Surinamese living in and around New York will henceforth have access closer to home to passport services provided by the Surinamese government. With the launch of the Suriname Passport Application Services, the government aims to make applying for a Surinamese passport more accessible and efficient for citizens abroad.
The new service was officially launched on Wednesday, September 23, 2026, by President Jennifer Simons. The president is currently in the United States for the 81st United Nations General Assembly.
With the passport service, the government aims to bring an important public service closer to Surinamese in the diaspora. According to Simons, the government should serve not only citizens within the country’s borders, but also Surinamese who live, work or study abroad.
“The government must serve its citizens. Not only those who live within the borders of our country, but also those who live, work, study and build their lives in other parts of the world, while maintaining their connection with Suriname,” the president said.
Application process must become simpler
The Suriname Passport Application Services in New York must make the application process more accessible for Surinamese abroad. The government aims to respond to the growing mobility of Surinamese and the fact that an increasing number of fellow nationals live across different countries.
According to Simons, governments must adapt and modernise their services accordingly.
“Our people are increasingly mobile and our communities are spread across different countries and continents. Governments must therefore be willing to adapt, modernise and improve their services,” the head of state said.
Decision on passports remains with Suriname
The president stressed that the arrival of the new service does not mean that control over Surinamese passports is being relinquished.
According to her, the assessment, approval and issuance of passports remain entirely the responsibility of the competent Surinamese authorities.
“The Surinamese passport remains a sovereign document of the Republic of Suriname,” Simons said. “The authority to assess, approve and issue passports remains with the competent institutions of the government of Suriname.”
According to the government, the new service is primarily intended to make the contact point and application process easier for citizens, without compromising the security and integrity of the national passport system.
New York possibly the first step
The government aims to further expand services for Surinamese abroad. New York appears to be the starting point of a broader approach.
“Today we are starting here in New York, but our ambition extends further. Step by step, we want to further strengthen access to government services for Surinamese abroad,” Simons said.
According to the president, the initiative fits within the ambition to make the Surinamese government more modern and accessible to citizens, regardless of where they live.
Present at the launch were, among others, Minister Melvin Bouva of Buitenlandse Zaken, Internationale Handel en Samenwerking (Foreign Affairs, International Trade and Cooperation), representatives of VFS Global and members of the Surinamese diaspora.
The ministries of Buitenlandse Zaken and Binnenlandse Zaken, Vlatacom, VFS Global, technical teams and diplomatic and consular representatives were also involved in establishing the passport service.
