South African passport fees increase

South African passport fees were found to be three times lower than other countries, according to the Ministry of Home Affairs.

A benchmarking exercise has found that South African tariffs for passports and other travel documents were up to three times lower than other countries. As a result, South African Minister of Home Affairs Dr. Aaron Motsoaledi has amended the fees. Published in Government Gazette No. 47256 6 October 2022, the amended fees came into effect on 1 November.

South African passports: Fees last adjusted in 2011

“The decision was also informed by the fact that production costs are much higher than what people are paying for our passports. This means the government is heavily subsidising passport holders when such a subsidy is not realised for ordinary ID applicants,” said Minister Motsoaledi.

“We believe that the people who are able to travel out of the country are financially better off than ordinary citizens and they do not need to be subsidised in the manner we have been doing,” added. Minister Motsoaledi.

The fees payable for the issuing of South African passports and travel documents were last adjusted in 2011. There are different fees for applications made in South Africa and those coming from abroad.

New fees

The fees payable in respect of applications for a South African passport or travel document made within the Republic are as follows:

• Adult passport USD 32.40 (ZAR 600) for 32 pages (previous fee USD 21.62 (ZAR 400)); USD 10.82 (ZAR  200) for 48 pages (maxi, current fee USD 43.28 (ZAR 800))
• Child passport USD 32.40 (ZAR 600) (current fee USD 21.62 (ZAR400))
• Official passport USD 32.40 (ZAR 600) (currently no charge)
• Diplomatic passport USD 32.40 (ZAR 600) (currently no charge)
• Document for travel purposes USD 32.40 (ZAR 600) (current fee USD 16.23 (ZAR 300))
• Crew member certificate USD 32.40 (ZAR 600) (current fee USD 18.93 (ZAR 350))

The fees payable in respect of applications for a South African passport or travel document made outside of the Republic, at Missions, Embassies or Consulates, are as follows:

• Adult passport USD 64.85 (ZAR 1,200) for 32 pages (current fee USD 21.62 (ZAR400)); USD 129.62 (ZAR 2,400) for 48 pages (maxi, current fee USD 43.28 (ZAR 800))
• Child passport USD 64.80 (ZAR 1,200) (current fee 21.62 (ZAR 400)
• Emergency travel certificate USD 7.56 (ZAR 140) (current fee USD 7.56 (ZAR 140))

The emergency travel certificate referred to above is only available to South Africans stranded abroad and lapses upon their return home. There is no emergency travel certificate for South Africans who need to travel abroad, noted Minister Motsoaledi.

Section 4(1)(e) of the South African Passports and Travel Documents Act, 1994, enables the Minister to make regulations regarding the fees payable for the issuance of a South African Passport or Travel Document, in consultation with the Minister of Finance.

The South African Revenue Service recently reported a trade balance surplus for September.