Apply for a Passport or Travel Document
South African citizens need a valid passport for international travel. Adults normally apply for a 32-page tourist passport or a 48-page maxi passport. Children under 16 receive a child passport. Home Affairs also issues certain travel documents to qualifying people who cannot use an ordinary South African passport.
Which Passport or Travel Document Do You Need?
A 32-page passport for South African citizens aged 16 and older. It is normally valid for 10 years.
Issued to South African children younger than 16. A child passport is normally valid for 5 years.
A 48-page adult passport for people who travel frequently and need more space for visas and immigration stamps.
May be issued to qualifying permanent residents who cannot obtain a travel document from their country of nationality.
To apply for a South African passport, you generally need a South African identity document if you are 16 or older, or a birth certificate for a child. A normal adult passport costs R600 inside South Africa and is valid for 10 years. A child passport costs R600 and is normally valid for 5 years. A 48-page maxi passport costs R1,200. Passports are not extended when they expire. You submit a new passport application.
The Department of Home Affairs issues South African passports and travel documents.
A passport proves your identity and South African nationality for international travel. It does not automatically give you permission to enter every country. Some destinations also require a visa, electronic authorisation or a minimum amount of passport validity.
Applying for an Adult South African Passport
A normal tourist passport is issued to South African citizens aged 16 and older.
The standard passport has 32 pages and is normally valid for 10 years.
When a passport expires, becomes full or needs to be replaced, you make a new passport application. The replacement passport receives its own passport number and validity period.
If you are 16 or older and do not yet have a South African identity document, deal with the ID requirement at the same time or before applying for the passport.
See our Apply for an Identity Document guide if you still need your first ID or Smart ID Card.
Documents Required for a Passport Application
The exact documents depend on your age, whether you still have your previous passport and whether your Home Affairs records need to be updated.
Modernised Home Affairs service points capture the applicant’s photograph digitally. Offices or missions using a different process can still require passport photographs. Check the service point if you are unsure.
How to Apply for a South African Passport
Adults need a South African identity document. Children use their birth record and the required parental information.
Most adults need the normal 32-page passport. Frequent travellers can choose the 48-page maxi passport.
Eligible applicants can use eHomeAffairs. You can also apply through a Home Affairs office that provides passport services.
A physical visit is required where Home Affairs needs to capture or verify your photograph, fingerprints or signature.
The fee depends on the passport or travel document selected.
Keep your receipt, reference number and the cellphone number linked to the application.
Follow the Home Affairs notification and collection instructions issued for your application.
South African Passport Fees
Application made inside South Africa.
Application made inside South Africa.
For frequent adult travellers.
Current domestic tariff for this travel document category.
For qualifying government officials travelling on official business.
For qualifying South African airline crew members.
The domestic R600 and R1,200 tariffs should not be used for an application made at a South African mission abroad. Missions charge their prescribed local tariff.
Can You Apply for a Passport Online?
Yes. The official eHomeAffairs system allows supported users to submit passport applications online, make payments and make bookings where the system permits.
eHomeAffairs currently describes the service as available to South African citizens by birth. If you cannot use the online portal, use the Home Affairs route that applies to your citizenship record and circumstances.
Enter your identity details, email address and cellphone number. An OTP is used during registration.
Complete your details as they appear in the Home Affairs population register.
The system will show the records required for the application.
Follow the eHomeAffairs payment process and your bank’s authorisation instructions.
A branch visit remains necessary where your photograph, fingerprints or signature need to be captured or verified.
Booking a Home Affairs Appointment
Home Affairs moved its branch appointment system to the MyHomeAffairsOnline platform in June 2026.
The booking system uses a profile linked to the user’s South African ID number and email address.
Do not pay a person on social media or outside a Home Affairs office for an appointment slot.
Can You Apply for a Passport at a Bank?
Home Affairs has been expanding passport services through its Digital Partnership with South African banks.
The new banking model launched in March 2026 with Smart ID replacement services. Home Affairs stated in July 2026 that adult and minor passport services were being added before the end of 2026.
A bank branch that offers Smart ID applications does not automatically mean that passport applications have already been activated there. The Digital Partnership is being expanded in phases.
The bank network involved in the 2026 rollout includes banks such as Capitec, FNB, Standard Bank and Absa, but the active services vary as the rollout develops.
Use Home Affairs or the participating bank’s current service information before relying on a particular branch.
Applying for a Child Passport
A child passport is issued to a South African child younger than 16 years.
The current domestic application fee is R600. A child passport is normally valid for 5 years.
What to take
- The child’s birth certificate or Home Affairs birth record required for the application.
- The parents’ or legal guardians’ identity documents or passports.
