The passport requirements in South Africa are short: you must be a South African citizen, you must already be on the National Population Register with an identity document (so your fingerprints can be verified), and you must complete Form DHA-73, pay the tariff and have your photo and fingerprints taken in person at a Home Affairs live-capture office or a participating bank branch.
What you need for a passport beyond that depends on who is applying. Adults bring their ID and, if renewing, their current passport. Children under 16 bring a birth certificate and both parents. Anyone replacing a lost or stolen passport brings a loss report and a police affidavit. The sections below set out each case as the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) states it.
Eligibility and Entry Requirements at a Glance
- Citizenship: only South African citizens are issued South African passports. Permanent residents and refugees apply for a travel document instead, not a passport.
- An identity document first: Home Affairs states that anyone aged 16 or older must first apply for an identity document, which registers their fingerprints, before applying for a passport.
- Form DHA-73: the passport application form, completed at the point of application.
- In-person biometrics: your photograph, fingerprints and signature are captured and verified at the office or bank branch, even if you started the application online.
- The tariff: paid when you apply (see the FAQ on fees below).
- For children under 16: the child’s birth certificate and both parents present when the application is submitted.
Passport and Travel Document Requirements
Home Affairs issues these passports and travel documents to citizens:
- Ordinary tourist passport (age 16 and older): 32 pages, valid for 10 years. Home Affairs gives 13 working days as the processing time.
- Maxi passport: 48 pages for frequent travellers, valid for 10 years, also 13 working days.
- Child (minor) passport (age 15 and younger): valid for five years, 18 working days.
- Emergency travel certificate: issued only in a genuine emergency, for example when a passport is lost or stolen abroad. It is valid only for travel from the country that issued it back to South Africa. Home Affairs stopped issuing temporary passports on 1 September 2014.
Before you travel, check your passport against two rules from Home Affairs: it must be valid for at least 30 days after your intended departure date, and it must have at least two blank facing pages for entry stamps (the endorsement page does not count). Many destinations set stricter validity rules, so check the destination’s own requirement against your return date.
If you hold another nationality as well, note that Section 26(b) of the South African Citizenship Act makes it an offence for a South African citizen aged 18 or older to enter or leave South Africa on a foreign passport.
Visa and Supporting Document Requirements
A passport does not need a visa. Visas are set by the country you are visiting. The supporting documents Home Affairs asks for depend on your situation.
Adults (16 and older)
- Your original identity document (green barcoded ID book or smart ID card) and a copy
- Your current passport, if you are renewing
- Two colour photographs that meet the DHA photo specifications. You do not need these at smart ID offices, where your image is captured digitally.
- Form DHA-529 (determination of citizenship), only if you apply from outside South Africa. Home Affairs provides this form.
Children under 16
- The child’s South African birth certificate and a copy
- Both parents present when the application is submitted, and both parents sign the form. Home Affairs no longer accepts a consent letter with a copy of the absent parent’s ID. If one parent cannot attend, the application stays pending until that parent gives consent in person.
- A death certificate if a parent has died, or proof of guardianship where a guardian applies
- Two colour photographs, where the office does not capture them digitally
Lost, stolen or damaged passports
Bring a completed loss of passport report (Form DHA-335) and an affidavit confirming that you reported the loss to the police.
Financial, Health and Entry Conditions
The only financial requirement for a South African passport is the tariff. Home Affairs does not ask for proof of funds, medical certificates or vaccination records to issue one. Those conditions come from the countries you visit, through their visa and entry rules. Check them for each trip on our visa requirements pages and on the destination’s embassy website.
What you pay depends on whether you already hold a passport and how much validity it still has. You pay the standard tariff for a first passport, or if your previous passport has expired or has less than six months left. Renewing while your current passport still has six months or more of validity costs double. Applications made at missions abroad cost more than applications made in South Africa.
How to Prepare or Apply
You can apply at any Home Affairs office with live-capture (smart ID) facilities, at a participating bank branch, or start online through eHomeAffairs. Home Affairs lists the participating banks on its website.
- Confirm you have an identity document on record. If you are 16 or older and have never applied for an ID, apply for one first.
- Gather your documents: your ID, your current passport if renewing, and for a child, the birth certificate. Both parents must be available to attend.
- Online route: register on eHomeAffairs, complete the application, pay online and book a slot at a Home Affairs-enabled bank branch. Office route: go to a live-capture Home Affairs office, complete Form DHA-73 and pay there.
- Attend in person so your photograph, fingerprints and signature can be captured and verified. This step is compulsory for every applicant.
Apply well before you travel. The 13- and 18-working-day times are Home Affairs’ published standards, not guarantees. Applications made at embassies or consulates abroad take about six to eight months.
Frequently Asked Questions
What do you need for a passport in South Africa?
You need South African citizenship, an identity document on record, a completed DHA-73 and the fee, and you must attend in person for biometrics. Renewals also need your current passport. Children need their birth certificate and both parents present. Lost passports need a DHA-335 loss report and a police affidavit.
How much is a passport in South Africa?
The DHA tariff for a first passport, or to replace one that has expired or has less than six months’ validity, is R600 for an ordinary 32-page passport, R1,200 for a 48-page maxi passport and R600 for a child’s passport. If your current passport still has six months or more of validity, the price is doubled: R1,200, R2,400 and R1,200. Applying at a mission abroad also costs more. Tariffs change, so confirm the current passport fees on the Home Affairs travel documents page before you pay.
What checks are done when you apply for a passport?
Home Affairs confirms your citizenship and identity by capturing your fingerprints and photograph at the point of application and verifying them against your identity record. That is why applicants aged 16 and older must already have applied for an identity document. For children, it checks that both parents or the legal guardian have consented in person.
Do I need to bring passport photos?
Not at live-capture (smart ID) Home Affairs offices or bank branches, where your photo is taken digitally. Home Affairs asks for two colour photos that meet its specifications only where digital capture is not available.
Can I apply at a bank?
Yes, at participating bank branches. You usually complete the application and pay on eHomeAffairs, then book a branch visit for your biometrics.
How long is a South African passport valid?
Ten years for an adult ordinary or maxi passport, and five years for a child’s passport.
What if my passport is lost or stolen abroad?
Contact the nearest South African embassy or consulate. It can issue an emergency travel certificate that is valid only for your return to South Africa. A replacement passport needs the DHA-335 loss report and a police affidavit.
Passport tariffs, processing times and application channels are set by the Department of Home Affairs. Confirm them on the DHA website before you apply. Next, check the visa requirements for your destination and browse all travel and immigration requirements.