How to Apply for a South African Passport From Abroad
South Africans living overseas can now apply for a passport at a Department of Home Affairs (DHA) service centre in their own country, instead of waiting months at a traditional embassy or consulate. These centres launched from mid-2025 and now cover 16 countries across Australia, New Zealand, the UAE, the UK, the USA, Canada, China, the Netherlands, Germany, France, Mozambique, and Zimbabwe, with India coming soon.
In summary: If you live in a country with a DHA service centre, you can apply for or renew your passport there instead of at a full embassy or high commission, with a target turnaround of around 5 weeks. Bookings go through VFS Global, not DHA directly. Two groups are excluded for now: children aged 15 turning 16 within the year (they need an ID first), and South African citizens born abroad whose birth isn’t yet on the National Population Register. Both of these groups still need to use a full South African mission.
Who Can Use a Service Centre
Service centres currently handle two services only:
- Passport applications and renewals
- Birth certificate applications
You cannot use a service centre if:
- Your child is 15 and turning 16 within the current year (they need an Identity Document before they can apply for a passport, and this can’t yet be processed at a service centre)
- You’re a South African citizen born abroad and your birth has not yet been registered in the National Population Register
Both of these situations still require a visit to your nearest South African mission (embassy, high commission, or consulate). Find your nearest mission through the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) at dirco.gov.za/websites-of-sa-mission.
How the Service Centres Work
Bookings are made through VFS Global, the DHA’s outsourced service provider for these centres, not through the eHomeAffairs portal or services.dha.gov.za.
Most centres split their day into a submission window and a separate collection window, so check the specific times for your centre before you go. Some centres (like Ottawa and the Netherlands) only offer combined submission and collection hours.
From 1 November 2025, all service centres offer courier delivery of your completed documents to an address of your choosing, so a second in-person visit for collection is no longer required if you opt in.
Full List of Service Centres
Australia
| City | Address | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Melbourne | Level 5, 332 St. Kilda Road, Melbourne, VIC 3004 | Submission Mon-Fri 09:00-12:00, 13:00-16:00. Individual collection 13:00-15:00. Representative collection 15:00-16:00. |
| Perth | Suite 2, Level 3, 182 St. George Tce, Perth WA 6000 | Same as Melbourne |
| Sydney | Level 6, 88 Pitt Street, Sydney | Same as Melbourne |
Book: services.vfsglobal.com/aus/en/zap/attend-centre
New Zealand
| City | Address | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Auckland | Huawei Centre, Level 8, 120 Albert Street, Auckland CBD, Auckland 1010 | Mon-Fri 09:00-16:00 (submission and collection) |
| Wellington | Level 6, 50 Manners Street, Te Aro, Wellington 6011 | Mon-Fri 09:00-16:00 (submission and collection) |
Book: services.vfsglobal.com/nzl/en/zap/attend-centre
United Arab Emirates
| City | Address | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Abu Dhabi | Home Affairs Service Centre, Level B2, The Mall, World Trade Centre, Khalifa Bin Zayed the 1st Street | Submission Mon-Fri 09:00-15:00. Collection 15:00-17:00. Ramadan hours differ. |
| Dubai | Home Affairs Service Centre, Wafi Mall, First Floor, Phase 5, Horus, Umm Hurrair 2 | Same as Abu Dhabi |
Book: services.vfsglobal.com/are/en/zap/attend-centre
United Kingdom
| City | Address | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Edinburgh | 1 Rennie’s Isle, Leith, EH6 6QT | Submission Mon-Fri 08:30-14:30. Collection 12:00-13:30. |
| London | 66 Wilson Street, EC2A 2BT | Submission Mon-Fri 08:30-14:30. Collection 16:00-17:30. |
| Manchester | 50 Devonshire Street North, M12 6JH | Submission Mon-Fri 08:30-14:30. Collection 12:00-13:30. |
Book: passport.vfsglobal.com/ppt/en/zaf/attend-centre
United States of America
| City | Address | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Atlanta | 100 Peachtree Street, Suite 225, Floor 2, Atlanta, GA 30303 | Saturday only, 09:00-16:00 |
| Chicago | 142 E Ontario Street, Suite 1700, Chicago, IL 60611 | Mon-Fri 09:00-16:00 |
| Houston | 1001 Texas Ave, Floor 10, Suite 1020, Houston, TX 77002 | Mon-Fri 09:00-16:00 |
| Los Angeles | 5757 Wilshire Blvd, STE 504, Los Angeles, CA 90036 | Mon-Fri 09:00-16:00 |
| Miami | 2655 S Le Jeune Road, PH-1A, Coral Gables, FL 33134 | Saturday only, 09:00-16:00 |
| New York | 128 E 32nd Street, Floor 2, New York, NY 10016 | Mon-Fri 09:00-16:00 |
| Washington DC | 1025 Vermont Ave NW, Suite 200, Washington, DC 20005 | Mon-Fri 09:00-16:00 |
Book: services.vfsglobal.com/usa/en/zap/attend-centre
Canada
| City | Address | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Edmonton | Unit 1802, Tower 102A (City Center), 10025-102A Avenue NW, Edmonton, AB T5J2Z2 | See centre schedule |
| Halifax | Homewood Suites by Hilton, 1960 Brunswick St, Halifax, NS B3J 2G7 | See centre schedule |
| Montreal | 1010 Sherbrooke Street West, Suite 206, QC H3A 2R7 | See centre schedule |
| Ottawa | Unit 301, 3rd Floor, 2211 Riverside Drive, Ottawa, ON K1H7X5 | Mon-Fri 09:00-14:00 (submission and collection) |
