New immigration website launched

THE Papua New Guinea Immigration and citizenship service (PNGICS) has a new website, which will provide users with complete information and easy access to its services.
Speaking at the launch of the website yesterday, Foreign Affairs minister Sam Abal said the website would provide users with easy access to information about all of PNGICS’s services.
The website contains useful information for clients on passports, visas, citizenship, permanent residence, Apec business travel card and enforcement and compliance, not to mention accessing of vital information on mandatory visa, passport and citizenship requirements.
The clients can now access the website for all PNGICS application forms, including visa application forms, passport application forms and citizenship application forms, which have been provided in Adobe PDF format and can be downloaded easily by users.
Information concerning application fees is also available to ensure that PNGICS clients are informed of the costs of making a passport, visa or citizenship application.
While the majority of information contained in the website is “static” in nature, over time consideration may be given to enhancing the website’s capabilities to provide more integrated client services.
“For the first time, PNG has consolidated information on all visa, passport, and citizenship requirements in one place on the internet, available to everybody everywhere in the world,” Mr Abal said.
Meanwhile, he said on May 2 this year, Cabinet made a decision to establish PNGICS as a statutory authority, separate from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, and its main function was to administer the Migration Act, the Passport Act and the Citizenship Act.
He urged the public to make a note of this.
Funding for the website came from the PNG Immigration budget while the data was provided by the PNGICS.
Technology company Datec PNG Limited set it up in three weeks.