CNI News
21 Jan 2023
As authorities have suspended the application process for new passports, the number of illegal migrant workers and holders of fake passports is likely to increase, labour agencies and overseas employment agencies told the CNI.
All passport offices in the entire country have suspended the application process for new passports for an unlimited period as of the end of 2022
Suspension of passport application has forced migrant workers who otherwise would have gone abroad officially to opt for illegal migration, Labour Activist U Min Oo of the Foundation for Education and Development told the CNI.
He told the CNI," Their move has pushed migrant workers closer to fall victim to trafficking in person. It is beneficial for human traffickers and transnational crime will increase. This is because migrant workers will try to go abroad anyway and they cannot wait until authorities are ready to issue new passports. The situation will be getting worse in the future. Myanmar authorities saidthey are looking for an easier way for the public to apply for passports. It is just an excuse because the passport application process has become more complicated and authorities are asking one document after another to apply for passports. First, they have asked for household registration forms and national registration cards and then required OWIC cards and employment letters.They are making the process more difficult. The more difficult the process is, the more bribe money they can ask for from workers. Government departments may take security reasons into their consideration.
People queuing for passport applications. (CNI)
Any type of passport application has been suspended but application for passports for pilgrimage to Bodh Gaya was processed through the green channel.
The Ministry of Home Affairs issued a statement that said it would blacklist 143 companies for passport issues and the Department of Labour sent a notification to the Myanmar Overseas Employment Agencies Federation, saying that 133 overseas employment agencies were among the companies.
And then, authorities again have suspended the green channel since 17th January, according to the MOEAF.
He wants to urge people intending to work abroad not to trust agents who promise to help them get passports and to wait until passport offices have reopened, a director from an overseas employment agency which sends workers to Japan.
He said, "It is even difficult for passport agents to get into passport offices because authorities have tightened security. Even if they could help workers apply for passports, it would cost a large sum of agent fees at the moment. Such passport agents might forge fake passports. It was learnt that passports were available in Lashio. I think they were forging fake passports. Fake passport holders will get into trouble at the immigration counter at the airport. We can do nothing but wait. Don't trust anyone."
As action can be taken against those who forge official documents under section 420/468 of the Penal Code, migrant workers should not try to apply for passports through agents.
Although authorities said they have suspended the passport application process to introduce a new process, there may be other reasons like security issues and passport agent problems.
