The Department of Home Affairs will be launching a pilot project to ease the passport renewal process for South African nationals living in the United Kingdom (UK).

The pilot, to be unveiled today, will cover the cities of London, Edinburgh and Manchester.

Home Affairs Minister, Dr Aaron Motsoaledi, said that to deliver this service, the department is extending its partnership with VFS Global to implement the pilot in the UK.

“VFS Global will receive applications for passport reissues at its new centres in the three cities. South African nationals will be able to visit the VFS Global centres to renew their South African passports.

“This is part of the effort to introduce innovative and effective methods of improving service delivery, as the new passport service will accelerate the processing of applications and delivery of completed products to clients in the UK,” Motsoaledi said in a statement.

The service includes the renewal of passport application processing for adults and minors.

The South African diaspora in the United Kingdom can lodge applications at three convenient locations run by VFS Global. The centre in London is located at 66 Wilson Street, London, EC2A 2BT; in Edingburgh at 1 Rennie’s Isle, Leith, Edinburgh EH6 6QT, and in Manchester at 50 Devonshire Street North, Manchester, M12 6JH.

Key benefits for applicants:

• Operating times in London, Edingburgh and Manchester (8:30am to 4pm);

• Dedicated courier service for processed passports;

• Dedicated email for applicant queries;

• Quicker turnaround time for passport renewal;

• Passport photo service also available in London, Edinburgh and Manchester, and

• Application tracking facility with SMS service.

Motsoaledi also noted that 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 SA’s embassy in London,” Motsoaledi said.

VFS Global Regional Group Chief Operating Officer, Jiten Vyas, acknowledged the Department of Home Affairs in South Africa for its continued faith in the organisation.

“Our passport and consular services have been growing from strength to strength, and we look forward to bringing those best-in-class services to South African nationals here in the United Kingdom with the opening of these three new centres,” Vyas said.

Source: South African Government News Agency