Gemalto is supplying Uganda’s Directorate of Citizenship and Immigration Control (DCIC) with its Coesys Visa Management which combines swift issuance of all visas and permits with biometric enrolment upon arrival.
Gemalto is supporting the new solution with integration, deployment, maintenance and training for Ugandan immigration officers. The new scheme allows authorities to manage the entire visa life cycle from application to issuance. It will help the country achieve its goals to facilitate travel, enhance national security and protect travellers’ identity against theft.
The turnkey solution incorporates a convenient online portal to apply for visas and permits any time prior to travel. Approved visitors then receive their Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) by email. Upon arrival in Uganda, visitors get their visas after an ETA check, verification of passports and the collection of their biometric data (fingerprints) so as to match travellers with the documents they are presenting.
Gemalto’s solution includes a link to an integrated control list from local and international sources, as well as an alert system to detect and manage inappropriate applicants. It also creates a centralised traveller database secured by an Automatic Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS) to share, search and match electronic fingerprints. This is accessible by authorities throughout the country.
The online visa portal significantly improves the experience of travelling to Uganda and supports the country’s growing business and tourism sectors. With increased migration across East Africa, Ugandan authorities can ensure that visas are issued to bona fide applicants.
“Gemalto has answered our need for a strong, secure solution, based on international standards and in line with Uganda’s objective to facilitate travel,” says Commissioner Anthony Namara, project co-ordinator at the Department of Citizenship and Immigration Control. “Gemalto’s Coesys Visa Management provides a fast and flexible response to the challenge of large-scale regional migration.”
“This new project puts Uganda at the forefront of enhanced immigration solutions in East Africa,” notes Ari Bouzbib, senior vice-president: government programmes at Gemalto. “The new system also fits with the regional initiative to deploy a single tourist visa programme across Uganda, Kenya and Rwanda. This enables Ugandan authorities to readily identify travellers and reinforce national security.”
