Harare (New Ziana) – Government on Tuesday approved plans to engage Lithuanian company, Garsu Pasaulis AUB to implement an online border management system incorporating visa and residence permits in the country after it successfully eliminated passport backlogs.

The company was first contracted to provide e-passports, including printing services for the travel documents, and successfully did so within a short time, which eliminated backlogs.

Passport issuing services have also been decentralised to some centres around the country by the company.

On the basis of this success, Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister, Monica Mutsvangwa said, government had now engaged Garsu Pasaulis AUB to implement the online border management system incorporating visa and residence permits.

“Accordingly, cabinet agreed to extend the Garsu Pasauilis contract to cover the implementation of national biometric infrastructure capable of producing entry visas and residence permits,” she said.

“The issuance of the visas and permits will be supported by an integrated information communication technology system capable of sustainably handling demand for the services.”

New Ziana