BOFEPUSU condemns passport fee hike
Pini Bothoko | Tuesday November 3, 2026 10:54
Following the service hike, the union has accused the administration of worsening the financial struggles of ordinary Batswana through rising taxes and levies. The Ministry of Labour and Home Affairs announced the revised fees last week, increasing the cost of an ordinary passport from P260 to P400, whilst the fee for children under 16 has doubled from P100 to P200. Under the new fee structure, official passports will cost P600 and diplomatic passports P800, whilst emergency travel documents will cost P100.
The penalty for replacing lost, stolen or soiled passports has also doubled from P1,000 to P2,000. BOFEPUSU secretary-general, Robert Rabasimane called on the government to reverse the adjustments, arguing that the latest adjustment adds to the financial pressures facing workers and low-income households at a time when many are struggling to make ends meet. In a media statement, the unionist accused the administration of repeatedly increasing taxes and service charges without adequately considering their impact on ordinary citizens. 'It has come to the attention of the federation that the new administration has found comfort in hardening the lives of Batswana through increasing taxes,' he said when reacting to the announcement.
Rabasimane cited several other proposed or introduced fees across government services, including levies on customary court services and contemplated taxation of healthcare services. He also pointed to previous proposals to increase fees in the environment and tourism sector, as well as rising fuel costs, which continue to put pressure on household budgets. According to BOFEPUSU, the cumulative effect of these increases is particularly concerning for workers whose earnings are already being eroded by inflation. The federation warned that higher passport fees could make access to essential travel documents increasingly difficult for low-income earners, young people, and families who need passports for several members.
Whilst acknowledging the government's responsibility to maintain reliable and efficient public services, BOFEPUSU argued that increasing fees should not become the default solution to operational costs. As a result, the union has called on the Ministry of Labour and Home Affairs to maintain the previous fees, publish the cost considerations behind the increases and engage workers, trade unions and the public before introducing further changes.
'If improvements to passport services are needed, the government should explore fair and sustainable alternatives that do not shift an unreasonable burden onto citizens,' Rabasimane said in the statement. Meanwhile, the increase in passport fees has sparked criticism from the public, with Batswana across social media platforms expressing frustrations over what they perceive as a growing pattern of increased government charges amid the country's economic difficulties.
Some described the new administration as insensitive to the plight of ordinary citizens, arguing that rising living costs are already making it difficult for households to afford basic necessities, including food. The passport fee controversy has therefore added to broader public concerns about the cost of living and the affordability of essential government services. BOFEPUSU maintains that whilst government revenue is necessary to sustain public services, fiscal measures should not undermine citizens' dignity or place an excessive burden on those least able to afford additional costs.