Old passport application fee still valid until early 2021 – Home Affairs
By Clifton Movirongo.
The Ministry of Home Affairs Executive Director Etienne Maritz has stated that the old N$200 passport application fee will remain valid until early 2021 when the government will officially gazette the new document prices.
The Ministry of Home Affairs initiative to increase passport application fees by 100% was approved by Cabinet about two months ago.
Maritz told the Economist that the key reasons for the fee accretion of travel documents specifically is the validity period for the passports extension from five to ten years, and more pages incorporated within the booklet.
Moreover, besides the current passport application fee of N$200 that is envisaged to accrue to N$400, fees for all documents issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs will also be increased. The only exception will be for documents that are issued for free such as the national identification card for first-timers.
“I’m expecting the final proclamation draft from my legal people latest by end of day but the publication will only be done by the end of January,” said Maritz.
He further explained that the process took too long because it is more than one regulation that need to be considered and done.
He said the public should take note that other major reasons for the increase is due to inflation, to streamline the processes and the cost for the passports.
The Executive Director also highlighted that people must value their documents, adding that as part of the reengineering process the ministry have included the handling fee in the new fee so that a person does not have to pay twice.
