MoHA to allow access to citizenship data

Kathmandu, November 4

The Ministry of Home Affairs has implemented the ‘Procedure for Providing Read-Only Access to Data of Citizenship Certificates’ for service provider agencies.

According to the MoHA, the procedure was made as per Rule 9 of Good Governance (Management and Operation) Rules, 2006. With the implementation of this procedure, service provider agencies may get read-only access to data of citizenship certificates available in the central server of the MoHA. Read-only access means the permission to see and print the data.

“If a service provide agency needs to verify the authenticity of citizenship certificate while providing service on the basis of citizenship certificate, it may get read-only access to the data in the central server by fulfilling prescribed requirements,” the procedure reads.

Various service provider agencies take citizenship certificates as the base while providing service related to passports, travel documents, land management, house/land transaction, banking and financial transaction, personal incident registration, distribution of social security allowance, certification and recommendation, industry/business/employment, education/health, legal remedy and other areas where citizenship certificate is necessary.

“Read-only access to data of citizenship certificates shall be provided ensuring data and network security. It requires connecting Virtual Private Network to the agencies wishing to have access through Dedicated Lease Line,” it states.

Any service provider agency wishing to have read-only access to data of citizenship certificate shall submit an application to the MoHA. “If such application is submitted, Information Technology Section of the MoHA may provide username and passport for the access to the central service,” the procedure reads.  For this the concerned service provider agency should make a commitment in relation to security, confidentiality and proper use of the data.

The read-only access shall be applicable for only one fiscal. If a service provider agency submits an application for renewal of access within three months of the completion of each fiscal, it may be renewed on the basis of necessity and utilisation.  Government agencies shall be entitled to read-only access for free of charge.