The Department of Passport on Tuesday said it has halted passport distribution owing to a technical issue.

Issuing a notice, the department said it stopped distributing passports and providing application status until further notice following a technical glitch with its system since Sunday.

The department said it is continuously working to resolve the issue and it will take some time for the system to be fully operational.

“Service seekers are requested not to visit the department for the above-mentioned services. The department apologises for the inconvenience caused,” the Department of Passport said in the notice.

Durpada Sapkota, the department’s director and spokesperson, requested service seekers who have regularly booked appointment dates for a passport application to visit the department for biometrics.

The Department of Passport in Tripureshwar sees a long queue of people before the break of dawn every day. Deputy Prime and Home Minister Rabi Lamichhane inspected the Department of Passports on Wednesday.

The Ministry of Home Affairs on Saturday set up and mobilised a panel of experts to study and recommend ways to resolve the hassles in public service delivery. The move is aimed at removing red tape in the distribution of essential documents such as passports, national identity cards and licences, for which people are compelled to stand in queue for hours.

With the formation of the government, Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal announced to prioritise easy access to public services such as the distribution of passports and driving licences. Following the announcement, the first meeting of the Council of Ministers decided to take steps to improve service delivery.