In a landmark move to restore dignity and improve service delivery for South Africans living overseas, the Department of Home Affairs has launched a series of new international service centres, drastically reducing passport turnaround times from over a year to just five weeks.
Announcing the rollout, Minister of Home Affairs Dr Leon Schreiber said the initiative aims to resolve long-standing frustrations experienced by citizens abroad who previously faced delays of up to 18 months for documents such as passports.
“The rollout of these service centres is yet another step on our journey towards delivering Home Affairs @ home,” said Minister Schreiber.
“Home Affairs is now closer than ever before for South Africans living abroad.”
This week, the first service centres officially opened in Sydney and Melbourne, Australia, with a third in Perth scheduled for September. Two additional centres launched in Auckland and Wellington, New Zealand. These join the already operational facility in London, UK.
Looking ahead, the department plans to open more centres across the United Arab Emirates and China, followed by France, Germany, and The Netherlands before year-end, and North America in early 2026.
Beyond passport applications and renewals, the new service centres will provide birth registration services, a new online booking system, email and SMS-based tracking, and accommodate walk-ins. Operating hours are Monday to Friday, from 9am to 12pm and 1pm to 5pm.
“Home Affairs is now delivering for South Africans, including those living abroad, like never before,” said Schreiber.
“In just twelve months under the Government of National Unity, Home Affairs is making rapid and sustained progress to resolve long-standing challenges that affect South Africans everywhere.”
As part of its broader digital transformation, the Department is also upgrading its eHomeAffairs live capture system, which will soon allow these centres to process Smart ID cards and eliminate paper forms.
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