– The Immigration and Citizenship Service (ICS) has announced an ambitious plan to issue 4 million passports during the newly started Ethiopian fiscal year, as part of its ongoing effort to upgrade service delivery and ensure customer satisfaction.

The announcement was made during a sectoral conference organized by ICS this week to assess last year’s performance and outline goals for the year ahead. The conference concluded on Tuesday in the presence of key stakeholders and partners.

Speaking to The Ethiopian Herald on the sidelines of the event, ICS Deputy Director General Gosa Demesie said that the organization is preparing to process passports for over 3,000 citizens per day while maintaining high service standards.

He emphasized that the recently inaugurated ICS headquarters in Gotera, Addis Ababa has created a more conducive working environment. Combined with a skilled and committed workforce, this will help the agency meet its annual target efficiently and securely.

To further strengthen service accessibility, four new ICS branches and a new online passport application system will soon be launched. These additions aim to reduce processing delays and improve convenience for citizens.

Gosa also noted that ICS’s services extend beyond passport issuance. They include managing land and border control, coordinating civil registration across the country, and providing support for foreign citizens. In this regard, an Integrated Border Management System will soon be implemented to enhance coordination and combat illegal activities more effectively.

During the last fiscal year, ICS served over 10 million customers through various services, including passport issuance, visa processing for foreign nationals, and documentation for missionaries.

Of the 34 billion Birr in revenue collected last year, Gosa highlighted that 75% came from non-passport services, such as travel documentation and processing fees for foreign nationals.

Looking ahead, ICS is prioritizing the expansion of its digital infrastructure to bridge the gap between growing public demand and available services. “We are committed to digital transformation to make our services more efficient, transparent, and customer-focused,” Gosa concluded.