Emergency Travel Document is mainly issued in cases related to death/sickness of the immediate family members.

PLEASE NOTE: Citizens 16 years and above that have never been issued with an ID document/smart card and are still in possession of a child passport are not eligible for emergency travel documents.

• They can apply for a 1st ID document and only once their fingerprints are registered on the system in RSA, they can be eligible for an Emergency Travel Document. The registration of the fingerprints can take a minimum of three months.

Applicants that do not have a 13-digit ID number are not eligible for Emergency Travel Document, until their birth is registered with Home Affairs and a13-digit ID number is allocated to them.

Appointment Requirements:

• Ensure to come with BLACK INK pen
• Forms DHA-73 and DHA-529 can be downloaded from our website: www.dirco.gov.za.UK/civic  The forms must be fully completed in BLOCK LETTERS and in BLACK INK, do not sign them, as they must be signed in the presence of a Home Affairs Official.
• An official document to prove why it is an emergency.
• Ensure to come with all originals and 2 x copies of supporting documents (per application), the official will certify the copies.
• The bar-coded forms DHA-9 which cannot be downloaded, you will get on the day of your appointment.

FORMS AND DOCUMENTS

The forms can be downloaded from our website which is: www.dirco.gov.za/uk/civic.

1. Form DHA 73 must be completed in BLOCK LETTERS and BLACK INK
2. Form DHA-529 (BI-529) Must be completed in BLOCK LETTERS and

           BLACK INK

           All questions on both the sides of the form must be answered.             

           Please do not answer N/A it is not the answer to any of the questions.

Specific Sections of the form DHA/BI-529 to complete

• Part A: questions 9, 10 and 11 are most important for the applicant. N.B9 dates when you came to work/ live in UK for the 1^st time; number 10(d) must also be answered, with circling a No or a Yes. Circle “NO” if you did not apply for the Retention of SA citizenship. Circle “Yes” if you applied for a Retention previously. Please bring your 1st Retention letter/certificate with you on the day of your appointment.
• Part B: The relevant status can be written next to the words “Marital Status” on the form (e.g. Never married/ Married/ Divorced/Widowed). The details of the applicant’s current or former spouse must then be completed on the DHA-529, whether deceased or divorced or widowed)

For Legalization of UK marriage certificates and UK divorce decrees visit https://www.gov.uk/get-document-legalised Please Note: It is compulsory to register your marriage/Divorce in RSA even if you are married/divorced to a foreigner.

• Part C and D: Both the parents’ details must be completed including their ID numbers and foreign citizenship/nationality (if any).
• Part E: Must sign in the presence of the Official. Valid telephone/mobile number, email address (in block letters) and physical address must be provided.

3. Form DHA 9 (barcoded form) will be given to you on the day of your

           appointment

4. CMO 217 (if the passport is lost/stolen)
5. Form SVP-109E (For SA citizens who are born in Namibia)

Supporting Documents/Information (including x 1 copy of each document):

1. South African passport
2. ID book or Smart ID Card
3. Four very clear professionally taken colour photos of full face of applicant, showing only head and shoulders measuring 35mm x 45mm. Without glasses and clear forehead (Not covered by hair)
4. Proof of emergency i.e. RSA Death Certificate /A signed doctor’s letter on Doctor’s letter head
5. Motivation letter, with the SA address you will be staying at, clearly stating what is the emergency, why you are not in possession of a valid SA passport and confirming that you understand that the emergency document is a one-way/single-entry document, which will only take you to South Africa.
6. Travel Itinerary: Please do not confirm your plane tickets until the office asks you to do so. Once we receive the approval for your emergency travel document, the office will request you to produce confirmed plane tickets
7. Marriage certificate/Divorce decree. If married/divorced outside South Africa, Legalized/Apostille marriage certificate.

• For Legalization of UK marriage certificates and UK divorce decrees visit https://www.gov.uk/get-document-legalised If you are married in any other country, please contact that country’s embassy/consulate to get the apostille stamp on it.

• Certified copies of your husband/wife passport and lD document
• You will find marriage Registration form and the requirements on our web page see: “SERVICES” under “REGISTRATION OF FOREIGN MARRIAGES/DIVORCE IN RSA”

8. If applicant has foreign nationality, please provide proof as to how and when the foreign nationality was acquired/granted, such Naturalization /Registration Certificate or foreign birth certificate issued by the Embassy/ letter from the authorities stating the date and means you acquired the nationality.

• Please note, a foreign passport/birth certificate is not a proof of foreign citizenship/nationality as it does not indicate when(date) and how you acquired the citizenship.
• e.g. If you as an applicant have British citizenship and you do not have any of the above, you/parents may visit the British Home Office web page:  www.gov.uk/hm-passport-office-office., to get the information how to obtain the document.
• You may also send an e-mail to: DPA.Queries@hmpo..gov.uk attach copies of your UK passport, birth certificate and proof of your parents UK citizenship documents, if you are 16 years and above then you must send the e-mail.
• If you have any other nationality (other than British) and you do not have any of the above documents, then please contact the country’s authorities and request them a letter stating the date and means of you acquiring the citizenship/nationality
• If any document is in a foreign language, you must get them officially translated in English language. You must bring in copies of both the documents. i.e. document in foreign language and officially translated copies in English.

9. Letter of retention of your South African Citizenship (if it was issued to you).
10. Certified copies of both the parents’ ID documents and passports if you are under 18 years and have ID document/ID Card. (See 1^st ID & 1^st Adult passport requirements on our web page)
11. If under the age of 18 years, proof of both the parents’ foreign nationality such as naturalization/Registration certificate or foreign birth certificate issued by the Embassy/ letter from the authorities stating the date parents acquired the nationality. Please note a foreign passport/birth certificate is not a proof of foreign citizenship/nationality as it does not indicate as to when(date) and how your parents acquired the citizenship.
12. Provisional Airline tickets. Please do not confirm your tickets until the Emergency Travel Document is approved.
13. Processing fees (Non-Refundable) It must be paid in UK bank and in Sterling Pounds for an adult ETC is £17.00 and for minor child (under 16 years) is £7.00 which must be deposited electronically into the High Commission’s Account using the following details:

NAME OF THE BANK: LLOYDS BANK PLC.

NAME OF THE ACCOUNT HODER:   SOUTH AFRICAN HIGH COMMISSION

ACCOUNT NUMBER: 51969368

SORT CODE: 30-65-41

CURRENCY: GBP

REFERENCE NUMBER: SURNAME & FULL NAMES (AS THEY APPEAR ON THE APPLICANT’S PASSPORT/BIRTH CERTIFICATE/ID

• • NP: Please be reminded that you will be required to bring printed proof of payment on the day of your appointment.
  • Pay at least three working days before your appointment date

PLEASE NOTE: Before you make an appointment, please make sure that you have all the above documents and 2x copies of all your original documents.

 If you do not comply with any of the above requirements, you will not be assisted and you will have to book a new appointment.

The average processing time is five working days.

The collection time for Emergency Travel documents is between 09:00 am to 10:00 am Monday to Friday.

Office is closed on Saturdays and Sundays and Bank Holidays.

The Address: South African High Commission,

                         15 Whitehall,

                         London SW1A 2DD