Zimbabwean Embassy stops issuing travel documents to failed asylum seekers in their host countries

The Zimbabwean Embassy has stopped issuing travel documents to people who have applied for asylum in their host country, RBM Solicitors (UK) reported on Friday.

The Embassy is issuing letters which state the following "In Accordance with International Law, person who have applied for/been granted political asylum by the host country are automatically excluded from applying for travel documents from the Embassy. People who came to the United Kingdom on a non Zimbabwean Passport are also excluded from applying for travel documents from the Embassy."

According to RBM Solicitors have said that "this effectively means that people who have claimed asylum and being refused asylum in the host country will not be given travel documents to return to Zimbabwe. It leaves those who want to return to Zimbabwe voluntarily in a very difficult position as they will not be able to travel without a passport or travel document."

"The same applies to a group of people who came to the UK using Malawian passports. It makes it difficult for them to get Zimbabwean Passports in order to travel to Zimbabwe," RBM Solicitors stated on their website.

"Affected people can try to apply to stay in the UK as a stateless person if they are not recognised as a citizen of any country."

It is advisable to contact RBM Solicitors for further advice in this regard.