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 abroad apply for a first ID card (free) or a re-issue (paid). First-time passport applicants aged about 16 must also apply for an ID.
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 through the VFS Global portal | Attend with forms and certified documents | 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 BI-529 and Form DHA-9
- Certified unabridged birth certificate (include name-change approval letter if applicable)
- First issue: certified first pages of both parents' IDs and passports; certified copies no older than 3 months
- Re-issue: certified marriage certificate for female applicants
- Four photos
Fees and processing time
- Official fee: first ID free; re-issue AUD 12
- Service provider: VFS service fee AUD 102
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.
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
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.