JUBA — The outgoing Director-General of the Directorate of Civil Registry, Nationality, Passports, and Immigration, Lt. Gen. Elia Kosta Faustino, says his administration made progress in addressing shortages of passport booklets and national identity cards.
Gen. Kosta made these remarks during the reception ceremony of the new immigration chief in Juba on Monday, in which he said the availability of essential identification documents improved during his tenure, helping to ease challenges faced by citizens seeking passports and national ID cards.
“When I assumed office in February 2025, I found the directorate swimming in a pool of challenges,” he said.
Gen. Kosta said some of the directorate’s biggest challenges included shortages of passport booklets, national identity cards, and diplomatic passports.
He also cited internal divisions within the institution, unpaid rent, and unreliable electricity as other challenges affecting its operations.
According to Gen. Kosta, the situation was further compounded by middlemen who exploited citizens seeking travelling documents, often taking advantage of delays and gaps in service delivery.
“There was too much fraud caused by middlemen scamming citizens,” he said.
Gen. Kosta said his administration worked to address these challenges by promoting unity among staff, reducing internal divisions, and encouraging citizens to apply directly for government documents rather than relying on middlemen.
“I am proud to announce that I left in the warehouse about 32,000 passport booklets,” he said.
He also said the department now has about 172,000 national identity cards, along with diplomatic, official, and special passports.
“So I’m sure that the new Director General will not face a big challenge concerning the issue of the passport,” he said.
During his time in office, Gen. Kosta said the department also bought 100 mobile registration kits to take services to rural communities.
He said school-based nationality registration was introduced to make it easier for students to obtain nationality documents.
The outgoing director general also pointed to a memorandum of understanding signed in Nairobi to help establish an integrated civil registration system in South Sudan.
He said his administration also worked to extend the validity of ordinary adult passports to 10 years and planned to expand registration services to rural areas and cattle camps.
“I have very, very much confidence in your leadership and your ability to build upon the progress already made,” he said.
He also called on staff to cooperate with the new director general so that citizens can receive services more easily.
“The new DG must also find cooperation from all of you. You have to stay with him,” he said.
The handover marks a leadership transition at a key government institution responsible for civil registration, nationality documentation, passports, and immigration services in South Sudan.
While taking over the directorate, Gen. Achol Cyier Rehan, the new Director-General of the Directorate of Civil Registry, Nationality, Passports, and Immigration, pledged to build on the progress made by her predecessor while addressing service delays and corruption.
She said citizens should not have to wait for weeks to obtain essential documents such as passports and birth certificates.
“Leadership is not about titles but about service,” Gen. Achol said.
She said the Directorate is not simply an office that issues documents but an institution responsible for protecting citizens’ identities and helping secure the country’s borders.
Gen. Achol said more than one million people seek services from the Directorate every year, putting pressure on the institution to improve its systems.
She recalled meeting a young student who had waited for a month to obtain a passport to study abroad.
Lt. Gen. Achol Cyier Rehan was appointed by President Salva Kiir Mayardit on August 9, 2026, replacing Maj. Gen. Ellia Kosta, who had headed the Directorate of Civil Registry, Nationality, Passports, and Immigration since February 2025.
Lt. Gen. Achol has become the first woman to head the directorate, marking another significant milestone in her leadership career within the South Sudan National Police Service.
