Why passport status is blank

This means that South Africans can travel, usually for holiday or business purposes , to such countries without a visa for a pre-determined time. Since requirements can change from time to time it is best to double check the requirements before each trip. Please note: DIRCO will not obtain visas- work- study- residence permits on behalf of prospective travellers. It is strongly recommended that you take out travel insurance before travelling abroad.

Travel insurance should cover hospitalisation and related medical costs as well as a possible emergency evacuation. Depending on your age, physical condition and destination you should consider provision in the event of death.

Your travel agent or bank will be able to advise you. Medical costs abroad can be expensivecompared to South Africa. In some instances medical treatment can be withheld by the foreign country if a person has no proof of funds or travel insurance. Travel insurance that cover expenses in the event of death abroad will ensure that family and friends are not burdened with the costs for the preparation and transportation of mortal remains to South Africa.

Remember to confirm the details of your coverage with your insurer as pre-existing medical conditions may require additional cover. Airlines may overbook flights during peak season. Therefore, travellers are advised to arrive early for check in. Prospective Prospective travellers who intend driving abroad must apply for an international driving permit IDP.

These are issued by the Automobile Association of South Africa. It is recommended that a letter of verification be obtained from the South African Department of Transport. When travelling by road to a neighbouring country always take the original vehicle registration documents with plus a certified copy.

The temporary import permit must be valid for the full duration of your stay in the country. Check with your vehicle insurer that the vehicle will be covered in the country you travel to have this confirmed in writing and that the 3rd party insurance is in order.

Some countries have specific regulations and required stickers for taking your vehicle across the border. For more information on cross border and sticker requirements, you may contact the Automobile Association of South Africa. It is illegal to take any firearms, ammunition and, in some instances, hunting knives into a country without the required permits.

In the event that you wish to carry such items it is recommended that you contact the resident mission prior to travelling. What is ROSA? South African citizens are invited to register personal details and travel itineraries with the Department of International Relations and Co-operation before travelling abroad. The personal information of travellers who register will allow the Department to assist South African citizens in the event they experience an emergency while abroad.

The registration is free, and the assistance and services provided by Government through the Department of International Relations and Cooperation is of an advisory and non-financial nature. Registration is applicable to South African citizens who are travelling, living or working abroad.

Why should I register? By registering your trip you assist the Department to locate you during an emergency, verifying your status and liaising with your next-of-kin. Please note that your information will only be accessed during a declared consular emergency.

Although registration is voluntary and free of charge, we encourage you to consider registration as an integral part of your travel planning and security. How do I register? You may also register before departure, in which case you may forward your request for registration to the following E-Mail Address: rosahelp dirco.

How can the Embassy or Consulate assist me while I am abroad? The Chief Directorate: Consular Services in the Department of International Relations and Cooperation, in close collaboration with the Consular Sections of South African Representatives abroad, provides consular services to South African citizens who work, study, live and travel abroad.

Consular Services can be contacted 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. How will your information be used? Your information will be utilised by Consular Officers at Head Office or at a South African Mission abroad in the event of a disaster, emergency or other crisis as outlined above.

Registration and Privacy The Department will not disclose the information you provide through the registration application to any third parties this includes family members unless you have first given it written authorisation to do so. In the event that family members make enquiries about your whereabouts, such requests will be forwarded to you.

You may choose to inform the mission of your decision to respond or not. The consular assistance provided by the Department, in the case of an emergency, is of a non-financial nature, and the Department will not be responsible for payment of legal, medical, accommodation and traveling expenses or any other expenses on behalf of the traveller. It is reiterated that your personal information as registered with a South African Diplomatic representative, will only be accessed by the Department during a declared consular emergency.

Your doctor or travel centres such as Medi-Travel International or the Airport Medical Clinic would be able to assist. Travellers are further advised to consult with the Department of Health to obtain updates on specific health situations e,g refer to the DOH website on travelling health risks and vaccination requirements.

Suggestion: When travelling ensure that all your personal belongings are safeguarded by yourself. As we are well aware, we are exposed to crime everywhere. Basic precautionary measures will contribute to ensuring your safety, for example:. If the trip is unavoidable, ensure that you prepare yourself by having all the necessary information and contact details of your hosts and South African Representatives in the country of your destination. South African travelers and the law.

Do not become involved in activities that may be, or are, illegal. Please remember, once you leave South Africa, the rights enjoyed under the South African Constitution and laws cannot be guaranteed or enforced in the countries you intend to visit. If arrested abroad, the South African Government cannot intervene to secure your release from prison.

Although Government cannot secure your release, Government is in a position to intercede with local authorities to seek to ensure that your rights, under the laws of the arresting country, are fully observed and that the minimum standards for treatments of prisoners are applied.

For more information on South Africans in prison abroad click here. Working abroad can be an exciting and rewarding experience. It may be an opportunity to improve your economic situation, gain valuable work experience, and travel to new and interesting places. However, accepting a job offer without making adequate preparations and taking precautions can put a migrant worker in a vulnerable position, and optimistic migrant workers may find themselves in the hands of unscrupulous employers or human traffickers.

