Passports
In terms of the South African Passport and Travel Documents Act, 1994 (Act no 4 of 1994) all South African passports are now issued in South Africa. Before this passport may be issued a 13 digit identity number must be allocated, unless the applicant is already in possession of such an identity number.
A full set of fingerprints must be submitted by applicants older than 15 years and 6 months.
If an identity document was issued prior to 1990 or if the applicant is not in possession of an identity number, a full set of fingerprints must be furnished with all passport applications. If the identity document was issued after 1990 the left thumbprint must be furnished. Fingerprints are only taken if applicants are 15 years and 6 months or older. These fingerprints must be referred to the Department of Home Affairs in South Africa for verification and confirmation of identity.
All application forms must be completed in BLACK INK only. If a form is completed in any other colour ink, the applicant will be requested to re-complete a fresh form in black ink.
Applicants who are residents in France may submit the relevant applications in person at:
The South African Embassy: Paris
59, Quai D'Orsay
75343 Paris Cedex 07
The Consular Section at the South African Embassy is open to the public between 09:00 and 12:00 from Monday to Friday.
Applicants unable to personally report to the South African Embassy due to illness / disability or distance of travel, should write to the Embassy confirming this, giving reasons why and the forms will be forwarded to them by post. Applicants must please ensure that section B of the passport application form BI-73 (DHA-73) is completed and photographs are certified by a Commissioner of Oath, Justice of the Peace or Police Officer.
All new South African passports are issued in South Africa and it will take a minimum of three (3) months to receive the passport at the Mission.
In terms of the Passports and Travel Document Regulation of 1996, names of children may not be included in parents' passports. A separate application must be submitted for a child passport and it will take a minimum of three (3) months to receive the passport at the Mission.
Children under the age of 15 years and 6 months do not need to have fingerprints taken. A child passport is valid for a maximum period of 5 years and both biological parents need to give consent to the issue of the passport.
If a parent or another person has been granted sole guardianship by a competent court, the consent of the other parent or parents will not be necessary.
The old format tourist passports BI-110 (DHA-110) can be renewed in instances where holders apply for passport facilities and their old passport is not yet 10 years old, calculated from the date of original issue.
Applicants who need to travel urgently and are awaiting the issuing of a new South African passport may apply for a temporary passport on the condition that this passport is accepted by the country of destination.
An Emergency Travel Document can be issued to replace a lost/stolen South African passport for a single trip to South Africa only.
A lost/stolen passport should be immediately reported to the police and to the nearest South African Mission or office of the Department of Home Affairs.
Legislation of birth
The registration of foreign births are finalised in accordance with the South African Births and Deaths Registration Act, 1992 (Act no. 51 of 1992).
A child born outside of South Africa can acquire South African citizenship by descent of a parent who is a South African citizen at the time of the birth of the child concerned. The birth has to be registered at the Department of Home Affairs in Pretoria. The child is then a South African Citizen.
All application forms must be completed in BLACK INK only. If a form is completed in any other colour ink, the applicant will be requested to re-complete a fresh form in black ink.
Applicants who are residents in France may submit the relevant applications in person or by mail to:
The South African Embassy:
Paris
59, Quai D'Orsay
75343 Paris Cedex 07
The Consular Section at the South African Embassy is open to the public between 09:00 and 12:00 from Monday to Friday.
It takes six to eight weeks to finalise a birth registration application.
Identity documents and drivers licences
Re-issue of identity documents to South African citizens as well as first applications are processed at the Embassy .
From 1 August 1998, Drivers licences are no longer endorsed in identity documents. This function is now the responsibility of the Department of Transport. Kindly contact the regional licensing authority in South Africa for further information.
Duplicate or replacement of birth, marriage, and death certificates
The public has no direct access to South African Birth, Marriage and Death records. The registers are maintained by the Department of Home Affairs in Pretoria.
Applications for certified copies of Birth, Marriage and Death certificates may be applied for from the Director-General for Home Affairs via this office. The relevant application must be submitted with a copy of the abridged certificate.
