The Department of Home Affairs (DoHA) in Zimbabwe has announced a new rule for the delivery of visa waiver application outcomes via email, marking a shift from traditional paper-based processes. The first phase of this rollout will focus on holders of Zimbabwe Exemption Permits (ZEPs), who will now receive the outcomes of their waiver applications digitally. Over time, this digital-first approach is expected to be extended to other visa and permit applicants.
The department said it eliminates the need for applicants to visit VFS branches to collect physical copies of their waiver letters. Instead, digital waiver letters, delivered in PDF format, will be sent directly to applicants' email addresses, streamlining the process of submitting mainstream visa applications. This move comes in response to Minister Dr. Leon Schreiber's recent warning about the dire state of the DoH, which he highlighted as a national security concern.
Schreiber underscored the urgent need for comprehensive digital transformation within the department, stressing that the challenges facing the DoH are not merely administrative issues but are indicative of a deeper systemic crisis. He urged parliament to support the proposed digital overhaul as a critical measure to safeguard national security.
The adoption of digital processes has already accelerated efforts to clear the department's decade-old permitting backlog. Of the initial 306,000 unprocessed applications, 60,582 ZEP waiver applications have been processed, with another 22,529 set to follow shortly. The department has been severely under-resourced, with only 40% of the necessary staff available.
For applicants who prefer to collect physical copies of their ZEP waiver letters, the option remains available at VFS branches. The department also reassured applicants that digital notifications sent from official email addresses should be trusted as legitimate.
Official email addresses
No-reply1.dhasa@vfshelpline.com
No-reply2.dhasa@vfshelpline.com
No-reply3.dhasa@vfshelpline.com
No-reply4.dhasa@vfshelpline.com
No-reply5.dhasa@vfshelpline.com
No-reply6.dhasa@vfshelpline.com
