20 May 2022
STATEMENT ON THE ROLLOUT OF THE ELECTRONIC PASSPORT (E-PASSPORT) BY ZIMBABWE’S CIVIL REGISTRY DEPARTMENT
- Following the historic launch of the electronic passport by His Excellency, the President of the Republic of Zimbabwe, Cde Dr. E.D Mnangagwa on 14 December 2021, the Ministry of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage advised that the Civil Registry Department began issuing e-passports at Central Registry in Harare on 18 January 2022. The trial run and quality assurance checks on equipment, infrastructure and the attendant processes have been completed.
- The Central Registry’s implementation partner finalized setting up of supporting infrastructure required to issue e-passports in Bulawayo. The rollout of the e-passport to the remaining eight (8) provinces is expected to be completed latest by 30 June 2022. In the meantime, persons applying for passports in provinces where the e-passport system is not yet operational (including at Zimbabwe’s Missions abroad) will be issued with machine readable passports, which remain valid.
- All valid machine-readable passports remain in use until expiry. Accordingly, the issuance of the e-passport does not in any way affect the validity of machine-readable passports.
- In terms of Statutory Instrument 16 of 2022 on Citizenship (passport Fees) Regulations 2022, which came into effect on Friday 21 January 2022, the fees payable for electronic readable passports are as follows;
a) Ordinary passport USD $100
b) Emergency or express passport USD $200.
An additional fee of USD $20 shall be charged for every electronically readable passport application to obtain a Quick Response (QR) code.
- In terms of the provisions of SI 16 of 2022, the total fees payable for machine readable passport are as follows;
a) Ordinary passport USD $ 100
b) Emergency or express passport USD $ 200
- The Central Registry advised that the passport backlog is being addressed. All persons, who had applied for machine-readable passports, before the rollout of the e-passport, will be issued with machine-readable passports. However, these cannot be converted to the e-passport.
- Regarding the issue of online passport applications, the Ministry of Home Affairs advised that arrangements are not yet in place. However, in line with Zimbabwe’s quest to improve the ease of doing business in the issuance of travel documents, the Ministry of Home Affairs will strive to ensure that online facilities are availed for the convenience of all citizens. The decentralization of passport services up to District level remains a priority.
- Whilst positive gains have been realized in the seamless transition to the e-passport, the Ministry of Home Affairs is deeply concerned that certain criminal elements purporting to be employees/agents of the Civil Registry Department, have gone to fleece citizens of their hard-earned monies, promising facilitation of the e-passport, and in other instances other identity documents. We take note of a Facebook page titled “Makombe Passport Official” and various WhatsApp numbers run by individuals receiving monies through Money Transfer Agents. The Ministry has long disassociated itself from these bogus individuals who do not represent the Ministry. The Civil Registry Department does not charge any extra amounts outside the stipulated fees. Law enforcement agents will leave no stone unturned in bringing criminal elements to book.
- The Ministry of Home Affairs has urged all clients and stakeholders to rely on official communication channels, such as the Ministry’s Twitter handle @Moha_Zim and the following contact details of the Civil Registry Department 0242 702295-9 and 0242 708 384; and Zimbabwe’s diplomatic Missions across the globe.
20 May 2022
Washington DC
USA