If you are trying to understand how to get a South African passport, the basic rule is straightforward: South African passports are issued to South African citizens by the Department of Home Affairs. The exact process depends on your age, whether you already have a South African identity record, whether you are applying inside or outside South Africa, and whether you are replacing an existing passport or applying for your first one.
For most applicants in South Africa, the process involves completing the appropriate Home Affairs application, paying the passport fee, appearing in person for identity and biometric verification, and later collecting the completed passport. South Africans living abroad may instead have to apply through a South African mission or one of the newer Home Affairs-supported overseas service centres operated with VFS Global.
There are also important rules for children, dual citizens, South Africans who acquired another nationality, people whose passports have been lost or stolen, and citizens who need to return urgently to South Africa.
Related South Africa Guides:
Table of Contents
- South African Passport Quick Answer
- Who Can Get a South African Passport?
- Types of South African Passports
- South African Passport Requirements
- How to Apply for a Passport in South Africa
- eHomeAffairs and Home Affairs Appointments
- South African Passport Fees in 2026
- How Long Does a South African Passport Take?
- South African Passports for Children
- Passports for Dual South African Citizens
- How to Apply for a South African Passport Abroad
- Lost, Stolen or Damaged Passports
- Emergency Travel Certificates
- Passport Photos and Biometrics
- Common Passport Application Problems
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Official Sources
South African Passport Quick Answer
Who can apply? South African citizens.
Adult passport age: 16 and older.
Child passport age: Under 16.
Adult passport validity: Generally 10 years.
Child passport validity: Generally 5 years.
Standard domestic adult fee: ZAR 600, based on the latest national tariff located.
Domestic adult processing target: 13 working days for most adult passports under Home Affairs’ 2026 service target.
Can a South African passport be renewed? Not technically. You apply for a new passport when the existing passport expires, becomes full, is damaged, lost or otherwise needs replacement.
The South African Passports and Travel Documents Act 4 of 1994 provides that, subject to the Act, every South African citizen is entitled to a South African passport.
That does not mean every application is identical. Home Affairs must still verify the applicant’s identity and citizenship record before issuing the passport.
Who Can Get a South African Passport?
A South African passport is primarily a citizenship document. Being a permanent resident of South Africa, owning property in the country, working in South Africa or being married to a South African citizen does not by itself create a right to a South African passport.
You generally need to be recognized as a South African citizen in Home Affairs’ records.
For an adult applicant, Home Affairs generally requires a South African identity document or an established identity record. A child normally relies on the child’s South African birth registration record or birth certificate.
If Home Affairs does not recognize your citizenship or identity record, that underlying problem may need to be resolved before a passport can be issued.
What if you became a citizen recently?
If you obtained or recovered South African citizenship and your Home Affairs population-register record has not yet been updated, the passport application may be delayed until your status is corrected.
This issue became particularly important following the Constitutional Court’s 2025 ruling concerning South Africans who had previously lost citizenship automatically after acquiring another nationality.
Types of South African Passports
The type of passport you need depends mainly on your age and travel requirements.
| Passport Type | Who It Is For | Typical Validity |
|---|---|---|
| Ordinary 32-page passport | South African citizens aged 16 and older | 10 years |
| Maxi 48-page passport | Citizens aged 16 and older who travel frequently | 10 years |
| Child passport | South African children under 16 | 5 years |
| Emergency Travel Certificate | Eligible South Africans stranded abroad who urgently need to return to South Africa | Limited emergency travel purpose |
The 48-page maxi passport can be useful for frequent international travellers who need additional pages for visas and immigration stamps.
There is no normal passport “renewal”
South African passports are not renewed by extending the validity of the existing passport. When your passport expires, becomes full, is damaged or otherwise needs replacement, you submit an application for a new passport.
People commonly search for “South African passport renewal,” so Home Affairs and passport guides may use that language informally. Administratively, however, you are receiving a newly issued passport.