Human traffickers can be very good at identifying and recruiting potential victims. They can make a job offer appear very enticing and realistic. Check to see that the recruitment agency is registered with the local Chamber of Commerce and, if possible, contact the company offering the job on a landline to confirm that they are recruiting, and that the conditions of employment are those promised by the recruitment agency.

Offers from third parties, disreputable recruitment agencies, or people who approach you on the street should be treated with caution. You may also contact the local embassy of the country of destination to confirm that the company is reputable, and is permitted by law to employ foreign nationals in the manner promised. Yes, but only if you have a valid U. Learn more to see if you are eligible. No, you cannot.

Applicants who need additional pages in their valid passports must obtain a new passport by mail. Applicants within the United States may choose a page or page book. The U. Please note you do not need to reapply for a new U. If you choose to renew or reapply for a consular document with the new place of birth designation, you must pay all applicable fees. Please visit our International Megan's Law page to learn more. You can access their site only if you are using a U.

If you are overseas and your passport expired on or after January 1, , you may be able to use your expired passport to return directly to the United States until December 31, You qualify for this exception if all the following are true:. The Department of Homeland Security maintains discretion to reject any U. Since August , the U. The most visible changes to the new passport book are the polycarbonate, multi-layered plastic, data page, and the passport number, which now includes both letters and numbers.

Visit Next Generation Passport for more information. A parent or legal guardian may sign the passport if the child is too young to sign his or her own name.

The parent or legal guardian must also write his or her relationship to the child in parenthesis next to the signature e.

For a complete explanation of Parental Consent for a Minor's passport application go to Children Under You cannot renew your child's passport. If your child is under age 16, he or she must appear in person with you and the child's other parent or guardian to apply.

A child's application must be submitted in person at a passport agency or authorized passport application acceptance facility. It cannot be renewed by mail. For more information go to Children Under Parents may enroll their U.

If a passport application is submitted for a child who is enrolled in CPIAP, the Department attempts to alert the parent or parents to verify whether the parents approve passport issuance. If the mailing address you provided on your child's application has changed and you're waiting for his or her U. You do not need to contact us if your child's address changed after you received their passport.

All questions on this matter should be directed to the nearest IRS office. If you would like to apply for a U. If you submit an application for a U. Contact the Social Security Administration for information about obtaining a new or replacement Social Security number and card. If you are outside the United States, we may be able to issue you a limited passport for direct return to the United States only.

If you are in the United States, we cannot issue you a passport unless you provide your Social Security number. The passport card is the wallet-size travel document that can only be used to re-enter the United States at land border-crossings and sea ports-of-entry from Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Bermuda.

The card provides a less expensive, smaller, and convenient alternative to the passport book for those who travel frequently to these destinations by land or by sea. The passport card cannot be used for international travel by air.

The passport card was designed for the specific needs of northern and southern U. The passport book is the only document approved for international travel by air. You use the same form that you would use to apply for a passport book DS or DS There is a checkbox on the form for you to indicate that you are applying for a passport card.

If you already have a passport book and you are eligible to use Form DS renewal by mail , you may apply for a passport card using DS even if this is your first passport card. Otherwise you will need to use form DS to apply for a passport card. Yes, simply check the appropriate box at the top of the form to indicate that you would like to apply for both products. If you already have a passport book and are eligible to use Form DS , you may apply for your new passport card by mail using Form DS You may renew your passport book at the same time using the same form.

See Passport Fees for more details. See Processing Times. The processing time for the passport card is the same as for the passport book. Please note: passport cards are sent to you via First Class Mail.

We do not send cards using a day delivery service. Contact the Vital Statistics office in the state where you were born. If you were born in the U. You will need:. To learn more, visit Citizenship Evidence. If you were born outside the U.

Request a Certification of Report of Birth or learn more about birth records for U. All previously issued DSs are still valid as proof of identity, citizenship and for other legal purposes.

The new design has state-of-the-art security features to help prevent fraud and identity theft. The FS is an official record confirming that a child born abroad to a U. All previously issued FS or DS documents are still valid as proof of identity, citizenship and for other legal purposes. Request one or more copies of your Certificate of Witness to Marriage Abroad. Request one or more copies of a Consular Report of Death of a U. Citizen Abroad. For information on how to obtain copies of your passport records see Obtain Copies of Passport Records.

Technological advances have changed the way passport photos may be taken and the way that the U. Department of State processes the photos. See Passport Photos for more information. To ensure your customers have the most up-to-date information regarding passports, direct them to travel.

There they will find information about passport requirements, where to apply, how to download an application, and more. You should also add a link to travel. See our Travel Agents Homepage for more information. Your photo must have been taken within 6 months of submitting your application and reflect your current appearance.

You must directly face the camera. Profile shots will not be accepted. Your expression should be neutral with both eyes open and directly facing the camera. Photos with exaggerated expressions and squinting will not be accepted. If you cannot remove your glasses for medical reasons, you'll need to obtain and submit a signed statement from your doctor with your passport application.

