[Source: Fiji Ministry of Foreign Affairs/ Facebook]

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has partnered with United Nations agencies in Fiji to lead a two-day workshop aimed at streamlining visa processes and enhancing immigration procedures.

This collaborative effort seeks to strengthen Fiji’s border management and immigration services by ensuring efficient and effective service delivery for both citizens and foreign nationals.

The workshop which will conclude today, brought together key border agencies with relevant government officials, alongside representatives of UN agencies based in Fiji.

[Source: Fiji Ministry of Foreign Affairs/ Facebook]

The goal of the workshop is to resolve challenges in the current visa framework and explore solutions that will improve operational efficiency in visa processing and immigration services.

As the coordinating agencies of this initiative, the United Nations Development Programme Pacific Office in Fiji and the International Organization for Migration are working closely with relevant government and related agencies to foster a common understanding of current rules and regulations pertaining to visas, exemptions and applications under relevant Fiji Laws.

Additionally, the workshop also focuses on streamlining decision-making processes within the border management system across agencies.

[Source: Fiji Ministry of Foreign Affairs/ Facebook]

Through standardized procedures, leveraging technology and inter-agency cooperation, the initiative aims to improve the integrity of the visa system, reduce visa processing times and enhance overall accessibility of immigration services.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs acknowledges the vital support provided by the UN agencies towards this initiative – which is seen as a key step to streamlining border and immigration services.

It says these are in line with the sovereignty and security pillars of foreign policy as set out in the recently launched Foreign Policy White Paper.