Zimbabwe passport fee includes US$20 QR Code fee

Those who spent the night at the Harare Passport office and the many who arrived early in December received a fortunate advantage as the government confirmed the anticipated increase in passport application fees. Effective New Year's Day, ordinary applications will now cost US$170, and emergency applications will be charged US$270, both inclusive of a US$20 Quick Response (QR) expense.

Initially, Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube proposed to Parliament a fee hike from the existing US$120 to US$200 for ordinary applications and an increase from US$120 to US$300 for emergency applications. However, faced with resistance from the struggling Zimbabwean population, many sought to secure passports before the assumed January 1 deadline.

The rush for passports in December reflects the economic challenges in Zimbabwe, prompting millions to seek better opportunities abroad. The country is witnessing a significant exodus as individuals explore job prospects in various sectors, including health, education, and the cruise ship industry. Zimbabwean nurses, in particular, are among the top nationalities working in Britain's National Health Service (NHS), while Australia, Canada, and the United States also remain popular destinations.

The updated fees are outlined in Statutory Instrument (SI) 1 of 2024, repealing the previous schedule and establishing fees of US$150 for an ordinary passport and US$250 for an emergency passport. Additionally, an extra fee of US$20 will be charged for every electronically readable passport application to obtain a Quick Response (QR) code.