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

[Collection]Zimbabweans are rushing to the passport office in Harare ahead of an expected price hike in the New Year. Many fear the increase will make obtaining a passport unaffordable and are desperate to secure one before January. The current cost of a passport is $120, but the finance minister's budget proposals for 2024 plan to raise it to $200. The hike was later reduced to $150. The economic desperation has led to a surge in migration from Zimbabwe.