The Zimbabwe government has stopped the production of its current passport, which will be replaced by an electronically readable passport (e-passport), the Ministry of Home Affairs said on Tuesday.
In a statement, the ministry said its Civil Registry Department has partnered with Lithuania’s Garsu Pasaulis to produce the e-passport and other vital civil registration documents.
“The Minister hereby notifies that henceforth the government will cease the issuance of the current passport and in place thereof will be issuing electronically readable passports (e-passports).”
The new passport would have enhanced security features that would make it to counterfeit, the ministry said.
Current passports are expected to stop being acceptable internationally by 31 December 2023.
The introduction of the e-passport comes as Zimbabwe is battling a huge backlog of passport applications, which the government has blamed on lack of foreign currency to buy the required raw materials.
JN/APA