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Zimbabwe is set to open its first e-passport enrolment centre in the United Kingdom before the end of 2025, in a move aimed at bringing essential government services closer to its diaspora community. The announcement was made by the Minister of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage, Kazembe Kazembe, who confirmed that work on the new centre is already underway.
The UK facility will become Zimbabwe’s second overseas e-passport centre, following the successful launch of the first one at the Zimbabwean Consulate in Johannesburg, South Africa, earlier this year. The initiative is part of a broader government strategy to ease access to civil services for Zimbabweans living abroad.
“We are doing centre by centre. Our team has successfully completed the Johannesburg centre, and I am confident that we will finish the UK centre by the end of the year,” said Minister Kazembe.
He stressed that the effort is not only about convenience but also about inclusivity and accessibility for citizens far from home. “This is not just about convenience; it’s about ensuring that our diaspora can access essential services without the need to travel long distances,” he added.
Since the introduction of e-passports in January 2022, the government has rolled out fourteen enrolment centres across Zimbabwe. These include the Harare Passport Registry and various provincial and district offices located in Bulawayo, Gwanda, Gweru, Lupane, Marondera, Beitbridge, Chitungwiza, Hwange, Mazowe, Murewa, Zvishavane, Chinhoyi, and Guruve.
With growing demand for more accessible services, the government is also working on an online platform to facilitate applications for passports and national identity cards, further reducing the burden on applicants and streamlining the documentation process.
“We are on track with our timeline, and I urge all Zimbabweans in the UK to prepare for the launch; the target is to be done by the end of this year,” Minister Kazembe said.
The upcoming UK centre marks a significant step in bridging the gap between Zimbabwean citizens abroad and home-based government services, aligning with the country’s broader digital transformation and diaspora engagement strategies.
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