Application for a South African Passport or Travel Document



If you are a South African citizen and planning on travelling to another country, you will need a South African passport. A passport is a
document issued by a national government for international travel and it certifies the identity and nationality of the holder.

South African passports and travel documents are issued in terms of the South African Passports and Travel Documents Act, 1994, and the
related Regulations.

Permanent South African passports and travel documents (machine- readable documents) are only printed in Pretoria from where they are
dispatched to the offices of application. Applications made within South African borders can be submitted to any office of the Department of
Home Affairs, and applications made outside of the country can be submitted to your nearest South Africa embassy or mission.

It is important to know that when you apply for a passport, whether in South Africa or overseas, you must apply in person for the following reasons:
• the passport officer must be satisfied that your identity is legal and valid

• the passport officer must check that your photograph is a true image of yourself; and

• your fingerprints must be taken (for people who are aged 16 years or older) and checked against the National Population Register.

Applicants must note that:

• All documents required for passport applications should be completed in black ink;

• Husband, wife and children must all complete separate application forms. Both parents and the children concerned
must be present when applying for passports for children;

• Passports are issued in accordance with your names as they appear in the National Population Register (NPR) at the time of
your application. Any changes to your names must be applied for, finalised and recorded in the NPR before you submit your passport application.

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 first apply for the registration of your birth and for a South African identity document, as the case may be.

If you do not have a valid regular passport and you need to travel urgently, you can apply for an emergency travel document/certificate
subject to the requirements below. Remember that certain countries do not accept emergency travel documents/certificates. You must check
this with the relevant authorities of the country you intend visiting before applying for emergency passport/travel certificates.

A regular tourist passport contains 32 pages, but frequent travellers can choose to get a maxi tourist passport with 48 pages.
South African passports include the following information:

• A photo of the passport holder;
• Type of passport;
• Issuing country;
• Passport number;
• Given names and surname of the passport holder;
• Nationality of the passport holder;
• Gender of passport holder;
• Birth date;
• Birth place;
• Issue date;
• Expiry date;
• Issuing authority.
Applying for Tourist Passports: Persons under 16 years:

These passports are issued to SA citizens who are 15 years or younger. The passports are valid for 5 years and are not renewable. Once the
validity period of a passport expires you will have to submit a new application for a passport.

To apply for this passport you must submit the following documents:

• A duly completed passport application (Form DHA-73) accessed on www.LawyersEzyFind.co.za;

• if the parents are married, the passport application form must be signed by both parents and the child and both parents
should be present when the application is submitted. If a parent cannot be in attendance, a letter of consent and a copy of their ID will no longer be accepted;

• If divorced and sole parental rights and responsibilities in regard to guardianship have not been granted to one parent,
the child and both parents should be in attendance when the application is submitted, and both parents must sign the application form;

• If a parent is deceased, his or her death certificate and a copy thereof must accompany the application for the passport;

• in the case of minors born out of wedlock, the biological father’s consent will also be required if any of the circumstances as
outlined in section 21 of the Children’s Act, 1995, are applicable, the child and both parents should be in attendance when the application is submitted;

• if the applicant is in the care of a guardian other than the parents, proof of the High Court’s appointment must accompany the application;

• if a parent cannot be located or refuses to consent, or a dispute concerning consent arises, the matter should be referred to the
Children’s Court. The Court’s decision must be submitted with the application for the passport;

• the child’s South African birth certificate and a copy thereof;

• two colour passport photographs that comply with the Passport and ID Photograph Specifications;

• payment of the prescribed passport fee.

Applying for tourist passports: Persons 16 years and older:

These passports are issued to South African citizens who are 16 years and older.

The passports are valid for 10 years from the date of issue, and are not renewable. When your South African passport expires you have to
complete a new application to get a new passport.

To apply for this passport, you must submit the following documents:

• a duly completed passport application (Form DHA-73) accessed on www.LawyersEzyFind.co.za;

• your original identity document and a copy thereof;

• if under the age of 18 years, parental consent is required;

• a completed determination of citizenship Form DHA-529 applying from abroad;

• any existing valid tourist passport. 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 (Form DHA-335) and confirmation that you reported the loss to the police;

• two colour photographs that comply with the Passport and ID Photograph Specifications;

• pay the prescribed fee for the passport.