Applications take a minimum of fourteen weeks.
Citizenship
Citizenship is determined by the South African Citizenship Act , 1995 (Act no. 88 of 1995) as amended.
The repealed South African Citizenship Act, 1949 (Act no. 44 of 1949) will be referred to in some instances and the provisions of the Aliens Control Act, 1991 (Act no. 96 of 1991) will also have a direct impact on the citizenship.
South African citizenship has been determined by the various South African Citizenship Acts over the years and as citizenship is both a complex and far reaching matter, it is absolutely essential to submit all known facts, letters and original documents available in order to clarify South African citizenship status.
• Retention of South African citizenship (Section 6 (2) of South Africa Citizenship Act, 1995)
Major South African citizens (18 years and older) who intend to apply for foreign citizenship and do not wish to loose their South African citizenship must first apply to retain their South African citizenship. Failure to apply for retention will result in the automatic loss of South African citizenship.
Minors (persons under the age of 18) are exempted from applying for retention of South African citizenship.
Requirements for an application for retention of South African citizenship (Section 6 (2))
For application forms and requirements, kindly send a request in writing for the attention of Immigration and Civic Services of the South African Embassy, Paris.
- Processing period
Applications are considered and finalised locally within 10 working days.
• Dual Nationality, Section 9 (2)
GENERAL NOTICE
SOUTH AFRICAN CITIZENSHIP AMENDMENT ACT, 2004 (ACT NO. 17 OF 2004)
The Amendment Act repealed Section 9 of the South African Citizenship Act, 1995 as of 15th September 2004, which regulated the use of the citizenship or nationality of another country by a South African dual citizen.
This inter alia means that the system of exemptions/letters of permission to make use of a foreign passport has now been terminated. No further applications in this regard may therefore be processed.
The repealed Section 9 has been replaced with a section as specified in the new section 26B.
Section 26B reads as follows:
A major citizen who-:
(a) enters the Republic or departs from the Republic making use of the passport of another country, or
(b) while in the Republic, makes use of his or her citizenship or nationality of another country in order to gain an advantage or avoid a responsibility or duty is guilty of an offence and on conviction liable to a fine or to imprisonment for period not exceeding 12 months.
From Section 26 (B) you will notice that it will henceforth be an offence for a major South African citizen to enter the Republic or to depart therefrom making use of the passport of another country, in other words, making use of a passport other than a South African passport.
Furthermore, it will also be an offence for such a citizen, while in the Republic, to use his or her foreign citizenship or nationality to gain an advantage or to avoid responsibility or duty.
In essence, the Amendment provides that a South African dual citizen can use his or her foreign passport (citizenship/nationality) freely outside South Africa.
• Exemption in regard to the loss of South African citizenship
Application for exemption in regard to the loss of South African citizenship
(Section 26 (4) of South African Citizenship Act, 1995)
South African citizens who lost their South African citizenship under 15(1)(a) of Act 44 of 1949 may apply for retrospective exemption, which essentially means that upon approval of such an application, the applicant will deem to have remained a South African citizen when he/she acquired a foreign citizenship.
It is very important to note that the above-mentioned section only relates to South Africans who lost their citizenship by virtue of Section 15(1)(a) of Act 44, before 5 October 1995, when the Act came into operation.
For example, if a South African citizen over the age of 18 obtained French naturalization on 20 January 1993 outside South Africa, the person would have automatically lost his/her South African citizenship in terms of Section 15(1)(a) of Act 44 of 1949. However, such person may apply for retrospective exemption in terms of Section 26(4) of the South African Citizenship Act, Act 88 of 1995. Upon approval it would mean that the person remained a South African citizen when he/she acquired foreign citizenship.
- Requirements for an Application for exemption in regard to the loss of South African citizenship
For application forms and requirement, kindly send a request in writing for the attention of Immigration and Civic Services of the South African Embassy in Paris.
- Processing period
Applications are considered and finalised locally within 10 working days.
Changing details (surname, etc.)
Please contact the Consular Section of the South African Embassy in Paris for advise regarding an application for the change of details.