Are you planning a trip back to South Africa or considering visiting relatives abroad? If you’ve been living or travelling abroad, your passport may have expired. Even if it is still valid, you need to have at least two blanks pages free of stamps in order to travel across borders. South African passports are not renewable; you will need a new passport if it expires. The process for a new passport is thus identical to a first-time application. You can apply for your South African passport at any age, and it can be done in five easy steps.

Apply for a passport in five easy steps

1. The first step is to complete the DHA-73 form. You can download the form here. Alternatively you can request a copy at your South African embassy or mission, or your nearest Home Affairs office if you are in South Africa. You can complete it in advance to save time or at the offices with the assistance of an official. Please note that outside of South Africa any police officer or public notary can sign and stamp Section B.
2. Your official ID (or birth certificate for children under the age of sixteen) is also required, so make sure you have certified copies as well as the original document on hand.
3. You will also need two identical passport photographs. The photographs need to be 35 mm x 45 mm and cannot be taken more than a month before your passport application. In South Africa, these are taken by an official at most Home Affairs offices.
4. Take your completed application form to your nearest South African embassy or Home Affairs office and have it signed, stamped and officially received by an official.
5. At the embassy or Home Affairs office, an official will assist you with having your fingerprints taken if they are not already on record.

Once your form is completed and officially received by a Home Affairs or embassy official, your application is done!

You will be charged R400 for a standard South African passport (called a Tourist Passport), but charges may differ for other passport types, such as a crewmember certificate, temporary passport, or Maxi Tourist passport. Your passport will be valid for 10 years, but please take note that if you travel frequently you may need to apply for a new passport if it fills up before the expiry date.

With a new passport you can enjoy your travels and your time overseas without the stress of upcoming expiry dates that will leave you stranded in foreign lands.