Zimbabwe Issues 1.8 Million E-Passports

Mutare Registry

The government has issued nearly 1.8 million electronic passports since the programme began in January 2022, effectively clearing a long-standing backlog and accelerating the digitalisation of passport services. Speaking during a tour of the e-passport centre by Special Advisor to the President Joram Gumbo, Civil Registry Department Registrar General Henry Machiri said the Harare Passport Centre alone has produced 897 042 e-passports since the rollout began.

Nationwide, a total of 1 797 760 e-passports have been issued, reflecting improved production capacity and growing public confidence in the new system.

Programme Launch and Rollout

The e-passport programme was officially launched by President Emmerson Mnangagwa on December 14, 2021, with issuance commencing on January 18, 2022. Harare became the first city to process and issue the new travel documents.

“To date, 1 797 760 e-passports have been issued countrywide. Harare Passport Centre alone has so far issued a total of 897 042 since the commencement of the programme,” Machiri said.

He added that the steady rise in processed applications demonstrates enhanced production capacity and public trust in the upgraded system.

Stronger Security and Faster Processing

The initiative forms part of broader reforms within the Civil Registry Department, aimed at improving service delivery through technology-driven systems. Authorities say the shift from machine-readable passports to e-passports has significantly strengthened document security. The new travel documents are embedded with advanced biometric and encryption features that meet international standards, reducing the risk of fraud, tampering, or duplication.

Dr. Gumbo described the transition as a key milestone in safeguarding national integrity, noting that the previous passport system had vulnerabilities that could be exploited. Processing times have also improved significantly. Applications now take approximately seven working days, a sharp drop from waiting periods that previously stretched to as long as six months.

Officials attribute the faster turnaround to a digital queuing and data capture system introduced under the reforms.

Zimbabwe e-passports issued