Citizen (or civic) services refer to the services provided to South African citizens by the Department of Home Affairs.

South African citizens / applicants who are currently residing in the Federal Republic of Germany and have received an appointment from the Consular Section of the Embassy of the Republic of South Africa in Berlin or the Consulate-General in Munich, kindly see Civic_business_hours

South African Minister of Home Affairs (DHA), Dr Leon Schreiber, opened a VFS service centre on 23 October 2025 in Berlin as part of the DHA's global expansion to improve services for South African citizens abroad. New appointments for passport applications and registration of children born in Germany, can be made at https://services.vfsglobal.com/.../zap/book-an-appointment  More information and updates are available on the official VFS South Africa DHA portal at https://services.vfsglobal.com/deu/en/zap 

PASSPORTS

• Tourist passport: Persons 16 years and older
• Tourist maxi passport: Persons 16 years and older
• Tourist passport: Persons under 16 years

CITIZENSHIP

• Acquisition of South African citizenship
• Loss of South African citizenship
• Retention of South African citizenship
• Exemption from the loss of South African citizenship
• Determination of South African citizenship
• Renunciation of South African citizenship
• Resumption of South African citizenship
• Notice to South Africans who have dual citizenship

IDENTITY DOCUMENT

• Identity document

CHILD & FAMILY MATTERS

• Registration of a child born in Germany
• Late birth registration
• Registration of a marriage solemnised in Germany
• Registration of a divorce decreed by a court in Germany
• Registration of the death of a SA citizen in Germany

CERTIFICATES

• Birth certificate
• Marriage certificate
• Death certificate
• Confirmation of marital status

AMENDMENTS

• Assumption of surname of an adult
• Alteration of a surname of a child
• Alteration of forename
• Alteration of date of birth
• Insertion of father’s particulars on the child’s birth register

EMERGENCY SERVICES

• Emergency passport

ADDITIONAL / CONSULAR SERVICES

• Apostille
• Commissioner of Oaths
• Death of a SA citizen in Germany
• Applying for a South African police clearance certificate
• Recording an adoption
• Rectification of incorrect information as a result of a departmental error
• Getting married in South Africa

HELPFUL LINKS

• Travelling with children to South Africa
• Travel advice to SA citizens travelling abroad
• Customs and importation
• VAT refund applications
• South African driving licence
• Advance fee fraud and lottery scams

APPLICATION FEES & PROCESSING TIMES

• Civic services application fees
• Civic services processing times