Passport renewal South Africa costs R600 for a 32-page adult passport when the old one has expired or has less than six months left, and R1,200 when it has six months or more. Home Affairs (the Department of Home Affairs, DHA) treats an expired passport as a new application, so you’ll book on eHomeAffairs or at a Home Affairs office or participating bank branch, give biometrics in person, and collect the passport after an SMS (short message service) tells you it’s ready.
If you’re planning passport renewal South Africa for a trip this year, the process has three moving parts: the fee tier, the booking channel and the waiting time. This guide covers all three, plus documents, children’s passports, applications from abroad and lost passports. It draws on an Elyforma guide published 16 January 2026 and reviewed 22 June 2026, and a Home Affairs Guide page last updated 2 October 2026. Both are private information sites and neither is DHA, the official tariff page it cites is dated July 2025, and the two sources disagree on several figures. Check the final amount on the DHA site or eHomeAffairs before you pay anything. For how renewal works in the United States, see our passport renewal guide.
How Does Passport Renewal South Africa Work?
You start on eHomeAffairs if you qualify, pay and book, then attend a Home Affairs office or bank branch to give your photo, fingerprints and signature. Elyforma lists four steps.
- Start on eHomeAffairs (ehome.dha.gov.za) if you’re eligible.
- Follow the portal’s payment and booking steps.
- Attend the Home Affairs office or participating bank branch you chose, with your ID, old passport and supporting documents.
- Keep your receipt or reference number until you collect the passport.
Home Affairs Guide describes the same route in more detail. You register or log in with your South African ID number, verify your phone with a one-time PIN (personal identification number), complete the form, upload documents, pay and book the biometric appointment. Neither source says the online part replaces the visit. Biometrics are always taken in person.
Some Home Affairs offices accept walk-ins, but Home Affairs Guide says they’re increasingly limited, so book through services.dha.gov.za when you can.
Who Can Use eHomeAffairs and Which Banks Offer Passport Services?
Citizens by birth who qualify can apply, pay and book online, and five banks offer passport capture at selected branches. Elyforma says qualifying citizens by birth can use the portal, and it doesn’t define the qualifying rules, so the portal will tell you whether your profile works.
Home Affairs Guide names the participating banks.
- FNB (First National Bank)
- Capitec
- Standard Bank
- Absa
- African Bank
It says FNB and Capitec let you start the application in their apps, and that branches run appointment systems. Elyforma mentions bank branches as a capture point but gives no detail on which ones, so ask your branch before you travel across town. If eHomeAffairs is down, Elyforma says to use the branch route instead.
What Does Passport Renewal South Africa Cost?
R600 for an adult 32-page passport if the old one has expired or has less than six months of validity, and R1,200 if it has six months or more. Elyforma reproduces the DHA fee tiers in this table.
The same source gives the fees for applications at a South African mission abroad as R1,200 for an adult, R1,200 for a child and R2,400 for a maxi passport. An Emergency Travel Certificate costs R140. Temporary passports ended on 1 September 2014, so no temporary fee applies in 2026.
Here’s where the sources split. Home Affairs Guide lists a flat R600 for an adult, a child and an emergency passport, with no six-month tier. Elyforma notes that the DHA tariff page is marked July 2025 while its own review date is June 2026, and it flags a question about whether replacing a full passport with a long validity left costs R600 or R1,200. The six-month tier is the more specific claim and it matches the DHA page Elyforma cites, so budget R1,200 if your passport has more than six months left and confirm the amount on eHomeAffairs.
Which Documents Do You Need for Passport Renewal South Africa?
An adult needs an original ID document with a copy, the old passport and Form DHA-73 if the channel asks for it. Elyforma lists the full set for adults inside South Africa.
- The original ID book or smart ID card, plus a copy.
- The old passport, whether it’s expired, expiring, damaged or full.
- Form DHA-73, where your channel requires it before capture.
- Photos, if the office or bank doesn’t take a digital photo.
- Proof of payment, where requested.
- A marriage certificate or court order if your name changed. Passport names must match the National Population Register.
Home Affairs Guide lists a smart ID card or green ID book plus Form DHA-73 for adults, so bring the form if the portal or branch asks for it. Elyforma’s note that photos are needed only when the office or bank doesn’t take a digital one means a digital capture at the counter can save you a studio visit. Neither source gives photo size rules, so ask your branch.
Names are a common stumbling block. If your surname changed through marriage, bring the marriage certificate, and if a court changed your name, bring the court order. Elyforma stresses that the name on the passport must match the National Population Register, so a mismatch there will stall the application no matter how complete the rest of the file looks.
How Long Does a South African Passport Take?
DHA lists 13 working days (about 2.5 weeks) for adult passports and 18 working days (about 3.5 weeks) for minors. Elyforma calls these service-time references and not guarantees. Home Affairs Guide gives a slightly different range of 10 to 14 working days from the biometric appointment, and says to escalate if 30 working days pass with no update.
