Electronic Passport Services and Citizens’ Satisfaction in Kilimanjaro Region, Tanzania

Abstract

In Tanzania, the effectiveness of electronic passport services is inadequate, causing dissatisfaction among customers. The excessive document submission required during the application process for e-passports, including 6 to 7 documents such as birth certificates and affidavits, has increased the time spent before e-passport applications. This study therefore aimed to assess the relationship between electronic passport (e-passport) services and citizens’ satisfaction in Tanzania. Specifically, the study sought to; (1) analyse citizens’ satisfaction on e-passport administration services (2) measure influence service quality dimensions on citizens’ satisfaction of e-passport qualities, and (3) examine citizens’ perceptions of e-passport interoperability effectiveness in service delivery. The study was anchored by the Information Systems Success Model and employed a descriptive research design involving a mixed approach which involved both qualitative and quantitative techniques. The study relied purely on primary data which was collected using both structured questionnaires and Interview guides. The quantitative data was analysed with the aid of SPSS software using both descriptive and inferential statistics. On the other hand, qualitative data was analysed thematically using content analysis and results presented in the form of verbatim. The findings revealed that improvements in the application process, document submission, and speedy processing times significantly influence satisfaction of customers, while higher costs negatively impact satisfaction, collectively explaining 62.9% of the variations in user satisfaction. The ordinal probit regression model showed that tangible aspects, responsiveness, assurance, and empathy significantly influenced satisfaction, whereas reliability had a positive but non-significant impact at 95% confidence level. The Government Electronic Payment Gateway, National Identification Authority and Tanzania Interoperable Payment System were significant predictors of the effectiveness of e-passport services. The study concludes that there exists serious dissatisfaction among citizens applying for e-passports in the Kilimanjaro region with transaction success rates, processing time efficiency, and the need to visit immigration offices being serious issues raised. To address these inefficiencies, the study recommends that there is a need to increase the overall user satisfaction and streamline the e-passport process, making it more user-friendly and reliable. Therefore, the immigration force department at Kilimanjaro region of Tanzania should strive to improve the efficiency and reliability of their systems on e- passports services.