On Monday 13 June, VFS Global launched a pilot project at their head office in the City of London to ease the passport renewal process for South African nationals living in the UK. The ceremony took place in the presence of South African High Commissioner Her Excellency Nomatemba Tambo and the Deputy Director General from the South African government’s Department of Home Affairs, Thulani Mavuso.

To deliver this service, the Home Affairs Department is extending its already existing partnership with VFS Global to implement the pilot in the UK. The South African diaspora in the UK can now lodge applications at three convenient locations run by VFS Global: London, Edinburgh and Manchester. South African nationals will be able to visit these VFS Global centres to renew their South African passports. VFS Global has been serving the Republic of South Africa worldwide since 2010 through a network of 45 visa application centres in 18 countries.

As well as a more efficient application and delivery process, key benefits for applicants include a courier service for processed passports, quicker turnaround time for passport renewal and application tracking facility with SMS service.

“The new passport service will advance the department’s movement from manual, paper-based processes to digital systems, for smart, faster and reliable services. With this system in place our citizens in the UK will no longer wait for extended periods when renewing their passports. This will also ease space constraints at South Africa’s embassy in London,” said the Minister of Home Affairs, Dr Aaron Motsoaledi.

Jiten Vyas, Regional Group Chief Operating Officer for VFS Global, said, “We would like to thank the Department of Home Affairs in the Republic of South Africa for its continued faith in us.  Our focus and commitment will be to provide world class service to the South African diaspora in UK and possibly soon in other countries to ease the passport renewal process for South African nationals.”

VFS Global provides passport and consular services for 15 client governments in 34 countries, operating 182 centres worldwide. www.vfsglobal.com