Yei Residents Begins Collecting Nationality Cards

(YEI RIVER COUNTY) – More than 1,000 residents flocked to the Directorate of Nationality, Passports and Immigration in Yei River County on Friday as authorities officially launched the distribution of newly processed South Sudan national identity cards and Pass ports.

The exercise follows the arrival of more than 4,000 national identity cards destined for applicants from the four counties of the Greater Yei region, marking a significant step in improving access to essential civil documentation.

Speaking during the launch, Col. Moses Paul Lokiko, an immigration officer from Juba, praised the Directorate of Nationality, Passports and Immigration for successfully processing the identity cards and acknowledged the support of the European Union, which assisted the initiative.

He said the distribution exercise had officially commenced and assured applicants that the Yei office was fully prepared to issue the documents to eligible recipients.

Col. Lokiko urged South Sudanese citizens to obtain national identity cards, describing them as vital legal documents that facilitate access to government services and other official processes.

He further noted that new identity card applications submitted through the office could be processed within approximately two weeks, provided applicants fulfil all required procedures and documentation requirements.

The Acting Director of the Directorate of Nationality, Passports and Immigration in Yei, Philip Akuai, confirmed that the office had received more than 4,000 identity cards and had begun distributing them to applicants across the Greater Yei region.

According to Akuai, a South Sudan passport currently costs US$100, while the processing fee for a national identity card is over 50,000 South Sudanese Pounds (SSP), in line with government regulations.

Among those receiving their documents was Jane Nyoka Eluzai, who welcomed the initiative and expressed gratitude to both the Directorate and the European Union for supporting the processing of identity cards.

Eluzai said she had waited many years to obtain a national identity card and described receiving the document as a life-changing moment.

“This document is very important because it will help me access government and other public services,” she said.

The distribution exercise is expected to continue over the coming days as thousands of applicants from across Greater Yei collect their national identity cards at the Directorate’s office in Yei River County.

Authorities have encouraged all eligible citizens whose applications were approved to visit the office and collect their documents, emphasising the importance of national identification in accessing public services and proving citizenship.