Story by Owen Mandovha
THE Registrar General’s office says the department has put measures to accommodate increased traffic for passport applications during the festive season.
Amid an influx of people thronging passport offices for applications of the travel document, Registrar General Mr Henry Machiri says they always expect huge crowds this time of the year, with the department having extended working hours to accommodate the increased traffic.
“It is not unusual that there is increased traffic during this time of the year as diasporans take the opportunity to regularise their papers and also students on holiday also come in their numbers to apply for their passports,” he said.
Mr Machiri added that new passport offices opened in several towns and cities are fully operational and citizens should make use of these stations countrywide.
“Let me assure the nation that all our offices countrywide remain operational during the festive season, and we have extended working hours so as to accommodate increased traffic even in our offices that we established countrywide,” he added.
The government recently reviewed the passport fees from US$120 to US$150, hence some have rushed to apply for passports before the new fees take effect on the 1st of January next year.