PASSPORTS

Important Notice:

The South African Tourist Passport is issued by the Department of Home Affairs in Pretoria to South African applicants who are 16 years old and older and therefore about 2 (two) or 3 (three) months since the application is submitted to the Embassy must be allowed until it is received at the Mission.

They are valid for 10 years and are not renewable. When South African passports expire, new passport applications will have to be filed. If once at the Embassy the passport is not claimed within 3 (three) months, it will be destroyed. The old passport must be surrendered to the Embassy for cancellation

Requirements

• BI-73 – Passport Application form; with signature and left thumb print;
• BI-9 – Full set of fingerprints on DHA-9 form. This form is not downloadable. This form must be submitted by applicants 16 years old and above;
• BI-529/ – Determination of citizenship;
• Divorce decree. To be submitted by all divorced applicants;
• Certified Marriage Certificate. To be submitted by married applicants irrespective of whether they will or will not change their surname;
• Written Request to Change "Surname". To be submitted by married female applicants who would like:
  • 1) to retain their maiden surnames, or
  • 2) wish to use double–barrel surnames;
• Certified Copy of South African Passport;
• Certified Copy of South African Identity Book or Birth certificate;
• Certified Copy of Retention/Exemption Letter, for those who have dual citizenship;
• If the passport to be replaced has been lost or stolen: Police Report to that effect (double tariff may apply);
• Four (4) passport size photos (4cm x 4cm) Please note that colour photos which comply with the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards for passports photo images are required for South African passport applications. [The holder's signature (persons 16 years old and above) is laser engraved into the passport. To ensure good quality scanned signature for laser engraving into the passport, the signature in the signature box on the passport application form should be in the middle of the box and must not touch the sides of the box. Please ensure your mouth is closed and that your teeth are not showing on the photo. Passport applications in which the photo and signature images do not meet quality standards will be rejected causing delays in the issuance of passports;
• Fee: cash in exact change in pesos.(see Consular Fees)

The South African Child Passport is issued by the Department of Home Affairs in Pretoria to South African citizens under the age of 16 (sixteen) years old for a maximum period of 5 (five) years and therefore about 2 (two) or 3 (three) months since the application is submitted to the Embassy must be allowed until it is received at the Mission.

This is a non-renewable document: once expired, the holder must apply for a new passport. If once at the Embassy the passport is not claimed within 3 (three) months, it will be destroyed. The old passport must be surrendered to the Embassy for cancellation.

Requirements

• Form BI-73 passport application form, fully completed. Consent must be given by both parents;
  • Minor born within wedlock, parents still married: Written consent by both parents,
  • Minor born within wedlock, parents divorced, no parent has sole guardianship: Written consent by both parents,
  • Minor born within wedlock, parents divorced, one parent has sole guardianship: Written consent by only the parent with sole guardianship. Judge’s order stating that he/she has the sole guardianship must be produced,
  • Minor born within wedlock, one parent deceased: Written consent by the surviving parent. Death certificate of the deceased parent must be produced,
  • Minor born within wedlock, both parents deceased: Written consent by legal guardian,
  • Minor born out of wedlock: Only the mother’s written consent is required, unless a competent court directs otherwise. The fact that the biological father has acknowledged paternity and/or that the child is registered under his surname, does not change the aforesaid. Only where a court has granted him joint custody will his consent be also be mandatory. Note: If the mother is a minor herself, her guardian must consent to the passport,
  • Minor in foster care under the provisions of the Child Care Act, 1983: The Minister of Welfare must consider such cases, and his consent must be on the Department of Welfare’s official letterhead,
  • Cases where the prescribed consent cannot be obtained: Regulation 3(3)(j)(ii): Excluding Category “g” cases, a Commissioner of Child Welfare may consider granting consent to the issuing of the passport. The relevant court ruling must accompany the application in such cases.
• BI-529 – Determination of citizenship;
• Four (4) passport size photos (4cm x 4cm) Please note that colour photos which comply with the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards for passports photo images are required for South African passport applications. Please ensure your mouth is closed and that your teeth are not showing on the photo. Passport applications in which the photo and signature images do not meet quality standards will be rejected causing delays in the issuance of passports;
• Certified Copy of South African Birth Certificate;
• Certified Copy of South African Passport (if not first application);
• If the passport to be replaced has been lost or stolen: Police Report to that effect (double tariff may apply).
• Fee: cash in exact change in pesos.(see Consular Fees)

Emergency Travel Certificates are issued to South Africans who have to travel urgently for reasons of death, sickness or other emergency or urgent matter. The emergency travel certificate is valid for a maximum period of 3 months but only for a single trip.

Requirements

• BI-73 – Passport Application form; with signature and left thumb print;
• BI-9 – Full set of fingerprints on DHA-9 form. This form is not downloadable. This form must be submitted by applicants 16 years old and above;
• BI-529/ – Determination of citizenship. This form must be completed by applicants who are 16 years old and above;
• Certified Copy of South African Passport
• Certified Copy of South African Identity Book or Birth certificate;
• Written motivation for the issuing of the Emergency Travel Certificate, along with any proof of the urgency of the trip (e.g. confirmation of funeral arrangements, doctor’s letter confirming sickness, air ticket, etc)
• If the passport to be replaced has been lost or stolen: Police Report to that effect.
• Four (4) passport size photos (4cm x 4cm) Please note that colour photos which comply with the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards for passports photo images are required for South African passport applications. Please ensure your mouth is closed and that your teeth are not showing on the photo.
• Fee: cash in exact change in pesos.(see Consular Fees)

Maxi Passports are issued to applicants who are 16 years old and above. Maxi Passports are a 48- page tourist document meant for frequent travellers. They are the same as regular passports (valid for 10 years) except that they have extra pages to provide for more visa pages.

Requirements

• Same requirements for regular passport may apply.