The life of refugees in South Africa is becoming very difficult day by day. Since the start of covid-19, UNHCR has decided to join the South African government in order to collaborate with SASSA and ensure that all refugees with Asylum Seekers and Special Permit Holders benefit also from the SRD R350 Grant of which the payment will take place every after 6 months. So if you haven’t applied yet, you need to press the button below to continue.
Click here to apply for SASSA R350 Grant
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
Message from UNHCR Refugees Agency in South Africa:
“First of all, we apologize for the events that happened last time in Pretoria and Cape Town, when you slept outside for enough days. At that time we tried to ask you questions and your answers were to go to Europe when UNHCR was not in a positive position, meaning at that time we were not in contact with no countries in need of refugees.
This is why we are officially announcing to all refugees living in South Africa that six countries are ready to welcome more than one million refugees by the beginning of January 2026“ Click the link below to open a file.
Online extension refers to the process where the owner of the asylum seeker (part 22) or a refugee permit (section 24) makes a request to the Interior, via e-mail, to extend the validity of his visa. This online service makes it possible for current holders of asylum seeker and refugee visas to apply for an extension of time
their visas without having to enter the Refugee Reception Office. so we advise you to read carefully to understand where to renew your asylum document.
Furthermore, this site brings together different institutions for the benefit of South African citizens, asylum seekers and refugees: Sassa, Home Affairs and UNHCR
Refugee Status & Asylum Seekers info
A person enters the Republic of South Africa through a point of entry (a land border post, airport or port), claims to be an asylum seeker and is therefore issued a permit under section 23 which is a non-renewable “asylum transit”. permit” of the Immigration Act.
The permit is valid for a period of 14 days only and entitles the person to present themselves at the nearest refugee reception office in order to apply for asylum in accordance with Article 21 of the Refugee Act.
The asylum seeker is required to provide
The asylum seeker submits their application in person to a designated refugee reception office where an admissibility investigation takes place. The following are done:
The section 22 permit which is valid for a period of six months legalizes the asylum seeker stay in the Republic of South Africa temporarily pending a final decision on his application. The permit can be extended online for a further six months while the process of status determination is in progress.
Request for extensions must be sent to the refugee reception office where the last extension was done.
Read the PDF below to learn how to renew your asylum.
Note: The new Musina extension email address is now asms.extensions@dha.gov.za
How much does it cost to obtain or renew asylum?
There is no fee to pay for a refugee to obtain or renew asylum. The service for asylum seekers and refugees is free.
All asylum seekers are encouraged to report anyone who asks them for money. Via hacc@dha.gov.za or Call us: 0800 60 11 90
Who is an asylum seeker?
Is a person who has fled their country of origin and is seeking protection as a refugee in South Africa, and in the meantime whose candidacy or application is still awaiting the final decision from Home Affairs.
If the decision of the Department of Home Affairs is negative regarding his application, he will have to leave South Africa voluntarily or face deportation.
Who is a Refugee?
This is a person who has been granted asylum status and protection under Article 24 of the Refugee Act No. 130 of 1998.
Under the 1951 United Nations Convention, a refugee may be a “Convention refugee” who has left his or her country of origin and has a well-founded fear of persecution on grounds of race, religion , their nationality, their political opinions or their membership in a particular social group. .
According to the same convention, a refugee can also be a person “in need of protection” whose return to their country of origin would subject them personally to a risk of torture or to a risk to their life or to a risk of punishment or treatment. cruel and unusual. .
Role of the Government of the Republic of South Africa
The Government of the Republic of South Africa has an obligation to provide protection to refugees and other persons in need of protection under a number of United Nations conventions such as the 1951 Convention Relating to the Status refugees.
However, Convention refugees and persons in need of protection due to risk to life or cruel and unusual treatment must have personally exposed that risk throughout their time in the country in question.
If asylum seekers decide to return to their country of origin, we advise them to go to their embassies so that they can assist them and provide them with the travel document, but they should know that their asylum application will be canceled by the Home Affairs system. and if they try to return to South Africa, they will be arrested for 6 years and then deported back to their country.
The South African government has discovered that Asylum Seekers comes to South Africa for a better future, so we advise them to apply to the UNHCR application form in order to go where they will find a better future.
Online application for enabling documents (identity & travel documents) for refugees.
1. In an effort to improve service delivery the Department of Home Affairs has decided to discontinue the use of this email enabledocument.asm@dha.gov.za
From the 1st October 2022 refugees are required to forward their request to the following emails:
a) To apply for Refugee Identity Document (ID) use refugeeID@dha.gov.za
b) For inquiries in relation to ID applications use enquiryRefugeeID@dha.gov.za
c) To book for travel documents appointment use traveldoc@dha.gov.za
d) For inquiries in relation to travel documents use enquirytraveldoc@dha.gov.za
For collections of Refugee ID & Travel Document:
- collectionDTRRO@dha.gov.za (Pretoria)
- collectionDurban@dha.gov.za (Durban)
- collectionMusina@dha.gov.za (Musina)
- collectionCTRRO@dha.gov.za (Cape Town)
- collectionPERRO@dha.gov.za (Gqeberha / Port Elizabeth)
2. Please note that all application received from enabledocument.asm@dha.gov.za up until the 30th September 2022 will be processed accordingly until they are all cleared.
REQUIRMENTS FOR THE APPLICATION FOR REFUGEE IDENTITY DOCUMENT (ID)
- Copy of not less than 1 year valid Formal Recognition of Refugee Status (Section 24 Visa);
- Proof of Residence
- Indicate the office of collection
- For the email “SUBJECT” use the following format – Application for ID – Name of Refugee Reception Office (Names & Surname – File Number). For example: Application for ID – Musina (Mary Ndawo – DBRSOM000141107).
PLEASE NOTE:
- That for both Identity & Travel Documents an automatic reply will be sent to the applicant as an acknowledgement of receipt of and application, you need not reply.
- That for Travel Document no request will be processed without a valid Refugee Identity Document. This means that asylum seekers are not yet allowed to apply for an ID or passport. Only refugees are allowed.
REQUIRMENTS FOR THE APPLICATION FOR TRAVEL DOCUMENT(PASSPORT)
- Letter of intention to apply for the travel document accompanied by:
- copies of not less than 1 year valid Identity document
- Any supporting document for the request to travel (e.g. University admission letter, employment letter, invitation letter & etc.)
- Invitation email will be issued with appointment date
- Upon receipt of the request an email will be sent with an appointment date for interview at the Refugee Reception Office;
- Upon granting permission to apply for Travel Document the following will be required:
- 2 X 1 Passport photographs
- Payment of R400
- For the email “SUBJECT” use the following format – Application for Travel Document – Name of Refugee Reception Office (Names & Surname – File Number)
- for example: Application for Travel Document – Musina (Étienne Ndzube – PTACOD0026121106).