The Department of Immigration and Citizenship Services falls under the Ministry of Home Affairs and Internal Security. It is basically in existence to provide quality services to the general public in areas of border control and issuance of travel documents, residential and work permits, Visas as well as Citizenship to eligible persons. Since the Government of Malawi formally took over Immigration Services from the Federal Government based in the then Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) on 1st January, 1964, the Department of Immigration and Citizenship Services has existed and delivered services as part of the Malawi Police Services, Office of the President and Cabinet, and currently as part of the Ministry of Home Affairs and Internal Security.