About a passport or travel document

You need a passport if you want to travel abroad. The South African passport is valid for travel to all countries in the world unless endorsed.

A passport is an internationally recognised travel document that verifies your identity and nationality.

Who can apply?

Tourist passport: persons 16 and older

It is issued to South African citizens of 16 years and older. It is valid for 10 years from the date of issue.

Tourist passport: persons under 16

It is issued to South African citizens under the age of 16. It is valid for five years from the date of issue.

Maxi tourist passport

It is a document for frequent travellers and is issued to South African citizens of 16 years and above.  The document contains 48 pages to provide for more visa pages. It is valid for 10 years from the date of issue.

Temporary passport

It is issued to South African citizens who have applied for a regular passport but need to travel urgently before the regular passport can be issued.

Temporary passports are not accepted in all foreign countries. Applicants are advised to check first with the countries they intend visiting before applying for a temporary passport.

It is valid for 12 months from the date of issue.

Emergency passport

You can apply for an emergency passport if you are a South African citizen. It is valid for one trip.

The maximum period of validity of emergency passports is nine months from the date of issue.

Official passport

Official passport is issued to South African citizens in the employ of the Public Service or of a government institution and who need to travel abroad on government official business. It is valid for five years.

Document for travel purposes

It is issued to South African permanent residence holders who cannot obtain travel documents from their country of origin.  It is valid for 5 years.

What you should do

1. Go to your nearest Home Affairs office, or South African embassy or mission if you are abroad
2. complete form DHA-73
3. submit the following:
   • a letter from your employer if you apply for an official passport
   • your identity document
   • proof of permanent residence, if you apply for documents for travel purposes, as well as written confirmation from your country of origin that they cannot issue you with a passport
   • two colour passport photos complying with the Passport Photograph Specifications
   • if you are 16 years or older your fingerprints will be taken
4. if you apply for your child’s passport, submit:
   • your ID and child’s birth certificate
   • death certificate if one parent is deceased
   • a copy of the Court’s appointment letter, if you are the child’s guardian
5. when you apply for a child’s passport and the child is under 18 years:
   • a consent by child’s parents is required
   • both parents must be in the office when applying. 
6. if the child was born out of wedlock, the parents must consent if the father:
   • has acknowledged paternity
   • has paid damages in terms of customary law
   • is paying maintenance for the child
   • contributes towards the upbringing of the child
   • at the time of birth of the child was living with the mother in a permanent life-partnership.

How long does it take

How much does it cost

Replacement of lost/damaged/stolen South African passport, child passport or document for travel purposes referred to in Regulation 16 of the South African Passports and Travel Documents Regulations, 1996: Double the current tariff for the document concerned: Provided that where the document had been lost/stolen/ damaged through no negligence on the part of the holder, only the normal fee will be payable.

Forms to complete

Who to contactDepartment of Home Affairs