Minister of Home Affairs Leon Schreiber has launched new global service centres to drastically reduce passport delays for South Africans living abroad.
The centres will reduce passport turnaround times from up to 18 months to just five weeks. The first centres were launched this week in Sydney and Melbourne, with a third due to open in Perth by September. Auckland and Wellington in New Zealand also became operational this week, adding to the existing centre in London.
Further expansions are planned for the United Arab Emirates and China, with service points in France, Germany, and The Netherlands to follow later this year. Centres in North America are expected to launch early next year.
The new facilities will handle passport applications and renewals, birth registrations, and will operate an online booking system that also accommodates walk-ins. Clients will receive email support and SMS-based tracking, and centres will operate weekdays from 09:00 to 17:00.
The Department is also upgrading its eHomeAffairs platform to include Smart ID services and move away from paper-based applications.
Minister Schreiber said the new services are designed to restore dignity to citizens living abroad and are part of efforts to bring Home Affairs services closer to all South Africans.
“These improvements are not just about better service, they are about delivering dignity to South Africans – wherever they live in the world,” he said.
