Home Affairs Minister launches new Sydney facility to streamline passport and birth registration for South Africans

South Africa's Department of Home Affairs has taken a significant step to ease the bureaucratic burden faced by its citizens living abroad by inaugurating a new facility in Sydney, Australia.

This long-awaited initiative, announced by Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber, is poised to transform the way South Africans access vital documents such as passports, minor passports, and birth registrations.

For years, expatriates have been hampered by painfully long wait times, often up to 18 months, to renew essential documents.

“That all changed today as we launched a new facility in Sydney with a turnaround time of just five weeks for passports, minor passports, and birth registrations," Schreiber stated during the launch. 

The new facility aims not only to enhance accessibility but also to restore dignity to South Africans living outside their homeland.

The launch of this service is part of a broader strategy by Schreiber to expand Home Affairs capabilities globally.

He expressed, “As time goes by, more services in more cities in Australia and around the world are on the way as part of my department’s mission to deliver dignity for South Africans, no matter where they live in the world.”

Approximately 214 790 South African-born people were living in Australia at the end of June 2023.

This makes the South African-born population the seventh-largest migrant community in Australia. 

They represent 2.6% of Australia's overseas-born population and 0.8% of the total population. 

During his visit, Schreiber also convened with his Australian counterpart, Minister Tony Burke, to discuss crucial elements regarding Home Affairs reform that touch on security, economic growth, and social cohesion.

This pivotal meeting explored opportunities for collaboration, particularly concerning Australia’s Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) system and the automated processes for border entry and exit that South Africa aims to adopt soon.

Schreiber also recently announced plans for a comprehensive digital visa system that will become mandatory for anyone wishing to enter South Africa.

He stated, “No person will be able to enter South Africa without first obtaining a digital visa through the ETA,” signalling a dramatic shift in immigration management within the nation.

The ETA is set to be rolled out by the end of September, coinciding with the G20 leaders' summit, marking a significant milestone in South Africa's approach to immigration.

“The endpoint of all of these reforms,” Schreiber added, “is to enable both South Africans and legitimate visitors to apply for and obtain enabling documents online, including in digital format, from the comfort of their own homes.”

Such improvements aim to enhance efficiency and reduce corruption within the existing paper-based system, ensuring that South African expatriates receive streamlined service, no matter where they may be.