March 31, 2008
You want to leave Sudan? That will be $2,000
From today's Al-Intibaha newspaper.
Sudan: Interior Ministry sets strict exit visa regulationsA number of citizens yesterday protested in front of the building of the General Passports and Immigration Administration [GPIA] following the decision issued by police commander to set conditions for granting [exit] visas to sales representatives. These include paying a 2,000 US dollar fee and passing inquiries by the criminal investigations department. The Ministry of Interior has further implemented stricter measures on women travelling abroad.
An informed source said the decision was issued against the background of the great increase in immoral behaviour practised by Sudanese nationals abroad.
The source said the GPIA and civil registry had set up a committee to review these latest regulations which caused confusion to citizens and to put in place new regulations to correspond to developments abroad. He said the committee would present its report within two weeks.
It is the first time that I have heard of Sudanese nationals having problems with exit visas.
They have long been a problem for expats.
Most foreign charity workers have to apply for permission to leave the country whenever they want to go on holiday or move on to another job. You are always hearing stories of people missing weddings and funerals while ministry officials take their time over processing permits. One charity worker who was expelled from Sudan actually had to wait to be kicked out because his visa hadn't been stamped.
Foreign correspondents are allowed to apply for multi entrance/exit visas (at the end of an annual two-month-long $2,000 paperwork marathon that includes work permits, single entry visas and press cards). For the privilege of being able to enter and leave the country whenever you want, we also have to "pass" an HIV/Aids test carried out behind a grubby curtain in a corner of an office crowded with immigration police and officials. But that is a story for another day.
By the way, have any of you out there noticed this "great increase in immoral behaviour practised by Sudanese nationals abroad"? What are they getting up to?
Posted by aheavens at March 31, 2008 2:17 PM
Comments
I think they are refering to actions in the arab gulf where many complained that young sudanese women are leaving the country without a 'mihram' (a man that can make her travel legal). Many feel that the ability of women to travel alone and without the permission of their family should not be allowed.
They say these girls often stay with guys they know (family friends, destant acquaintances) which leads to things such as girls getting pregnant. People are also complaining about the clothing girls wear, they often feel free to wear western clothes when they are abroad.
These people are so crazy, they want to restrict our freedoms even when we go abroad!
Posted by: amal at March 31, 2008 3:24 PM
Yes, Sudan's problems must be caused by women wearing skirts. I can't imagine any other reason.
Posted by: quixote at March 31, 2008 6:19 PM
respect to women...
Sudan's problems are caused by us,stop saying; they did this and that, let us find a way to break free from the beast, this regime is iligitmate...
my people wake up
raise up
give our women a break
those passports are faked
made in the time of rape
I refuse to have one of them
with their signature on it.
Posted by: ras babi babiker at April 1, 2008 4:14 AM
That is crasiest madness and unfounded dictatorship on earth by the goverment law lawmakers and violtion of women rights. The men go prostituting abroad and claim its women, this will not help solve the problem of ICC but rather make it worse on the government of Al Basir. leave women alone mind of your arrest as an autocratic goverment.
Posted by: Maraim Abraham at August 15, 2008 1:28 PM