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Zimbabwe emigrants celebrate e-passport application in SA
20 Jun 2024 at 02:35hrs | Views
Zimbabweans in South Africa have welcomed the introduction of an e-passport application process at the Johannesburg consulate, marking a significant improvement over previous requirements to renew passports by traveling back to Zimbabwe.
Home Affairs secretary Raphael Faranisi announced that consulate staff in Pretoria had begun training to process passport applications locally, aiming to address the challenge of many Zimbabweans overstaying illegally due to expired travel documents.
Ngqabutho Mabhena, chairperson of the Zimbabwe Community in SA, praised the move, highlighting that passport collection would now be facilitated at the Johannesburg consulate in Bedfordview, LIA Boeing Road West. This development is expected to streamline the application process and improve accessibility for the over one million Zimbabweans residing in South Africa.
The cost of an ordinary e-passport is set at US$150 or its equivalent in rand, with an additional US$20 charge for passports featuring a QR code. A trial run for the new system began on June 21, and further details will be communicated through official consulate channels. Interested individuals were encouraged to participate in the trial and contact the consulate via WhatsApp, email, or social media platforms.
Looking ahead, Faranisi expressed intentions to expand passport services to Zimbabweans in the United Kingdom, the United Arab Emirates, and the United States, aiming to further facilitate access to essential travel documents for the diaspora.
Home Affairs secretary Raphael Faranisi announced that consulate staff in Pretoria had begun training to process passport applications locally, aiming to address the challenge of many Zimbabweans overstaying illegally due to expired travel documents.
Ngqabutho Mabhena, chairperson of the Zimbabwe Community in SA, praised the move, highlighting that passport collection would now be facilitated at the Johannesburg consulate in Bedfordview, LIA Boeing Road West. This development is expected to streamline the application process and improve accessibility for the over one million Zimbabweans residing in South Africa.
The cost of an ordinary e-passport is set at US$150 or its equivalent in rand, with an additional US$20 charge for passports featuring a QR code. A trial run for the new system began on June 21, and further details will be communicated through official consulate channels. Interested individuals were encouraged to participate in the trial and contact the consulate via WhatsApp, email, or social media platforms.
Looking ahead, Faranisi expressed intentions to expand passport services to Zimbabweans in the United Kingdom, the United Arab Emirates, and the United States, aiming to further facilitate access to essential travel documents for the diaspora.
Source - southern eye
