Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi has gazetted a massive increase in application fees for South African passports as of November 1. Passports and related documents will cost 50%-100% more than previously.
Applications made before October 31 will be at the old rates.
The fee for a standard 32-page passport for adults and children will go from R400 (that fee was set in 2011) to R600, a 50% increase.
A big jump is in the price of a 48-page maxi passport used by frequent and business travellers, which will now cost R1 200, having previously cost R600.
Prices of applications at embassies or consulates outside of South Africa are also doubled: R1 200 for a standard passport for an adult or child and R2 400 for the maxi passport.
Under the new fee structure, as currently is the case, the cost of a passport replacement is double the standard issue fee, unless the original has been lost, stolen or damaged through no negligence on the part of the holder.
Also from November 1, official passports will be charged for, while those are currently issued free of charge. They will come at the same price as a standard tourist passport, R600.
Crew certificates, which previously cost R350, have also been hiked by 71,4% to R600.
Emergency travel certificates remain unchanged at R140.
