Who qualifies for a South African passport?

The simple answer to “Who qualifies for a South African passport?” is from 16 years old and above.

Regular South African passports are issued to South African applicants who are 16 years old and older. They are valid for 10 years and are not renewable. When South African passports expire, new passport applications will have to be filed.

Types of Passports and Corresponding Requirements

  • Regular Passports
    Regular South African passports are issued to South African applicants who are 16 years old and older. They are valid for 10 years and are not renewable. When South African passports expire, new passport applications will have to be filed.
  • Child Passports
    Child passports are issued to children who are fifteen years and below. These passports are not renewable. On their expiry, applications for new passports will have to be filed.
  • Emergency Travel Certificates
    Emergency Travel Certificates are issued to South Africans who have to travel back home urgently for reasons of death, sickness or any other emergency.  It is in a page form and may be issued with validity ranging from a month to a year. Applicants for emergency travel certificates must also apply for permanent passports.
  • Maxi Passports
    Maxi passports are 48-page documents meant for frequent travelers. They are the same as regular passports (valid for 10 years) except that they have extra pages to provide for more visa pages

There are two main ways to qualify for a South African passport:

By birth:

  • Born to South African citizen parents: If at least one of your parents was a South African citizen at the time of your birth, you are automatically a South African citizen and qualify for a passport. This applies regardless of where you were born.
  • Born in South Africa: If you were born in South Africa, you are considered a South African citizen by birth, even if your parents were not citizens at the time. However, there may be additional requirements depending on the specific circumstances of your birth.

By descent:

  • One parent born in South Africa: If one of your parents was born in South Africa, you may be eligible for a South African passport by descent. This will depend on whether your parent registered you as a South African citizen at birth and whether they met certain residency requirements.
  • Grandparent born in South Africa: In some cases, you may even be eligible for a passport if one of your grandparents was born in South Africa. This will depend on a number of factors, including whether your parent was born before or after 1949 and whether they were registered as a South African citizen.

It’s important to note that these are just the general qualifications. There may be additional requirements or exceptions depending on your specific circumstances. The best way to get accurate and up-to-date information is to consult the South African Department of Home Affairs website or contact a South African embassy or consulate.

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