It is important to note at this point, we are unable to give too much advise for people already in Ireland who have passports about to expire.

You need to just keep trying to get hold of the SA embassy in Ireland or fly back to SA and get it done quicker.

To people who are in the process of moving to Ireland

We recommend you dont come to Ireland with less than 3-4 years on your SA passports!!!!

In "normal" times getting a passport renewal takes about 3 months to get an appointment at the SA Embassy in Dublin and about 9-12 months to get it done. This is based on averages from experiences of our members of our Facebook page. Some will be less, some will be more.

You can go to your Home Affairs, if necessary speak to the manager, pay R800 to renew your passport (the price for a renewal/ a lost passport of a non-expired passport outside 6 months of expiry date) and get new passports. As you know some Home Affairs offices are helpful, others not. For those of you in SA in the process of coming... DO IT... Do NOT wait... GO DO IT! HA is open. Even if you are just THINKING of immigrating- go get all your Home Affairs paperwork ordered... NOW!

  In Ireland and SA passport about to expire or has expired?

This is NOT a reflection of the SA Embassy in Ireland. This group has a really good relationship with them and would like to assist rather than cause drama. Please treat them with kindness and consideration. This situation is NOT their fault. Please do NOT shout and scream at the Embassy staff- they really do work hard for us, and are trying their best!

Below is segments from emails some of our members recieved. Sadly passport expiry is not an excuse for INIS that you haven't an up to date stamp/renewal stamp. So this situation could become a problem in a very big way! Passport biometrics are done at the Embassy, and the paperwork is then sent to SA to be processed at Home Affairs.

Pretty much the entire last year renewals have not happened. I would guess this means then they have an additional 1 year waiting list of people. And a very desperate situation where people will be in Ireland without a current passport, without a current stamp.

Attached screenshot is an email from INIS in regards to a child's passport about to expire.

This is vital information. You need to communicate with the department who handles your Stamps

Response from the SA Embassy to another member received March 2021:

"In the past, we used to schedule appointments well ahead of time, only for the government to impose restrictions, forcing us to cancel or reschedule multiple times. For now, we decided not to schedule appointments yet, in case the government extends the lockdown. We're awaiting government updates on what is to happen after April 5th.

According to the guidelines put in place by the Irish government, the embassy has to be closed. We have no choice around the matter and are required by law to comply with the government's restrictions.

We understand very well that an expired passport can negatively affect someone's lively hood in a foreign country. Our hands are unfortunately tied as the situation is beyond our control. This is having a negative effect on us as well because we fall further and further behind with work, each time the lockdown is extended. SA embassies around the world don't have access to the DHA system and we rely fully on them to process and return finished documents."

" Please note that once the restrictions are lifted we will be giving priority to those whose appointments were cancelled. We will have extra appointments and extended consular hours in order to see those applicants as quickly as possible. We ask that you post in your completed application forms ahead of time so we can prescreen your application; this will result in you spending less time at your re-scheduled appointment and us being able to see more people during our extended appointment hours.

FROM THE EMBASSY:

We are available by email everyday between normal office hours to answer any queries you may have. You can reach us at

To Contact the SA Embassy in Dublin

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Payment

Dual Passport holding Citizens

"Please note that in terms of the South African Citizenship Amendment Act of 2004 it is now an offence for a major South African citizen to enter the RSA or depart making use of the passport of another country. Essentially, the Amendment Act provides that a South African citizen, who has dual nationality, can freely use his or her foreign passport outside South Africa. However, they must use their South African passport to enter or to depart from South Africa." Citizenship Act 2004 download.pdf here

Retention of South African Citizenship - The South African Citizenship Act provides for retention of South African citizenship PRIOR to the acquisition of a foreign citizenship.

 Renunciation of South African citizenship

If you hold another citizenship, and now choose to no longer be a South African citizen.

The Citizenship legislation, effected on 6 October 1995 (Act 88 of 1995) provides for South African citizens to apply to voluntarily renounce their South African Citizenship. To be eligible applicants must have already obtained the citizenship of another country because with effect of the renunciation, the person cannot become a stateless person.

South African citizens who have voluntarily obtained the citizenship of another country after their eighteenth (18th) birthday, without applying and receiving permission to retain their South African citizenship prior to when they obtained their other citizenship, have automatically lost their South African Citizenship from the date they obtained the citizenship of the other country. Such persons consequently need not apply for renunciation. They may apply for a confirmation of their South African status (loss of citizenship will be recorded in South Africa).

BI-246 (renunciation of South African citizenship)

You need to contact the embassy in Dublin to make an appointment to do it

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. " Or an alternative email is  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Requirements for your application

1. Application for Renunciation of South African Citizenship: Form BI-246 in duplicate (i.e. two (2) forms per applicant). For applicants under the age of 18, both parents must sign renunciation Form BI-246.

2. Determination of your Current Status: Form BI-529 requires details of your present status in order that we may ascertain your claim for South African citizenship. Information pertaining to parent's details; minimum of their full date and place of birth is required.

3. Certified copy of the Citizenship certificate of the other nationality that you now hold.

4. Certified copy of your South African Birth Certificate (if applicable).

5. Copies of South African Passports, Identity Documents, Retention of South African Citizenship certificate (if applicable), South African Naturalization certificate (if applicable). Please note once renunciation has been recorded by the DHA all SA documents stand cancelled.

6. There is no fee to be paid for this application.

Form BI-246

Important links: 

  Our coaching Services - Confused or lost and need some direction, book a session with us to help untangle the confusion and work out your route of immigration