The Ministry of Homeland Security has pushed back against recent media reports questioning the availability of passports in Trinidad and Tobago, insisting the country is not running out of machine-readable passports and that citizens can continue applying for and receiving them as normal.
In a media release issued Tuesday, the Ministry said that while public scrutiny of government services is welcome, several claims in the recent reports were inaccurate, incomplete, and did not reflect the full picture of its ongoing passport modernisation programme.
Contrary to suggestions that no action had been taken to replenish the country’s passport stock, the Ministry said the Immigration Division has been actively managing inventory throughout the transition to a new electronic passport (e-Passport) system. According to the release, the Division received 50,000 machine-readable passport booklets in October 2025, followed by a further 12,000 in June 2026. With the Division issuing fewer than 6,000 passports on average each month, the Ministry said supplies remain adequate to meet public demand.
A further 48,000 booklets are scheduled to arrive in September 2026, bringing the year’s total to 100,000 machine-readable passport booklets, a volume the Ministry says will comfortably support uninterrupted service as the country moves toward the new system.
The Ministry also confirmed that, alongside efforts to keep current passport stock topped up, it initiated procurement for the new e-Passport system in March 2026. An Expression of Interest for the system’s provision has already closed, with submissions now under evaluation as part of what the Ministry described as a transparent, competitive and accountable procurement process.
Officials described the e-Passport programme as a significant step toward modernising the country’s immigration services and strengthening national security. The new system is expected to introduce an online application and appointment platform, aimed at making the process more efficient and user-friendly for citizens while cutting down on opportunities for abuse.
The next generation of machine-readable passports will also feature Trinidad and Tobago’s new Coat of Arms, which includes the steelpan as the national instrument, along with enhanced security features designed to guard against counterfeiting and document fraud. The e-Passport itself will introduce internationally recognised biometric technology, including an embedded electronic chip, making the document more resistant to identity theft, alteration and fraudulent reproduction.
Minister of Homeland Security Roger Alexander said the Ministry has been planning the transition carefully to ensure passport services continue without interruption while the immigration system is modernised. He said citizens should be assured there is sufficient stock to meet demand, that additional deliveries have already been scheduled, and that work on the new e-Passport system is well underway, with the Ministry’s focus on protecting citizens’ identities, strengthening national security and delivering an immigration service in line with international best practice.
The Ministry said it remains committed to ensuring uninterrupted passport services for citizens as the country transitions to what it described as a safer, smarter and more secure passport system.