Zimbabweans residing in South Africa will encounter higher passport fees as the government has designated their applications under “emergency” or “express” categories.
In Zimbabwe, a standard passport typically costs US$150 and is processed within seven days, with an additional US$20 application fee. However, the Zimbabwean embassy in South Africa recently announced a significant change: applicants will now pay US$250 (about R4,550), plus the US$20 (R364) application fee, equivalent to the price of emergency passports issued within Zimbabwe.
According to Zimbabwe’s Consul General, Eria Phiri, all e-passport applications at the Johannesburg consulate will be treated as express or emergency per directive from the Ministry of Home Affairs. The statement did not specify the rationale behind this decision.
This development coincides with Zimbabwe’s recent initiative to process passport applications at its Johannesburg consulate. Estimates suggest there are between one and three million Zimbabweans in South Africa, though exact numbers are challenging due to undocumented migration issues.
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In South Africa, the new Home Affairs Minister, Leon Schreiber, has encouraged foreign nationals to regularize their residency status amid heightened deportation efforts.
Zimbabwe’s passports are produced in partnership with Garsu Pasaulis, a Lithuanian-registered company owned by Semlex of Belgium. Both companies have faced allegations of bribery in securing tenders in developing countries. Garsu Pasaulis was awarded the contract without a public tender, and specifics regarding profit-sharing from passport production remain undisclosed by government officials.
Compared to neighboring countries, Zimbabwean passports are the most costly in the region. Adult passports in South Africa cost R600, in Botswana P260, and in Namibia R400. This latest policy change places an additional financial burden on Zimbabweans residing in South Africa seeking to obtain essential travel documents.
