Temporary SA passports discontinued

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According to News24.com, South Africa’s Department of Home Affairs issued a statement on Thursday, saying that “the temporary passport was initially issued as an interim travel document due to longer turnaround times taken to issue a permanent tourist passport. This turnaround time has improved drastically, rendering the issuance of temporary passports redundant.”

The department went on to say that it had become aware that South Africans travelling abroad and to neighbouring countries were being refused entry if they had temporary passports.

“In this regard, only an emergency travel certificate (ETC) will be issued to an applicant under circumstances of emergency travel purposes… to countries that accept ETCs for purposes of assisting family members in distress, or if a family member is deceased.”