On 14 March 2000 an official at the Uganda High Commission in Ottawa stated the following, in a letter to the Research Directorate:

It is not illegal for a non-owner of a passport to pick it up from the issuing authority. An owner of a passport can both verbally or in writing request of a person (friend or relative or any other) to collect the passport on his or her behalf. Also, officials of the Foreign Ministry usually carry, on behalf of the government, passports belonging to Ugandans, especially those who reside abroad. Authorization does not call for a standardized or specific identification.

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum.

Uganda High Commission, Ottawa. 14 March 2000. Correspondence.