Applying for a Passport & Passport Renewals
For our South African staff applying for a passport renewal - scroll down to the next section.
For new parents applying in South Africa for their babies first passport - scroll down to the bottom. (If you are applying from your abroad - you can research the requirements for this by contacting your embassy or local governmental system).
As an International Staff Member, Applying for a renewal in South Africa for themselves
STEP ONE - CONFIRM INFORMATION NEEDED & where your embassy is
Find the closest Embassy for your home country in South Africa, contact them or look on their website to confirm all that is needed for your renewal application.
STEP two - GATHER, PRINT AND FILL OUT ALL PAPERWORK
Often you will need two color passport photos - the most affordable way is to download this app to take the photo for free and print at a local print shop. Again your Embassy may have specific requirements for this photo, so make sure to consult their website.
Step three - Gather Money Needed for Passport Application
You will need to set aside money to pay for your passport - consult the Embassy website for specifics. You also may need to request that your passport application be expedited which can cost extra.
STEP four - GO TO YOUR EMBASSY to submit application
First confirm if you need to make an appointment and any protocols they may have as far as what you can / cannot bring with you to the Embassy
STEP five - TRACK YOUR APPLICATION
Each Embassy will have different ways to keep you updated, but you are responsible for keeping up to date with the latest for your application
STEP six - OUTCOME RECEIVED!
Make sure to sign your new passport!
Next, update our Visa Team by emailing a copy of your new passport to visa@ywammuizenberg.org
As a South African Staff Member, Applying in for a renewal South Africa for themselves
If you are a South African staff member needing to get a passport or if you are needing to apply for a new South African passport (as they expire after 10 years, and you cannot renew your old passport - you must apply for a new passport), so here's what you will need to know :
*Note - this information changes all the time, so make sure to confirm everything for yourself
STEP ONE - CONFIRM YOU HAVE WHAT YOU NEED
You must have a South African identity number when you apply for a passport. In the event that you do not have a South African identity number, you must apply for the registration of your birth and for a South African identity document, as the case may be, first.
STEP TWO - CONFIRM WHAT TYPE OF PASSPORT YOU WILL WANT
Decide if you want to apply for the Tourist or a Maxi passport (a Maxi Passport includes more pages, but is R200 more - this is helpful if you plan to travel frequently over the next 10 years)
STEP THREE - GATHER, PRINT AND FILL OUT ALL PAPERWORK
A completed passport application Form DHA-73
Your original identity document and a copy, or a birth certificate and copy thereof if under 16
If under 18 years, parental consent for issuing of the passport. Please click here for more information
Present any existing valid tourist passport or if you have lost your passport or it has been stolen and you are applying for a new passport, you must provide a loss of passport report (DHA-335) and confirmation that you reported the loss to the police
Two colour photographs that comply with the Passport and ID Photograph Specifications (NOT needed at smartcard offices as ID images are captured digitally)
The most affordable way is to download this app to take the photo for free and print at a local print shop
Step Four - Gather Money Needed for Passport Application
You will need to set aside money to pay for your passport - the latest fees can be found by clicking here
STEP FIVE - GO TO HOME AFFAIRS
We recommend going to the Wynberg location as they are the closest with typically the shortest lines.
Wynberg Home Affairs COVID Protocol as of May 2021: Park in parkade under Maynard mall. Tell the security guards you have an appointment and they will direct you to an informal waiting area in the parkade. Then a home affairs official will come to you and guide you through the rest throughout the Home Affairs offices and various waiting areas
The lines at Home Affairs are notoriously long - some people decide to arrive very early in the morning to get the first spot in line (some have gone as early as 3 am, most starting at 6 am). Others have had success going later in the day - the offices stop accepting people at 2 pm, so arriving between 11:30-1:30 could mean a short queue, but its hard to predict.
STEP SIX - TRACK YOUR APPLICATION
You will receive an SMS when your passport is ready to be picked up
STEP SEVEN - OUTCOME RECEIVED!
Updating our Visa Team by emailing a copy of your new passport to visa@ywammuizenberg.org
As an International Staff Member, Applying in South Africa for their new baby
STEP ONE - CONFIRM INFORMATION NEEDED & where your embassy is
Find the closest Embassy for your home country in South Africa, contact them or look on their website to confirm all that is needed for your babies passport application.
