You’ll need a South African passport if you’re its citizen and want to travel to other countries. There are various sorts of passports, each with its own set of application expenses. People are always confused about them and one of the most common questions they have is “How long does a passport take South Africa?”
If you read this material ahead of time, whether you’re applying for a South African passport for the first time or renewing an existing one, you’ll be on your way to your chosen location in no time.
Introduction To Passport For South Africans
A passport is a document that validates the holder’s identity and nationality and is issued by a national government for international travel. Only Pretoria issues South African passports.
Applicants should be aware that it is a criminal offense for a South African citizen of 18 years or older to leave or enter South Africa using a foreign passport, according to section 26(B) of the South African Citizenship Act, 1995.
The South African Passports and Travel Papers Act, 1994, and its accompanying regulations govern the issuance of passports and travel documents in South Africa.
Permanent South African passports and travel documents (machine-readable documents) are exclusively printed in Pretoria, South Africa, and then distributed to application offices. Applications can be sent to any Department of Home Affairs office inside South Africa’s boundaries. In contrast, applications from outside the country can be sent to the nearest South African Embassy or mission.
The following information is included in South African passports:
- The holder’s photo
- Passport type
- Issuing country
- Passport number
- Names and surname of the holder
- Nationality of the holder
- Gender of the holder
- Birthdate
- Birthplace
- Issue date
- Expiry date
- Issuing authority
Types Of South Africa Passport
Visitor’s Passport
You’ll need a South African passport if you’re a South African citizen and want to travel to another country. There are various sorts of passports, each with its own set of application expenses. Tourist passports for those aged 16 and up and maxi tourist passports are only issued to SA nationals aged 16 and up. These passports have a ten-year validity period. Tourist passports for people under 16 are allocated to South African citizens who are 15 years old or younger. These passports have a 5-year validity period. If you live outside of South Africa, fill out a DHA-73 form at a Home Affairs domestic office or a South African mission or consulate. You should also consider:
- Check to see if you have proof of your identity.
- Two passport photographs are required. To see if the new system of biometric is in use, contact your local Home Affairs office. You won’t need to carry any photos if this is the case.
- Fingerprints will be taken from you.
- The R400 application fee payment.
Maxi Tourist Passport
Maxi Tourist Passports is a 48-page document designed for frequent flyers. They are similar to standard tourist passports, except that they have more visa pages. Only citizens of South Africa who are 16 years old or older are eligible to receive them. The documents are only suitable for ten years and cannot be renewed. Once a passport’s validity period has expired, you will need to apply for a new passport. You must submit the following documents to apply for the Maxi Tourist Passport:
- A duly completed DHA-73 passport application
- Your original ID and a copy, a birth certificate, and a copy for people under the age of 16
- If you are under 18, you must obtain parental authorization. The prerequisites for tourist passports for persons under the age of 16 can be found here.
- When applying from outside the United States, complete the DHA-529 citizenship determination form.
- Show any current valid tourist passport; if you have lost or stolen your passport and are applying for a new one, you must present a loss of passport report (DHA-335 ) and proof that you reported the loss to the police.
- Bring two-color passport and ID photographs that meet the Passport and ID Photograph Specifications. However, because ID photos are collected digitally at smartcard offices, it is not required.
- Fees must be paid as directed.
Official Passport
South African officials who are traveling on official government business are issued this passport. This passport is valid for ten years. To apply, fill out a DHA-73 form at a Home Affairs domestic office or a South African embassy or mission if you live outside of South Africa. You should also:
- Make sure you have confirmation of your identification. Here’s how to get one if you don’t already have one.
- Provide two passport photos. Check with your local Home Affairs office to see if the new biometric system is in use. If that’s the case, you won’t need to bring any photos with you.
- Fingerprints should be taken.
Children’s Passport
South African children aged 16 and under are eligible for a child’s passport. The passport of the child is used for ten years.If you live outside of South Africa, fill out a DHA-73 form at a Home Affairs domestic office or a South African mission or consulate. You should also consider:
- Check to see if you have proof of your identity.
- Two passport photographs are required. To see if the new system of biometric is in use, contact your local Home Affairs office. You won’t need to carry any photos if this is the case.
- The R400 application fee payment.
- When applying, both parents and the child must be present.
Certificate Of Emergency Travel
This document can be granted to South African nationals who need to travel immediately and do not have enough time to wait for their passport to be processed.If you live outside of South Africa, fill out a DHA-73 form at a Home Affairs domestic office or a South African mission or consulate. You should also consider:
- Check to see if you have proof of your identity.
- Two passport photographs are required. To see if the new system of biometric is in use, contact your local Home Affairs office. You won’t need to carry any photos if this is the case.
- Fingerprints will be taken from you.
- The R140 application fee payment.
It will be processed, and the certificate will be issued in about one week. This certificate is only valid for each journey and is suitable for nine months.
