Passport Renewal South Africa: How to Renew Your Passport [2026]

The South African passport is your gateway to international travel — but it has a finite shelf life, and if it expires while you are abroad or about to travel, the consequences range from inconvenient to expensive. Renewing your passport on time is one of the simplest pieces of personal admin that pays the biggest dividend, yet many South Africans only think about it when an immigration officer points to the expiry page.

This 2026 guide walks through every step of the South African passport renewal process — when to renew, what documents you need, how to apply via eHome Affairs or at a Home Affairs office or bank branch, current fees, processing times, and what to do if you're renewing from outside the country. If you also need to verify the SA ID number that appears on your passport, our free South African ID validator on the homepage runs the Luhn checksum and pulls your date of birth, gender, and citizenship status straight from the 13 digits.

If you have never held a South African passport before, the renewal flow does not apply — you need our companion first-time passport application guide, which covers eligibility, the BI-73 form, biometrics, and the document checklist for new applicants.

When to Renew Your South African Passport

Most countries refuse entry — or even boarding at the departure airport — if your passport will expire within six months of your arrival date. The Schengen Area, the United Kingdom, the United States, the United Arab Emirates, Thailand, and most of South-East Asia all enforce this rule strictly.

The Department of Home Affairs (DHA) recommends checking your expiry date at least nine to twelve months before any planned international travel. If your passport has fewer than two blank visa pages remaining, you also need to renew — most countries will refuse to issue a visa if there is no room to stick the sticker.

You may apply for renewal at any time; you do not have to wait until your passport actually expires. The new passport replaces the old one, and the old booklet is cancelled and returned to you with the corners clipped.

South African Passport Validity Periods

South Africa issues several passport types, each with its own validity period and page count:

• Ordinary tourist passport (adults): 10 years validity, 32 pages
• Maxi tourist passport (adults): 10 years validity, 48 pages — for frequent travellers
• Child passport (under 16): 5 years validity, 32 pages
• Official passport: issued to government officials on government business
• Diplomatic passport: issued to diplomats, ministers, and senior government representatives
• Emergency travel certificate: single-use document for South Africans stranded abroad without a valid passport

The validity period runs from the date of issue. South Africa does not allow passport renewal on its own — you are technically issued a new passport with a new number rather than having an existing one extended.

Documents Required for Passport Renewal

For a standard adult renewal, gather the following before you start the application:

• Your Smart ID Card or green-bar-coded ID book (the South African ID number must match the one on your existing passport)
• Your existing or expired passport for cancellation
• Two recent colour photographs meeting DHA specifications (35×45mm, plain white background, neutral expression, no glasses) — although in-person applications now use the on-site digital photo and biometric capture system, photos are still required for some out-of-country applications
• The DHA-73 application form for adults, completed in black ink (this is now generated digitally for in-branch and eHome Affairs applications)
• Proof of payment for the renewal fee

For child passports (under 16), additional documents are required: an unabridged birth certificate, both parents' Smart ID Cards, and consent from any parent who cannot be present. If a parent is deceased, an abridged death certificate must be supplied.

Need to confirm the ID number on your existing passport is structurally valid before you start? Our South African ID number checker runs the Luhn checksum and decodes the digits in seconds.

How to Apply for Passport Renewal Online via eHome Affairs

The eHome Affairs portal is the fastest route for most adult renewals. The full portal walkthrough is in our dedicated eHome Affairs portal guide, but the renewal-specific steps are:

1. Register or log in at ehome.dha.gov.za/echannel using your Smart ID number and a secure password.
2. Select "Passport Application" from the available services.
3. Choose "Renewal" as the application type and select the passport variant (32-page or 48-page maxi).
4. Confirm your personal details — name, ID number, address, and contact information must match your Smart ID record.
5. Pay the application fee online via FNB, Standard Bank, ABSA, Nedbank, or Investec internet banking. The portal supports direct payment integrations with these banks.
6. Book a biometrics appointment at a Home Affairs branch or a participating bank branch. The portal shows live availability — bank branches usually have shorter waits than DHA offices.
7. Attend the appointment with your Smart ID, current/expired passport, and confirmation of online payment. Photographs and fingerprints are captured digitally.
8. Collect your new passport at the same branch when notified by SMS, typically 10 to 15 working days later.

If the portal returns errors during registration or payment, our eHome Affairs troubleshooting section covers the most common issues.

How to Apply for Passport Renewal at a Home Affairs Branch

Walk-in renewals are still accepted at all live-capture-enabled DHA offices, although appointment-based service via eHome Affairs is faster. To renew in person:

1. Find your nearest branch using our full list of Home Affairs offices — confirm it offers passport services (some smaller offices only handle IDs and birth registrations).
2. Check the office's opening hours before you go — most branches close at 15:30 or 16:00 on weekdays and at 13:00 on Saturdays.
3. Take a numbered ticket and complete the DHA-73 form provided at the counter.
4. Submit your existing passport, Smart ID, and DHA-73 to the application clerk.
5. Move to the live-capture station for digital photographs and fingerprints.
6. Pay the fee at the cashier (cash or card, depending on the branch).
7. Collect the receipt — it contains your reference number for status checks.
8. Return to collect the new passport once you receive the SMS notification.

