SA, UK and USA passport centres to open this year

ZIMBABWEANS living in South Africa (SA) will begin applying and receiving passports in Johannesburg and Cape Town in March, while those living in the United Kingdom (UK) and the United States (US) will access the same services before year-end, our Harare Bureau has established.

Government plans to open passport offices in five countries this year to facilitate easy access to travel documents.

Also, this month, a passport centre will be opened in Mwenezi, Masvingo province, as the decentralisation of critical services continues countrywide.

The projects are part of Government's efforts to establish state-of-the-art e-passport enrolment centres in the country and abroad to bring convenience to locals and those in the diaspora.

Registrar-General Mr Henry Machiri told our Harare Bureau that the first foreign passport office will be set up in SA to serve the large Zimbabwean community living in the neighbouring country.

"Renovations at the embassy's offices in South Africa are complete and during the first quarter of this year, we are going to open passport centres at our embassies in Johannesburg and Cape Town. South Africa is one of the countries with the largest population of Zimbabweans. Therefore, it is one of the countries that we are starting with," he said.

"This year, we are planning on setting up passport centres in five countries and so far, we have South Africa, London in the UK and the US. We have not yet figured out where the other two centres will be located.

"We are starting with countries that have the highest number of Zimbabweans, while consultations will continue on the next two stations."

Mr Machiri said the fees will remain pegged at US$150 and US$250 for ordinary and emergency passports, respectively, even for applicants in the diaspora.

"The fees for passports will be the same because production of these documents is being done in Zimbabwe. The applicants' details outside of Zimbabwe will now be sent through our offices and the passports will be sent back through our offices," he added.

"In Zimbabwe, we are also going to open more passport centres, with one set to be opened in Mwenezi this January. So, we will continue to target more offices internally and externally."

Opening of passport offices abroad will dovetail with an ongoing programme to give a facelift to all Zimbabwe embassies around the world.

Presenting the 2024 National Budget, Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion Minister Professor Mthuli Ncube said funds had been set aside for the exercise.

"Government will continue to upgrade and construct the country's chanceries and embassies in key areas that promote engagement and re-engagement. Efforts will also be made to collaborate with the private sector through private-public partnerships in this programme," he said.

At least 14 passport offices have been set up countrywide, with close to 200 000 travel documents having been issued since the introduction of e-passports in January 2022.

E-passports are now being processed at the Harare passport registry and at provincial and district offices in Bulawayo, Gwanda, Gweru, Lupane, Marondera, Beitbridge, Chitungwiza, Hwange, Mazowe, Murewa, Zvishavane, Chinhoyi and Guruve.