How to: Get a New Lesotho Passport While in The United States
By Matlhabeli Molaoli
Do you need a new passport soon? Here’s how you can get a new one while you’re in the US. Much of this guide comes from my recent experience getting a passport and conversations with other Basotho who have gone through the same process.
Contact the Lesotho Embassy in Washington, DC.
You need to connect with the staff at the Embassy to get the process started. You’ll need to describe your specific situation to them so that they know how best to help you. For example, you’ll need different documents if you don’t yet have a national identification card (ID) from Lesotho.
Here is their website: https://www.lesothoemb-usa.gov.ls/.
You can call or email them:
Email: lesothoembassy@verizon.net
Phone: 1-202-797-5533
Tip: in my experience, it is helpful to cc the main email address even if you have emailed a member of the staff. Because it is shared with the staff, this email address could help clarify things, streamline communication and make sure there are no misunderstandings.
Gather your documents and set an appointment to file your application
Once you’ve spoken with the Embassy, you should have a solid idea of what documents will be needed for the file to be complete. These are also described here: https://www.lesothoemb-usa.gov.ls/passport-requirements/ but I recommend confirming with the staff what is absolutely necessary in your specific scenario. For example, what could you substitute for the ID if you don’t have one? You’d hate to travel (all the way) to DC only to find that they need the almighty, dreaded lengolo la morena to complete your application!
You’ll also need to set an appointment to file the application at the Embassy’s offices in DC. The website has a link to book an appointment online but it didn’t seem functional when I tried it in December 2023. The form needed a password to complete the booking, which maybe you’d need to get from the Embassy in your initial inquiry, but when I applied, the office seemed fine booking the appointment over email.
File your application in person
You’ll need to go to the Embassy’s office in Washington, DC to apply because your biometric data (fingerprints) are part of the application file. You can file for a regular, official, or diplomatic passport with 32 or 64 pages. There’s also a section on the form where you can ask for urgent/expedited/ rush service or regular service.
The Embassy’s address is 2511 Massachusetts Avenue, N.W. Washington, DC, 20008. From the website, it looks like they are open Monday to Friday from 9 am to 4 pm, but hopefully, you’d have already booked an appointment with them by the time you travel so you wouldn’t need to worry too much about hours or public holidays.
When you get to the office, presumably just before your set appointment, you’ll sign in, fill in the application forms, submit the required documents, and get your fingerprints taken. I must say, I had such a lovely experience when I went to visit! The office has mafielo hanging from the fireplace mantle and the walls are adorned with art from Lesotho. For a minute, I could’ve been at any government office in Maseru! And, the staff were so friendly and helpful! They went out of their way to help me fill the application out correctly and were generally accommodating.
If you’re traveling from out of state, look out for advice about how to get around in DC and recommendations for things to do in there. Also, there’s a fair number of Basotho in the area, so maybe you could reach out and see if anyone is available to have a meal or show you around.
Wait
This was maybe the most difficult part of the process for me. The application process has multiple stages so you’ll need a heap of patience, especially if you urgently need a passport.
First, you need to wait until your file is shipped from Washington, DC to Maseru. It seems that the office sends documents in a single batch about once a month, so if you’re lucky, you’d file your application just before the next batch is sent out to Lesotho. I applied in late December 2023, and the file was sent in mid-February 2024.
Second, you need to wait until the Ministry of Foreign Affairs receives and processes your file from DC. When I applied, it took about a week before my file was duly received. Once that’s done, you’ll need to send a representative to pick the file up and transfer it to Home Affairs where they will pay the appropriate application fee. Regular service costs M130 and expedited service costs M630.
Third, you need to wait until the Ministry of Home Affairs processes your application and prints your passport. Depending on which service you paid for, this could take anything from a few days to a few months. Once the passport is ready, your representative can pick it up from Home Affairs on your behalf.
Now, you need to wait until your new passport is safely in your arms. You could ask someone who is coming from Lesotho to bring it with them. You could also use a shipping service to have it mailed to an address in the US. I used DHL and was pleasantly surprised when it was mailed from Maseru to North Carolina in just three business days!
If you’ve applied for a passport recently, what would you have wanted to know before you got started? Share some wisdom below!
This article was last updated on March 14, 2024.