Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube last week announced a
proposed increase in passport fees while delivering the 2024 national budget.
The ordinary passport fees will rise from US$120 to US$200,
while emergency passports will cost US$300.
The surge in applicants has led to long queues and delays
at the Civil Registry Offices in Bulawayo.
Many residents say they have been camping out overnight to
secure their place in line. Some have even reported paying bribes to jump the
queue.
One resident, who identified herself as Mganu, told CITE
that she arrived at the passport office around 4 am.
“I have been in the queue since then, and my child is
crying,” she said. “The news of the passport increase is the one that has
prompted everyone to come here and apply for passports to evade the increase in
January.”
Another resident, Sheilla Nkomo, said she spent the night
at the passport office and was number 165 in line.
“We have managed to pay now, but we are waiting for other
verification stages,” she said. “The news of the passport increase is the one
that is causing panic among people as people want to take passports before they
can be increased next year.”
Residents are also frustrated by the long processing times.
Nkomo said it is taking people three to four days to complete the passport
application process.
“We are now spending three to four days without finishing
the process,” she said. “As it is, we were told that they are finishing serving
those from yesterday, of which again they won’t even be cleared today because
they have too much pressure.”
Some residents have expressed anger at the government for
raising passport fees, arguing that the increase is unaffordable for many
Zimbabweans.
The finance minister said the revenue generated from the
passport fees will be ring-fenced towards road infrastructure development. CITE
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