The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Immigration has announced the implementation of a new passport system therefore the public is being advised that its offices will be closed to new passport applications from today until the 20th, of January 2017 (Friday).

However, if an individual currently holds an ePassport, that document will be acknowledged.

“The ministry wishes to further inform the general public that current ePassports will remain valid up to the expiration date shown in the book,” the statement read.

“This means those people who are already in possession of a valid ePassport do not need to apply for the new ePassport.”

Cost changes will also remain unaffected.

“For example, $50 for Adult passports and $25 for Children passports will stay the same. The cost of Emergency Travel Documents and any other documents issued by the passport Office also remain unchanged.”

The Ministry will keep the public abreast of any developments concerning the new series of ePassports.

In early 2015 the Christie administration announced an $18 million new border management control system that would span five years.

This system change is just one of the many facets of the complete border management control system.

The initiative was introduced after the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) mandated The Bahamas phase out the traditional handwritten passports to bring in electronic passports.