Getting MRP in USA
We, the Bangladeshis in USA, are happy to know that Bangladesh embassy/consulate generals have started accepting applications for Machine Readable Passport (MRP), but I am very upset reading the procedures of how one can obtain the new passport. I believe most Bangladeshis in USA will agree with me on this issue. It is stated in the regulations that to obtain MRP one has to apply in person to embassy/consulate generals and also collect the MRP in person after 15 or 30 days. Therefore, one has to visit the embassy/consulate generals twice. Anyone living in USA knows how many embassy/consulate generals we have (1 embassy + 2 consulate generals). Now think of the hassle one has to take.
Thousands of Bangladeshis live in various states of USA. There are one embassy and two consulate generals in Washington DC, New York, and Los Angeles. People living in other cities have to take at least two days off from work to submit the application and another two days for collecting the passport. Besides this, one has to make necessary arrangements for travelling.
So for a family of 4, how much one has to spend just for passports? To me it's a joke. Bangladeshi working people who travel to their homeland usually use the 3 weeks' vacation time in a year. Now one needs to spend almost one week and a good amount of money (for a family of four, US $1500-$2000 in addition to passport fee) just to obtain the MRP.
We, the Bangladeshis living in USA, will appreciate if our government takes necessary steps to ease the process of obtaining the MRP. It is worth mentioning here that subcontractors can be used in other states for collecting biometric information.
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