Renewing my South African Passport - how?

[maumau]

I renewed my passport during the first half of December. Opened a standard bank account solely for that purpose. Took literally 7 days. So there was a period of time during which it was open before they shut it down again.

So did you apply online and collect from the bank?

 

[Milano]

So did you apply online and collect from the bank?

Yes, online application and then biometrics and collection at Standard Bank Kingsmead Durban. It was around 2 to 3 weeks later that they shut the whole thing down again.

 

[TheMightyQuinn]

Not how it worked for me.

I completed the documentation and applied online. Scheduled an appointment at one of the banks - I chose Nedbank Lakeside.

Arrived at Nedbank which is a beautiful newish building, spotless, safe parking, charming, efficient bank staff.

Home Affairs had 2 x small clean offices inside the bank where they took my fingerprints and whatever else they do - maybe a photo but I don't remember. Was there maybe 30 minutes in spacious, bright surroundings.

Went back a few weeks later to collect. Same process for my ID and my passport.

Very little human contact and plenty of space for social distancing.

My young niece went to get her drivers licence renewed in roodepoort and one of the unwashed ran up and tried to open her car door.

FNB still not doing this in CT...otherwise would have been my obvious choice.

 

[maumau]

Yes, online application and then biometrics and collection at Standard Bank Kingsmead Durban. It was around 2 to 3 weeks later that they shut the whole thing down again.

Exactly the same for me. Painless.

 

[gregmcc]

Brit passport took ten days to renew recently, from sending the old one away to getting the new one back in the post.

Maybe you need to find a Tardis and get those years of residency over with so you can change which passport you have .

I've already got my UK passport Have dual citizenship so need to get my SA passport renewed as some stage. Not super urgent now though as I have a real passport

 

[deweyzeph]

FNB still not doing this in CT...otherwise would have been my obvious choice.

FNB Portside (in the foreshore) now has a home affairs branch. Obviously not operational now because of lockdown, but it was up and running before the lockdown.

 

[TheMightyQuinn]

FNB Portside (in the foreshore) now has a home affairs branch. Obviously not operational now because of lockdown, but it was up and running before the lockdown.

O ok...well when I did all my stuff it wasn't there yet. Mine was about 18 months ago or something like that.

 

[Paul Kemp]

Department of Home Affairs - Bank Branches

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

Not sure how up to date but this is the list of bank branches that have a home affairs office. Only open for collections currently.

 

[deweyzeph]

I've already got my UK passport Have dual citizenship so need to get my SA passport renewed as some stage. Not super urgent now though as I have a real passport

The problem is that dual citizens can't leave the country on their foreign passport, so if your SA passport has expired you're still stuck in SA until you can renew it.

 

[Milano]

The problem is that dual citizens can't leave the country on their foreign passport, so if your SA passport has expired you're still stuck in SA until you can renew it.

Wasn't only one person ever arrested for that? ..and he was an enemy of the ANC.

 

[Segg]

Does SA accept ID cards from SA citizens for crossing borders like Europe does? That could be one option if its allowed

 

[deweyzeph]

Wasn't only one person ever arrested for that? ..and he was an enemy of the ANC.

You won't get arrested, you just simply won't be allowed to leave the country when you get to the Home Affairs counter at immigration control in the departures lounge. They're not stupid. I'm a dual citizen myself, and a few times I've accidentally given the immigration official my British passport instead of my SA passport when departing from Cape Town. As soon as they see your British passport has no entry stamps or visitors permit or any permission to be in SA, they will start asking questions.

 

[Milano]

You won't get arrested, you just simply won't be allowed to leave the country when you get to the Home Affairs counter at immigration control in the departures lounge. They're not stupid. I'm a dual citizen myself, and a few times I've accidentally given the immigration official my British passport instead of my SA passport when departing from Cape Town. As soon as they see your British passport has no entry stamps or visitors permit or any permission to be in SA, they will start asking questions.

But O’Sullivan was arrested after boarding the plane.

 

[deweyzeph]

Does SA accept ID cards from SA citizens for crossing borders like Europe does? That could be one option if its allowed

In theory no, but I've heard stories of people who've lost their passport in Namibia, for example, being able to get back across the border into SA with just their ID card. They will probably give you a hard time but at the end of the day every South African citizen has the absolute right to be allowed entry into South Africa as long as they can prove they're a South African citizen. I would assume if you present yourself to an immigration officer at a land border and you have some sort of proof that you're an SA citizen that they have no option but to allow you in.

But O’Sullivan was arrested after boarding the plane.

We all know that was politically motivated.

 

[Milano]

We all know that was politically motivated.

Of course. Curious how he boarded the plane as you said it is not possible to board.

 

[deweyzeph]

Of course. Curious how he boarded the plane as you said it is not possible to board.

I would assume that he was setup. I.e. they allowed him to board just so that they could entrap him. Alternatively maybe the immigration officer was half-asleep. Either way, the law is pretty clear, South African citizens who have other citizenships have to use their SA passport to enter or leave South Africa. I'm not saying it's right though.

 

[vigras rojara]

The bureaucracy is staggering and so unnecessary. I renewed my UK drivers license the other day in ten minutes, it will be delivered (at my UK address) in a few days. I'll do the same thing when my UK passport expires.

Also quite impressive how the DVLA links into HMPO and zaps your passport photo for use on your drivers licence.

Very streamlined.

 

[bwana]

Also quite impressive how the DVLA links into HMPO and zaps your passport photo for use on your drivers licence.

Very streamlined.

Yeah - it was delivered today as a matter of fact. Now I just have to get it sent to me here.

 

[deweyzeph]

Also quite impressive how the DVLA links into HMPO and zaps your passport photo for use on your drivers licence.

Very streamlined.

Yip, it's crazy that ID smart cards and drivers licences in SA aren't integrated in some way. In the old days you used to have your drivers licence in your old green ID book, why can't they do the same with the new ID smart cards.

 

[vigras rojara]

Yip, it's crazy that ID smart cards and drivers licences in SA aren't integrated in some way. In the old days you used to have your drivers licence in your old green ID book, why can't they do the same with the new ID smart cards.

Good point.