Express Home Affairs Services

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Express Home Affairs Services

Please take note of the essential information concerning the express Applications service for home affairs Letters and Certificates: All expedited service requests take 14 to 21 business days to process. 

If applying for a passport within South Africa: the DHA Office where the application is lodged, cannot redirect the passport for dispatch to the Mission.

  • Due to policy restrictions, we are unable to retrieve processed documents for applications submitted directly by clients to Home Affairs. We recommend that clients consider establishing a Power of Attorney, enabling a designated family member or friend located in South Africa to collect these documents on their behalf.

For help getting an apostille for documents from Home Affairs, please click here.

Procedure for Obtaining Letters and Certificates from the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) via Express Application

Birth Registration:

Individuals born abroad to South African nationals are eligible to apply for South African citizenship through birth registration.

Required Documentation:

  1. Form DHA 24: Notice of Birth
    1. This form must be completed by the South African parent(s), with Section F requiring the South African father’s signature if both parents hold citizenship.
    2. Note: DHA 24 is a barcoded document for identification purposes.
  2. Form BI 529: Determination of Citizenship
    1. This form must be filled out by both the applicant and the South African parent. In cases where both are South African citizens, both must provide input.
  3. Completing the BI-529/DHA-529 form accurately is essential for efficient record retrieval at the DHA in Pretoria. Special attention is required for questions 9, 10, and 11 in Part A, and ensure that non-applicable responses are marked as ‘n/a’ while unknown responses should be indicated as ‘Do not know.’
  4. Original or Notarized Documents Required:
  5. Child’s foreign birth certificate.
  6. Marriage certificate of the parents.
  7. Proof of South African citizenship for the South African parent (options include birth certificate, ID document, or valid passport).
  8. A notarized consent letter from the non-South African parent or the South African mother, authorizing the child’s birth registration in South Africa.
  9. A certified copy of the non-South African parent’s passport or a government-issued ID.

Processing Timeline:

Birth registrations are typically processed within South Africa, taking between 14 to 21 working days. Post-approval, an abridged birth certificate will be dispatched, allowing for subsequent applications for Unabridged Birth Certificate (Full Birth Certificate).

Note:

Children born abroad, once registered, automatically qualify for dual citizenship.

Application for Unabridged Birth Certificate (Full Birth Certificate):

Eligible South African citizens can apply for a full birth certificate if their birth is registered in South Africa. This encompasses citizenship acquired through:

  1. Birth in South Africa to South African citizens (by birth or naturalization).
  2. Birth to non-citizens holding valid permanent residence or work permits in South Africa.
  3. Birth abroad to South African citizens.

Application Procedure:

  1. Complete Form BI 154: Application for Birth Certificate using black ink.
  2. Thoroughly complete Form BI-529/DHA-529 for accurate record retrieval, marking non-applicable questions as ‘n/a’ and unknowns as ‘Do not know.’ Take particular care with questions 9, 10, and 11 in Part A.
  • Processing for a full birth certificate generally takes between 14 to 21 working days.

Application for Death Certificate:

To obtain a death certificate for an individual who has deceased in South Africa:

  1. Fill out Form BI-132: Application for Death Certificate using black ink, along with a signature.
  • Death certificates are processed within South Africa, typically taking 14 to 21 working days.

Application for Unabridged Marriage Certificate in South Africa:

Marriages must comply with the Marriage Act of 1961 and pertain to both South African citizens and foreign nationals.

Couples should confer with the designated marriage officer to ensure all legal requirements are met. Under South African law, marriages are not permitted if:

  1. One party is currently married (dissolution of the previous union may only occur via death or court decree).
  2. Either party is a minor (written consent from both parents or a guardian is mandatory).
  3. One or both parties lack the mental capacity to enter into marriage; individuals deemed mentally competent at the time of the ceremony are legally allowed to wed.

Prohibitions based on familial relationships apply; marriages between close relatives are disallowed.

Required Documentation Checklist:

  1. Two valid forms of identification, with at least one bearing a photograph.
  2. A notarized declaration confirming the absence of legal impediments to marriage.

Note: There are no residency prerequisites for foreign nationals, nor are blood tests required in South Africa.

Final Divorce Decree:

Final divorce decrees issued within South Africa must be requested directly from the Court where the divorce proceedings were initiated, as these records are not obtainable from the Department of Home Affairs.