Civil service machines introduced in Egypt on Police Day

CAIRO - 25 January 2020: On the 68th anniversary of Police Day, the Ministry of Interior introduced on Saturday self-service machines that citizens can use to issue birth certificates after entering their data and paying.

As a start, the machines have been installed in some civil services offices, including that of Abbaseya, and the airports of Cairo, Hurghada, and Sharm El Sheikh.

The Ministry of Interior has been developing the civil services it is offering to citizens. For instance, a new passport services center was launched in July in one of the old buildings characterized by its luxurious architecture in Abaseya to replace the one that used to exist in Al Tahrir Complex.

Unlike the old one, the new center – equipped with central AC - relies more on technology, has a waiting hall and adopts a queue number waiting system which has eliminated crowdedness.

Egypt Today made a tour in the new center to check how the procedures are going on and how the place looks like. The entrance has a security gate. When you walk in the ground floor, you will find 12 escalators and 12 elevators. The seven-storey building stretches over 40,000 square meters and encompasses many departments affiliated to the General Passport Administration at the Ministry of Interior.

On the right, you will find the Human Rights Department that facilitates procedures for the elderly, the disabled, and individuals suffering from different illnesses. Each floor has a bank branch where individuals can pay the fees without being told "there is no change."

Each floor offers a specific service so that individuals do not have to hit many floors and offices to get the procedures done. Also, there are many signs that can help you reach the service you need. Smoking is not allowed and the building has surveillance cameras. You will never hear the infamous "the system is down" as there are many alternatives to work under different conditions.