BY STAFF REPORTER
The Zimbabwe Consulate in Johannesburg has announced a change in passport application processing. Starting this Monday, all e-passport applications will be treated as express/emergency applications, with a fee of US$250 plus the application fee. This new directive from the Ministry of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage applies to all applicants.
For context, the ordinary passport costs US$170 (including a US$20 application fee), while the emergency passport costs US$250.
“The new directive, issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage, requires applicants to pay a fee of USD250.00, payable at the prevailing USD/ZAR exchange rate,” the Consulate updated its website and social media.
They urged applicants to find more information on the Consulate’s Facebook page, Twitter handle, email, website, or by contacting the hotline/emergency line.
“The Consulate reminds the public that it does not have agents acting on its behalf. Please note that the Zimbabwe Embassy in Pretoria and the two Consulates, namely the Zimbabwe Consulate in Johannesburg and the Zimbabwe Consulate in Cape Town, do not have agents who act on their behalf.”
The Zimbabwean diaspora in South Africa is a result of decades-long political instability, economic hardship, and underdevelopment in their home country.
Many have sought refuge across the border, with estimates suggesting over a million Zimbabweans currently residing in South Africa.
The change may pose additional challenges for this vulnerable population.