Parliament Finalizes Amendments to the "Passport Law"

In today's session presided over by Counselor Ahmed Saad, Deputy Speaker of the House, the House of Representatives gave its final approval to the government-proposed amendments to certain provisions of Law No. 97 of 1959 regarding passports, following preliminary approval and comprehensive review of the articles.

Ahmed Saleh, the legislator responsible for the bill, detailed the amendments, noting that they were prompted by the current economic conditions, including the increased exchange rate of the US dollar against the Egyptian pound. This has led to higher costs for passport materials, which are imported from abroad.

Saleh emphasized the commitment to international conventions that mandate secure travel documents to prevent their misuse. This necessitates periodic updates to security features, leading to the proposal to raise the maximum fee stipulated in Article 8 of Law No. 97 of 1959 concerning passports from 250 to 1,000 Egyptian pounds. This increase aims to cover the current price surge and accommodate any future hikes.

The law amendment comprises a single article, aside from the publication clause, as follows: Article 1 replaces the text of the first paragraph of Article 8 in the referred law, specifying the passport's format, validity period, specifications, and fees - not exceeding 1,000 pounds - as determined by the Interior Minister with the Foreign Minister's approval. Article 2 addresses the law's publication in the Official Gazette and its enforcement the day after publication.

Saleh highlighted that the primary goal of the amendment is to protect the state budget by mitigating losses due to exchange rate fluctuations in issuing electronic passports, aligning with new international standards and the International Civil Aviation Organization's requirements. This ensures enhanced security and effectiveness in combating passport forgery.