December 2021
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
SOUTH AFRICAN CITIZENS
What are the COVID19 requirements for travel to South Africa?
- You will find the latest updates on our Face Book page “South African Embassy in Bern”
- https://southafrica.ch/consular-services-visas-documents-passports-certificates-travel/updates-on-travel.html
Which Consular Services does the Embassy provide to South Africans living in Switzerland?
Please consult the website of the Department of International Relations & Cooperation – www.dirco.gov.za
At which mission should I lodge my Application?
If you are resident in the Cantons of Genève (Geneva), Valais (Wallis), Vaud (Waadt) and Fribourg (Freiburg), you must contact the South African Mission in Genève/Geneva; consulargeneva@dirco.gov.za
All residents in other Cantons of Switzerland and Liechtenstein, must apply at the South African Embassy in Bern; bern.consular@dirco.gov.za
Some helpful websites:
www.dha.gov.za (South African Home Affairs)
www.saps.gov.za (South African Police Services)
www.sars.gov.za (South African Revenue and Customs Services)
www.gepf.co.za (Government Employees Pension fund)
www.transport.gov.za (Department of Traffic)
Validity of a South African passport
South African passports are valid as follows:
- Child passport (32 pages) 5 years, provided the passport is not mutilated, washed, contains photograph of the child and includes clear/empty pages
- Regular passport (32 pages) 10 years, provided the passport is not mutilated, washed, contains photograph of the owner and includes clear/empty pages
- Maxi passport (64 pages) 10 years, provided the passport is not mutilated, washed, contains photograph of the owner and includes clear/empty pages
- Extra pages or recent photos may not be inserted into a valid passport
- Are valid till the last day of its printed expiry date
- Are machine readable passports but do not contain a chip
How soon/early can I lodge my application?
Please bear in mind that all applications are forwarded to Pretoria for processing. The waiting period for any South African document is approximately between five (5) to six (6) months
The Embassy has no influence on the processing time of the Department of Home Affairs
Does the Consular Section take fingerprints?
The Consular Section is where fingerprints are taken, in the following cases:
- You are older than 15½ and applying to register your birth (of South African parentage)
- You are older than 15½ and applying for a South African passport
- You are older than 15½ and applying for a South African ID document (Green Booklet)
- You are older than 15½ and applying for South African Police clearance (saps.gov.za)
How do I make payment of the applicable fees?
The fees for documents differ and therefore, please do not transfer any fees to the Embassy account before your appointment date.
All fees are processed electronically.
You will be given the procedures after your interview and a DIRCO receipt will be issued to accompany your application.
The fees are due within five (5) working days after your interview. If no payment is received, you will have to re-apply for the document with a new appointment
I am South African citizen. Which South African documents am I required to present, to marry in Switzerland?
- A valid passport
- A letter of no impediment with apostille, not older than six (6) months
- An extract of your birth record with apostille, not older than six (6) months
- For more information, please contact the municipality in your place of residence in Switzerland or Liechtenstein
- If you are not a permanent resident of Switzerland or Liechtenstein, you must apply personally at a regional Department of Home Affairs in South Africa.
South African citizen marrying a foreign-national in South Africa. Which documents are required?
Please contact the Department of Home Affairs in Pretoria by e-mail (hacc@dha.gov.za) to set up an appointment for a “marriage interview”. As a South African you are required to present a valid ID document or passport in South Africa. Foreign nationals (Swiss) should contact their national (Swiss) Embassy in South Africa
South African citizen married abroad. To register the marriage and change surname on SA passport. What is the procedure?
Female applicants: The marital status is amended automatically, when you apply for a new passport. If you would like to use your married or double-barrelled surname, apply for a new passport presenting a copy of your marriage certificate and a letter requesting the alteration.
Male applicants: As men may not take their wife’s/partner’s surname, a copy of the marriage certificate together with a copy of the South African valid document should be forwarded to the Consulate by e-mail. This service is free of charge and no confirmation certificate will be received from the Department of Home Affairs
How do I register my newborn baby in Switzerland? And in South Africa?
Please contact the Swiss municipality where you are registered as resident to enquire regarding the list of South African documents required to register the birth of your child in Switzerland.
Once the registration is completed, you will be given a Swiss birth certificate (European version). Then you may contact the South African Consulate by e-mail for an appointment to register the birth in South Africa.
I have applied for my South African document long ago, never heard from the Consulate. Can I follow up on the status of the application?
You may follow up after three (3) months of your appointment by e-mail as follows:
- hacc@dha.gov.za; (copy consular@dirco.gov.za)
- your name, surname, date of application & SA ID number
- Female applicants following up on birth certificates, mention your maiden surname
- Children who are not yet registered, mention date of birth and SA parent’s ID number
Can I Travel with my baby to South Africa with his/her foreign passport?
You are requested to register your baby as a South African citizen in Pretoria through the Consulate as soon as possible.
This process may take approximately six (6) months.
Once the baby is registered, you have the possibility of applying for a South African child passport. This process may take an additional six (6) months.
In cases of emergencies (illness, death in the family), please approach the Consular Section for possible assistance.
I am dual national, what happens if I travel on my
foreign passport as my South African passport is not valid?
A South African adult is obliged to travel to and from South Africa, using his/her South African passport.
You may be subjected to extensive questioning and a fine at the port of entry, if using a foreign passport, as this is considered an offence.
My ex-spouse resides in South Africa with my child. He/she requires my signature to apply for child passport. What is the next step?
- Come to the Consulate on any working day between 10:00-12:00
- Bring identification which confirms your parenthood
- Bring information regarding the regional Department of Home Affairs office where your spouse will be applying for the child passport; i.e.: a) name/surname of official and b) e-mail address of the official
- You must organize for the affidavit and passport application, completed by yourself, to be couriered to your spouse.
- The Consulate will forward a scanned copy to the DHA official
Can I apply for Emergency certificate?
Emergency certificates are issued after obtaining approval from the Department of Home Affairs in Pretoria and for the following reasons:
- You have lost your passport in Switzerland and need to return to South Africa
- You are being deported by the Swiss authorities
- You have a family member who is ill (doctor’s certificate required)
- You have a family member who has passed away (death certificate required)
An Emergency certificate is a one-way trip to South Africa on a direct flight. You must make sure you have a current valid South African passport to return to Switzerland.
South African citizen to be naturalized as a foreign national – what are the next steps?
- You have to retain your South African citizenship BEFORE applying to be naturalized as a foreign national. In this case you will not cease to be a South African citizen when you receive your foreign nationality.
- Dual national because of descent (one of your parents being a foreign national), you do not have to apply for retention to receive the same citizenship as your foreign parent.
- Minors (under the age of 18) are exempt from this process.
My South African relative passed away in Switzerland. What is the next step?
- If you would like to repatriate the body or the ashes to South Africa, please check the information on dirco.gov.za, Consular Information
- If you would like to inform the Department of Home Affairs to register the death of a South African citizen, please forward the Swiss Death Certificate together with a copy of the deceased’s South African documents
I am selling property in South Africa, I need the assistance of the Commissioner of Oaths
Please set up an appointment on any working Friday by e-mailing bern.consular@dirco.gov.za
Please make sure that:
- All documents are in English language including the instructions received from your lawyer and correctly prepared.
- You will be unable to forward or receive any new pages by e-mail using your telephone.
- Documents up to 10 pages will be processed the same morning free of charge
- Documents which are 11 pages and more will be processed on the following Monday and will be forwarded to you by mail. Please provide a self-addressed-stamped envelope for the return of the documents