- The child.
- Parental consent required for the passport application.
- A death certificate if a parent is deceased and it is relevant to the consent requirement.
- A court order or proof of guardianship where applicable.
If you need the child’s birth record first, see our Birth Certificates Application guide.
Parental Consent for a Child Passport
Passport applications for minors have additional consent rules. The required arrangement depends on who holds parental responsibilities and rights.
Getting a passport for a child does not remove any document or consent requirements that may apply when the child later travels. Check the rules for the journey before departure.
What Is a Maxi Passport?
A maxi tourist passport is intended for frequent travellers who need more visa pages.
It has:
- 48 pages.
- A current domestic fee of R1,200.
- A normal validity period of 10 years.
- The same basic identity function as the standard adult tourist passport.
A maxi passport is useful if you travel often to countries that use physical visas or passport stamps.
What If Your Passport Is Expired or Full?
South African passports are not renewed by extending the existing passport.
You make a new application if:
- Your passport has expired.
- It will expire before you can complete planned travel.
- There are no suitable blank pages left.
- The passport is damaged.
- Your personal details need to be updated.
Destination countries set their own entry rules. Some require a passport to remain valid for a specified period after arrival or departure. Airlines can also check these requirements before boarding.
Lost, Stolen or Damaged Passport
If your passport is lost, stolen or damaged, you need to apply for a replacement passport.
For a lost or stolen passport, Home Affairs can require:
- Your South African identity document.
- A loss of passport report.
- Proof that the loss or theft was reported to the police.
- The passport application form.
- Biometric verification.
- The applicable replacement fee.
The loss report is commonly recorded on the Home Affairs DHA-335 loss of passport form.
If the passport is later found, ask Home Affairs what to do with it. A travel document reported lost can have been recorded as invalid.
Lost passport while outside South Africa
Report the loss to the local police and contact the nearest South African embassy, high commission or consulate.
If you are stranded and need to return directly to South Africa, the mission can assess whether you qualify for an Emergency Travel Certificate.
Passport After Marriage, Divorce or a Name Change
Your passport application should match the personal information recorded and recognised by Home Affairs.
If your surname has changed after marriage or divorce, Home Affairs may need the supporting marriage or divorce record before the new passport is issued in the required name.
For marriage records, see our Marriage Certificates guide .
The name on the airline ticket should be consistent with the passport you will actually use for the journey.
Document for Travel Purposes
A South African Document for Travel Purposes is different from an ordinary citizen passport.
It may be issued to people who have permanent residence in South Africa but cannot obtain a passport or travel document from their own country, including certain refugees or stateless people lawfully residing in South Africa.
The application can require:
- Proof of identity.
- Proof of the applicant’s status in South Africa.
- DHA-73 application details.
- Photographs where the service point requires them.
- Fingerprints.
- The prescribed fee.
The current domestic tariff is R600. The travel document is generally issued with a validity period of 5 years.
A permanent resident should not apply for a South African citizen passport unless the person is a South African citizen. The travel document category exists for qualifying people who cannot obtain appropriate travel documentation from their country.
Emergency Travel Certificate
There is an important distinction between an ordinary passport and an Emergency Travel Certificate.
Home Affairs has specifically stated that an Emergency Travel Certificate is for a South African who is stranded abroad and needs to return directly to South Africa.
The certificate is intended for a single journey back to South Africa. Once the holder returns, the purpose of the certificate ends and the person can apply for a normal passport in South Africa.
The official tariff for an Emergency Travel Certificate application made abroad is listed as R140 equivalent, with the mission charging the relevant local-currency amount.
Official and Diplomatic Passports
An official passport is not a faster version of an ordinary tourist passport.
It is issued to qualifying South African officials who are travelling on official government business.
The application can require a letter on official institutional letterhead confirming the person’s employment and the need for the official journey.
Diplomatic passports are issued to people who qualify for them under the relevant government rules. Ordinary travellers cannot choose an official or diplomatic passport instead of a tourist passport.
Applying for a South African Passport From Abroad
South African citizens living outside the country can apply through the South African mission or passport service responsible for the country or area where they live.
The process abroad is different from a normal domestic application. A mission can require:
- DHA-73 passport application.
- South African ID or proof of citizenship.
- DHA-529 determination of citizenship information.
- Fingerprint forms.
- Passport photographs.
- Existing South African passport.
- Marriage or other civil-status documents where relevant.
- The local consular fee.