Documents For Travel Purposes
It is granted to people who have a permanent residency in SA who cannot get visiting documents from their home countries, such as stateless and refugees people who are legitimately staying in the country. If you live outside of South Africa, fill out a DHA-73 form at a Home Affairs domestic office or a South African mission or consulate. You should also consider:
- Check to see if you have proof of your identity.
- Two passport photographs are required. To see if the new system of biometric is in use, contact your local Home Affairs office. You won’t need to carry any photos if this is the case.
- Fingerprints will be taken from you.
- The R400 application fee payment.
The application will be processed in 7 to 21 days of working. This document is used for five years.
Time For Applying
Most countries require travelers to have a valid passport for at least six months beyond their departure date. As a result, it is recommended that you apply for or renew your South African passport at least six months ahead of time.
Passports are not renewable. Once a passport’s validity period has expired, you will need to apply for a new passport.
Pages
A standard tourist passport has 32 pages, but frequent travelers might choose a 48-page maxi tourist passport.
At least two blank pages for entrance stamps should be included in passports. The “endorsement” page at the rear of the book cannot be included in the blank pages. If you require a visa, you must make sure that
If you need a visa, you must have two blank facing pages in your passport, one for the key and one for an entry stamp.
Fees And Payments For Passports
- R400 for a first-time passport application.
- R400 for a new passport application (with an old passport).
- R800 for a fresh passport application (in the event of a lost passport).
Passport payment must be made in Australian Dollars (AUD) by Postal Money Order or Bank Cheque payable to the South African High Commission. They do not accept personal checks or credit cards. Inaccurate payments will not be accepted; in the event of an incorrect charge, the applicant will receive a refund of the cheque or postal money order.
How Long Does It Take For A South African Passport Application?
To Be Processed
Because all passports are produced in Dublin, it is impossible to process a passport application the same day it is filed. The processing time for passport applications submitted in South Africa is typically eight weeks from when the Embassy receives a fully completed and correct application. This, however, can change depending on the overall volume of data to be handled in Dublin.
They will remind applicants to apply for a new passport as soon as they run out of pages in their current passport or if their passport’s validity expires in less than six months. If you do not have valid access, the Embassy strongly advises against making any trip arrangements.
It will take longer to review applications filed to the Honorary Consulate in Zimbabwe or Botswana. You can check with that office to estimate how long it will take to process your request.
To Be Renewed
Passport renewal takes six weeks minimum, that is why no overseas travel plans should be made until your new one arrives. South Africa’s passport renewal process might take from 7 to 10 days for renewing. However, If you can’t satisfy these requirements but still want to apply, keep in mind that service standards are now suspended, and they can’t guarantee when a passport will be issued.
Citizens of South Africa can apply using the national website. Please keep in mind that to complete your online passport application, you will need to have access to the internet.
Important Notes
- You must apply in person. It is critical to understand that you must apply for a passport in person, whether in South Africa or abroad, because:
- The passport officer must be convinced that your identity is legal and valid.
- Your photograph must be an accurate representation of oneself, according to the passport officer.
- If you’re 16 or older, your fingerprints must be taken and checked against the National Population Register.
- All passport application documentation must be filled out in black ink; the husband, wife, and children must fill out separate application forms.
- When applying for a passport for a child, both parents and the youngster must be present.
- Your passport will be issued based on your names as they appear in the National Population Register (NPR) at the time of your application. Before you submit your passport application, you must apply for, finalize, and record any name changes in the NPR.
- When using, you must have a South African identity number. If you do not have a South African identity number, you must first apply for birth registration and, if necessary, a South African identity document.
- If you don’t have a valid ordinary passport and need to travel immediately, you can apply for an emergency travel document/certificate if you meet the requirements listed above. Keep in mind that not all countries accept emergency travel documents or certificates. Before applying for an emergency passport or travel certificate, double-check with the necessary authorities in the nation you intend to visit.
- If you’re leaving for a vacation in fewer than seven days and haven’t received your passport yet, call the National Passport Information Center’s customer care department. They can assist you in tracking the status of your passport and inform you of its progress.
- Fees apply to all forms of passport/travel document applications, except for official and diplomatic passports. If the incident were caused by the passport/travel document owner’s fault, applications to replace lost, stolen, or damaged passports would be charged double the average amount.
- The size of your passport photos must be 2 by 2 inches. Printed on photo-quality, thin paper. Photographed during the last six months to reflect current appearance. Front view of the entire face with a basic white or off-white background. From the bottom of the chin to the top of the head, it should be between 1 inch and 1 3/8 inch.
You can click in the video below to have more suggestions for taking your passport photos:
Final Thought
It’s crucial to keep track of when things happen, especially while applying for a passport. The first thing to think about should be “How long does a passport take in South Africa for processing?” or “How long does a passport take South Africa for renewal?”
Please contribute any information or experiences you have with passport applications in the comments section so that others can benefit. Thank you for taking the time to read this, and good luck on your next flight to South Africa!
