How to Get a South African Passport: Requirements and Procedures

The Requirements and Steps for Obtaining a South African Passport,How to Get a South African Passport: Requirements and Procedures,Steps and Requirements for Getting a South African Passport,What You Need to Do to Get a South African Passport and How to Do It.

 

A national government issues a passport, a legal document that verifies the holder’s identity and nationality and is required for international travel.

Section 26(B) of the South African Citizenship Act, 1995 states that it is an offense for a South African citizen who is 18 years of age or older to leave or enter South Africa on a foreign passport.

South African passports and travel documents are issued in accordance with the South African Passports and Travel Documents Act of 1994 and the related Regulations.

Permanent South African passports and travel documents (also known as machine-readable documents) are only printed in Pretoria, South Africa, before being delivered to the application centers.

Any Department of Home Affairs office in South Africa can receive applications made inside its borders; applications made outside the country should be sent to the closest South African embassy or mission.

 

It’s crucial to understand that you must apply in person for a passport, whether you do so in South Africa or abroad, for the following reasons:

1. The passport officer must be convinced that you are who you say you are.
2. The passport officer must verify that you appear exactly as you do in the photograph; and
3. For those who are 16 years of age or older, your fingerprints must be taken and compared to the National Population Register.

 

You should also be aware of:

1. Complete all necessary paperwork for passport applications in black ink.
2. The husband, wife, and kids must each submit a separate application. When applying for a child’s passport, both parents and the child in question must be present. See the exclusions listed under Tourist Passports: Minors.
3. Your names as they appear in the National Population Register (NPR) at the time of your application will be used to issue your passports.
   Before submitting your passport application, you must apply for, finalize, and record any name changes in the NPR.

 

One requirement for applying for a passport is having a South African identity number. You must first submit applications for your birth to be registered and, if required, a South African identity document if you don’t already have one.

If you meet the requirements listed below and have a pressing need to travel but no valid regular passport, you may be able to apply for an emergency travel document or certificate. Remember that not all countries will accept certificates or documents for emergency travel. You must confirm this with the appropriate authorities of the nation you intend to visit before applying for an emergency passport or other travel documents.

All passport and travel document applications must be paid for, with the exception of official and diplomatic passports. Applications to replace lost, stolen, or damaged passports will cost twice as much as usual if the incident happened as a result of the passport/travel document owner’s negligence.

Regular travelers may choose to purchase a maxi tourist passport, which has 48 pages instead of the standard 32 pages.

Only South African citizens who are 16 years of age or older and qualify for tourist passports can obtain a maxi passport. The validity of these passports is ten years.

Tourist passports are available to South African citizens who are 15 years old or younger. The validity of these passports is five years.

There is no way to renew your passport. Once the passport’s validity period has ended, you must apply for a new passport.

A passport must be valid for at least 30 days after the intended departure date. Passports must also have at least two blank pages for entry stamps. There cannot be any blank pages in the book’s “endorsement” section. If you require a visa, you must ensure that your passport has two blank facing pages, one for the visa and one for an entry stamp.

 

Application for Tourist Passports: Persons under 16 years

These passports can be obtained by South African nationals under the age of 15. The passports cannot be renewed after their five-year expiration date. When the validity period of the passport is up, you need to apply for a new one.

 

The following paperwork must be submitted in order to apply for a passport:

• A duly completed passport application Form DHA-73
• If the parents are married, both parents and the child must sign the passport application, and both parents must be present when the application is submitted.
• Please be aware that when the application is delivered to the closest Home Affairs office or SA Mission/Consulate, the child and both parents must be present.
• A letter of consent and a copy of identification will no longer be accepted if a parent is unable to attend.
• The child and both parents should be present when the application is submitted, and both parents must sign the application form if the parents are divorced and sole parental rights and responsibilities with regard to guardianship have not already been granted to one parent.
• The passport application must be submitted with a copy of the parent’s death certificate if they are deceased.
• If any of the situations listed in section 21 of the Children’s Act of 1995 apply, the biological father’s consent will also be needed in the case of minors born out of wedlock.
• Both parents should be present when the application is submitted, as well as the child.
• Proof of the High Court’s appointment must be submitted with the application if the applicant is being cared for by a guardian other than their parents.
• The matter should be brought before the Children’s Court if a parent cannot be found, refuses to give consent, or there is a disagreement over consent. The court’s ruling must be included with the passport application.
• South African birth certificate and a copy of it for the child
• Two photos for your passport that are in color and meet the requirements for ID and passport photos. (NOT necessary at smartcard offices where ID photos are digitally taken.)
  Paying the required passport fee

 

How to Get a South African Passport: official Passport

When a representative of a government institution needs to travel for work, they are given an official passport. The longest possible validity for these passports is five years.