STEP two - GATHER, PRINT AND FILL OUT ALL PAPERWORK
Often you will need two color passport photos - the most affordable way is to download this app to take the photo for free and print at a local print shop. Again your Embassy may have specific requirements for this photo, so make sure to consult their website.
Here are some tips for taking infant photos for a passport or other identification documents.
Step three - Gather Money Needed for Passport Application
You will need to set aside money to pay for your babies passport - consult the Embassy website for specifics. You also may need to request that the passport application be expedited which can cost extra.
STEP four - GO TO YOUR EMBASSY to submit application
First confirm if you need to make an appointment and any protocols they may have as far as what you can / cannot bring with you to the Embassy
STEP five - TRACK YOUR APPLICATION
Each Embassy will have different ways to keep you updated, but you are responsible for keeping up to date with the latest for your application
STEP six - OUTCOME RECEIVED!
Updating our Visa Team by emailing a copy of your new passport to visa@ywammuizenberg.org
As a South African Staff Member, Applying for their new baby
Child passports are issued to children who are sixteen years and below. These passports are not renewable (as they expire after 10 years, and you cannot renew your old passport - you must apply for a new passport), so here's what you will need to know :
*Note - this information changes all the time, so make sure to confirm everything for yourself
STEP ONE - CONFIRM YOU HAVE WHAT YOU NEED
The child must have a South African identity number when you apply for their passport. In the event that they do not have a South African identity number, you must apply for the registration of their birth and for a South African identity document, as the case may be, first.
STEP TWO - CONFIRM WHAT TYPE OF PASSPORT YOU WILL WANT
Decide if you want to apply for the Tourist or a Maxi passport (a Maxi Passport includes more pages, but is R200 more - this is helpful if you plan to travel frequently over the next 10 years).
STEP THREE - GATHER, PRINT AND FILL OUT ALL PAPERWORK
Application forms plus supporting documentation must be submitted in duplicate. So ensure that you have two sets of every document.
A completed passport application Form DHA-73, signed by both parents. Both parents and the child must be present when applying. If you're divorced, unmarried or 1 or both parents are deceased, this is what you'll need to do.
Certified Copy of South African Birth Certificate
Pay the fee of R400
Two colour photographs that comply with the Passport and ID Photograph Specifications. Confirm with your nearest Home Affairs office if they're using the new biometric system. If so, then you don't need to bring your own photographs.
If you need to bring your own photos, the most affordable way is to download this app to take the photo for free and print at a local print shop. Here are some tips for taking infant photos for a passport or other identification documents.
If they will take the photo at Home Affairs - their photo is taken in a photobooth where the baby has to look at the camera for 5 seconds and then it takes a picture - which is challenging. So here are some tips for taking infant photos for a passport or other identification documents.
Step Four - Gather Money Needed for Passport Application
You will need to set aside money to pay for your passport - the latest fees can be found by clicking here
STEP FIVE - GO TO HOME AFFAIRS
We recommend going to the Wynberg location as they are the closest with typically the shortest lines.
Wynberg Home Affairs COVID Protocol as of May 2021: Park in parkade under Maynard mall. Tell the security guards you have an appointment and they will direct you to an informal waiting area in the parkade. Then a home affairs official will come to you and guide you through the rest throughout the Home Affairs offices and various waiting areas
The lines at Home Affairs are notoriously long - some people decide to arrive very early in the morning to get the first spot in line (some have gone as early as 3 am, most starting at 6 am). Others have had success going later in the day - the offices stop accepting people at 2 pm, so arriving between 11:30-1:30 could mean a short queue, but its hard to predict.
STEP SIX - TRACK YOUR APPLICATION
It will take between 7 - 21 working days to process the application and issue the passport. The child's passport is valid for 10 years.
You should receive an SMS when your passport is ready to be picked up
STEP SEVEN - OUTCOME RECEIVED!
Make sure to sign their new passport!
Next, update our Visa Team by emailing a copy of their passport to visa@ywammuizenberg.org
Applying for Visa Transfer and Rectification
To transfer your new visa to a new passport, click here for details of how to do this at VFS