Department Of Home Affairs
The Department of Home Affairs is a South African government department responsible for immigration, citizenship, identity documentation and civil registration. The department manages the issuance of passports, identity documents, birth certificates, marriage certificates and death certificates for South African citizens and residents. It oversees immigration control at ports of entry, processes visa applications and administers the country's refugee and asylum systems. The department also maintains the National Population Register, which records vital statistics and demographic information for the population. Its mandate includes combating identity fraud, illegal immigration and document forgery. The department operates service centres across South Africa and works with external service providers such as VFS Global to process visa applications in other countries. It reports to the Minister of Home Affairs, a Cabinet-level position. The department plays a central role in national security, border management and the administration of civic rights. It has undergone modernisation efforts in recent years to digitise services and reduce processing times for documents and applications.
Department Of Home Affairs Updates
Minister Leon Schreiber officially opened the new Home Affairs office at Atlantis City
28th October 2026 The Minister of Home Affairs, Dr Leon Schreiber, officially opened the new Home Affairs office today at Atlantis City Mall in the Western Cape,... →
Lift and air-conditioning mechanics, hydrologists and pilots — All among the critical skills South Africa must source from abroad
28th October 2026 From technicians who keep lifts, refrigeration and air-conditioning systems running to hydrologists, climate scientists, pilots, engineers and... →
Home Affairs extends operational hours in support of Local Government Elections
28th October 2026 The Department of Home Affairs will extend operational hours at all its front offices to ensure that eligible voters have access to their identity... →
Home Affairs milestone on one million Smart IDs delivered in seven months
26th October 2026 The Department of Home Affairs has reached the latest extraordinary milestone on its Home Affairs @ home digital reform journey. Just over seven... →
Response to the Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement
23rd October 2026 This is the 32nd year since we began our hard-won transition from the apartheid regime in 1994 and the 30th year since the 1996 tangent, the... →
Daily Podcast – October 12, 2026
12th October 2026 October 12, 2026. For Creamer Media in Johannesburg, I’m Halima Frost. →
Former Home Affairs officials arrested for issuing fraudulent passports to non-nationals 
By: Creamer Media Reporter 12th October 2026 Two former Home Affairs officials have been arrested for fraudulently issuing South African passports to foreign nationals for up to R100 000 each.... →
Freedom Under Law condemns violent protest at the Constitutional Court
12th October 2026 Freedom Under Law (FUL) strongly condemns the acts of violence outside the Constitutional Court on 9 October 2026. Media reports indicate that a... →
ActionSA welcomes withdrawal of reckless asylum seeker directive
9th October 2026 ActionSA welcomes the withdrawal of the Department of Home Affairs’ reckless directive that sought to compel Refugee Reception Offices to accept... →
Home Affairs Director-General withdraws asylum directive
9th October 2026 The Director-General of the Department of Home Affairs has withdrawn the directive that had been issued by his office on 28 September regarding the... →