The official national tariff provides higher fees for applications made outside South Africa, and individual missions collect the equivalent amount in the local currency according to their payment instructions.
| Application made abroad | National tariff basis |
|---|---|
| Adult 32-page passport | R1,200 equivalent |
| 48-page maxi passport | R2,400 equivalent |
| Child passport | R1,200 equivalent |
| Emergency Travel Certificate | R140 equivalent |
Processing abroad can take much longer
Applications submitted through South African missions are sent to Home Affairs in South Africa for processing. Several South African missions advise applicants that overseas passport applications can take several months.
Do not use the normal domestic processing estimate when planning an application from abroad.
How Long Does a Passport Application Take?
Government service guidance for applications inside South Africa commonly gives an approximate range of 7 to 21 working days for a normal passport application.
Identity verification problems, citizenship checks, system issues, special cases or applications submitted abroad can take longer. Do not make a non-refundable travel booking based only on an estimated passport completion date.
Passport collection
Follow the collection instruction attached to your application and the notification issued by Home Affairs.
Keep your application receipt or reference details until you have collected the passport.
Check These Things Before International Travel
Do not assume that one general passport validity rule applies worldwide. Check the embassy, consulate or immigration authority of the country you plan to visit.
Common Passport Application Problems
| Problem | What to check |
|---|---|
| Passport application does not match ID | Confirm that names, surname and other personal details match the Home Affairs identity record. |
| Child passport consent is incomplete | Check parental responsibilities, consent documents, death certificates, court orders or guardianship records that apply. |
| Old passport is missing | Report a lost or stolen passport and complete the required Home Affairs loss process. |
| Wrong bank branch | Check whether passport service has actually been activated at the chosen participating bank branch. |
| Travel booked too soon | Do not treat an estimated processing time as a guaranteed passport issue date. |
| Expired passport called a renewal | South African passports are not extended. Submit a new passport application. |
| Emergency certificate misunderstood | An Emergency Travel Certificate is for eligible South Africans stranded abroad to return directly to South Africa. |
Related Information Guides
Visit the Information section for guides covering documents, government services and everyday requirements.
Passport and Travel Document Questions
How much is a South African passport?
A standard 32-page adult passport costs R600 for an application made inside South Africa.
How much is a child passport?
The current domestic fee for a South African child passport is R600.
How much is a maxi passport?
A 48-page maxi tourist passport costs R1,200 for an application made inside South Africa.
How long is an adult South African passport valid?
A normal adult tourist passport is normally valid for 10 years.
How long is a child passport valid?
A South African child passport is normally valid for 5 years.
Can I renew my South African passport?
South African passports are not extended or renewed by adding more validity to the existing passport. You submit a new passport application.
Can I apply for a passport online?
Supported applicants can use eHomeAffairs to submit a passport application online and make payment. A physical visit is still needed where biometrics must be captured or verified.
Do I need a South African ID to apply for a passport?
A person aged 16 or older generally needs a South African identity document. A child passport application uses the child’s birth record and the required parental information.
Do both parents need to be present for a child passport?
Where both parents hold parental responsibilities and rights, both should normally attend and consent. Different rules can apply where a parent is deceased, a court has granted sole rights or a legal guardian has been appointed.
Can I get a passport at a bank?
Passport services are being added to the Home Affairs Digital Partnership with banks during 2026. Check whether passport applications have been activated at the exact branch before travelling there.
How long does a passport take in South Africa?
Government service guidance commonly gives an approximate range of 7 to 21 working days for normal domestic applications, but this is not a guaranteed completion period.
What if my passport is lost or stolen?
Report the loss or theft and apply for a replacement through Home Affairs. You can be required to complete a loss report and provide proof that the matter was reported to the police.
Is there an emergency passport in South Africa?
Home Affairs states that there is no general emergency passport for a South African who wants to travel abroad urgently. An Emergency Travel Certificate is available in qualifying cases to South Africans stranded abroad who need to return directly to South Africa.
What is a Document for Travel Purposes?
It is a travel document that can be issued to qualifying permanent residents who cannot obtain a travel document from their country of nationality, including certain refugees and stateless people lawfully residing in South Africa.
Can a permanent resident apply for a South African passport?
Permanent residence does not itself make a person a South African citizen. A qualifying permanent resident who cannot obtain a travel document from the country of nationality may instead qualify for a Document for Travel Purposes.
Can I apply for a South African passport while living overseas?
Yes. South African citizens abroad can apply through the responsible South African mission or approved passport service. Overseas fees and processing arrangements differ from domestic applications.
Should I book flights before receiving my new passport?
It is safer not to make non-refundable travel arrangements that depend on an estimated passport completion date. Processing can take longer where additional verification is required.
Home Affairs Help
Passport application assistance
Contact Home Affairs if your application has a verification problem, you are unsure which office provides the service you need, or you need help with an existing passport application.
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