Luanda: President Joo Louren§o and First Lady Ana Dias Louren§o underwent on Friday the formal process for issuing ordinary and diplomatic electronic passports, marking the start of issuing this document after its official launch in December 2025. The act took place during a working visit by the Angolan Head of State to the facilities of the Migration and Foreigners Service (SME) in Luanda.
According to Angola Press News Agency, the Head of State, who observed the functioning of the various departments, processed the document, an act that confirms the effectiveness of the modernization, digitization, and optimization program of the SME services. The electronic passport was issued minutes after the President of the Republic toured some strategic departments linked to the institution, in the presence of several Executive aides and senior officials from the SME, the Ministry of the Interior, and the Presidency of the Republic.
The Angolan electronic passport, officially presented on December 16, 2025, represents a considerable gain for the administrative modernization of the State and for increasing Angola's international credibility. Located in Luanda and Huambo, the electronic passport personalization center has a total printing capacity of 60 electronic passports per hour on each machine. The passport incorporates a biometric chip and advanced encrypted security systems, ensuring greater protection for citizens' data. It is an instrument aimed at strengthening international trust and expanding the global mobility of Angolan citizens.
The implementation of the electronic passport allowed Angola to enter the Public Key Directory of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), whose official ceremony for the delivery of public keys and certification was held in Montreal, Canada, on November 5, 2025. With this step, the country joins the list of 107 countries fully interconnected through verification systems according to the highest international standards. This allows the Angolan electronic passport to be automatically verified and recognized at border portals of any country within the ICAO Public Key Directory.
Based on Law No. 1/29, of March 2, which amends the Angolan Passport Law and the Regime for the Exit and Entry of National Citizens, the process of gradually replacing the regular passport with the electronic passport is underway. The Ministry of Interior is carrying out a broad User Support Program, focused on addressing the concerns of citizens who have already submitted their passport application but have not yet received the document.
With the support center located in Luanda Bay, next to the port, the program begins on Saturday, March 7, and will operate from Monday to Sunday, starting at 8 am, for at least 30 days, with the aim of carrying out the large-scale issuance and delivery of electronic passports.