You’ll receive an SMS when the passport is ready, and you collect it at the same branch where you gave biometrics. Take 13 working days from a 1 December appointment and the passport lands around 18 December, with no allowance for public holidays or a busy branch. Aim to book at least six weeks before departure.
How Do You Track and Collect the Passport?
Wait for the SMS, then collect at the branch where you gave biometrics, with your receipt or reference number. Elyforma tells applicants to keep the reference number until collection and to plan travel around the collection time. Home Affairs Guide says the SMS status check and the online portal are described as non-functional, yet DHA sends automatic SMS updates, so the SMS is the channel to rely on.
For applications made abroad, Home Affairs Guide mentions a VFS Global account for checking status. If 30 working days pass with no update on a domestic application, it suggests escalating to the branch or to DHA. Keep every receipt, because staff will ask for the reference number first.
How Do You Avoid Passport Scams in South Africa?
Pay only through the official eHomeAffairs portal, and treat any request to send money by EFT to a private account as a red flag. Home Affairs Guide says all official DHA payments go through eHomeAffairs, although another step in the same guide mentions EFT or bank deposit to the DHA account. Because of that contradiction, confirm the payment method on the portal, not from a message or a third party. Agents who promise a faster passport for an extra fee aren’t offering anything DHA publishes, since the fee schedule lists no express tier.
Can Children Renew a South African Passport?
Yes, but both parents and the child must attend the appointment. Elyforma lists these documents for a minor.
- The child’s unabridged birth certificate.
- Both parents’ IDs.
- A sworn consent affidavit or court order if one parent can’t attend.
- Proof of custody if the parents are separated, or a death certificate if a parent has died.
Minor passports are valid for five years, while adult passports are valid for ten, according to Elyforma. Home Affairs Guide says the five-year validity applies to children under 16 but lists the fee for children under 18, and Elyforma defines a minor as 15 or younger. Ask Home Affairs which age group your child falls into.
Can You Renew a South African Passport From Abroad?
Yes, you apply at a South African embassy, high commission or consulate, and the wait is much longer than at home. Elyforma estimates six to eight months (about 26 to 35 weeks) for applications from abroad. Home Affairs Guide gives about five weeks at new DHA service centres in 16 countries. The two figures can’t both be right for the same route, so contact the mission that serves you and ask which timeline applies.
If you need to travel home in an emergency, the R140 Emergency Travel Certificate is the stop-gap Elyforma lists. Plan for it only after you’ve checked the mission’s own rules.
What Happens If Your Passport Is Lost, Stolen or Damaged?
Replacement is generally charged at double the current tariff, unless DHA accepts that you weren’t negligent. Elyforma says a lost or stolen case needs Form DHA-335 and a police affidavit, and that a lost ordinary passport may be charged either the normal or the double tariff depending on how DHA assesses the loss. Home Affairs Guide gives a SAPS (South African Police Service) affidavit and the R600 fee for lost cases, which contradicts the double-tariff rule.
Report the loss to the police first. Get the case number, then take the affidavit to your DHA appointment.
Which Mistakes Delay Passport Renewal South Africa?
Booking too late and paying through the wrong channel cause most delays. Check each point first.
- Booking the appointment two weeks before departure.
- Paying the R600 fee when the old passport has more than six months left.
- Sending money by EFT (electronic funds transfer) or bank deposit to someone who isn’t DHA. Home Affairs Guide lists EFT as a step in one place and says all official payments go through eHomeAffairs in another, so use the portal.
- Applying with a name that doesn’t match the National Population Register.
- Skipping the old passport at the appointment.
- Showing up without both parents for a child’s application.
- Treating the 13 working days as a guarantee.
- Waiting for an SMS that never arrives instead of escalating after 30 working days.
FAQs
How much does passport renewal South Africa cost?
R600 for an adult 32-page passport when the old one has expired or has under six months left, and R1,200 when it has six months or more, per the DHA tiers Elyforma cites.
Can I renew a South African passport online?
Partly. You can start, pay and book on eHomeAffairs, but biometrics are taken in person at a Home Affairs office or bank branch.
How long does a South African passport take?
DHA’s reference is 13 working days for adults and 18 for minors. Home Affairs Guide gives 10 to 14 working days after biometrics.
Which banks process passport applications?
FNB, Capitec, Standard Bank, Absa and African Bank offer passport services at selected branches, according to Home Affairs Guide.
Do I need an appointment?
Yes, booking is the safest route. Walk-ins are accepted at some Home Affairs offices but are increasingly limited.
How long is a South African passport valid?
Ten years for adults and five years for minors, according to Elyforma and Home Affairs Guide.
Can I renew my passport from outside South Africa?
Yes, through a South African embassy, high commission or consulate, at R1,200 for an adult according to Elyforma. Timelines differ widely between sources.
Conclusion
Passport renewal South Africa is a three-step job: choose the fee tier by your old passport’s remaining validity, book on eHomeAffairs or at a bank branch, and attend in person with your ID and old passport. Expect about 13 working days at home and several months from abroad. A passport booked on 1 November with biometrics given by 15 November should be ready before the December holiday peak.
Sources
Last checked: November 2026
