MBABANE – Eswatini has issued dozens of machine-readable travel documents to recognised refugees, enabling them to travel internationally for business, education and leisure while reinforcing the country’s commitment to international refugee protection.
According to the Ministry of Home Affairs’ First Quarter Report for the 2026/27 financial year, the Refugee Department received 82 applications for the Eswatini Machine Readable Convention Travel Document (EMCTD) between April and June this year and dispatched 77 documents to successful applicants.
The ministry said the travel documents are issued to refugees who submit all the required statutory documentation and are recognised under the country’s refugee laws.
“These documents allow them to travel anywhere in the world for business, studies and leisure except their countries of origin in line with the principles laid out in the Refugees Act, No. 15 of 2017,” the report states.
The initiative forms part of Eswatini’s broader efforts to strengthen refugee protection while promoting self-reliance and social inclusion for people forced to flee conflict and persecution.
The report indicates that the Refugee Department continues to work with international partners, including the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) and World Vision Eswatini, to implement durable solutions for refugees and asylum seekers living in the country.
Beyond international passports, the department processed 77 refugee status permit applications during the quarter and dispatched 70 permits, allowing beneficiaries to access essential government and financial services. These include obtaining personal identification numbers, national identity cards and other official documentation needed to seek employment, establish businesses and integrate into society.
The ministry noted that voluntary repatriation remains the preferred long-term solution for many refugees, although local integration and resettlement continue to be pursued where appropriate with the support of development partners.
Eswatini is currently home to 5 058 registered refugees and asylum seekers originating from more than 30 countries, including the Democratic Republic of Congo, Somalia, Ethiopia, Burundi, Rwanda and Eritrea. During the reporting period, the country also received 125 new asylum seekers seeking international protection.
The report further notes that the government is monitoring regional migration trends, particularly the possibility of additional asylum seekers arriving from neighbouring South Africa amid ongoing immigration enforcement operations.
Officials say the continued issuance of internationally recognised refugee travel documents demonstrates Eswatini’s commitment to upholding its obligations under international refugee conventions while providing refugees with opportunities to pursue education, employment and other legitimate activities abroad.
Meanwhile, the Eswatini passport is considered a mid-tier travel document globally, offering its holders a moderate level of international mobility. According to recent global passport rankings, it is placed around the upper-middle tier worldwide, allowing citizens to travel to dozens of destinations without first obtaining a traditional visa or by using visa-on-arrival and electronic travel authorisation systems. While it does not enjoy the extensive access afforded to some of the world’s strongest passports, it compares favourably with many others across Africa.
The ranking provides useful context to the country’s decision to issue Convention Travel Documents to recognised refugees. Although these documents are distinct from Eswatini passports and do not confer citizenship, they enable refugees to travel internationally for purposes such as education, employment, business, medical treatment or family reunification, subject to the immigration requirements of destination countries. The move aligns Eswatini with its obligations under international refugee conventions and reflects a commitment to ensuring that recognised refugees can exercise their right to freedom of movement beyond the country’s borders.
Refugees have commended the government for this, revealing that for those who have spent years unable to cross international borders legally, now have access to recognised travel documents which represents a significant milestone. They said it opens opportunities that were previously out of reach while reinforcing Eswatini’s standing as a country that is strengthening its refugee protection framework in line with international standards.
