Check with the office. The official pages for this service leave out some details, or are older than a year. Use this page as a starting point and confirm fees and documents before you apply.
South African citizens in Australia apply for a new adult passport (tourist 32-page or maxi 48-page) at a Department of Home Affairs services centre, with fingerprints taken at the appointment. Applications are sent to Pretoria, so turnaround is long.
Where to apply in Australia
DHA Services Centres in Adelaide, Brisbane and Canberra (appointments via the VFS Global portal, notice of 21 September 2026); the civic documents page also says applicants in Perth (WA), Sydney (NSW) and Melbourne (VIC) apply through the VFS Global centre, while the High Commission in Canberra handles other applicants in Australia and citizens in PNG, Solomon Islands, Kiribati, Tuvalu, Marshall Islands and Micronesia.
Canberra (High Commission) takes in-person submissions by appointment only, Mon-Fri 08:30-12:00 (consular.canberra@dirco.gov.za); VFS applicants have fingerprints taken at their appointment and the High Commission cannot send them the DHA-9 form.
Contact details for every office are on the page of the embassy and consulates of South Africa.
How to apply
Book an appointment at least 18 months before the passport expires through the VFS Global portal (or email the High Commission for Canberra) | Complete the forms (DHA-73 and DHA-529; DHA-9 fingerprint form is issued at the appointment) | Attend with originals and copies and pay by card
Applications are handled through VFS Global - South Africa in Australia (DHA Services Centres and application centres), https://services.vfsglobal.com/aus/en/zap.
Documents you need
- Form DHA-73 (sections A and E completed before the appointment)
- Form DHA-529 citizenship determination
- Form DHA-9 fingerprints (issued at appointment)
- Form DI-47 and police report if lost or stolen
- Originals and copies of current SA passport, SA ID, SA birth certificate and marriage certificate if using married surname
- Certified copies of foreign citizenship documents if applicable
- Four colour photos 35x45 mm
- First-time applicants aged 15 1/2 or turning 16 must also apply for an ID card
- Applicants under 18: both parents attend with IDs and passports
Fees and processing time
- Official fee: tourist passport AUD 103; maxi passport AUD 206
- Service provider: VFS service fee AUD 102
Processing time: About 6 to 12 months (applications forwarded to DHA in Pretoria).
Good to know
The VFS one-pager shows no date, so fees and times may have changed (page checked 2026-10-24); the High Commission civic page was last modified 17 August 2026. The VFS booking page (services.vfsglobal.com/aus/en/zap) did not load its content. The pages disagree on whether passports are lodged at DHA centres or at VFS in Sydney, Melbourne and Perth.
Official sources
- visa.vfsglobal.com/one-pager/southafrica/australia/passport-service…
- dirco.gov.za/canberra/2026/09/21/dha-services-centres-open-in-austr…
- dirco.gov.za/canberra/civic-documents-applications
- dirco.gov.za/canberra
Check before you apply
This page summarises information published by South Africa's official channels, last checked on 24 octubre 2026. Fees and requirements can change at short notice, so confirm with the office that will handle your case.
Spotted a change? Let us know.