Lost or stolen South African passport
- Loss report
- Form DHA-335 from a Home Affairs office 1
- Police
- Affidavit confirming the loss was reported 1
- Tourist passport (32 pages)
- R600 1
- Maxi passport (48 pages)
- R1,200 1
- Temporary passports
- Not issued since 1 September 2014 1
- Abroad
- Emergency travel certificate, one way to South Africa 1
What you need to replace it
The Department of Home Affairs (DHA) says that if your passport was lost or stolen and you are applying for a new one, you must give a loss of passport report (DHA-335, from a Home Affairs office) and confirmation that you reported the loss to the police (an affidavit) 1.
Applications in South Africa go to a Home Affairs office with live capture, a participating bank, or the eHomeAffairs channel. You must apply in person 1.
Fees and waiting times
DHA lists these tariffs and turnaround times 1:
- Applications made outside South Africa are estimated to take at least six to eight months 1.
| Passport | Pages | Fee | Turnaround |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ordinary tourist (16 and older, 10 years) | 32 | R600 | 13 working days |
| Maxi (16 and older, 10 years) | 48 | R1,200 | 13 working days |
| Minor tourist (15 and younger, 5 years) | 32 | R600 | 18 working days |
If you are abroad
DHA no longer issues temporary passports. It issues emergency travel certificates when a passport is lost or stolen abroad, and in some family emergencies. You can only travel from the country where the certificate is issued to South Africa 1.
South African missions set their own fees. The High Commission in London charges £17 for adults and £7 for children under 16, with an average of five working days to process. A lost or stolen passport needs form CMO 217, along with forms DHA-73 and DHA-529 2.
The Embassy in Washington lists a $12 fee, a minimum of 7 business days to process, and a maximum validity of three months from issue. It asks for a completed report of loss of travel document where it applies 3.
Applying from abroad
If you apply for a new passport abroad, you complete a determination of citizenship (form DHA-529) as well as the loss report and police affidavit 1. Ask your mission for its fee in local currency.
What happens to the old passport
The DHA page does not describe what happens to the record of a passport once it is reported. Keep your DHA-335 report and police affidavit with your travel papers, since you need them to apply 1.
Common questions
What is form DHA-335?
It is the Home Affairs loss of passport report. You need it, with a police affidavit, to apply for a new passport after a loss 1.
How much is a new South African passport?
R600 for a 32-page tourist passport and R1,200 for a 48-page maxi passport 1.
Can I get a temporary passport in South Africa?
No. DHA stopped issuing temporary passports on 1 September 2014 and issues emergency travel certificates instead 1.
How long is a South African emergency travel certificate valid?
The Embassy in Washington says up to three months from issue, for travel to South Africa only 3.
Rules and fees change. Check the official site linked above before you apply or pay. Spotted an error? Email [email protected] with the official link.
Sources
- Department of Home Affairs (South Africa): Travel documents
- South African High Commission, London (DIRCO): Emergency travel document
- Embassy of South Africa, Washington DC (DIRCO): Emergency travel certificate (April 2025)
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