Botswana will introduce revised passport fees on 1 November 2026, with new charges covering ordinary, children’s, official and diplomatic passports, as well as emergency travel documents and replacement e-passports.
The Department of Immigration and Citizenship announced the changes in a public notice outlining the fees applicants will pay under the revised schedule.
The new charges include different rates depending on the type of passport and whether an applicant requires an emergency document or a replacement for a lost, stolen or soiled e-passport.
New Fees for Ordinary, Children’s and Official Passports
Under the revised schedule, an ordinary Botswana passport will cost P400, while a passport for a child under the age of 16 will cost P200.
Applicants seeking official passports will pay P600, while diplomatic passports will cost P800.
An emergency travel document will cost P100 under the new fee structure.
The department also announced a P2,000 charge for replacing an e-passport that has been lost, stolen or soiled. This is the highest fee listed in the revised schedule.
South Africa Charges R600 for Standard Passports
South Africa charges R600 for an ordinary 32-page passport when applications are made within the country, according to the government’s published fee schedule.
The same charge applies to child passports. A 48-page maxi passport costs R1,200, while official and diplomatic passports are also listed at R600 under the domestic fee structure.
These charges provide a basis for comparing the passport costs in the two neighbouring countries.
Botswana’s Ordinary Passport Costs Less After Currency Conversion
Using an indicative exchange rate of approximately R1.24 for every Botswana pula, the new P400 fee for an ordinary passport translates to about R496.
That is approximately R104 less than the R600 charged for an ordinary South African passport.
Botswana’s P200 children’s passport fee converts to about R248, compared with the R600 fee for a South African child passport.
The comparison is based on the stated exchange rate, which may change over time.
Official and Diplomatic Passport Fees Differ
Botswana’s revised charges for official and diplomatic passports are P600 and P800, respectively.
At the indicative exchange rate, these amounts are equivalent to approximately R744 and R992.
Both figures are higher than South Africa’s published R600 fee for official and diplomatic passports.
The comparison reflects the listed charges in each country, although applicants should check the relevant document categories and requirements when preparing their applications.
Lost or Damaged E-Passport Replacement Costs P2,000 in Botswana
Under Botswana’s new schedule, replacing a lost, stolen or soiled e-passport will cost P2,000, equivalent to approximately R2,480 at the indicative exchange rate.
South Africa applies replacement charges according to its applicable passport fees and the circumstances of the replacement.
The replacement arrangements and document categories are not identical in the two countries, so the listed amounts do not represent a direct comparison of every replacement situation.
Applicants Advised to Confirm Fees Before Applying
Botswana’s revised passport fees will take effect on 1 November 2026.
Applicants are advised to confirm the applicable charges and requirements with the relevant immigration authorities before submitting their applications, particularly when applying for emergency travel documents or replacing lost, stolen or damaged passports.