Applying for Maxi Tourist Passports:

Maxi tourist passports are 48-page documents meant for frequent travellers. They are the same as regular tourist passports except that they contain more pages for visas.

these are issued only to SA citizens aged 16 years or older. The documents are valid for 10 years and are not renewable. Once the
validity period of a passport expires you will have to submit a new application for a passport.

To apply for a Maxi tourist passport you must submit the following documents:

• a duly completed passport application (Form DHA-73)accessed on www.LawyersEzyFind.co.za;

• your original identity document and a copy, or a birth certificate and copy thereof if under the age of 16;

• if under the age of18, the prescribed consent by parents must be furnished;

• a completed determination of citizenship Form DHA-529 when applying from abroad;

• 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 (Form DHA-335) and confirmation that you reported the loss to the police;

• two colour photographs that comply with the Passport and ID Photograph Specifications;

• pay the prescribed fee.

Applying for Official passports:

Official passports are issued to officials attached to government institutions who have to travel on official business. These passports are only valid for a period of 5 years.

To apply for an official passport you must submit the following documents:

• a duly completed passport application Form (Form DHA-73) accessed on www.LawyersEzyFind.co.za;

• your original identity document and a copy thereof;

• a letter on the official letterhead and signed by the head of institution or his or her delegate confirming that the passport is
needed for an official trip, and that you are employed by the institution;

• two colour photographs that comply with the Passport and ID Photograph Specifications;

• submit your existing valid official passport, or if lost or stolen a lost passport report (Form DHA-335) as well as confirmation that the loss was reported to the police.

You will also have to sign an undertaking:

• to use the official passport only for duly authorised trips;

• to keep the passport in safe custody;

• hand in the passport to the Department of Home Affairs if you leave government service or you will no longer require an official passport;

• to return your passport to a designated person in your department or organisation for safe-keeping on return from your official trip;

• to report the loss of an official passport to the SA Police Services and the designated person in your department or
organisation as soon as possible after the loss.

Applying for Diplomatic passports

Diplomatic passports are administered by the Department of International Relations. Enquiries should be directed to the Protocol Section in the aforesaid Department.

Applying for Documents for Travel Purposes

Documents for travel purposes are issued to South African permanent residence permit holders who cannot obtain travel documents from their
countries of origin. These documents are only valid for a period of 5 years.

To apply for a document for travel purposes, you must submit the following:

• a duly completed passport application ((Form DHA-73) accessed on www.LawyersEzyFind.co.za;

• written confirmation by your country of origin that the country cannot issue you with a passport, except in the case of
refugees that have been granted permanent residence as a refugee;

• if under the age of 18, the prescribed consent by your parents must be furnished;

• your permanent residence permit and a copy thereof;

• your original SA non-citizen identity document and a copy thereof

• two colour photographs that comply with the Passport and ID Photograph Specifications;

• payment of the prescribed fee.

The different fees applicable for your passport application:

First application for Tourist Passport	R400.00
Re- apply must bring old passport copy	R400.00
Re-apply with lost passport	R800.00
Re-apply with passport that is full - must bring full passport	R400.00
Re-apply with passport that is full - but passport is lost	R800.00
Re-apply for passport with 3 pages left - must bring passport	R400.00
Re-apply for passport with 3 pages left  - but passport is lost	R800.00
First time application for Maxi Tourist Passport	R600.00
Re-apply for Maxi Tourist Passport - passport lost or not present	R1200
Re-apply for Maxi Tourist Passport that is full - must present old Passport	R600
Have a Tourist Passport and just got married and applies for new surname or marriage surname on passport - must present passport with old surname	R400
Just married and has changed surname - but old Passport is lost or not present	R800
Has old Tourist Passport and applies for second passport - must present old passport to carry two passports	R400
Official Passport (including official emergency passport) or crewmember certificate, and a temporary passport issued for official purposes.	FREE