South African High Commission Home Affairs Consular Section

Hopeless. London Home Affairs doesn't answer emails and disables their phone lines, even when you call after 3pm (when they are meant to take calls). How can it be acceptable to wait one whole year for a child's first passport??? And still hear nothing! How are they meeting SA citizen's basic needs? They aren't and don't care.

Still waiting 18 months and a trip to London for my husbands passport. It has cost us alot for this

What a shambles can. Any. One please guide me or its jyst me 9 days 19hrs. And 67 calls today to try and spk to some one for help and advice . They say ph between 3 and 5 but no one picks up .?iam sure this phone is not manned !!!!!

Is anyone even working there? As it impossible to contact anyone. No one ever picks up a phone or answer emails..

Not sure if this is where I'm meant to be posting this, but to the lovely gentleman at the door, your passport collection service is supposed to close at 17h30. So when I arrived at 17h20 and was told, as if I was completely bonkers, that all the staff had gone home at 17h00, I think I was being perfectly reasonable to question why.If everyone working at passport collection wants to clock off at 17h00 sharp, perhaps it is time to change the information sent out to clients, the information on the high commission website, and the signage on your building itself.

100 calls none answeredEmbassy tried no answerinvest in a couple of trained chimps would do a better jobincompetent unprofessional a poor reflection on your countryget it sorted

I can't believe this is the same appalling service we receive internationally. You'd thing you'd want to pride yourself and show the rest of the world we not a rubbish country.I am absolutely saddened to have to admit that this is the service South Africans give.I have been trying for days to get through on the phone with no luck but I suppose coming from SA I should have known better. Absolutely disgusting

Should be a zero star. There's no one to talk to for advice!! I lost my letter to say I could retain my SA citizenship when I applied for dual nationality a few years ago. How to get a copy? I need to renew my SA Passport! I can't go home to visit my mum. So sad , I feel so helpless. Want to risk flying on my British passport, but to scared of being turned away at SA. Is it true that if I acquired British citizenship through marriage, then I would not have needed a letter of retention anyway? Someone??

I needed a Emergency Travel Certificate to return to South Africa. I contacted the phone number and received an appointment for the next day. I pre-filled in the forms as advised on the website and made the admin payment. When I went in I was helped to completed / finalise the forms and my biometrics were taken. It was explained to me that the biometrics would be sent to SA for verification and I could collect the docs in 5 working days. I was also told that the payment must reflect before docs were released. During the 5 days I was told the payment wasn't reflected and I escalated with my bank. When I phoned to check, everything was ok and I could collect. The whole process was tense, but worked efficiently. During all my interactions, the staff were friendly, kind and efficient. They knew their work and took it seriously.Some notes:Be patient when calling. It may take many tries to get through.Read and listen and do as much pre-filling in as you can. Get photos and print out whatever you need before going in. You will be price-gouged if you need to print at a place nearby.Some of the low reviews are from frustrated people who aren't prepared to follow the legal steps required.Special mention to Michael at the door for seeing to the public at the door and getting them to the right place.