Passport Renewal at Bank Branches

Selected branches of FNB, Standard Bank, ABSA, Nedbank, and Investec offer in-branch passport renewals as part of the DHA partnership. The application is initiated through eHome Affairs but the biometric capture and document submission happen at the bank.

Bank branches typically have shorter waits than DHA offices, and same-day appointment slots are often available — but you must be a customer of the bank, the booking must originate from eHome Affairs, and full payment must be completed online before your appointment. Bank branches do not accept walk-in applications.

Passport Renewal Costs in 2026

Home Affairs reviews fees periodically; the current schedule is:

Always confirm current fees on the official Department of Home Affairs website before paying — the fee schedule was last gazetted in 2022 and remains in force at the time of writing. For a full breakdown of every passport fee — adult, child, maxi, and replacement — see our guide to how much a South African passport costs. For comparable information on Smart ID Card fees, see our Smart ID Card Cost guide.

How Long Does Passport Renewal Take?

Standard processing times for South African passport renewal are:

• eHome Affairs / bank branch applications: typically 10 to 15 working days from biometric capture to collection
• Walk-in DHA branch applications: usually 15 to 25 working days, depending on branch backlog
• Renewals lodged at South African missions abroad: 6 to 12 weeks, given the courier turnaround between the mission and DHA Pretoria

You can track your application status by SMS, by calling the Home Affairs contact centre, or by logging back into eHome Affairs and viewing the application history. Expect status to read "under adjudication" for the first few days, then "printed", and finally "at branch — ready for collection".

Renewing Your Passport from Abroad

South African citizens living or travelling outside the country renew through the nearest South African embassy, consulate, or high commission. The process is the same — DHA-73 form, biometric capture, payment in local currency or via SARS-approved channels — but turnaround is significantly longer because the application is couriered to DHA Pretoria for printing.

If you are stranded abroad with an expired passport and need to travel home urgently, request an Emergency Travel Certificate (ETC) from the mission. The ETC is a single-use document that authorises a one-way trip back to South Africa within 30 days. Apply for the full passport renewal once you arrive home.

Common Reasons Passport Renewal Is Rejected

• Mismatched personal details: if the name, surname, or ID number on your application differs from the DHA's National Population Register, the application is held until the discrepancy is resolved
• Outstanding fines or judgments: active credit defaults do not block passport renewal, but unpaid maintenance court orders can
• Photograph quality issues: for out-of-country applications using submitted photographs, applications fail if the photos are not on plain white background, are over six months old, or show glasses or hats
• Incomplete consent for child passports: both parents must consent (or one parent must produce a court order or unabridged death certificate)
• Expired Smart ID: the Smart ID itself does not expire, but if you applied with the older green ID book and it has been damaged, renewal is held until you upgrade to a Smart ID

Frequently Asked Questions

How early can I renew my South African passport?

You can apply for renewal at any time — you do not have to wait until the existing passport expires. Most travel guidance recommends starting at least nine to twelve months before any planned international trip to allow for processing time and unexpected delays.

Can I renew my SA passport without my old one?

If your passport is lost or stolen, you must report it at a South African Police Service station and obtain a SAPS case reference. Then complete a DHA-335 affidavit and submit it together with your renewal application. The replacement is a fresh passport with a new number, not technically a renewal.

How much does passport renewal cost in 2026?

The 2026 fee for an adult ordinary tourist passport (32 pages) is R600. The maxi tourist passport (48 pages) costs R1,200. Child passports (under 16) cost R600. Confirm current fees at the Department of Home Affairs office or on dha.gov.za before applying.

How long does South African passport renewal take?

Most eHome Affairs and bank-branch applications are ready for collection in 10 to 15 working days. Walk-in DHA applications average 15 to 25 working days. Renewals lodged at South African missions abroad take 6 to 12 weeks.

Can I track my passport renewal status online?

Yes — log back into eHome Affairs and check the application history page, or send an SMS in the format "ID number" to 32551 (R1.50 per SMS). The DHA contact centre on 0800 60 11 90 also confirms status during office hours.

Can I renew my passport at a bank?

Yes, FNB, Standard Bank, ABSA, Nedbank, and Investec offer passport renewal at selected branches under the eHome Affairs partnership. You must be a customer of the bank, book and pay through eHome Affairs, then attend your booked appointment for biometric capture. Bank branches do not accept walk-in passport applications.

Related: Most in-country visa, PR and passport-renewal applications are lodged through a VFS Visa Application Centre. See our VFS Global South Africa: visa application guide for the appointment, tracking and fees walkthrough.