Real Experiences. Real Timelines. Real Insight.
Applying for a South African passport from Germany doesn’t always follow a straight line. Here, families share what actually happened — from first application to final collection — so you know what to expect.
These are real experiences shared by South Africans who have applied for passports or birth registration through VFS in Germany. Every journey is a little different, but together they give a clearer picture of what to expect.
Shared by J. Steyn 24/06/2026
| Application Type | Adult Passport |
| 📄 Documentation Required | |
| Required Documents |
Passport Photos (4 per applicant) Form BI-73 / DHA-73 (Application Form) Form BI-529 / DHA-529 (Determination of Citizenship Status) South African ID South African Birth Certificate Proof of Residence in Germany Current South African Passport |
| Additional Documents Requested | Marriage Certificate |
| 💶 Cost | |
| Total Cost | €152 |
| 💡 Tips & Experience | |
| Additional Information | Make sure you have 4 passport photos available in case photos cannot be taken at VFS on the day of your appointment. |
| Helpful Tip | If possible, consider applying for your passport directly in South Africa. This applicant waited approximately 8 months for their passport. During the process, VFS referred all enquiries to the online tracking system, which showed only "Dispatched to Pretoria" throughout the application period. |
| VFS Appointment Feedback | The appointment itself was quick (around 20 minutes), but the applicant had to leave to obtain passport photos and then wait approximately 2 hours at reception because the VFS employee handling the appointment could not be reached by phone. |
Shared by Ryno 23/06/2026
| Application Type | Child Passport |
| 📅 Timeline | |
| Application Date | 3 February 2026 |
| Passport Received | 17 June 2026 |
| 📦 Tracking & Delivery | |
| Application Tracking | Not at all |
| Courier Option | No, collected in Berlin |
| 💡 Tips & Experience | |
| Helpful Tip | No tracking was available, but updates were sent during the process. Make sure to have passport photos taken beforehand. VFS indicates that photo services are available, but they were not available at the appointment. They asked for the german birth certifixate, apostiled to be expedited even though the german authorities say this cannot be done. They replied and asked for proof. We replied and referenced the aouth african law that states a birth must be registered in ...... days. The next day they sent us the apostiled Geburtsurkunde |
Shared by Anonymous 18/06/2026
| Application Type | Adult Passport |
| 📄 Documentation Required | |
| Required Documents |
Passport Photos (4 per applicant) Form BI-73 / DHA-73 (Application Form) Form BI-529 / DHA-529 (Determination of Citizenship Status) South African ID Current South African Passport |
| Additional Documents Requested |
Copy of German Passport Copy of Naturalisation Certificate Sworn Translation of Naturalisation Certificate |
| 💡 Tips & Experience | |
| Helpful Tip | The waiting area is hidden next to the Nigerian section on the left-hand side as you enter VFS. |
| VFS Appointment Feedback | Appointment worked fine. |
Shared by Lindie 18/05/2026
| Application Type | Adult Passport |
| 📅 Timeline | |
| Application Date | 25 March 2026 |
| Passport/UBC Received | 18 May 2026 |
| Tracking & Delivery | |
| Application Tracking | Only partially |
| Courier Option | Yes, it worked great |
Shared by Lindie 25/03/2026
| Application Type | Family (Adult and Child passports) |
| 🪪 Adult Passport | |
| Documents |
Passport Photos (4 each) Form BI-73 / DHA-73 Form BI-529 / DHA-529 South African ID Proof of residence (Germany) Current passport |
| Child Passport | |
| Parents SA Citizens | Yes |
| Child Registered | Yes |
| Family | Parents married |
| Documents |
Passport Photos (2 each) Form BI-73 / DHA-73 Form BI-529 / DHA-529 SA ID books/cards (parents) SA passports (parents) Marriage certificate Unabridged birth certificates (parents) Child birth certificate Proof of residence (Germany) |
| General | |
| Appointment Duration | 10:00 – 12:50 |
| Notes |
Copies can be certified at VFS Fingerprints done with ink (parents only, not required for under 16) |
| Tips |
