Can I renew my South African passport before it expires?

Have you ever wondered “how do I renew my passport?” or “when is the best time to renew my passport?” If your SA passport is expired or will expire within the next 6-7 months, now is the time to renew it.

Renewing your passport is a lot easier than applying for a new one. SA passports have to be renewed every 10 years and for people who are 15 years or younger, their passports can be renewed up to 5 years after they expire.

Do it online

With the country moving forward through digitisation and the introduction of the eHomeAffairs system, you can now renew your passport or apply for an ID online – a virtual and far more efficient experience!

Things sure have improved too for the passport renewal process, which can take up to a 1 week or 10 days, depending on where you apply. Home affairs will also update you with SMS notifications when your passport is ready for collection.

Please note, you will need internet banking to proceed with your online passport application and will have to go to a Home Affairs branch to capture their biometrics and collect their passport.

Cape Town, Johannesburg and Pretoria residents have the option of recording their biometrics and collecting their renewed passport at specific Absa, FNB, Standard Bank or Nedbank branches – so the idea of standing in long lines are now a thing of the past.

However, if you don’t live in either of these places, you can use the eHome Affairs services, but you will need to go into Home Affairs to record your biometric data and to collect your passport or ID.

What you need

A copy of your ID

R400 for the passport

Access to internet banking

Step-by-step

Step 1: Account registration

Create a profile

Answer the simple security questions

Create a password

Capture the one time pin sent to your cellphone

Attach a copy of your ID

Step 2: Make a payment

Enter your account details on the site.

Log into your internet banking to authorise the payment – go to ‘My Bills’ under ‘Payments’ to initiate a payment instruction.

Add the Department of Home Affairs as a beneficiary and a payment instruction will now appear under ‘My Bills’.

Enter your reference number and approve the payment of R400 to the Department of Home Affairs.

Step 3: Make an appointment

Once the Department of Home Affairs has registered that you have paid, you will be able to make an appointment to record your biometric data.

If you live in Cape Town, Johannesburg or Pretoria, you will be able to select a bank branch with the required facilities. If not, you will have to go to your local Home Affairs – this does not require an appointment.

If you are able to make an appointment at one of the bank branches you will be given a choice of time slots.

Select a time slot, after which will receive appointment confirmation via email and an SMS which you will need to take with you to the bank.

Step 4: Record your biometrics

Option 1: Home Affairs Branch

Once the Department of Home Affairs has registered your payment you will be eligible to proceed with your biometrics data – two thumbprints, a photo and your signature.

You do not need to make an appointment at Home Affairs.

Simply go to your local branch to have your biometrics done.

You will need to take your ID book with you to the Home Affairs branch.

Option 2: Home Affairs equipped bank branch

Cape Town, Johannesburg and Pretoria residents can make an appointment for their biometrics at their local bank branch once their payment has been registered.

You will be given a choice of time slots. Once you’ve selected a time slot, you will be sent a confirmation via SMS and email.

You will need to take the confirmation email or SMS to the bank.

You will be given a choice of time slots. Once you’ve selected a time slot, you will be sent a confirmation via SMS and email.

Take your ID book and confirmation email or SMS with you when going to your local bank branch.

Step 5: Wait for an SMS or email

When your passport is ready for collection, you will receive notification. This should take roughly ten days.

Home Affairs has some handy information here in case you get stuck.