Zimbabweans Face New QR Code Fee on Top of Passport Hike
By Jabulile Siwela
A public outcry erupted last November when Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube proposed doubling passport fees in the 2024 National Budget. While the initial hike from US$120 to US$200 was reduced to US$150 after public pressure, many Zimbabweans still struggle to afford this essential document.
As if navigating Zimbabwe’s economic challenges wasn’t tough enough, ordinary citizens now face a fresh hurdle: a QR code fee on electronically readable passports. This latest twist, included in Statutory Instrument 1 of 2024, adds an extra fee of $20 making the minimum passport fee to US$170 and a whopping US$270 for emergencies. That’s over 100% more than the passport price five years ago! That makes Zimbabwe’s passports the most expensive in the entire SADC region, further isolating ordinary citizens and turning passports into a luxury for the privileged few. While the QR code promises electronic convenience, the extra charges on the passport push the dream of travel and looking for better opportunities abroad further out of reach for many. The government’s justification remains unclear, leaving citizens wondering if this “noble move” serves them or simply lines government coffers.
The surge in passport fees affects many marginalized communities, including women, people with disabilities, and youth. Policy analysts have highlighted that these fees infringe upon the fundamental right to movement enshrined in Zimbabwe’s 2013 constitution. Their concerns are echoed by ordinary citizens, many of whom rushed to apply for passports before the price hike took effect. A December survey by the WILD team witnessed a surge in applicants, a desperate attempt to beat the impending cost increase.
With unemployment skyrocketing at a staggering 90.5%, many Zimbabweans have found solace in the informal sector. But for these ordinary citizens, particularly women like Ms. Nomthandazo Mhlanga, a cross-border trader, a new hurdle has emerged: surging passport fees.
“We hoped the government would consider informal traders in deciding passport fees. My passport expires soon, and with January’s low sales,” Ms. Mhlanga laments. “Renewing my expiring passport feels like climbing a mountain.”
This isn’t just Ms. Mhlanga’s story. The steep fee hike traps many Zimbabweans in a cycle of economic hardship. Dilapidated healthcare pushes citizens to seek treatment abroad, but passport costs ground them in the country. Students yearning for foreign education or work opportunities are grounded by the financial barrier. Marginalized communities bear the brunt. This isn’t just an inconvenience. It’s an infringement on the constitutionally guaranteed right to movement.
Legal experts like Mosupatsila Nare echo these concerns. She points to Section 66 of the constitution, stating, “it is worth noting that Section 66 of the Constitution of Zimbabwe, which is the supreme law of the land, provides for freedom of movement and residence. Every Zimbabwean citizen has the right to a passport or other travel document and the right to leave Zimbabwe.”
The impact is disproportionate, hitting marginalized communities hardest. Women like Ms. Mhlanga, already facing economic challenges, are further restricted. It’s a public secret: these fees are simply unaffordable for ordinary Zimbabweans.
Nare emphasizes, “The passport fee hikes are very steep for ordinary women, which might result in them failing to obtain passports, infringing their right to freedom of movement as guaranteed by the constitution of Zimbabwe. The state and all institutions and agencies of government at every level must endeavour to ensure the removal of restrictions that unnecessarily inhibit or prevent people from enjoying their constitutional human rights, including the right to freedom of movement, by ensuring that travel documents are affordable for all Zimbabwean citizens, ordinary women included.”