Pilot programme has seen about 60 e-passports processed each day since 21 June and the Zimbabwean Consulate says it’s extending the initiative indefinitely
A Zimbabwean father who lives and works in Gqeberha says for the primary time in years he’ll be capable of apply for paperwork for his youngsters domestically via the Zimbabwean e-passport pilot programme.
Garikai, at present a Zimbabwe Exemption Allow (ZEP) holder, says two of his youngsters have been struggling to get paperwork for years, whereas his youngest, aged six, was born in South Africa and can also be undocumented.
Subsequent month, Garikai will be part of many Zimbabwean nationals dwelling in South Africa to use for the Zimbabwean Consulate’s e-passport in Johannesburg. In an announcement on 15 June, the Consulate introduced its rollout.
The introduction of e-passports will assist individuals just like the Garikai’s household to make journeys throughout the border with out worry of fast arrest for being undocumented.
Garikai instructed GroundUp that he’s elevating the cash wanted to journey along with his youngsters to Johannesburg through the college holidays in order that they’ll get their e-passports. “Two are attending highschool and the faculties have been demanding their passports. It is rather costly to journey to Zimbabwe for that,” he mentioned.
A return bus ticket for one particular person from Gqeberha to Zimbabwe is about R3,000, which excludes baggage, whereas a return ticket to Johannesburg prices about R1,000.
The price of the passport is US$150 (about R2,744) with an extra US$20 (about R365) for every digital passport software.
The preliminary pilot interval ran from 18 to 21 June, however final week the consulate introduced that it was extending the pilot indefinitely.
In keeping with Zimbabwe’s Ambassador to South Africa David Hamadziripi, 60 e-passports have been processed each day since 21 June. They need to take seven days to be issued.
Folks making use of for the e-passport ought to convey alongside a duplicate of their authentic delivery certificates, authentic id paperwork, and, if married, their authentic marriage certificates.
Ambassador Hamadziripi mentioned that they’re renovating the Cape City Consulate so as to prolong the identical service there.
Ngqabutho Mabhena, of The Zimbabwe Neighborhood in South Africa, welcomed the initiative and urged Zimbabweans to make the most of it.