| Regina | Hampton Inn, 3830 East Gate Drive, Regina, SK S4Z 1A5 | See centre schedule |
| Toronto | Unit 801, 8th Floor, 415 Yonge Street, Toronto, M5B2E7 | Mon-Fri 09:00-16:00 (submission and collection) |
| Vancouver | Unit 440, 4th Floor, 580 Hornby Street, Vancouver, BC | See centre schedule |
| Winnipeg | Hampton Inn by Hilton Winnipeg, Airport/PoloPark, 730 Berry Street, Winnipeg, MB R3H 0S6 | See centre schedule |
Book: services.vfsglobal.com/can/en/zap/attend-centre
China
| City | Address | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Beijing | 9th Floor, A Zone, Beijing Inn, Second Group, No 5 Dongshuijing Alley, Dongcheng District, 100010 | Submission Mon-Fri 09:00-12:00. Collection Mon-Fri 09:00-15:00. |
| Shanghai | 2nd Floor, Jiushi Commercial Building, 213 Sichuan Middle Road, Huangpu District | Same as Beijing |
Book: services.vfsglobal.com/chn/en/zap/attend-centre
Netherlands
| City | Address | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| The Hague | Parkstraat 99 (Ground Floor), 2514 JH | Mon-Fri 09:00-14:00 (submission and collection) |
Book: services.vfsglobal.com/nld/en/zap/attend-centre
Germany
| City | Address | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Berlin | Spaces Spittelmarkt GF, 1st Floor, Wallstreet 9, 10179 | Mon-Fri 10:30-13:00 (submission and collection) |
| Düsseldorf | Tonhallen Strasse 14-15, 2nd Floor, 40211 | Mon-Fri 09:30-16:00 (submission and collection) |
Book: services.vfsglobal.com/deu/en/zap/attend-centre
France
| City | Address | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Paris | 16 Boulevard du General Leclerc, 6th Floor, 92110 Clichy | Mon-Fri 09:00-12:00, 14:30-16:00 (submission and collection) |
Book: services.vfsglobal.com/fra/en/zap/attend-centre
Mozambique
| City | Address | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Maputo | 85, R. Ngungunhane, 6th Floor, 608, Maputo Shopping Centre | Mon-Fri 08:00-16:00 (submission and collection) |
Book: services.vfsglobal.com/moz/en/zap/attend-centre
Zimbabwe
| City | Address | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Harare | Block 6 West Wing, Celestial Office Park, Borrowdale | Mon-Fri 08:00-16:00 (submission and collection) |
Book: services.vfsglobal.com/zwe/en/zap/attend-centre
Coming Soon
India: Not yet open. No confirmed date, city, or address at the time of writing.
What Documents Do You Need
The document requirements are the same as applying inside South Africa. See the full breakdown in the main passport guide for adults, first-time applicants, and children.
If you’re renewing an existing adult passport, bring your current Smart ID card or green ID book and your existing passport. If you’re applying for a child, bring the child’s unabridged birth certificate and both parents’ identity documents, or a consent affidavit if one parent can’t attend.
Full document checklists: South Africa Passport Application Guide
If There’s No Service Centre Near You
If your country doesn’t yet have a DHA service centre, or you fall into one of the two excluded groups above, apply through your nearest South African mission instead. Find your nearest embassy, high commission, or consulate through DIRCO: dirco.gov.za/websites-of-sa-mission.
Processing at a traditional mission can take significantly longer than the roughly 5-week target at a service centre. Confirm current turnaround times directly with your specific mission before applying.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I book directly with the Department of Home Affairs for a service centre appointment? No. Bookings go through VFS Global, the outsourced provider running these centres on the DHA’s behalf. Use the booking link for your country listed above.
How long does it take to get a passport at a service centre? The DHA’s target turnaround is around 5 weeks, compared to 3 to 6 months or longer at some traditional missions.
Can my 15-year-old apply for a passport at a service centre? Not if they turn 16 within the current year. They need to obtain an Identity Document first, which isn’t yet processed at these centres. Use a full South African mission instead.
My birth was registered abroad but never added to the population register. Can I use a service centre? No. Citizens born abroad whose birth isn’t yet on the National Population Register must use a full South African mission, not a service centre.
Can I get my documents delivered instead of collecting them in person? Yes, from 1 November 2025 all service centres offer courier delivery to an address of your choosing.
Are service centres available for birth certificate applications too? Yes. Alongside passports, service centres currently process birth certificate applications.
What if there’s no service centre in my country? Apply through your nearest South African embassy, high commission, or consulate. Find it via DIRCO.
Is there a service centre in India? Not yet. India is listed as coming soon, with no confirmed opening date at the time of writing.
Contact and Assistance
| DHA Contact Centre (South Africa) | 0800 60 11 90 |
| DIRCO mission finder | dirco.gov.za/websites-of-sa-mission |
| VFS Global booking | See country-specific links above |
Related Guides
- South Africa Passport Application Guide
- SA Child Passport Application, Requirements and Common Mistakes
- SA Birth Certificate for a Child Born Abroad
- South African Citizenship By Descent