SA Launches Overseas Home Affairs Centres to Cut Passport Wait to 5 Weeks

In a sweeping reform aimed at restoring dignity and service efficiency for South African citizens abroad, Home Affairs Minister Dr. Leon Schreiber has announced the rollout of new global Home Affairs service centres, promising to revolutionize the way South Africans access essential government services from overseas.

These new centres—currently operational in Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom, with additional locations planned in the UAE, China, France, Germany, the Netherlands, and North America—are designed to end years-long delays, with passport turnaround times now reduced to just five weeks from the previous average of 12 to 18 months.

“Home Affairs is now delivering for South Africans – including those living abroad – like never before,” said Minister Schreiber, hailing the new centres as a milestone in public service transformation and a cornerstone of the department’s broader initiative: “Home Affairs @ Home.”

Phase One: Australia, New Zealand, and the UK Lead the Way

Minister Schreiber personally launched the first two overseas centres in Sydney and Melbourne last week, with a third scheduled to open in Perth by the end of September. Simultaneously, centres have begun operations in Auckland and Wellington, New Zealand, adding to the already operational centre in London, United Kingdom.

These locations are home to large communities of South African expatriates who have long struggled with bureaucratic delays, consular backlogs, and inconvenient travel requirements to process documents like passports or birth registrations.

For Australian citizens, bookings to use the new service centres can be made at: VFS Global Australia For New Zealand citizens, access is available via: VFS Global New Zealand

A Game-Changer for Diaspora Services

The new Home Affairs Global Service Centres represent a massive leap forward in making South African government services more accessible, efficient, and client-centered for citizens abroad. Services now available include:

• Application intake and processing for adult and minor passports, including renewals

• Birth registration applications

• A new online appointment system, offering predictable scheduling and reduced wait times while accommodating walk-in clients

• SMS-based and email support for application tracking, keeping applicants informed at every stage

• Operating hours from Monday to Friday, 09:00–12:00 and 13:00–17:00

• A five-week standard turnaround time, dramatically shorter than the current 12–18 month average

These improvements eliminate the need for long waits at consulates, reduce travel costs, and introduce modern client service standards to an area of government that has historically been mired in inefficiency.

Coming Soon: Expansion Across Continents

Minister Schreiber confirmed that the department will continue the international rollout of centres in the following locations:

• United Arab Emirates (likely Dubai and Abu Dhabi)

• China

• France

• Germany

• The Netherlands

• North America, with details to be announced in early 2026

More countries will be added to the list in due course as demand and diplomatic arrangements allow.

“This is just the beginning,” said Schreiber. “These centres will bring immediate relief to thousands of citizens. But we are also laying the groundwork for the future.”

Next Steps: Smart ID Cards and Paperless Processing

Alongside the new service centres, the department is working to upgrade the eHomeAffairs Live Capture platform, which will soon allow for the issuance of Smart ID Cards and full digital processing—eliminating the need for paper-based applications altogether.

This is expected to further streamline document processing, improve data accuracy, and integrate South Africa’s identity systems with global standards.

An announcement on the full rollout of Smart ID services abroad is expected in the coming months.

Rebuilding Trust, Restoring Dignity

The department said that these improvements are part of a broader campaign to restore dignity to South Africans through responsive, world-class public services, whether citizens live in Johannesburg or Johannesburg-by-the-sea.

“These reforms are not just about better service,” Minister Schreiber emphasized. “They are about delivering dignity to South Africans—wherever they live in the world.”

A New Era for South Africans Abroad

For decades, South Africans living abroad have felt left behind by the inefficiencies of outdated consular services. With the global rollout of dedicated Home Affairs service centres and a clear commitment to ongoing digital transformation, the government is signaling a new era of inclusion, responsiveness, and global citizenship.

As the world becomes more interconnected and diasporas grow, South Africa’s embrace of its global citizens is both a practical step and a symbolic gesture—affirming that being South African doesn't end at the border.