Home Affairs hikes passport and travel document fees

[surface]

If you can't afford R600 for a passport (which by world standards is pretty damn cheap) then you really can't afford to travel.

flipping yes - this is damn cheap. Most here probably blow it on coffee in a fortnight but still come here to moan about it.

 

[deweyzeph]

DHA has nearly stopped working due to covid excuse (as if they needed any). Talked to a colleague and he has got 25 people waiting for visa renewals. Current timeline is now 8-10 months to process dependent visas. More for work visa renewals. PR permit - indefinite.

The services for citizens, and services for foreigners, are completely different departments in HA. HA is actually processing smartcard IDs and passports very quickly at the moment. Typical wait times for a new passport are 1 week and 2 weeks for an ID. Visas for foreigners are a whole other story.

 

[surface]

The services for citizens, and services for foreigners, are completely different departments in HA. HA is actually processing smartcard IDs and passports very quickly at the moment. Typical wait times for a new passport are 1 week and 2 weeks for an ID. Visas for foreigners are a whole other story.

Sure, it seems Operation Dudula is in effect within DHA as well. Viva ANC Viva.

 

[deweyzeph]

if the service suddenly became more efficient a bit of a hike might be justified

new passport some years back in Latvia + expedited processing fee was around 60 EUR ... but you got the new passport within 3 days or less and the application could be submitted in about 30min

if Home Affairs can match that I'll pay more ... highly unlikely of course

Everyone I know who's applied for a new passport in the last few months has got it in a week.

 

[xrapidx]

%#$%$ useless website still doesn't work for online bookings. Besides being slow - it just hangs and does nothing on "Create Applications Products"

 

[Drifter]

You sure about this ? This sounds unbelievable .

Yep

Passports cannot be renewed. Once the validity period of a passport expires you will have to submit a new application for a passport.

Department of Home Affairs - Travel Documents

The DHA is custodian, protector and verifier of the identity and status of citizens and other persons resident in South Africa. This makes it possible for people to realize their rights and access benefits and opportunities in both the public and private domains. By expanding these services to...

www.dha.gov.za

 

[MaisonP]

Went to Discovery to apply for my passport and new ID card.
Got a notification from DHA that my passport was ready for collection after 4 days.
New ID card to 2 weeks for notification to come through.
Must say it was awesome and quick and painless using Discovery to sort it all out

 

[surface]

Yep

Passports cannot be renewed. Once the validity period of a passport expires you will have to submit a new application for a passport.

Department of Home Affairs - Travel Documents

The DHA is custodian, protector and verifier of the identity and status of citizens and other persons resident in South Africa. This makes it possible for people to realize their rights and access benefits and opportunities in both the public and private domains. By expanding these services to...

www.dha.gov.za

Of course one cannot really renew a passport as you get a new one. I was referring to your statement "You also cant renew your passport if it has not expired."

Surely, one can apply to renew passport few months before expiry of passport?

 

[Drifter]

Nope, only if you current passport is expired.

Regular South African passports are issued to South African applicants who are 16 years old and older. They are valid for 10 years and are not renewable. When South African passports expire, new passport applications will have to be filed.

 

[Dolby]

I'm battling to get dates for my kids

Three kids and managed to get 1 ... then it bombed me out.

Now I can't get for the other two

 

[DreamKing]

If you can't afford R600 for a passport (which by world standards is pretty damn cheap) then you really can't afford to travel.

people are complaining not because of affordability.

 

[deweyzeph]

Yep

Passports cannot be renewed. Once the validity period of a passport expires you will have to submit a new application for a passport.

Department of Home Affairs - Travel Documents

The DHA is custodian, protector and verifier of the identity and status of citizens and other persons resident in South Africa. This makes it possible for people to realize their rights and access benefits and opportunities in both the public and private domains. By expanding these services to...

www.dha.gov.za

I've never had a problem renewing my passport before it has expired. And yes, everyone knows you can't actually "renew" a passport. Obviously every time you get another passport it is a "new" application. There are many valid reasons why you might renew your passport before it expires:

1) It is full and has no more pages left for visas
2) It has been damaged or lost or stolen
3) Your appearance has changed since the photo in your passport was taken
4) You just feel like getting a new passport

 

[Drifter]

2) It has been damaged or lost or stolen

Then it's seen as negligence and you will pay double the normal fee.

 

[deweyzeph]

2) It has been damaged or lost or stolen

Then it's seen as negligence and you will pay double the normal fee.

Who cares, still cheap as chips compared to elsewhere.

 

[friedpiggy]

Since its Govt. telling us inflation is running at 7%, all Govt. services should not be allowed more than an inflation based increase.

 

[NarrowBandFtw]

Everyone I know who's applied for a new passport in the last few months has got it in a week.

a week from applying maybe

you have to book your slot at the bank more than a month in advance and if you head to a Home Affairs office instead goodness knows how long it takes to submit the application

I got mine in about two weeks after the application, but it is not comparable to a service where you can go from not even applying to having the new passport in your hand in 3 days flat

 

[surface]

Nope, only if you current passport is expired.

Regular South African passports are issued to South African applicants who are 16 years old and older. They are valid for 10 years and are not renewable. When South African passports expire, new passport applications will have to be filed.

To me, this doesn't read the same as 'You can apply for new passport only when SA passports expire' and it is highly unlikely that it is the case.

 

[bwana]

Surely, one can apply to renew passport few months before expiry of passport?

Yes, you apply for a new one up to six months before your current ones expires, or earlier still if you've run out of room in it. They invalidate your old one when they issue the new one.

 

[Sepeng]

Yes, you can apply for a new one up to six months before your current ones expires.

I *think* you can apply much earlier, but you pay double.
Source: I'm almost certain we did that with out daughter, because we wanted to travel say in January next year, her passport was going to expire in April next year and the visa rules said the passport must be valid for at least 6 months after the date of travel. So we just applied for and received a new one.
Edit - I see your edit. I don't think they care why you're applying early to be honest.

 

[bwana]

I *think* you can apply much earlier, but you pay double.
Source: I'm almost certain we did that with out daughter, because we wanted to travel say in January next year, her passport was going to expire in April next year and the visa rules said the passport must be valid for at least 6 months after the date of travel. So we just applied for and received a new one.

In theory you should be able to apply any time as the old one is invalidated without penalty. You get a new number with your new passport, which is why it's not a renewal.