South African Passport Requirements
The exact document list can vary according to your circumstances and where you apply. Applicants outside South Africa should always check the requirements of the specific South African mission or VFS centre handling their application.
| Applicant | Core Requirements | Additional Considerations |
|---|---|---|
| Adult 18+ | South African ID or identity record, passport application, existing passport if applicable and fee | Biometric verification and additional citizenship documents may be required |
| Age 16-17 | South African identity record or first ID process, passport application and citizenship evidence | Parental consent is still required because the applicant is under 18 |
| Child under 16 | South African birth record or birth certificate, application and existing passport if applicable | Parent or guardian documentation and consent requirements apply |
| Applicant abroad | SA ID, passport, DHA forms and citizenship evidence as required by the location | Physical photographs, fingerprints, copies and mission-specific forms may be required |
| Lost or stolen passport | New passport application plus identity documentation | Police report and lost-passport declaration are normally required |
Bring originals when instructed to do so. Overseas missions frequently require both originals and copies, and the number of copies may differ from one country to another.
How to Apply for a Passport in South Africa
For a routine application inside South Africa, the process can generally be divided into several steps.
1. Confirm that your Home Affairs record is correct
Before applying, make sure your South African identity and citizenship records are in order. Adults ordinarily need a South African identity document or corresponding identity record.
Parents applying for a child should make sure the child’s birth is properly registered with Home Affairs.
2. Start the passport application
Eligible applicants may be able to begin the process through eHomeAffairs. Passport services are also available through Department of Home Affairs offices.
The eHomeAffairs system allows applicants using the service to complete application information electronically and initiate payment before appearing in person for biometric verification.
3. Pay the applicable passport fee
Passport fees depend on the type of passport and whether the application is being made inside or outside South Africa.
Online eHomeAffairs payments are initiated electronically and then authorized through a participating bank. Other payment arrangements may apply when applying directly through Home Affairs or overseas.
4. Attend in person for biometrics
A passport cannot normally be completed entirely online. Home Affairs must verify the applicant’s identity and capture or confirm the required biometric information.
Applicants using eHomeAffairs should bring the original documents requested by Home Affairs when attending the biometric appointment.
5. Wait for the passport to be produced
Home Affairs processes the application and produces the passport after the applicant’s citizenship, identity and application details have been verified.
6. Collect the passport
Follow the collection instructions issued by the Home Affairs office or service centre. Do not assume that another person can collect the passport on your behalf unless Home Affairs specifically permits it for your circumstances.
eHomeAffairs and Home Affairs Appointments
South Africa’s Home Affairs appointment system changed in 2026. The upgraded booking platform is now connected to MyHomeAffairsOnline.
Users generally create a profile linked to their South African ID number and email address before booking an available Home Affairs appointment.
An appointment is strongly recommended where the service is available. Home Affairs has also indicated that some offices continue to accept walk-in applicants depending on capacity, but a walk-in should never be treated as guaranteed.
South African Passport Fees in 2026
The latest national passport tariff located during the August 2026 review is the fee schedule that took effect on November 1, 2022. No later national passport tariff replacing these amounts was identified in the reviewed government material.
The foreign-currency amounts below are approximate conversions using exchange rates available on August 26, 2026. Exchange rates change continuously, and overseas missions normally collect fees using their own published local-currency instructions.
| Passport | Inside South Africa | Outside South Africa |
|---|---|---|
| 32-page adult passport | ZAR 600 (USD 38, GBP 28, RMB 252) | ZAR 1,200 (USD 75, GBP 55, RMB 505) |
| 48-page maxi passport | ZAR 1,200 (USD 75, GBP 55, RMB 505) | ZAR 2,400 (USD 150, GBP 111, RMB 1,010) |
| Child passport | ZAR 600 (USD 38, GBP 28, RMB 252) | ZAR 1,200 (USD 75, GBP 55, RMB 505) |
| Emergency Travel Certificate | Not a standard domestic outbound passport service | ZAR 140 (USD 9, GBP 6, RMB 59) |
Additional VFS, courier, local service or payment charges can apply outside South Africa. Those charges are separate from the national passport tariff and vary by country.
