Persons born outside the Republic of South Africa, where at least one of the parents is a South African citizen at the time of the child’s birth, may avail of South African citizenship by birth registration. Births outside the Republic can be registered with the Department of Home Affairs through the South African Embassy in Seoul. It is also advised that parents contact the nearest Korea Immigration Service to enquire about the visa and residential status of the new-born baby in Korea.

The child and his/her both parents must be physically present to the South African Embassy in Seoul prior to an appointment booking. Biometrics (footprints of the child & fingerprints of the informant) will be taken and affixed by our official that day. The informant shall be one of the child’s biological parents who has the South African citizenship. A passport application for the child can be submitted together with birth registration. Follow the link to read the procedure and requirements for a child passport application: CLICK

Applications submitted to the South African Embassy in Seoul are forwarded to the Department of Home Affairs in Pretoria to process. Once the child’s birth has been registered with the Department, an unabridged birth certificate is issued free of charge and sent to the South African Embassy in Seoul. It takes 6-12 month in general cases.

Appointment bookings are required for all the visitors to the South African Embassy in Seoul. Walk-in services are NOT available.

Civic applications must be submitted in person, by each applicant, to the South African Embassy in Seoul. Firstly, please print out the check-list (DOWNLOAD) and prepare all the requirements accordingly. Applicants are requested to submit the complete application WITH this check-list marked and completed by hand. It is also suggested to read and study the specimen forms ( DHA-24 & DHA-24LRB & DHA-24A & DHA-288 & DHA-288A & DHA-288B & DHA-288C & BI-529) before you visit the Embassy. You will be given these forms in ORIGINAL that day. All the forms must be completed in black ink and block letters at the Embassy.

Incomplete applications will NOT be accepted by our officials. Applicants are responsible for preparing all the required information and documentation as advised on the check-list. Should you have any queries regarding your application or require further assistance and advice on your document(s), please contact us before you lodge the application with us: consular.seoul@dirco.gov.za

If your application is ready to be submitted to the Embassy, please send an e-mail (consular.seoul@dirco.gov.za) for appointment bookings. Write the child’s full names and date of birth, both parents’ full names and contact numbers. We’ll send you a booking confirmation by e-mail. Applicants are required to make an appointment for EACH application. If you are applying for a child passport as well, please let us know.

NP: It takes about two hours to fill in the forms and complete all the applications for a new-born child. We advise to book for the earliest time-slot of the day (9AM) if you need to submit the child’s passport application on the same day. If you are late for more than 15 minutes of your appointment time, it will be automatically cancelled. If you cannot attend your appointment, please cancel it in time, so that it can be reallocated to someone else. If you do not comply with the requirements, you will not be assisted and therefore you will have to book a new appointment.

The average processing time is 6 months, up to 12 months in some cases. Applicants are requested to bear in mind that all the applications are sent to the Department of Home Affairs in Pretoria for processing. The South African Embassy in Seoul is not in the position to expedite the process or follow up on the application(s) submitted to us. Applicants are requested NOT to contact the Embassy unnecessarily for progress on the application. If it takes longer than the estimated timeframe, each applicant may directly contact the Department of Home Affairs’ Contact Centre about his/her application status: http://www.dha.gov.za/index.php/ask-us

Once the child’s birth has been registered, a birth certificate is issued free of charge. The newly issued birth certificates are dispatched from the Department of Home Affairs to our head office in Pretoria, Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO), and then, from DIRCO to the South African Embassy in Seoul by a diplomatic bag. Upon receipt of the document, we notify each applicant by e-mail. Please check the collection date & time in our e-mail message. If you have applied for two or more documents, you will receive separate messages for each document. A civic application is processed individually, and one can take longer than the other to be approved or issued.

Civic applications must be submitted in person, by each applicant, to the South African Embassy in Seoul. Firstly, please print out the check-list (DOWNLOAD ) and prepare all the requirements accordingly. Applicants are requested to submit the complete application WITH this check-list marked and completed by hand. It is also suggested to read and study the specimen forms (DHA-154 & BI-529) before you visit the Embassy. You will be given these forms in ORIGINAL that day. All the forms must be completed in black ink and block letters at the Embassy.

Incomplete applications will NOT be accepted by our officials. Applicants are responsible for preparing all the required information and documentation as advised on the check-list. Should you have any queries regarding your application or require further assistance and advice on your document(s), please contact us before you lodge the application with us: consular.seoul@dirco.gov.za

If your application is ready to be submitted to the Embassy, please send an e-mail (consular.seoul@dirco.gov.za) for appointment bookings. Write your full names, contact number, and type of your application(s). We’ll send you a booking confirmation by e-mail.

NP: If you do not comply with the requirements, you will not be assisted and therefore you will have to book a new appointment. If you are late for more than 15 minutes of your appointment time, it will be automatically cancelled. If you cannot attend your appointment, please cancel it in time, so that it can be reallocated to someone else.

The average processing time is 6 months, up to 12 months in some cases. Applicants are requested to bear in mind that all the applications are sent to the Department of Home Affairs in Pretoria for processing. The South African Embassy in Seoul is not in the position to expedite the process or follow up on the application(s) submitted to us. Applicants are requested NOT to contact the Embassy unnecessarily for progress on the application. If it takes longer than the estimated timeframe, each applicant may directly contact the Department of Home Affairs’ Contact Centre about his/her application status: http://www.dha.gov.za/index.php/ask-us

Newly issued birth certificates are dispatched from the Department of Home Affairs to our head office in Pretoria, Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO), and then, from DIRCO to the South African Embassy in Seoul by a diplomatic bag. Upon eceipt of the document from Pretoria, we notify each applicant by e-mail. Please check the collection date & time in our e-mail message. If you have applied for two or more documents, you will receive separate messages for each document. A civic application is processed individually, and one can take longer than the other to be approved or issued.