Administrative bottleneck leaves citizenship ID applicants waiting in Ramree Twsp

By Admin 23 Sep 2023

DMG Newsroom
23 September 2023, Ramree

Local residents in Arakan State’s Ramree Township are struggling to apply for citizenship registration cards as the head of the township immigration department has been travelling since February.

There have been delays as local people have to apply through the Kyaukphyu District immigration department instead.

“This causes greater inconveniences for applicants from rural areas. I had no option, but had to leave relevant documents at the office. Only when the office informed me that I had got a citizenship ID card, I went there again to take it,” said a resident from Ramree Township.

Applicants said they needed to wait nearly one month to get ID cards as applications are handled by the Kyaukphyu District immigration office.

“The township immigration office said their head is not present, and documents have to be sent to Kyaukphyu district immigration office, which causes delays. Today, if you do not have a citizenship ID, you can have troubles living at your home, not to mention going for a trip,” another Ramree resident said on condition of anonymity.

Only when the township immigration office receives 10 applications, those applications and relevant documents are sent altogether to the Kyaukphyu District immigration office.

It creates inconveniences for those who need to make immediate trips, residents say.

Ramree resident U Tun Tun Naing said: “The Arakan State government has the responsibility to fill this gap.”

DMG was unable to obtain comment from the Ramree Township immigration department.

Applicants say they have to pay money in applying for citizenship ID cards, though the immigration departments say it is free.