News / Local
Passport office overwhelmed by people collecting passports
13 Dec 2012 at 04:36hrs | Views
THE Bulawayo passport office is overwhelmed by the number of people collecting their passports forcing officers to issue them with collection numbers in order to control congestion.
In the past the office used to be overwhelmed by passport applicants.
It costs $53 for an ordinary passport which normally takes a month to process.
A number of people interviewed yesterday said they were spending several hours in the queue at the passport office waiting to collect their passports.
The disgruntled passport seekers said it was now a hassle to collect the passports.
"Collecting a passport has become so difficult and we do not know what is happening? I have been at this office for the past three days, but I have not collected my passport," said a woman who preferred anonymity.
"It is so frustrating that you spend the whole day here without getting your passport yet knowing that it is there."
The people said they suspected that registry officers were deliberately delaying giving them their passports to create a crisis so that they demand bribes.
They said people would be forced to pay bribes to jump the queue.
"I got the message that my passport was out but I have been here for two days and have not collected it. We have been told to wait while others have been given collection numbers," said a man, who was waiting to collect his.
Contacted for comment, Bulawayo provincial registrar, Mrs Jane Peters, confirmed the development, but said her office was not capacitated to render efficient service.
"It is not true that we are refusing to give people their passports on time but we serve them according to the capacity of our office. Yes people are being advised through the text message when their passports are out.
"The problem is that between 1 000 and 2 000 people get such messages per day and they cannot all be served on the same day," said Mrs Peters without explaining how many passports were given out per day.
Mrs Peters said while the Government has made provisions for people to access passport application forms online, the move has not reduced the burden at the passport office.
"Digitalisation has an advantage to the passport seekers who can obtain the application form easily. However, the applicant still has to come here, make payments and join the queue to be served," she said.
With the coming of the Christmas and New Year holidays, congestion at the passport office is likely to worsen as Zimbabweans from the Diaspora apply for passports, birth certificates and other identity particulars.
In the past the office used to be overwhelmed by passport applicants.
It costs $53 for an ordinary passport which normally takes a month to process.
A number of people interviewed yesterday said they were spending several hours in the queue at the passport office waiting to collect their passports.
The disgruntled passport seekers said it was now a hassle to collect the passports.
"Collecting a passport has become so difficult and we do not know what is happening? I have been at this office for the past three days, but I have not collected my passport," said a woman who preferred anonymity.
"It is so frustrating that you spend the whole day here without getting your passport yet knowing that it is there."
The people said they suspected that registry officers were deliberately delaying giving them their passports to create a crisis so that they demand bribes.
They said people would be forced to pay bribes to jump the queue.
"I got the message that my passport was out but I have been here for two days and have not collected it. We have been told to wait while others have been given collection numbers," said a man, who was waiting to collect his.
Contacted for comment, Bulawayo provincial registrar, Mrs Jane Peters, confirmed the development, but said her office was not capacitated to render efficient service.
"It is not true that we are refusing to give people their passports on time but we serve them according to the capacity of our office. Yes people are being advised through the text message when their passports are out.
"The problem is that between 1 000 and 2 000 people get such messages per day and they cannot all be served on the same day," said Mrs Peters without explaining how many passports were given out per day.
Mrs Peters said while the Government has made provisions for people to access passport application forms online, the move has not reduced the burden at the passport office.
"Digitalisation has an advantage to the passport seekers who can obtain the application form easily. However, the applicant still has to come here, make payments and join the queue to be served," she said.
With the coming of the Christmas and New Year holidays, congestion at the passport office is likely to worsen as Zimbabweans from the Diaspora apply for passports, birth certificates and other identity particulars.
Source - TC
