Are you eligible to apply for a South African passport?
- Only South African citizens can apply for a South African passport.
- You must have been born in South Africa, or
- You must have attained South African citizenship by naturalisation or registration
- If you were born in South Africa and are over 21 years old, and you have attained New Zealand citizenship after 1994 without first obtaining dual South African citizenship, the South African government will not consider you a current citizen of South Africa.
- If you were born in South Africa and attained New Zealand citizenship before you turned 21, you can still renew your South African passport
Important questions to ask yourself
- Do I have a temporary permit for New Zealand that will expire in the next 9 months?
- If so, you must apply for a full passport and a temporary passport at the same time
- Am I going to travel out of New Zealand in the next 9 months?
- If yes, you must apply for a full passport and a temporary passport at the same time
A note about temporary passports
- If you need to travel in the next 9 months, you must check that your destination country accepts SA temporary passports before you lodge your application
- Contact respective embassies
- At this stage the following countries do not recognize the South African temporary passport as a valid document to enter these countries:
The United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia, China, France, Federal Republic of Germany, Belgium, The Netherlands, Luxemburg, Italy, Canada and certain states in the USA.
BEGIN YOUR APPLICATION
STEP 1 – Fingerprint form
- Email the High Commission in Canberra at, consular@sahc.org.au
- Give them your ID number
- Ask them to send you 1x BI-9 Fingerprint form for passport renewal
- Give your home or best postal address as well as your telephone number
- You should receive the form from them in a week.
STEP 2 – Make a police fingerprint appointment
- Phone your local police station and ask for the telephone number to book a fingerprint appointment
- Phone the number you are given and ask them if you can make a fingerprint appointment
- Apparently there is currently a 4 week wait for fingerprints, so don’t leave things to the last minute
- Remember to allow time for your fingerprint form to arrive from Aussie – give yourself 2 weeks to be safe
STEP 3 – Get passport photos done
- Get 4x recent identical passport photos done
- If you are applying for a temporary passport as well, then get 6x passport photos
- Remember to look nice! You’ll have this for the next 10 years
- Photos must show full face of applicant with head and shoulders
- Photos must be 35mm x 45mm
- Photographs taken at photo booths are not acceptable
- Do not attach photos to any forms
- Do not put stickers on the backs of your photos as some police officers prefer to use their own stickers
STEP 4 – Collate required supporting documents
- Don’t cut corners with supporting documentation. It’s advisable to submit as many of the below documents as you can, because this helps your application process.
- 4x passport photos, or 6x if you’re getting a temporary passport as well
- Copy of your South African passport, if you have it
- Copy of your current New Zealand permit (residence permit or work permit)
- Copy of your ID book, if you have one
- Copy of your SA birth certificate, if you have it
- Certified copy of your marriage certificate, if you are female and married
- Copy of foreign citizenship certificate or dual citizenship certificate, if applicable
STEP 5 – Complete BI-73 form
- If you are applying for a temporary passport as well, you will need to print and complete two of these forms.
