Home Affairs resumes all passport services

Posted by Anita Froneman on 4 March 2021

The Department of Home Affairs will from Thursday, March 4 once again offer several services that were temporarily suspended in January 2021, Home Affairs Minister, Dr Aaron Motsoaledi, has announced.

The department will now offer the re-issue of Smart ID Cards and identity documents; registration and solemnization of marriages; amendments and rectifications; late registration of birth (LRB) for all categories, and the application for and collection of passports for all categories.

This comes after President Cyril Ramaphosa this week moved the country to Lockdown Level 1 amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Addressing media on Wednesday, Motsoaledi said it was for this reason that the department decided to re-institute more services from Thursday.

The citizenship service, however, will remain temporarily unavailable.

‘Online services, through eHome Affairs and our partner banks, will be resumed on Monday, 8 March 2021,’ said the Minister.

Motsoaledi used the opportunity to urge for vigilance against the spread of COVID-19.

‘We need to remain vigilant in our fight against its spread. We do not want our offices to be super-spreader sites. We urge everyone who visits our offices to observe social distancing, sanitise their hands regularly and wear their masks properly, covering their noses and mouths.’

Twenty of South Africa’s land border posts have reopened from February 15, but no announcements have been made regarding the reopening of the remaining 33.

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