Home Affairs
Smart ID cards, passports, birth and marriage certificates, and other Department of Home Affairs paperwork — explained step by step.
Showing 1–8 of 8 guides
How to Register a Customary Marriage in South Africa
Register a customary marriage at Home Affairs: Form BI-1699, the lobolo letter, polygynous marriages, property rules, and why registration matters — free of charge.
How to Register a Death and Get a Death Certificate
Register a death in South Africa: the DHA-1663 notification, abridged vs unabridged death certificates, the BI-14 burial order and unnatural deaths.
How to Apply for a Smart ID Card in South Africa
Step-by-step guide to applying for a South African Smart ID Card at Home Affairs or a participating bank, with requirements, fees, and processing time.
How to Apply for a South African Passport
Apply for a new South African passport at Home Affairs or your bank. Requirements, forms, fees, and processing time explained in plain English.
How to Get an Unabridged Birth Certificate
How to get an unabridged birth certificate in South Africa: form DHA-154, documents, fees, 6–8 week processing, tracking, embassy applications and FAQs.
How to Register a Late Birth in South Africa
Late registration of birth (LRB) in South Africa explained: forms DHA-24/LRB, DHA-24/PB and DHA-288/A, age categories, DNA tests, timelines, fees and FAQs.
How to Change Your Surname After Marriage or Divorce
Change your surname at Home Affairs after marriage, divorce, or by choice. Forms (BI-196), requirements, and when the change is free.
How to Get a South African Police Clearance Certificate (PCC)
How to get a South African Police Clearance Certificate (PCC): SAPS 91(a) form, fingerprints, the R190 fee, processing times, validity, tracking and FAQs.