Zimbabwe’s government has announced a large hike in e-passport application fees for its residents living throughout the Limpopo province, a decision that is likely to put a burden on the finances of Zimbabweans living in South Africa.
All e-passport applications from Zimbabweans in South Africa will henceforth be handled as expedited or emergency, requiring them to pay a $250 fee plus an additional $20 application charge, according to the Zimbabwe Consulate in Johannesburg.
This stands in sharp contrast to Zimbabwe, where the normal rate for a passport is $150 plus an application fee of $20.
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Zimbabwe Consul General Eria Phiri claims that the Ministry of Home Affairs in her country is in charge of this modification, but no justification has been given for the choice.
“The Ministry of Home Affairs has directed that all e-passport applications that are processed at the consulate in Johannesburg shall be handled as express/emergency applications,” Phiri stated in a statement.
Zimbabweans living in South Africa are facing extra difficulties at this time due to the abrupt increase in passport fees.
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Many Zimbabwean migrants are at risk of being deported back to their country of origin as a result of an increased deportation campaign spearheaded by the country’s new Home Affairs Minister, Leon Schreiber.
Zimbabwean migrants are at risk of being deported back to their country
This most recent rise will undoubtedly make life more difficult for the Zimbabwean diaspora population in South Africa, as their passport is already the most costly in the region—it costs 600 rand in South Africa compared to 260 pula in Botswana and 400 rand in Namibia.
This decision by the government is likely to be interpreted by many as an attempt to extract desperately needed foreign cash from Zimbabwean residents residing outside, given the country’s ongoing economic difficulties.
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