By Serah Chikwapula:
The Department of Immigration and Citizenship Services has rejected 1,752 visa applications, arrested more than 1,000 foreign nationals and deported 223 people since October 2025 to October 2026 as part of efforts to strengthen border security and fight immigration-related offences.
According to a statement that the department issued on its Facebook page on Sunday, November 8, the department says 45 of those arrested are suspected of attempting to obtain Malawian passports fraudulently.
In a related development, two foreign nationals, Yasin Chenda Moses, a Zambian, and Bornlose Onasimbo Ntinkha, a Tanzanian, were convicted in Blantyre last week for attempting to obtain Malawian passports fraudulently. The two are awaiting deportation to their respective countries.
Meanwhile, Immigration is working with the National Registration Bureau (NRB) to investigate a passport application involving a woman identified as Alice Banda, following questions about her nationality and identity documents.
According to the Department’s statement, the application underwent document verification on 5 November 2026 but was rejected at the interview stage on 6 November. It was also rejected during the audit stage.
Immigration has clarified that the application was never completed and that no Malawian passport was issued to the applicant.
However, investigations are continuing to establish whether anyone attempted to influence the application process.
The statement has also stressed that it would not allow anyone to misuse the country’s immigration system.
“We will not tolerate fraudulent practices or attempts to abuse immigration procedures. Every person seeking a Malawian passport must meet the requirements set by the law,” the Department said.
It further described the Malawian passport as an important national document that represents the country’s identity and sovereignty.
“The integrity, credibility and security of the Malawian passport must be protected at all times. It is a sovereign national document and must only be issued in accordance with the laws of Malawi,” the Department said.
The Department has also assured the public that it will continue working with other government institutions and international partners to fight identity fraud, strengthen migration controls and improve immigration services.
