Home Affairs Issues Abroad

Championing Better Consular Support for Every South African Abroad

Consular Oversight & Application Support for South Africans Abroad

The DA and the DA Abroad play a crucial role in providing oversight over the Department of International Relations & Cooperation (DIRCO), as well as the Department of Home Affairs; in particular regarding the matter of poor service delivery at all South African consular offices abroad.

To achieve this, we are in continuous contact with both the diplomatic missions and the Department in order to highlight shortcomings and assist with individuals’ applications.

Therefore, should you be experiencing trouble with your document application overseas (an emergency, waiting 6 months or longer etc.), please reach out to us via our contact form explaining your situation. People who have gone through VFS for their applications can also make use of our assistance.

Media statement 2 August 2025
DA ABROAD SUPPORTS CLARITY ON ENTRY AND EXIT RULES FOR SOUTH AFRICAN CITIZENS

The Democratic Alliance Abroad (DA Abroad) notes the circulation of a misleading message on social media claiming that, as of May 2025, all persons born in South Africa must enter and exit the country solely using a South African passport, and that non-compliance would result in fines, arrests, or criminal records.

This claim is false and misleading.

The Department of Home Affairs (DHA) and the Border Management Authority (BMA) have confirmed that there has been no change to the law governing the entry or exit of South African citizens. The requirements remain as set out in the South African Citizenship Act, 1995 (Act No. 88 of 1995):

  • South African citizens are required to enter and depart South Africa using their valid South African passport, even if they hold dual citizenship.

  • There has been no new fine structure, arrest directive, or enforcement policy introduced in 2025.

If a South African citizen’s passport expires while abroad, they may apply for an Emergency Travel Certificate (ETC) through their nearest South African mission. In the rare event that an ETC cannot be obtained in time, South African citizens will not be denied entry into the country. They can then go ahead and apply for a new passport whilst in South Africa.

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DA Abroad’s Position

The DA Abroad welcomes the DHA and BMA’s clarification and urges South Africans abroad to:

  • Ignore viral misinformation, which only creates unnecessary panic.

  • Rely on official government platforms, including

    • www.dha.gov.za

    • www.bma.gov.za

We also call on the DHA and BMA to continue their proactive approach in communicating accurate, accessible information to citizens abroad – especially as new digital services, including the planned online passport and Emergency Travel Certificate application platform, are rolled out.

“The DA Abroad helps South Africans abroad to have access to clear and accurate information. This is a crucial step in restoring trust in government services and eliminating confusion caused by unverified viral messages.”

– Mary Paccard
DA Abroad Capable Home Affairs Project

New service points for passports and birth registrations for South Africans abroad

In July 2025, the Department of Home Affairs, under Minister Dr. Leon Schreiber, made a major breakthrough for citizens living abroad by launching new passport application centres in Sydney and Melbourne (Australia), Auckland and Wellington
(New Zealand), and Dubai (UAE).

These centres, managed through VFS Global, now allow South Africans abroad to apply for adult and child passports – and in Australia and New Zealand also for birth certificates – without needing to visit the consulate. These locations also come with the benefit of a five-week turnaround, marking a dramatic improvement from the current 6 to 12-month waiting time at consulates.

This initial step is part of a phased global rollout that will expand to Perth, Australia in September, followed by China, France, Germany, and the Netherlands later in 2025, and North America in 2026. To book an appointment at a new office, or monitor the progress of soon-to-be-launching offices, please follow this link.

The extra application centres are an interim measure to bring relief to the pressing problem of document renewal abroad. The Department’s ultimate goal is “Home Affairs @ Home”, a fully online system that brings government services to every South African, no matter where in the world they are.

The next few years promise even more transformative changes, and we will be here to keep you informed along every step.