My asylum seeker permit has expired. What must I do to renew it?

The long answer

The problem is to show what is known as “just cause” for not renewing your asylum seeker permit before it expired.  An example of “just cause” would be, for example, if you were hospitalised at the time and could not get to the Refugee Reception Office on the specified date.  In that case you would have to submit an affidavit and proof of what you were saying. But if your permit expired a long time ago, this obviously becomes more difficult.

Perhaps your best bet is to get advice from one of the following organisations:

• Lawyers for Human Rights (Refugee and Migrant rights Programme (RMRP)) at Johannesburg: 011 339 1960: email: lhr@lhr.org.za
• Legal Resources Centre:  email: info@lrc.org.za
• PASSOP: Cape Town 021 762 0322
• The Refugee Rights Clinic at the University of Cape Town (UCT) at Cape  Town 021 650 5581: email: refugeelawclinic@uct.ac.za.