Immigration and visa services in Mashonaland West Province are administered by the Department of Immigration under the Ministry of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage, with offices supporting entry, residence, and permit processing.
🛂 Immigration Services Overview
The Department of Immigration in Mashonaland West operates under the Immigration Act (Chapter 4:02) and provides the following services:
- Facilitating entry and exit of travelers at border posts and internal checkpoints
- Issuing residence permits for investors, business visitors, and other eligible immigrants
- Processing visa applications through both physical offices and the national eVisa portal
- Determining refugee status and managing asylum procedures
- Identifying and removing illegal immigrants in coordination with security agencies
đź“„ Visa Categories and Application Process
Zimbabwe’s visa regime is divided into three categories:
- Category A: Visa-exempt countries (e.g., most SADC nations)
- Category B: Visa issued on arrival
- Category C: Visa required prior to travel
Applicants must now complete an online arrival form via evisa.gov.zw, which generates a QR code for scanning upon entry.
🏢 Local Access Points in Mashonaland West
- Immigration services are coordinated through provincial offices, typically located in Chinhoyi, the provincial capital.
- These offices liaise with border posts such as Kariba, which handles cross-border movement with Zambia.
- The provincial administration, led by the Minister of State for Provincial Affairs, supports coordination of immigration policy at the local level.
🧠Strategic Role in Development
Mashonaland West’s immigration services contribute to:
- Investment facilitation through residence and business permits
- Tourism support via streamlined entry processes at heritage sites like Kariba and Chinhoyi Caves
- Security and compliance through monitoring of undocumented migration