Do not staple documents (they separate into two bundles) Applicants 16+ must first apply for ID at DHA Berlin Wait for ID (via Einschreiben) before applying for passport at VFS |
| Cost | |
| Per Passport | €151.28 (incl. postage) |
| Total | €453.84 |
Shared by Tracy 28/03/2026
| Application Type | Child Passport |
| Child Passport | |
| Parents SA Citizens | No – one parent is a German citizen |
| Child Registered | Yes |
| Family | Parents married |
| Documents |
Passport Photos (4 each) Form BI-73 / DHA-73 Form BI-529 / DHA-529 South African passports (parents) Marriage certificate Unabridged birth certificates (parents) Child birth certificate Proof of residence (Germany) |
| Special Rules | International birth certificate accepted (Internationale Geburtsurkunde) |
| Additional Documents | Copy of Aufenthaltstitel |
| 📄 Birth Registration | |
| Child Age | 14 |
| Documents |
Foreign birth certificate (child) Foreign ID documents (child) Birth certificates (parents) Marriage certificate (parents) ID & passports (parents) Parent’s foreign citizenship certificate (if applicable) |
| Additional Documents | Copy of Aufenthaltstitel |
| Cost | |
| Total | €236.56 |
Shared by Deon 30/03/2026
| Application Type | Adult Passport |
| 🪪 Adult Passport | |
| Documents |
Passport Photos (4 each) Form BI-73 / DHA-73 Form BI-529 / DHA-529 South African ID South African birth certificate Proof of residence (Germany) Current passport |
| Additional Documents | ID application form provided at VFS (completed on site) BI-9 form (or DHA-9) is a mandatory South African Department of Home Affairs document for applicants aged 16 and older, primarily used to collect a full set of fingerprints for ID and passport applications |
| General | |
| Payment | All payments made at VFS – card only |
| Waiting Time | Approx. 45 minutes after scheduled appointment before being attended to |
| Tips |
Allow extra time for your appointment Expect delays even with a booked time slot |
| VFS Berlin Note |
Use the entrance directly from the street (Canadian office entrance) Canadian, South African and Nigerian services share the same office space |
| Cost | |
| Total | €152 (passport, VFS fee & courier) |
How long does it actually take? These timelines show the journey from application to collection, helping you understand what is typical — and where delays can happen.
Shared by Lindie 18/05/2026
| Application Type | Adult Passport |
| Application Date | 25 Mar 2026 |
| Received Passport | 18 May 2026 |
| Total Processing Time | 54 days |
| Tracking | Only partially |
| Courier Option | Yes – it worked great |
| 📅 Key Updates | |
| 25 Mar 2026 | Application submitted at VFS |
| 18 May 2026 | Passport/UBC received from VFS |
Shared by Candi 17/03/2026
| Application Type | Adult Passport |
| Application Date | 27 Jan 2026 |
| Received Passport | 17 Mar 2026 |
| Total Processing Time | 49 days |
| Tracking | Only partially |
| Courier Option | No – collected in Berlin |
| 📅 Key Updates | |
| 28 Jan 2026 | Application reached Pretoria |
| 09 Mar 2026 | Processed application on its way to Germany |
Shared by Estelle 01/04/2026
| Application Type | Adult Passport |
| Application Date | 30 Dec 2025 |
| Received Passport | 01 Apr 2026 |
| Total Processing Time | 92 days |
| Tracking | Not available. Although we didnt try online tracking we were informed via email to advise that the application was sent for processing (5 Jan 2026) as well as an email stating it was processed in Pretoria (16 Feb) and another email confirming it was enroute to Germany (16 Feb) |
| Courier Option | Yes – worked well |
| 📅 Key Updates | |
| 05 Jan 2026 | Application sent for processing |
| 16 Feb 2026 | Processed in Pretoria |
| 16 Feb 2026 | Application en route to Germany |
Share Your Experience & Help Others
Every application tells a story — the waiting, the surprises, the small victories when things finally move forward. If you’ve gone through the child passport process, your experience could make the road a little smoother for someone else.
We’ve created simple, easy-to-complete forms where you can share your timeline and what the process was really like for you. It doesn’t take long, but it can make a real difference to another South African family trying to find their footing far from home.
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