A social media message has gone viral purporting to be from a Facebook post by the “Central Registry” offering help for passport renewal.
Francis Mpazviriwo, Communications and Advocacy Officer in the Ministry of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage says the page is not linked to the Registrar’s Office in any way.
The Government in December 2021 introduced electronic passports (e-passports). These passports will eventually replace the passports that are currently in use when they expire.
The misleading page claims to be “Central Registry” but has also used the name “Civil Registry”, a red flag on the page’s credibility.
In March 2021, the Ministry dismissed the authenticity of a similar page under the name Makombe Passport Office Official. The page also offered to assist people applying for passports, saying those who had applied for passports in 2019 should collect their passports.
The Ministry of Home Affairs said they use their Twitter handle to send out any official information.
What is the difference between the e-passport and the passports that were issued before?
E- passports have more enhanced security features and are electronically readable, compared to the old passports. The security features are meant to safeguard people from identity theft and counterfeiting of travel documents. According to the Ministry of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage, the passport has a chip that is readable electronically.
Are they accepted everywhere?
Mpazviriwo says the e-passports are valid everywhere. The passports have been in use with effect from February 7, 2022. The passport essentially works the same way as any other passport. The difference is only in the enhanced security features.
Are all ordinary passports being phased out in December 2023?
According to a statement issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage in December 2021, prior to the launch of the E-passports, the old passports will remain in use until their expiry. Only e-passports will be issued after December 31, 2023.
What is the process of getting an E-passport?
The passport costs USD$120. The passports are processed at the Civil Registry Department building, located on Herbert Chitepo Avenue/Leopold Takawira in Harare. An applicant is required to carry their ID, original birth certificates, existing passport. They will make a payment at the Civil Registry, and the passport will be ready in seven working days, Home Affairs says.
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