Applicants replacing passports that were lost, stolen or damaged may also face a higher fee. Home Affairs rules generally provide for a double passport fee where the loss or damage resulted from the holder’s negligence, subject to the circumstances and the instructions of the processing office.
How Long Does a South African Passport Take?
Home Affairs’ 2026 domestic service target is to issue 90 percent of adult passports within 13 working days and 90 percent of minor passports within 18 working days.
Home Affairs reported that it exceeded those targets during the year under review, with 96.32 percent of adult passports issued within the 13-working-day period and 98.72 percent of minor passports issued within 18 working days.
A practical planning range of approximately two to three working weeks is therefore reasonable for many routine applications inside South Africa.
How long does a South African passport take abroad?
Processing abroad depends heavily on the country and application channel.
Home Affairs introduced a new overseas service-centre model with a target of approximately five weeks. This is a major improvement over some legacy consular workflows, which historically took several months and in some cases considerably longer.
However, not every country follows the same processing route. Some South Africans still apply through traditional mission processes, while others use new VFS-supported service centres.
Always check the current instructions for the country where you live.
South African Passports for Children
Children younger than 16 receive a child passport rather than the standard adult tourist passport.
The child normally needs an established South African birth-registration record. The child’s parents or guardians must also satisfy Home Affairs’ consent requirements.
A South African child passport is generally valid for five years.
What happens at age 16?
At 16, the applicant moves into the adult passport category. This creates an important distinction that frequently causes confusion.
A 16- or 17-year-old applies for an adult passport, but is still a minor for purposes of parental consent.
Parental consent requirements generally continue until age 18.
What if one parent cannot consent?
The required solution depends on the circumstances. Home Affairs and South African missions may recognize appropriate evidence involving the death of a parent, sole guardianship or a relevant court order.
If one parent refuses consent, the matter can become a legal rather than purely administrative passport issue.
Children born outside South Africa
A child born abroad should not automatically be taken directly to the passport stage.
The first question is whether the child’s birth has been registered with South African Home Affairs and whether the child has an established South African citizenship and identity record.
Some missions provide processes that coordinate foreign birth registration with a child’s first South African passport application.
If the child’s birth has not been registered, resolve the civil-registration process before assuming a passport can be issued.
Passports for Dual South African Citizens
South Africa’s dual-citizenship rules changed significantly following the Constitutional Court’s decision in Democratic Alliance v Minister of Home Affairs and Another, [2025] ZACC 8.
The Court invalidated the former section 6(1)(a) rule that automatically caused certain South African citizens to lose their citizenship after voluntarily acquiring another nationality without first obtaining permission to retain South African citizenship.
The order operates retrospectively to October 6, 1995. People affected by the invalidated provision are deemed not to have lost South African citizenship under that rule.
Home Affairs subsequently introduced an online Citizenship Reinstatement Portal to correct eligible population-register records. Straightforward automated cases may be resolved very quickly, while cases requiring manual review can take considerably longer.
Which passport should a dual citizen use?
South African citizens who also hold another nationality should distinguish between two separate questions.
The first is whether they are legally entitled to hold both citizenships. The second is which passport they should use at the South African border.
Current South African guidance requires South African citizens, including dual citizens, to use a valid South African passport when entering and leaving South Africa.
A foreign passport may still be used when dealing with other countries according to those countries’ rules.
How to Apply for a South African Passport Abroad
South Africans living outside the country should not assume that every embassy or consulate follows the same passport process.
Home Affairs has been changing its overseas passport network. New VFS-supported DHA service centres have opened in several countries and cities, while traditional consular passport services continue in other locations.
Applicants abroad commonly encounter forms such as:
- DHA-73: Application for a South African passport or travel document.
- DHA-529 or BI-529: Citizenship and status questionnaire commonly used in overseas applications.