You may wear a hat or head covering, but you must submit a signed statement that verifies that the hat or head covering is part of recognized, traditional religious attire that is customarily or required to be worn continuously in public or a signed doctor's statement verifying the item is used daily for medical purposes. Your full face must be visible and your hat or head covering cannot obscure your hairline or cast shadows on your face.

No, the child must be the only person in the photo. Nothing used to support the child should be in the camera's frame, including the arms or hands of a parent holding the child. Uniforms, clothing that looks like a uniform, and camouflage attire cannot be worn in the photo except in the case of religious attire that is worn daily. It is acceptable if an infant's eyes, particularly a newborn's, are not, or are not entirely, open. All other children must have their eyes open and looking straight ahead towards the camera.

When taking a photo of your baby or toddler, no other person should be in the photo, and your child should be looking at the camera with his or her eyes open. Lay your baby on his or her back on a plain white or off-white sheet.

This will ensure your baby's head is supported and provide a plain background for the photo. Make certain there are no shadows on your baby's face, especially if you take a picture from above with the baby lying down. Cover a car seat with a plain white or off-white sheet and take a picture of your child in the car seat. Yes, you can use a digital camera. However, most webcams and mobile phones cannot provide images of sufficient quality.

No, you can not digitally alter a photo to remove red eye. You will have to submit a new photo without red eye. Copied or digitally scanned photos of official documents will not be accepted.

In addition, photos must not be digitally enhanced or altered to change your appearance in any way. Snapshots, magazine photos, low-resolution vending machine photos, mobile device photos, or full-length photographs are not acceptable. New photos are only required if your appearance has significantly changed from what is in your photo.

Growing a beard or coloring your hair would not constitute a significant change. If you can still be identified from the photo in your current passport, you do not need to apply for a new passport. You may have to apply for a new passport if you have:. If the appearance of your child under the age of 16 has changed due to the normal aging process, you do not need to apply for a new passport for him or her.

Yes, you can wear jewelry and piercings and show your tattoos. Jewelry and piercings should not block large portions of your face. Permanent tattoos are fine for your photo as well and don't need to be covered.

Learn more about this change to make it easier for you to make an appointment. Subscribe to get up-to-date safety and security information and help us reach you in an emergency abroad. You are about to leave travel. Department of State. Links to external websites are provided as a convenience and should not be construed as an endorsement by the U. Department of State of the views or products contained therein. If you wish to remain on travel.

Cancel GO. Skip to main content. Gov Travel. Passports International Travel U. Stay Connected. Law Enforcement. Y Z All. We have 8 categories of FAQs below for your use. What is the current status of passport operations? Our processing times begin the day we receive your application at a passport agency or center , not the day you mail your application or apply for a passport at a local acceptance facility.

We are no longer using door-to-door timeframes to describe routine and expedited service. Mail times vary across the country. Plan ahead and apply early.

These services provide the fastest turnaround and protect your important documents Use Self-Service Tools Online : Get your questions answered immediately by using one of the self-service tools available on our site. What services are available online? What should I expect when applying at an acceptance facility? What should I expect when applying by mail? There is no need to be physically present at an acceptance facility, passport agency, or passport center for any of the following services: Renew your U.

What should I expect if I need to apply at a passport agency or center? Why did you temporarily disable the online appointment system? Why are you making this change? Calling us will improve your ability to make an appointment in the following ways : Our call center representatives will provide you unique confirmation information that our staff will verify on the day of your appointment.

If you are not the true appointment holder, you will be turned away on the day of your appointment. The unique confirmation information will allow us to verify your appointment is legitimate, and ensure you are not being scammed.

The new process will ensure third-party services cannot book appointments. If you need to cancel or change your appointment, please call us.

Your appointment will be assigned to a new customer calling to make an appointment. While you will need to wait to speak with a customer service representative to book an appointment, we have added staff to handle the increased call volume, and updated our phone menus to help streamline the experience and reduce wait times.

How do I cancel my appointment? We appreciate your patience as we ensure appointments go to the applicants who truly need them. Are you making progress on pending U. I have a pending application. Can I upgrade it for expedited service? Are passport agencies and centers still reopening? When will you return to your normal service times? Can I request a refund? Is it safe to travel internationally? What about customers overseas who need a passport?

General Questions. How do I get the status of my application? You can track and trace the progress of your application on the Department of Home Affairs website , or by sending a sms with the letter P followed by you ID number to Please contact your nearest Home Affairs Office for the latest fees required.

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Applying for a Passport. Description: If you're a South African citizen and planning on travelling to another country, you'll need a South African passport. Tourist passport Child's passport Official passports Emergency travel certificates Document for travel purposes Tourist passport Visitor's passports are issued to South African citizens 16 years and older. All rights reserved. You must also: Have proof of your identity. If you don't have an ID, here's how to apply for one.

Supply 2 passport photographs. Confirm with your nearest Home Affairs office if they're using the new biometric system. If so, then you don't need to bring your own photographs. Have your fingerprints taken. Pay the R application fee.