South African passports and travel documents are issued in terms of the South African Passports and Travel Documents Act, No. 4 of 1994, and related Regulations.

It is important to note:

• In terms of Section 26(b) of the South African Citizenship Act, 1995, it is a punishable offence for a South African citizen aged 18 or older to leave or enter South Africa using a foreign passport.
• A person aged 16 or older must first apply for an identity document to enable fingerprint registration before applying for a passport.
• If you do not have a South African identity number, you must first apply for the registration of your birth and a South African identity document, as applicable.
• Once a passport has expired, a new application must be submitted.
• Passports must be valid for at least 30 days after the intended departure date and must contain at least two blank pages for entry stamps. These pages must be facing and cannot include the endorsement page at the back of the passport. If a visa is required, ensure your passport has two blank facing pages - one for the visa and one for the entry stamp.
• Passports are issued with names as they appear in the National Population Register (NPR) at the time of application. Any changes to names must be applied for, finalised and recorded in the NPR before submitting a passport application.

* Please note: Any required forms mentioned below are available at your local Home Affairs office, unless otherwise specified.

• Ordinary Tourist Passports are only issued to South African citizens 16 years or older and are valid for 10 years. They consist of 32 pages. The turnaround time for issuance is 13 working days. The applicable tariff is R600 for a first issue or if the previous passport has expired or is valid for less than six months. If the previous passport has not expired and is still valid for six months or longer, the applicable tariff is R1 200.
• Maxi Passports are only issued to South African citizens 16 years or older and are valid for 10 years. They consists of 48 pages and are meant for frequent travellers. The turnaround time for issuance is 13 working days. The applicable tariff is R1 200 for a first issue or if the previous passport has expired or is valid for less than six months. If the previous passport has not expired and is still valid for six months or longer, the applicable tariff is R2 400.
• Minor Tourist Passports are issued to South African citizens who are 15 yearsold or younger and they are valid for five years. The turnaround time for issuance is 18 working days. The applicable tariff is R600 for a first issue or if the previous passport has expired or is valid for less than six months. If the previous passport has not expired and is still valid for six months or longer, the applicable tariff is R1 200.

 

• Applications made within South African borders can be submitted at any Home Affairs front office equipped with live capture capability/Smart ID card office,participating banks (refer to the DHA website for a list of banks) or through the eHomeAffairs channel. Passport applications made outside of the country can be submitted at the nearest South African embassy or consulate.
• A passport application, whether lodged in South Africa or abroad, must be made in person. Due to logistics, applications lodged outside of South Africa are estimated to take at least six to eight months.
• Parents and children must all complete separate application forms. Both parents and the children concerned must be present when applying for passports for children (See exceptions under Tourist Passports:persons under 16).
• Both parents must have their ID documents and original or certified copy of the child/children birth certificate.
• If one parent is unavailable - where both parents’ details appear on the birth certificate of a child - there must be a consent/ affidavit (obtainable from Home Affairs offices or embassies abroad) for the application of the child’s passport.
• In the case of divorced and separated parents, the parent applying for a passport for a minor child needs to provide proof of full custody. However, if there is a dispute regarding the custody of the minor, the parent applying must then seek consent through the High Court.
• If a parent cannot be located or refuses to consent, or a dispute concerning consent arises, the matter should be referred to the Children’s Court. The Court’s decision must be submitted with the application for the passport.
• In the case where one parent is deceased, a copy of the death certificate is required.

 

• A photo of the passport holder
• Type of passport
• Issuing country
• Passport number
• Given names and surname of the passport holder
• Nationality of the passport holder
• Gender of the passport holder
• Date of birth
• Birthplace
• Issue date
• Expiry date
• Issuing authority

 

• A duly completed passport application, Form DHA-73 (to be provided by a Home Affairs office)
• Your original identity document and a copy, or a birth certificate and a copy thereof if under 16
• If under 18 years, parental consent is required for the issuance of the passport. Please see Tourist Passports: Persons 15 years or youngerfor the requirements
• A completed determination of citizenship, Form DHA-529 (to be provided by the Home Affairs office), when applying from abroad
• Present any existing valid tourist passport or if you have lost your passport or it has been stolen and you are applying for a new passport, you must provide a loss of passport report (DHA-335 – obtainable from a Home Affairs office) and confirmation that you reported the loss to the police (affidavit)
• Two colour photographs that comply with the Passport and ID Photograph Specifications (NOT needed at Smart ID card offices as ID images are captured digitally)
• Pay the prescribed fee for the passport. The applicable tariff is R600.

 

Maxi Tourist Passports are 48-page documents meant for frequent travellers. They are the same as regular tourist passports except that they contain more pages for visas.

They are issued only to South African citizens from the age of 16 or older. The documents are valid for 10 years and are not renewable. Once the validity period of a passport expires, you will have to submit a new application for a passport.

