Immigration collects 78% targeted revenue

The Immigration Department has expressed optimism that it is going to beat its projected target of K6.9 billion for the 2016/17 financial year because as at January 31 2017, it had collected K5.3 billion.

According to the department’s national deputy spokesperson Wellington Chiponde, the K5.3 billion represents 78 percent of the target and, all things being equal, the department is projecting that it will collect K9 billion by the end of the financial year in June 2017.

“We are attributing this unprecedented collection to the hard work and effort shown through the processing of different immigration permits, issuance of visas and the issuance of relevant documents to relevant persons,” he said.

Chiponde also urged all individuals and organisations that are yet to pay the fees of their approved immigration permits to do so in time as the law will not spare those who have not honoured the formalities of legalising their stay in Malawi.

Previously, the department has been facing challenges in assisting clients applying for passports due to a shortage of passport booklets, but Chiponde, speaking in a telephone interview yesterday, said at the moment the situation is good.

He said the department has all the necessary resources and manpower to allow it process passports faster and efficiently.

He, however, said processing of passports does not give the department a lot of revenue as most revenue is collected through issuance of immigration permits and visas, among others.

Last year, Egyptian Ambassador Maher El-Adawy urged the Immigration Department to become independent and generate its own resources instead of depending on government and donors for its sustainability.

He made the call in June when he toured the Immigration headquarters in Blantyre.