Who needs a South African passport photo
The South African passport is the official travel document issued by the Department of Home Affairs. It proves South African citizenship, lets you travel abroad and gives you access to consular services in other countries. Every South African citizen with a valid green, bar-coded ID document can apply for a South African passport. The passport carries your photograph and a microchip with biometric data, so the photo you hand in has to be clear, recent and taken to the official standard.
The South Africa passport photo size explained
A South Africa passport photo measures 35 mm wide by 45 mm high (3.5×4.5 cm), the usual portrait format for passports. In our template the head takes about 34.5 mm from chin to crown, which leaves roughly 3 mm between the top of your hair and the top edge of the photo. The background is a plain light grey with no shadows, patterns or objects behind you. A print at 600 DPI keeps fine detail sharp, so the photo stays crisp after it is cut to 35×45 mm.
The photo must be in colour and taken recently, so it shows how you look today. Look straight at the camera with a neutral expression, mouth closed and both eyes open. Keep your full face visible, from the top of the head to the chin, with no hair over the eyes. Glasses can cause glare and hide the eyes, so it is safest to take them off for your passport photo.
How to apply for a South African passport
Fill in the passport application form DHA-73, which you can get from the Home Affairs website or at any DHA office. Bring the completed form, your green, bar-coded South African ID document and two recent passport photos that meet the DHA specifications. If you apply for a child, or your name has changed, add the supporting documents, for example a marriage certificate. You submit the application in person at a Department of Home Affairs office; booking an appointment in advance helps you avoid long queues.
At the office, your fingerprints and photograph are captured as part of the biometric process, and you pay the application fee, which depends on the type of passport. You receive a receipt with a reference number and can track your application online on the DHA website. When the passport is ready, you get an SMS or email and collect it in person with your ID document and the receipt.
Applying from abroad
If you live outside the country, check the passport guidance of the South African mission where you plan to apply. For example, the South African High Commission in Canada has a page on passport applications. Follow the checklist of your own mission, and print your photos at 35×45 mm so they are ready for the application.
Standard and large passports
The standard South African passport is a booklet of 32 pages. Frequent travellers can choose a 48-page passport instead. Whichever South African passport booklet you choose, the application asks for the same two recent passport photos. A South African passport for an adult is usually valid for 10 years, while a child's passport is usually valid for 5 years.
Renewing or replacing a passport
You can renew your South African passport within 6 months of its expiry date. Renewal follows the same steps as a first application but may need fewer documents; you still need recent photos, because an old photo no longer shows how you look. If your passport is lost or stolen, report it to the nearest police station and to Home Affairs straight away, then apply for a replacement with new photos.
Passport photo checklist
- Photo size of 35×45 mm, head about 34.5 mm from chin to crown.
- Plain light grey background, no shadows or patterns.
- Neutral expression, mouth closed, both eyes open.
- Head straight and centred, face looking at the camera.
- No glasses, no hair over the eyes, full face visible.
- Recent, sharp colour photo with no filters or retouching of your features.
Other South African documents
Planning more paperwork with Home Affairs? Our South Africa smart ID card photo page covers the ID card, and visitors applying to enter the country can use the South Africa visa photo page.
