Answers to your questions

Have a question you would like answered? Email us and we may answer it. The questions here are based on ones from our readers, with identifying information removed.

Topic: Home Affairs  |  Show questions and answers for all topics

I get an error code on my birth certificate when I try to apply for tertiary education. Is there some way around this?

You will likely need a late registration of birth certificate but you can apply for a temporary ID in the meantime.

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Can an abandoned child get a birth certificate?

Yes, but you may need help to get Home Affairs to comply.

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How can I renew my asylum seeker status online?

Email the refugee reception office where your last extension was made.

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Is it possible for Zimbabwean asylum seekers to apply for South African IDs during lockdown?

No, only South Africans can apply for SA identity documents. Here is how to renew your asylum permit online.

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Can I change my surname without my parents' permission?

If you are older than 18, you don't need your parents' permission.

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Can I renew my asylum permit online?

Home Affairs online asylum renewal process has not yet started.

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How can we apply for an ID for our foster child that has a mental disability? Home Affairs and Social Services refuse to help.

You may need legal intervention to compel Social Services to issue the required documentation for Home Affairs.

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What is the asylum application procedure?

You need to apply at the nearest Refugee Reception Office, but all the offices are closed during lockdown.

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I have been waiting almost three years for my permanent resident visa and I am desperate for help

You may need legal assistance

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How can I register for Grade 11 if I have been out of school for a long time?

If you are younger than 21, you would apply to a school by the last day of the first term, for the following year.

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