Gov’t gives foreigners 3-month ultimatum to register for visa, work permit  

JUBA – South Sudan’s government has given foreign nationals three months to register, process their visas, and work permits.

South Sudan Director for Civil Registry, Nationality, Passport and Immigration, Lt. Gen. Atem Marol Biar disclosed that 90% of foreigners mostly Ugandan and Eritrean are living illegally in the country without visas and work permits.

Gen. Marol disclosed to reporters in Juba at Tuesday’s press conference that some foreigners who illegally entered the country have stayed for more than 7 years without immigration documents, data which he said were obtained following silence search recently.

“Very big number aliens are staying without a document. More than 90% especially from Uganda and Eritrea are living in South Sudan without documents,” Gen. Marol said.

Gen. Marol said the aliens have been given a one-month temporary permit to return to their country of origin to process their documents.

“There is no country in this world where you can enter a country without a document.  This is a serious issue and if we continue to allow people to enter without documents, it may bring insecurity in the country,” he said.

“We are supposed to deport these aliens who are staying in South Sudan without documents but because they are from our sisterly country and we are members of East African Community we decided not to do so,” he added.

Recently, Ugandan nationals living in Juba petitioned their embassy over what they claimed as exorbitant visa fees levied on them by South Sudan immigration officers.