- DHA-9 or BI-9: Fingerprint and identity-document form frequently required for applicants aged 16 and older in paper-based consular processes.
- DHA-335E or BI-335E: Lost passport or travel-document report used in applicable cases.
Do not download random copies of these forms from unofficial websites. Use the version supplied by Home Affairs, DIRCO or the mission handling your application.
Documents commonly requested abroad
Depending on the mission, you may need your South African ID, current or previous South African passport, original citizenship or birth documentation, physical passport photographs, fingerprints, copies of supporting documents and proof of payment.
Dual citizens may also be asked to show how and when their foreign citizenship was acquired. A foreign passport alone does not always establish the date or legal mechanism through which that citizenship was obtained.
A naturalization certificate, foreign birth certificate, registration certificate or official nationality confirmation may therefore be requested.
Lost, Stolen or Damaged South African Passports
If your South African passport is lost or stolen, report the loss to the police and begin a replacement passport application as soon as possible.
If you are outside South Africa, contact the nearest South African mission or the passport service centre responsible for your area.
You may be required to provide a police report, a completed lost-passport declaration and any available information or copy of the missing passport.
A lost, stolen or damaged passport can attract a higher replacement fee where Home Affairs determines that the loss or damage resulted from negligence.
If you are stranded abroad and urgently need to return to South Africa, ask the mission whether you qualify for an Emergency Travel Certificate.
Emergency Travel Certificate: Is There an Emergency South African Passport?
There is no general premium “emergency passport” service that allows someone inside South Africa to pay extra and receive an ordinary passport immediately for urgent overseas travel.
An Emergency Travel Certificate, often called an ETC, serves a much narrower purpose.
It is primarily intended for eligible South African citizens who are stranded outside South Africa and need documentation allowing them to return home.
It should not be treated as a substitute for an ordinary passport or as a fast-track passport service.
Once the holder has returned to South Africa, the certificate has fulfilled its emergency purpose.
Turnaround varies by mission. Some official mission guidance indicates processing in several working days, but applicants should confirm the current timeline directly with the relevant South African mission.
South African Passport Photos and Biometrics
There is no single passport-photo procedure that should be applied blindly to every South African passport applicant.
Inside South Africa, live-capture Home Affairs facilities can capture the applicant’s image and biometrics electronically. In many overseas applications, physical passport photographs are still required.
A common South African consular photograph specification is 35 mm by 45 mm with a white background, a recent colour image and the applicant looking directly at the camera.
However, the required number of photographs and some technical details can differ between missions.
If you are applying abroad, use the exact photo instructions published by the embassy, consulate or VFS centre processing your application.
Common Reasons a South African Passport Application Gets Delayed
Home Affairs does not publish one universal list of passport “rejection reasons,” and many problems are better understood as application delays, intake problems or unresolved identity-status issues.
| Problem | What to Do |
|---|---|
| Adult has no South African ID or identity record | Resolve or apply for the identity document required for the passport process. |
| Child’s birth is not registered | Complete the appropriate South African birth-registration process. |
| Missing parental consent | Obtain the required consent or applicable court, guardianship or death documentation. |
| Home Affairs records show citizenship as lost | Check whether the 2025 Constitutional Court ruling and Citizenship Reinstatement Portal apply. |
| Passport was lost but no police report was obtained | Report the loss and follow the location-specific lost-passport requirements. |
| Incorrect passport photographs | Use the exact specifications published by the office handling the application. |
| Missing originals or copies | Review the appointment checklist and bring every original and copy required by the location. |
| Application submitted through the wrong overseas channel | Confirm whether your jurisdiction currently uses a South African mission or VFS-supported DHA service centre. |
If you are unsure about a national Home Affairs requirement, the Department of Home Affairs Contact Centre publishes the telephone number 0800 60 11 90 and email address hacc@dha.gov.za.
Passport application blocked by a citizenship or document problem?