To apply for an official passport, the following paperwork must be provided:

• a correctly completed passport application Formula DHA-73
• Both a copy and the original of your identification
• A letter stating that you need a passport for a business trip and that you are employed by the institution, on the institution’s letterhead and signed by the head of the institution or his or her delegate.
• Two pictures in color that meet the requirements for ID and passport photos.
• As ID images are digitally captured, they are not required at smartcard offices.
• Send your current, valid passport or, in the event that it has been lost or stolen, a lost passport report (DHA-335) along with proof that the theft has been reported to the police.

 

You will also need to sign a commitment.

How to sign a commitment.

• Use the official passport only for legitimately authorized travel to ensure the security of the document.
• You no longer require a formal passport if you leave government service and turn in your passport to the Department of Home Affairs.
• You must turn in your passport to a designated person in your department or organization for safekeeping after you return from an official trip.
• To alert the SA Police Services and your department or organization as soon as you can after the loss that a passport has been lost.

Application for Diplomatic Passports

Diplomatic passports are administered by the Department of International Relations. If you have any questions, get in touch with the Protocol Section in the aforementioned division.

 

Application for Documents for Travel Purposes

Documents are provided to people with permanent residency permits in South Africa who are unable to obtain travel documents from their home countries. The period of validity for these documents is only five years.

 

The following documents must be submitted in order to apply for a document for travel:

• A duly completed passport application Form DHA-73
• Written confirmation by your country of origin that the country cannot issue you with a passport, except in the case of refugees that 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 smartcard offices as ID images are captured digitally)
• Payment of the prescribed fee

 

Applying for Crew Member Certificates

South Africans working as crew for an airline based in South Africa are issued crew member certificates.

 

The following documents must be submitted to apply for a crew member certificate:

• A duly completed passport application Form DHA-73
• Your original South African identity card and a copy of it
• Two pictures in color that meet the requirements for ID and passport photos. As ID images are digitally captured, they are not required at smartcard offices.
• An authentication letter from your employer attesting to your employment with the airline

Can someone who is not a South African citizen get a passport?

Unless you were born in South Africa or have South African parents, you can apply for South African citizenship after five years if you have a permanent resident visa, marry a citizen of that country, or are a minor.

 

How quickly can I get a passport in South Africa?

After the application has been processed, the passport will be issued in 7 to 21 working days. The tourist visa’s ten-year validity It is important to keep in mind that passports must be valid for at least 30 days after the intended departure date. Passports must also contain two blank pages for entry stamps.

 

How long does it take someone from outside South Africa to become a citizen?

Only those who have held a Permanent Residence Permit in the Republic of South Africa for at least five years following the date on which they received their PR will have their applications for naturalization taken into consideration.

Only those who have held a Permanent Residence Permit in the Republic of South Africa for at least five years following the date on which they received their PR will have their applications for naturalization taken into consideration.

 

Can I apply for a passport if I was born in South Africa?

A valid birth certificate and either one (or both) of your parents’ holding South African citizenship at the time of your birth are requirements for applying for a passport by birth in South Africa. It is the process used to apply for South African citizenship the most frequently.

South African passports include the information below:

• A photo of the passport holder
• Type of passport
• Issuing country
• Passport number
• Given the given names and surname of the passport holder
• Nationality of the passport holder
• Gender of passport holder
• Birth date
• Birth place
• Issue date
• Expiry date
• Issuing authority

 

See Also Changes to new Rules for SA VISA.

16 years of age or older is required to obtain a traveler’s passport.

These passports are available to South African citizens who are at least 16 years old. The passports have a 10-year expiration date and are not renewable. When your South African passport expires, you must reapply in order to get a new one.

 

The following paperwork must be submitted in order to apply for a passport:

1. Form DHA-73, properly filled out when applying for a passport
2. Your original identity document and a copy, or, if you’re under 16, a copy of your birth certificate.
3. In the case of a minor, parental approval is necessary before a passport can be issued. For requirements, please refer to Tourist passports: persons under 16
4. When applying from abroad, a completed DHA-529, which determines citizenship
5. Bring your current, valid tourist passport. You must submit a loss of passport report (DHA-335) and proof that you reported the loss to the police if you have lost or had your passport stolen and are applying for a new passport.
6. Passport and ID photograph specifications require two color photos (NOT needed at smartcard offices as ID images are captured digitally)
7. Pay the passport’s required fee.

 

Applying for a maxi passport for tourists

For frequent travelers, 48-page maxim tourist passports are available. They are identical to standard tourist passports aside from the extra visa pages.

They are only available to South African citizens who are 16 years old or older. The certificates have a ten-year expiration date and are not renewable. Once the passport’s validity period has ended, you must apply for a new passport.

 

To apply for a Maxi tourist passport, you must provide the following paperwork:

• A duly completed passport application form DHA-73
• 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  when applying from abroad
• Bring your current, valid tourist passport. You must submit a loss of passport report (DHA-335) and proof that you reported the loss to the police if you have lost or had your passport stolen and are applying for a new passport.
• Two colour photographs that comply with the Passport and ID Photograph Specifications (NOT needed at smartcard offices as ID images are captured digitally)
• Pay the prescribed fees

 

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