A Christmas rush to get passports to leave Zimbabwe is fed by economic gloom and a price hike

By FARAI MUTSAKA
Associated Press

HARARE, Zimbabwe (AP) — Atop many Christmas wish lists in economically troubled Zimbabwe is a travel document. People are flooding the passport office this holiday season ahead of a price hike planned in the New Year. The desperation at the office in the capital is palpable as some people fear the hike could push the cost of obtaining a passport out of reach and economic gloom feeds a surge in migration. At $120, passports were already pricey for many in a country where the majority struggle to put food on the table. The finance minister’s budget proposals for 2024 said passport fees would rise to $200, sparking an outcry. The hike was reduced to $150.