- download form BI-73_Passport_Application.pdf
- read the form carefully and complete the form neatly and clearly
- Page 1
- Must be completed
- Do not attached your photographs, submit them separately
- Section B must be completed by the police officer at your fingerprint appointment
- Page 2
- Section C must only be completed if you are under 18
- Section D must be completed
- Section E must be completed
- Page 3 are the instructions
- Page 4
- There is a section which is only for government officials
- If you are applying for a temporary passport, you must state your reasons
STEP 6 – Complete BI-529 form
- Download form BI-529_Status_Determine.pdf
- Page 1, complete neatly and clearly
- Any questions that don’t really relate to your current situation, like your return date to South Africa, just mark “n/a”
- Page 1 and 2, you’ll need identity details and information from your spouse and your mother and father, if anybody is deceased, state this
- Page 2, sign at the bottom putting your home address and telephone number
STEP 7 – Complete BI-9 fingerprint form
- Once your form arrives complete as much of it as you can
- There will be sections in the form which the police officer will need to complete
- Do not attach your photographs, submit them separately
STEP 8 – Attend fingerprint Appointment
- Take the following documents with you
- BI-73 form
- BI-9 form
- Your SA passport
- Your ID book
- Your marriage / divorce certificate if you want to change your surname
- 2x passport photos must be certified by the police officer
- 4x passport photos must be certified if you are getting a temporary passport as well
STEP 9 – Get bank draft
- Go to your bank
- Ask them if you can apply for a bank draft in New Zealand dollars made out to the South African High Commission
- Your bank may ask to see your driver’s licence as identification
- If you bank at ANZ, this is all the information you’ll need. If you bank somewhere else, it’s a good idea to phone them first just incase they require extra information like addresses etc in order to issue a bank draft
Current fees:
New passport fees
NZ 35.00 Tourist passport (adult) 32 pages
NZ 70.00 Maxi passport (adult) 64 pages
NZ 27.00 Child passport (under 16 years)
Temporary passport fees
NZ 22.00 Adult
NZ 17.00 Child
Lost passport fees
NZ 70.00 Tourist passport (adult) 32 pages
NZ 54.00 Child passport (under 16 years)
Stolen passport
NZ normal fee Stolen passport – any kind
STEP 10 – Write covering letter
- Address the letter to:
The South African High Commission
Level 16, 157 Lambton Quay
WELLINGTON 6011
- Put all your contact details in your covering letter
- State any important notes regarding your application, for example if you want a name change in your passport either from your maiden name to your married name or vice versa
STEP 11 – Photocopy your application
It’s always a good idea to photocopy your entire application for your records, including your bank draft and all document copies you are sending with. To save paper, photocopy on both sides. Keep copy in a safe place for reference.
STEP 12 – Courier your application
- Put your application into an A4 size envelope and write your name and ID number on the front. Underneath that write, “South African Passport Application”
- Go to your local post office
- Ask at the counter if you can courier your envelope, “signature required” to Wellington, and ask for a second signature required return courier envelope (include the second paid return envelope in your package to Wellington)
- The teller will give you a courier bag to address. If she’s onto it she’ll track your courier bag and charge you while you are at the counter. You can then go away from the counter, address the courier bag and quickly hand it back once you’re done. If she’s not that organised, you’ll have to queue a second time.
- You can check if the High Commission has received your application by emailing consular@sahcwellington.co.nz, but other than this, they don’t welcome update inquiries.
Done! Wait 6 months, or 2 if you’re lucky
Thanks for the feedback!
- Jackie: Hi. Just thought i'd mention that the cost of passports has gone up Adult is now AUD30 and return postage is AUD15.
- Antonio: G'day thanks for the step by step DIY renewall of passport. Just one questions, what is the difference between a Tourist passport and a Maxi passport?
- LinkSA: The difference is number of pages – a tourist passport is your average passport with about 32 pages in it, a maxi passport has 64 pages and is really for those who travel a lot so that they can get the most out of their passport before having to apply for another one.
- Rudi: The cost for passport renewal is AUD 24.00, does that include the renewal and the temp? If not, what is the cost of both and do I make out 1 bank draft?
- LinkSA: Hi Rudi, No, a temporary passport costs AUD 16.00 and must be added to the cost of your passport AUD 24.00. Yes, make out 1 bank draft to The South African High Commission, add up the passport fee, temporary passport fee, and return postage fee. Use that amount as the total for your bank draft.
- Luanne: Hi, Thanks for your info on "Passport Renewal" its is very helpful and I am following the process now. Just would like to add one comment, - in step 1 - when you email consular@sahc.org.au you must also supply your ID number. Perhaps you can add this to your list to avoid 2 emails and further delays Thanks Regards Luanne
- LinkSA: Thanks Luanne, I've added your advice to step 1 above
- Dean: Hi, do I have to send my passport or do I keep that? (Only send a copy of it). Other than that, so far your instructions have been great and very helpful. A HUGE Thank you. Will let you know how it goes. Dean
- LinkSA: Hi Dean, don't send your original passport in with your application only send a copy - check step 4 above