Online e-passport applications are here! Well, not exactly… The express e-passport portal/centre is now up and running but it appears that it is only there for booking appointments according to a report by The Sunday Mail.
“The main purpose of the Express Centre is to bring convenience to those who need emergency passports. There are a lot of people that might be working but their time is limited, so they can simply book a time and get the passports at their earliest time of convenience.”
Terence Mutemararo, Express Passport Office Manager
The primary reason for this platform is to allow people who are in need of emergency or express e-passports a method to do so online. The goal appears to be reducing congestion and wait times at the Civil Registry Building. So if you are in need of an express e-passport, all you need to do is visit expresscentrezw.com.
Making a booking for an express e-passport online
The website gives you options for the location of e-passport offices (where there is only one for the moment in Harare) as well as contact information and fees. To book an appointment at the Civil Registry Building online for an express e-passport, you’ll need to click “Book Now”
You’ll then be given a list of time slots for the day. And after selecting one of them you’ll then need to enter your name, email address and phone number.
According to Express Passport Office Manager Terence Mutemararo, they can serve 20 people every 20 minutes if the booths are manned to capacity. Additionally, Acting Registrar-General Henry Machiri (in the same report by The Sunday Mail) said that e-passports applications and issuing will be available in all the country’s ten provinces by the end of June this year.
Bulawayo is the closest with Machiri saying “In terms of Bulawayo, the Technicians are working flat-out and before the end of this month Bulawayo will be issuing e-passports“.
Express e-passport requirements:
- Your ID
- Original Birth Certificate
- Old or expiring passport if you have one
- Application fee US$220.00
- Passport will be out in 48-hours
You should also check out
Are e-passports another one of those things that are only being done because we are getting into election season? If the government was struggling with conventional passports do we have the materials and suppliers to meet the tsunami applications for these new and complicated e-passports? You can play or download the episode of Technikari where we discussed e-passports with the player below or by clicking the link here
- E-passports: what you need to know before applying
- Express or 48-hour e-passports are now available
- [Update] Online e-passport application system 80% complete, expected to be ready in May
- Beware of scammers promising to process e-passports for Zim diasporans
- King Kandoro Prodigal Son Review: e-passports, Nick Mangwana & more
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39 comments
The system only has dates from 2nd week of May its pathetic
Thank you
Will manage
Will wait for the date given to me
So you wait 2 to 3 months for your appointment slot and you pay $100 more for getting the passport 48 hours after the appointment date.
One might just go to the passport offices at your time and pay a tout $10 for a place at the front of the que. The convenience of not waiting is nullified by the lack of slots that make one wait months for an appointment
So if its a real emergency your only options are join the line early in the morning or pay for a position in the line and pay $125 and then wait for the 1 week processing period (the current available might now be way up in June 2022)
What if I want to apply online while in South Africa
I’m in South Africa I want to apply a passport
I want to apply while I’m in South Africa
I managed to book an appointment for 5th April. I even received an e-mail to confirm it. Is this a genuine appointment? Why are some people saying you can only book in May?
Thank you
Mine applied at.the.launch of.Byo.e.passports was told there are errors and.has.to be sent.back to Harare.So what should I.do.another waiting glitch?
For people who are looking at it from the outside (overseas), the Express Centre booking system is broken. You can literally walk in their offices and they’ll just put you in a queue, but will eventually deal with you.
The passport process doesn’t actually take two days. It takes one full day. You can even fetch it on a Saturday. The Express Centre is extremely fast with how it processes the passports. If you have an expired passport, you can pay 220 dollars to get a new one easily.
Key notes:
You can ONLY apply for the passport in Zimbabwe. You CANNOT apply at any embassy or consulate in ANOTHER COUNTRY.
The process is smooth…most of the time.
Known issues:
Broken booking system, so depending on the day you go and apply (preferably a Wednesday or Friday), you will have a huge queue to deal with.
DO NOT GIVE ANYONE WHO IS NOT AN OFFICIAL OF THE PASSPORT OFFICE YOUR ID, APPLICATION FORM OR MONEY.
There are many scammers by the passport office offering to do the process faster for you. They are lying and want to take your money and run. This happened to a woman recently.
It is highly advisable to do this as early as possible. Because it’s a new system, it means there isn’t too high an influx of people yet. But trust me, word is spreading how easy this process is and you don’t want to start the process when the Express Centre has reached it’s peak.
For people overseas needing to apply for a passport and can afford to wait two days (it’s one day actually) in Zimbabwe, get on this now!
I send my forms and money together with a relative, can l book here and they go on my behalf to apply for my epassport? I am in South Africa.
No, not for the e-passport. They need to take biometric fingerprints with you present (doesn’t matter if your fingerprints are on the passport form you filled in South Africa). If you’re talking about the older passport, you can still send a relative to do the process for you, but ONLY for the older, non-biometric passports.
so i did apply for the ordinary passport in 2021 so its sill not out can i apply for the e passport as well
What is the turn around time for a R120.00 Passport?
New application for passport
I want
I want also to do this can someone help me plz
Can I use my driver’s license as an id
Allanchimbo@yahoo.com
I want an e-passport, i’m in South Africa
I want passport I’m in South Africa
I need to renew my passport I’m in South Africa
onlione from
I want to book and come get forms for passport
I want to book online
I want to book online
I want to book passport online
Scamers i booked online and my money is gone , please never book online. The process looks real and genuine but its a scam
Just want to apply a new passport
Wilson mangena I’d 21-029234m 21 old passport number bn996592.
Please help me to apply a passport online in need to book appointments
Can you please help me how to do it please
Please can u hlp me l wnt to apply online in need to book for appointment
My old style passport expires 2025, can I apply for the new e-passport now or wait for it to expire??
Chindingowisdom@gmail.com
Interesting and convinient.when are you coming to capetown please