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HOW CAN I APPLY FOR A REFUGEE ID OR A REFUGEE
TRAVEL DOCUMENT (PASSPORT) ONLINE?
Please note that a refugee status document is a legal document. A "Refugee ID" and "Refugee Travel
Document(Passport)"areappliedforinadditiontoyourrefugeestatusdocument.Youcanonlyapplyfor
aRefugeeIDoraRefugeeTravelDocument(Passport)ifyouholdarefugeestatusdocument.A“Refugee
ID”isanidentitycardthatgeneratesat13-digitnumberforyou.Onceyouhaveappliedforandreceiveda
RefugeeIDdocument,youmayapplyforaRefugeeTravelDocument(Passport).
ThisdocumentistohelppeopleunderstandtheasylumsysteminSouthAfrica.Pleasenotethatthisisa
guideonly.Itisnotlegaladvice.Thisinformationmightchange.Visitwww.scalabrini.org.za/information-
about-asylum-in-south-africaforupdatedinformation.TheScalabriniCentreofCapeTownwillnotbe
heldliableforactiontakenbasedonthisdocument.
GO TO THE REFUGEE RECEPTION OFFICE
ON THE APPOINTMENT DATE TO APPLY FOR
THE ID OR TRAVEL DOCUMENT (PASSPORT)
FIND OUT MORE ON THE NEXT PAGE
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AWAIT A REPLY.
AN APPOINTMENT LETTER WILL
BE SENT TO YOU BY EMAIL.
E-MAIL THE DEPARTMENT OF
HOME AFFAIRS.
MAKE SURE YOUR HAVE YOUR
OWN PERSONAL E-MAIL ACCOUNT.
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PLEASE NOTE
UPDATED: OCTOBER 2022
ToapplyforaRefugeeIDorRefugeeTravelDocument(Passport),youstarttheprocessbysendingane-
mail.However,laterintheprocess,youwillhavetogotoaRefugeeReceptionOfficeforanin-person
appointment.Makesureyousendyoure-mailtothefollowinge-mailaddresses:
STEP 1
SEND AN E-MAIL TO THE DEPARTMENT OF HOME AFFAIRS
STEP 2
ENSURE YOU HAVE YOUR OWN EMAIL ADDRESS
Forthisprocess,itisveryimportant thatyou haveyour owne-mailaddress.Ifyoudonothaveyourown
e-mailaddress,youmustcreateone.Donotuseagenerale-mailaddressinaninternetcafeoranye-mail
addresssharedbyothers.Itmustbeyourownpersonal e-mailaddress.Youmustbeabletoaccessthise-
mailaccountinthefuture,somakesuretorememberyourlog-indetailsandpassword.ManyofHome
Affairs' services are now online. We recommend using the same personal e-mail account when you
interactwithHomeAffairs.
UPDATED: OCTOBER 2022
www.scalabrini.org.za
TO APPLY FOR REFUGEE IDENTITY DOCUMENT (ID)
[email protected]
FOR ENQUIRIES IN RELATION TO ID APPLICATIONS
TO APPLY FOR TRAVEL DOCUMENTS APPOINTMENT
FOR INQUIRIES IN RELATION TO TRAVEL
DOCUMENTS
FOR COLLECTIONS OF REFUGEE ID & TRAVEL DOCUMENT
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
PRETORIA
DURBAN
MUSINA
CAPE TOWN
GQEBERHA / PORT ELIZABETH
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
Pleasenote: InanefforttoimproveservicedeliverytheDepartmentofHomeAffairshasdecidedto
discontinuetheuseofthisemail[email protected].
Ifyousentyourapplicationto[email protected]beforeandupuntil30September,
youDONOThavetoapplyagain.Theseapplicationswillbeprocessed.
ApplicationforID-NameofRefugeeReception
Office(Names&Surname–FileNumber)
Forexample:ApplicationforID–Durban(Mary
Ndawo–DBRSOM000121107)
UPDATED: OCTOBER 2022
www.scalabrini.org.za
REQUIREMENTS FOR THE APPLICATION FOR REFUGEE IDENTITY DOCUMENT (ID)
Copyofnotlessthan1yearvalidFormalRecognitionofRefugeeStatus(Section24Visa)
ProofofResidence
Indicatetheofficeofcollection
Fortheemailsubjectusethefollowingformat
REQUIREMENTS FOR THE APPLICATION FOR TRAVEL DOCUMENT (PASSPORT)
Sendanemailtoapplyforthetraveldocumentaccompaniedby:
Copyofnotlessthan1yearvalidIDdocument
Anysupportingdocumentfortherequesttotravel(e.g.Universityadmissionletter,employment
letter,invitationletter&etc.)
AftersendingyouremailyouwillreceiveanemailwithanappointmentdatetogototheRefugee
ReceptionOffice.
Whenyouattendyourappointment,takeyoursupportingdocumentswithyou,alongwith2
passportphotographs.ThefeeforpassportapplicationsisR600.
1.
2.
3.
Fortheemailsubjectusethefollowingformat

ApplicationforTravelDocument-NameofRefugee
ReceptionOffice(Names&Surname–FileNumber)
Forexample:ApplicationforTravelDocument–
DesmondTutu(ÉtienneNdzube–
PTACOD0020121106)
AWAIT AN APPOINTMENT LETTER + GO TO APPOINTMENT
STEP 3
MakesurethatyougototheRefugeeReceptionOfficeforyourappointment.
BringyourRefugeeStatuswithyoutotheappointment.
Attheappointment,youwillcompletetheapplicationfortheIDorfortheID&TravelDocument
(Passport)andreceiveareceiptconfirmingthisapplication.
Later,whentheIDand/orTravelDocument(Passport)arereadyforcollection,youwillreceivean
emailoranSMSconfirmingthis.Youcanthengoandcollectthesedocuments.
Afteryouhavee-mailedtheDepartmentofHomeAffairs,theywillemailyoubackwithanappointment
letter.Thiscantakesometime.Thisletterwillbeattachedtotheemail.Itwillstatewhenyoumustgoto
theRefugeeReceptionOffice.Itisanappointmentletter.
I HAVE NOT RECEIVED AN APPOINTMENT LETTER. WHAT SHOULD I DO?
ThewaitingperiodsforaRefugeeIDandRefugeeTravelDocument(Passport)arelong.TheRefugee
ReceptionOfficesarenotincontrolofyourappointmenttime;itismanagedbytheHeadQuartersof
theDepartmentofHomeAffairsinPretoria.Pleasemakesuretocheckyour"spam"and"junk"inboxes
inyoure-mailaccount.IfyouhavewaitedoverthreemonthsforanappointmentfromtheDepartment
ofHomeAffairs,pleasesendafollowupe-mail.
www.scalabrini.org.za
UPDATED: OCTOBER 2022