If your case involves disputed citizenship, an unregistered birth, a population-register problem or a parental-consent dispute, professional advice may help you understand the available options.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Getting a South African Passport
How much does a South African passport cost?
Under the latest national tariff located during the August 2026 review, a standard 32-page adult passport issued inside South Africa costs ZAR 600 (approximately USD 38, GBP 28, RMB 252). A 48-page maxi passport costs ZAR 1,200 (approximately USD 75, GBP 55, RMB 505).
How long does it take to get a South African passport?
Home Affairs’ 2026 target is to issue 90 percent of adult passports within 13 working days and minor passports within 18 working days. Individual applications can take longer, especially where citizenship, identity or document problems need investigation.
Can I get a South African passport without an ID?
Adults generally need an established South African identity record. Applicants aged 16 or older who have never received an ID may need to apply for their identity document as part of, or before completing, the first adult passport process.
Can I apply for a South African passport online?
Eligible applicants can use eHomeAffairs for parts of the passport application and payment process, but an in-person stage is still required for biometric and identity verification.
Can I renew a South African passport before it expires?
You can apply for a new passport when replacement is necessary, including before the old passport reaches its expiry date. South Africa does not technically extend or renew the validity period of the existing passport.
Can a 16-year-old get an adult South African passport?
Yes. The adult passport category begins at age 16. However, applicants aged 16 and 17 are still minors for passport-consent purposes and generally require parental consent.
Do dual citizens need a South African passport?
South African citizens who hold another nationality are required to use a valid South African passport when entering and leaving South Africa.
Can I get an emergency passport in one day?
No general one-day premium South African passport service was identified in current Home Affairs policy. The Emergency Travel Certificate is a separate emergency document intended primarily to help eligible South Africans stranded abroad return to South Africa.
Can I apply for my South African passport through a bank?
Home Affairs continues to expand services through participating banks, but passport availability should be verified before visiting a bank. Do not assume that every branch offering Smart ID services also accepts passport applications.
What should I do if Home Affairs says I am no longer a South African citizen?
If the problem relates to citizenship allegedly lost after you acquired another nationality, check whether you are affected by the Constitutional Court’s 2025 decision invalidating section 6(1)(a) of the Citizenship Act and whether the Citizenship Reinstatement Portal can correct your Home Affairs record.
Final Passport Checklist
Before submitting your South African passport application:
- Confirm that Home Affairs recognizes your South African citizenship.
- Make sure your South African ID or birth-registration record is correct.
- Determine whether you need an adult, maxi or child passport.
- Check parental-consent requirements for applicants under 18.
- Confirm whether your application should use eHomeAffairs, a Home Affairs office, a South African mission or a VFS-supported centre.
- Bring the required originals and copies.
- Use the correct photograph specifications for your application location.
- Pay the current fee using the accepted payment method.
- Attend the required biometric appointment.
- Do not rely on an estimated processing time when purchasing non-refundable travel.
For most citizens with straightforward identity records, getting a South African passport is a routine administrative process. The cases that become difficult are usually those involving unresolved citizenship status, missing identity records, unregistered foreign births, unavailable parental consent or inconsistent Home Affairs records.
Checking those issues before the application is submitted can prevent significant delays.
Sources
- South African Government – Apply for a Passport or Travel Document
- South African Passports and Travel Documents Act 4 of 1994
- South African Government – Passport and Travel Document Fees
- Department of Home Affairs – eHomeAffairs
- Department of Home Affairs – eHomeAffairs How-To Guide
- Home Affairs – Upgraded Online Booking System
- Home Affairs 2026/27 Budget Vote – Passport Processing Targets
- Constitutional Court – Democratic Alliance v Minister of Home Affairs
- Home Affairs – Citizenship Reinstatement Portal 2.0
- Home Affairs – Overseas Passport Service Centres
- DIRCO New York – Home Affairs and Passport Services
- DIRCO Canberra – Civic Document Applications
- DIRCO Ottawa – Regular South African Passport Requirements
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