Zimbabwe’s consulate in South Africa has announced that it will start rolling out an e-passport facility, starting on Tuesday.

Consul-General Eria Phiri explained in a public notice that the first phase involved training consulate staff. This concluded on 15 June, and will now be followed by a system test run from June 18 to 21.

South Africa is home to over one million Zimbabwean nationals. This is according to the country’s census data and the International Organisation for Migration (IOM).

The IOM also notes that many have entered South Africa without proper documentation. Zimbabweans have left their home country en masse to escape a political crisis, harsh economic conditions and chronic underdevelopment.

The war over work permits

In an ongoing legal battle around the validity of Zimbabwean Exemption permits (ZEPs), Minister of Home Affairs Aaron Motsoaledi announced a two-year extension to ZEPs in December.

This will allow Zimbabwe nationals to work, study, and live in South Africa until 29 November 2025. However it is under the condition that they cannot thereafter apply for permanent residency.

In February this year, The Supreme Court of Appeal went on to dismiss a bid by Motsoaledi. The bid was to appeal a ruling that the termination of the ZEP programme was unlawful, unconstitutional and invalid.

In an effort to assist its nationals with legal documentation, Permanent Secretary for Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage of Zimbabwe, Ambassador Raphael Faranisi announced in May that registration officers would travel to the

Zim embassy in South Africa to train consular staff on how to process e-passports.

Consul-General Phiri said the trial run will involve a limited number of randomly chosen clients.

“This trial run period will be open to a limited number of clients, randomly chosen from the existing pool of clients visiting the consulate in Johannesburg for passport application under the outgoing system,” Phiri said.

“The process will help the consulate to gauge the level of the system’s responsiveness and effectiveness in a real world environment before the full roll out [phase two] to the public.”
Requirements for e-passports

According to the Chronicle, the cost of the e-passport is set at US$150 (converted to ZAR based on the previous week’s average exchange rate) and an additional fee of US$20 will apply for a QR code.

Requirements for the Zimbabwe e-passport include:

Original birth certificate
Original identification documents (ID) (metal or plastic or paper IDs are acceptable)
Passport if it is valid, and not required if it expired
Original marriage certificates will be required for married women

“The mode of payment shall be communicated to all participants on selection,” Phiri added.

“It is also important for people to note that the consulate in Cape Town or in Johannesburg or the Embassy in Pretoria does not have agents who act on their behalf.” V.5431

One of the highlighted topics: Critical Skills Visa.

- Key Insight: Is your profession on the Critical Skills List? This visa is your fast track to working in South Afr...
- This matter relates to critical skills visa and its broader implications.
- Individuals are advised to seek professional guidance.

Is your profession on the Critical Skills List? This visa is your fast trac V.6139
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One of the applicants, Phindile Mazibuko, became a victim of identity theft in 2012 when fraudulent transactions occurred, using her personal details.

-The Pretoria High Court found that the department of home affairs had violated constitutional rights without due process.
-Only half of Lawyers for Human Rights` test group has been unblocked, while 385 000 identities remain blocked nationwide.
-LHR appeals extension, urges affected people to seek help now.

Lawyers for Human Rights (LHR) are intensifying pressure on the department of home affairs over the national ID-blocking crisis, accusing the state of acting too slowly to unblock qualifying individuals despite a landmark court ruling.

In January last year, the Pretoria High Court found that the department`s practice of blocking IDs without due process was unlawful and unconstitutional. One of the applicants, Phindile Mazibuko, a Swati citizen and South African permanent resident since 1998, fell victim to identity theft in 2012 when fraudsters used her personal details.

 V.6133
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The Border Management Authority (BMA) has doubled its staff at Airports in South Africa , including immigration officers.

What does this mean for travelers? V.6128
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The Border Management Authority (BMA) has doubled its staff at Airports in South Africa , including immigration officers.

What does this mean for travelers? V.6129
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A Washington state mother and her 6-year-old son have been released after spending more than three weeks in US immigration detention due to a brief trip to Canada and a small paperwork mistake, her attorney told CNN on Saturday.

Sarah Shaw, a New Zealand citizen who has lived legally in the US since she arrived in 2021, was detained at the Blaine, Washington, Customs and Border Protection checkpoint when returning home after dropping her two oldest children off at the Vancouver airport for a flight to visit their grandparents in New Zealand. Shaw, 33, chose the flight out of Vancouver because it was direct and she didn`t want her children to have to navigate a layover alone, her attorney Minda Thorward, told CNN.

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On 22 July 2025, the Gauteng High Court dismissed Sitrusrand Boerdery`s review of the Department of Employment and Labour`s refusal to issue a Working Conditions and Salary Benchmarking Certificate, an essential precondition for obtaining corporate visas under the Immigration Act.

Acting Judge Kekana AJ held that the Department`s decision was lawful, rational and procedurally fair. This judgment illustrates how businesses can - and must - structure their corporate visa applications to meet statutory requirements, and how legal practitioners should prepare robust review challenges when administrative authorities decline to recommend foreign-work permits.

 V.6131
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The United States could forfeit an estimated 9.4 billion dollars in visitor spending over the next three years following the introduction of a new 250 dollars `visa integrity fee,` according to industry groups, who warn the policy risks undermining tourism and costing thousands of jobs.
The United States’ decision to introduce a 250 dollars `visa integrity fee` on international visitors has triggered sharp criticism from the global tourism industry, with officials warning that the measure could deter millions of travellers and cost the U.S. economy billions.
The 250dollar `visa integrity fee,` part of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act signed on July 4, 2025, will take effect later this year. According to immigration law firm Envoy Global, it applies to all nonimmigrant visa holders which include students, tourists, temporary workers, and business visitors particularly from African countries. V.6132
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The Border Management Authority (BMA) has doubled its staff at Airports in South Africa , including immigration officers.

What does this mean for travelers? V.6127
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1. Right to Legal Representation•You have the right to consult with a legal representative.•Contact an immigration practitioner, legal aid clinic, or attorney urgently.•Do not sign any documents without understanding them fully. 2. Section 34 of the Immigration Act•You must be brought to court with 48 hours to confirm arrest but you can remain locked up very long as courts figure out what to do with you •If you`re found to be illegally in South Africa, you may be detained for up to 30 days (extendable by a magistrate) pending deportation.•BUT this cannot happen arbitrarily. You must be informed of your rights, and Home Affairs must follow due process.- becomes a nightmare , you could lose your job , business , place to stay V.6121
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Driving for Bolt, Uber, Mr D, or Checkers Sixty60?If you`re undocumented, you`re risking more than just your income.The Risks if You`re Not Legal: - Vehicle impoundment - Heavy fines - Arrest & deportation - Permanent bans from working in SA V.6122
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