SINGAPORE: Sitting on the pavement outside a condominium, Krystal (not her actual title) leans towards the shrubbery to protect herself from the solar as she swats away flies.
Next to her is one other Myanmar nationwide, who solely needed to be generally known as Joy, and plastic luggage stuffed with meals and bottles of water.
Krystal and Joy had been ready outside the Myanmar embassy on St Martin’s Drive for practically 12 hours when CNA arrived at about 5pm. The pair wanted to get their passports renewed.
According to the embassy, its on-line reserving system opens each Friday at 1pm, permitting between 350 and 400 folks to e book slots to resume their passports.
However, bookings have been snapped up, with the following out there slot solely out there on Jun 10.
Under the present association, the embassy sees between 70 and 80 folks every day with on-line bookings and permits 20 folks with no current bookings to stroll in.
Those who apply in the morning can get a brand new passport on the identical day, the embassy informed CNA, including that it points between 90 and 100 passports each day.
“We are looking after our citizens and helping people, especially domestic helpers or construction workers who have difficulty getting an online booking,” it stated.
The embassy added that it had began this particular association in January to permit Myanmar nationals based mostly in Singapore to resume their passport in time.
A test on Facebook revealed pictures of lengthy queues outside the embassy courting again to Apr 11. In a number of movies, persons are seen ready in the rain at night time.
Krystal, who works as a maid, informed CNA she had tried to make a web based reserving a number of instances however was unsuccessful.
“I didn’t do it earlier because I didn’t have the time. But now, I have no choice but to come here and wait because my passport already expired two days ago,” she stated.
Meanwhile, Joy is apprehensive about being deported as her passport is because of expire on Jun 2.
“I must get it done soon, so I’m planning to wait here overnight,” she stated.
Responding to queries from CNA on the way it plans to deal with the backlog of passport renewal requests, the embassy stated it is going to begin issuing walk-in tickets for 30 folks as an alternative 20 from May 13.
This might be achieved a day in advance ranging from 4.30pm.
“It will be better because currently they don’t tell us what time the tickets will be issued, so we just have to wait,” stated Joy.
Source : channelnewsasia.com
