By Nyasha Chuma
Zimbabwe anticipates to clear its passport backlog of 184 000 by the end of December 2021 courtesy of an e-Passport Production project.
Government believes the project will significantly reduce the price of passport production.
The Department of The Registrar General currently charges US$53.00 for an odinary passport, US$253.00 for an urgent passport (3 working days).
Express urgent passport (24 hours) is set at US$318.00 and Temporary Travel Document costs $38.00.
Only the express urgent passport is currently being processed.
Authorities hope to clear the backlog after signing a Build, Own, Operate and Transfer Agreement with Garsu Pasaulis, a Lithuanian Company on an e-Passport Production Project.
Addressing media during Tuesday’s post-Cabinet briefing Information minister Monica Mutsvangwa said the project is well on course with the aim of boosting production of passports, identification cards and birth certificates.
“Cabinet considered and noted the Progress Report on the Revamping of the Passport Office which was presented by the Minister of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage, Honourable Kazembe Kazembe,” Mutsvangwa said.
“The nation will recall that during its Ninth Meeting, Cabinet approved a strategy by the Ministry of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage to clear the country’s passport backlog that had accumulated to over 400 000 by August 2020. It is pleasing to note that the backlog has since been reduced to the current 184 000. It is anticipated that the backlog would have been cleared by the end of December 2021,” she continued.
“Cabinet also wishes to report that the implementation of a Build, Own, Operate and Transfer Agreement with Garsu Pasaulis, a Lithuanian Company on an e-Passport Production Project is well on course with the aim of boosting production of passports, identification cards and birth certificates.”
Cabinet noted that significant progress has been registered in so far as approval of the final design of the Zimbabwean e-passport which will be fully-compliant with the requirements of the International Civil Aviation Organisation.
Renovations at the Harare Passport Enrolment Centre, at the Civil Registry Building commemced on the 18th of October 2021 while the Bulawayo Passport Enrolment Centre will commence on the 27th of October 2021.
After the completion of these two sites ,focus will then be shifted to other remaining cities, satellite centres and designated Embassies, Cabinet advised.
“As a result of these interventions, it is envisaged that the cost of passports will be significantly reduced by December, 2021,” Mutsvangwa said.