Required Documents:

• A duly completed passport application (Form DHA-73 - obtainable from a Home Affairs office)
• Your original identity document and a copy, or a birth certificate and a copy thereof if under 16
• If under 18 years, the prescribed consent by parents must be furnished (Please see Tourist passports: persons under 16 for the requirements)
• A completed determination of citizenship (Form DHA-529 - obtainable from a Home Affairs office) when applying from abroad
• Present any existing valid tourist passport or if you have lost your passport or it has been stolen and you are applying for a new passport, you must provide a loss of passport report (DHA-335 obtainable from a Home Affairs office) and confirmation that you reported the loss to the police (affidavit)
• Two colour photographs that comply with the Passport and ID Photograph Specifications (Not needed at Home Affairs offices where this process is automated as ID images are captured digitally)
• Pay prescribed fees. The applicable tariff is R1200.

 

These passports are issued to South African citizens who are 15 years or younger. The passports are valid for five years and are not renewable. Once the validity period of a passport expires, you will have to submit a new application for a passport.

Required Documents:

• A duly completed passport application form obtainable from a Home Affairs office
• If the parents are married, the passport application form must be signed by both parents and the child and both parents should be in attendance when the application is submitted.
• Note that the child and both parents should attend when the application is submitted to the nearest Home Affairs office or SA Mission/Consulate.
• If one parent is unable to attend the same Home Affairs office where the application is being submitted, he/she must visit their nearest Home Affairs office with their original identity document. The application will remain pendinguntil the second parent provides consent in person.

* NB: A letter of consent and an ID copy are no longer accepted.

• If divorced and sole parental rights and responsibilities concerning guardianship have not been granted to one parent, the child and both parents should attendwhen the application is submitted and both must sign the application form.
• If a parent is deceased, his or her death certificate and a copy thereof must accompany the application for the passport
• In the case of minors born out of wedlock, the biological father’s consent will also be required if any of the circumstances as outlined in section 21 of the Children’s Act, 1995, are applicable, the child and both parents should be in attendance when the application is submitted.
• If the applicant is in the care of a guardian other than the parents, proof of the High Court’s appointment must accompany the application.
• If a parent cannot be located or refuses to consent, or a dispute concerning consent arises, the matter should be referred to the Children’s Court. The Court’s decision must be submitted with the passport application.
• The child’s South African birth certificate and a copy thereof
• Two colour passport photographs that comply with the Passport and ID Photograph Specifications (Not needed at Home Affairs offices where this process is automated as ID images are captured digitally)
• Payment of the prescribed passport fee of R600.
• Parental Consent letter can be downloaded here

 

Official passports are issued to officials attached to government institutions who have to travel on official business. These passports are only valid for five years.

Required Documents:

• A duly completed passport application form obtainable from a Home Affairs office
• Your original identity document and a copy thereof
• A letter on the official letterhead and signed by the head of the institution or his/her delegate confirming that the passport is needed for an official trip and that you are employed by the institution
• Two colour photographs that comply with the Passport and ID Photograph Specifications (Not needed at Home Affairs offices, where this process is automated as ID images are captured digitally)
• Submit your existing valid official passport or if lost or stolen, a report (DHA-335obtainable from a Home Affairs office) as well as confirmation that the loss was reported to the police (affidavit).

You will also have to sign an undertaking:

• To use the official passport only for duly authorised trips
• To keep the passport in safe custody
• Hand in the passport to the Department of Home Affairs if you leave government service or you will no longer require an official passport
• To return your passport to a designated person in your department or organisation for safe-keeping on return from your official trip
• To report the loss of an official passport to the SA Police Service (SAPS) and the designated person in your department or organisation as soon as possible after the loss.

 

Diplomatic passports are administered by the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO). Enquiries should be directed to the Protocol Section in DIRCO.

 

Documents for travel purposes are issued to South African permanent residence permit holders who cannot obtain travel documents from their countries of origin. These documents are only valid for five years.

Required Documents:

• A duly completed passport application form obtainable from a Home Affairs office
• Written confirmation by your country of origin that the country cannot issue you a passport, except in the case of refugees who have been granted permanent residence as refugees.
• If under 18 years, the prescribed consent by parents must be furnished. See requirements under Tourist passports for persons under 16
• Your permanent residence permit and a copy thereof
• Your original SA non-citizen identity document and a copy thereof
• Two colour photographs that comply with the Passport and ID Photograph Specifications (Not needed at Home Affairs offices where this process is automated as ID images are captured digitally)
• Payment of the prescribed fee.

 

Crew member certificates are issued to South Africans who are crew members of an airline registered in South Africa.

Required Documents:

• A duly completed passport application form obtainable from a Home Affairs office
• Your original SA identity document and a copy thereof
• Two colour photographs that comply with the Passport and ID Photograph Specifications (Not needed at Home Affairs offices where this process is automated as ID images are captured digitally)
• Official letter from your employer confirming that you are employed by the airline

 

* Please be informed that the Department of Home Affairs no longer issues Temporary Passports as of 01 September 2014. (READ THE NOTICE HERE)

Only EMERGENCY TRAVEL CERTIFICATES (ETC) will be issued to an applicant under circumstances of emergency travel purposes:

• If the passport is lost/stolen while abroad
• If travelling to countries accepting ETC on emergency cases, such as a family member in distress who needs immediate assistance or deceased family members.

* NB: You can only travel from the country where the ETC is issued to the country of origin (RSA).