Malawi probes 45 foreigners over passport fraud as 1,000 apprehended

Malawi's Department of Immigration and Citizenship Services has revealed that 45 foreign nationals are suspected of attempting to fraudulently acquire Malawian passports, part of a wider enforcement operation in which more than 1,000 foreigners were apprehended. A leading legal expert is calling for public officials who help such applications to face prosecution and dismissal.

Key facts

• 45 foreign nationals suspected of trying to obtain Malawian passports through deception
• More than 1,000 foreigners apprehended between October 2025 and September 2026
• 1,752 visa applications rejected and 223 individuals deported in the same period
• Two foreign nationals convicted in Blantyre last week and awaiting deportation
• Passport screening, document verification and interviews are being tightened

What has the immigration department reported?

Immigration spokesperson Pasqually Zulu said the department was responding aggressively to growing concerns over document fraud and unlawful migration. Among those apprehended were the 45 foreign nationals suspected of attempting to fraudulently acquire Malawian passports, an offence the department says undermines the integrity of the country's national identification and travel document systems.

During the operation, conducted between October 2025 and September 2026, the department also rejected 1,752 visa applications and deported 223 individuals as part of an intensified crackdown on immigration-related offences.

Who has been convicted?

Two foreign nationals were convicted in Blantyre last week after attempting to obtain Malawian passports through fraudulent means. They are Yasin Chenda Moses, a Zambian national, and Bornlose Onasimbo Ntinkha, a Tanzanian national, and both are now awaiting deportation following their convictions.

What is being done about insider collusion?

Legal expert Benedicto Kondowe said the cases expose serious weaknesses in identity verification systems, institutional coordination and internal controls. He argued that any public officer found knowingly facilitating fraudulent passport applications should face prosecution, dismissal from public service and other disciplinary measures, warning that insiders enabling the process are a greater concern than the applicants themselves.

Kondowe said the illegal acquisition of citizenship documents has implications for national security, border management and public trust in state institutions, and that the cases should serve as a warning that passport fraud is not a victimless crime.

What is happening in the Alice Banda case?

Immigration authorities are investigating a separate application submitted under the name Alice Banda, after questions emerged over the authenticity of information used during the national identity registration process. Officials from Immigration and the National Registration Bureau are verifying the applicant's nationality claims and examining whether anyone tried to improperly influence the processing of the application.

According to preliminary findings, the applicant underwent document verification for passport processing on 5 November 2026, but the application was rejected at the interview stage a day later. It was rejected again during an audit review, meaning no passport was issued.

What this means for travellers

The department says it is strengthening document verification systems, tightening screening procedures and conducting more rigorous interviews for passport applicants, while working with the National Registration Bureau to cross-check identity details and nationality claims. Travellers applying for a Malawian passport should therefore expect closer scrutiny of identity documents and more detailed interviews.

Zulu said the department will not tolerate fraudulent practices, abuse of immigration procedures or attempts to compromise the integrity of national travel documents. Legal experts warn that unless officials who facilitate fraud are identified and punished, attempts to infiltrate Malawi's passport system will continue.