedure should make life easier for thousands of Seychelles nationals in countries where a large diaspora of Seychellois resides.
