News / National
Zimbabwe passport offices to be opened in SA
08 Oct 2023 at 07:51hrs | Views
Zimbabweans residing in South Africa will soon have the convenience of applying for and collecting passports and national identity cards at centers in Johannesburg and Cape Town by the end of this year, as the government seeks to facilitate access to civic documents for its diaspora citizens.
Renovation and upgrading work is currently underway at the Embassy's offices in these two cities to provide these services. The government is establishing modern e-passport enrollment centers at international locations to make it easier for diaspora citizens to access national documents.
Registrar-General Mr. Henry Machiri stated that South Africa is the initial point for these e-passport enrollment centers, with plans to establish similar facilities in other countries. He mentioned, "e-passport enrollment centers are being established across borders, and citizens will benefit by applying while in countries that have these facilities. The Ministry of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage is implementing the e-passport system in South Africa."
Mr. Eria Phiri, Consul-General at Zimbabwe's Embassy in Johannesburg, reported that the refurbishment of passport offices in Johannesburg is at an advanced stage, with upgrades expected to be completed by the end of the month.
Additionally, the Registrar-General announced that Zimbabweans will soon be able to apply for civic documents online once the enhanced Zimbabwe Population Registry System (ZPRS) deployment is completed. ZPRS will connect government offices in real-time, reducing bureaucracy and improving departmental operations. The digital migration is set to begin this month, ultimately leading to the digital transformation of the Civil Registry Department.
Online application for national documents, including passports, is being implemented in stages and is projected to begin early next year.
Since the introduction of e-passports in January 2022, over 100,000 travel documents have been issued from at least 14 e-passport offices established nationwide, with some provinces still undergoing construction work for their offices.
Renovation and upgrading work is currently underway at the Embassy's offices in these two cities to provide these services. The government is establishing modern e-passport enrollment centers at international locations to make it easier for diaspora citizens to access national documents.
Registrar-General Mr. Henry Machiri stated that South Africa is the initial point for these e-passport enrollment centers, with plans to establish similar facilities in other countries. He mentioned, "e-passport enrollment centers are being established across borders, and citizens will benefit by applying while in countries that have these facilities. The Ministry of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage is implementing the e-passport system in South Africa."
Additionally, the Registrar-General announced that Zimbabweans will soon be able to apply for civic documents online once the enhanced Zimbabwe Population Registry System (ZPRS) deployment is completed. ZPRS will connect government offices in real-time, reducing bureaucracy and improving departmental operations. The digital migration is set to begin this month, ultimately leading to the digital transformation of the Civil Registry Department.
Online application for national documents, including passports, is being implemented in stages and is projected to begin early next year.
Since the introduction of e-passports in January 2022, over 100,000 travel documents have been issued from at least 14 e-passport offices established nationwide, with some provinces still undergoing construction work for their offices.
Source - The Sunday Mail
