United States Diplomatic Mission to South Africa

American Citizen Services

Welcome to American Citizen Services

American Citizen Services (ACS) is part of Consular Services, based at the U.S. Consulates in Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban. Assistance is provided to American citizens residing in or visiting South Africa, including but not limited to Passport services, Consular Reports of Births Abroad, and Notarials. The consulates also assist in emergency situations, including deaths, arrests and crisis situations.

For questions relating to South African laws concerning residence, marriage, etc. please refer to the South African Department of Home Affairs web site.

Closed: All South African consulates are closed for non-emergency services on weekends, U.S. and South African public holidays. The consular section in Johannesburg is closed on the last Friday of each month. The consulate in Cape Town is closed every Friday.

If you are a South African citizen or a third-country national and would like information on applying for a visa, please visit the Visas page.

Contact Information

Cape Town Consulate General

Telephone	(021) 702-7300
Fax	(021) 702-7493
Email	consularcapetown@state.gov
Street address	2 Reddam Ave, Westlake 7945
Postal address	PostNet Suite 50, Private Bag x26, Tokai 7966
Business hours	Visitors: Mon-Thu 8:30-12:30 Telephonic queries at (021) 421-4351: Mon-Thu 9:00-12:00 and 14:00-16:00 After Hours Emergency Assistance: (021) 421-4280

Durban Consulate General

Telephone	(031) 305-7600
Fax	(031) 305-7691
Email	consulardurban@state.gov
Street address	Old Mutual Building, 31st floor, 303 West Street, Durban, 4001
Postal address	as above
Business hours	All Services: Mon-Fri: 08:30-12:30; 14:00-16:30 After Hours Emergency Assistance: (031) 305-7600

Johannesburg Consulate General

Telephone	(011) 644-8000
Fax	(011) 646-6916
Email	consularjohannesburg@state.gov
Street address	1 River St, Killarney (Opp. Killarney Mall)
Postal address	PO Box 1762, Houghton, 2041
Business hours	Mon-Fri: 13:00-16:00 (closed last Friday of the month) After Hours Emergency Assistance: (011) 644-8000

Fees

A fee change took effect February 1, 2008. Pls refer to the Bureau of Consular Affairs website for the revised fees.

Notarial Services

Documents used for legal purposes in the United States may require notarization by a U.S. consular official.

The individual who needs to sign the document must appear in person at a consular office, present proper identification (a valid passport, other official photo ID) and pay the appropriate fee. If witnesses are required, you must bring your own. Do not sign the document until requested to do so by the Consular Officer. Depending on the nature of the document, the Consular Officer will either "take an acknowledgment" that your signature was done freely and with an understanding of the document's contents or "administer an oath" whereby you swear or affirm the contents of a document are true.

Note: Consular Officers do not certify that the contents of submitted documents are true. The officer only certifies that you have made an oath or affirmation that they are. As a general rule, the Consular Officer only certifies true copies of documents issued by the US Department of State.

There is a $30 fee for each new document, $20 for additional copies of the same document. Fees must be paid in US $ or SA Rands cash at the time the service is provided.

Report of a Birth Abroad

As U.S. citizen parent(s), you should report your child's birth abroad as soon as possible to the U.S. Consulate to establish an official record of the child's claim to U.S. citizenship at birth. A Consular Report of Birth Abroad (Form FS-240) is official evidence of U.S. citizenship issued to a child under age 18 who was born abroad to United States citizen parent(s) and acquired citizenship at birth. Because a child's foreign birth certificate is insufficient to prove U.S. citizenship, the Consular Report of Birth Abroad is primary evidence to show how and when a child acquires U.S. citizenship. The CRBA, which will function as a U.S. birth certificate, can be used for school registration, passport and identity document applications, citizenship benefits, etc. An original of this document will be given to you at the time registration is approved.

To receive this document, the child’s parent(s) will need to complete an "Application for Consular Report of Birth Abroad", form DS-2029. Application for Consular Report of Birth Abroad must be made before the child's 18th birthday. We encourage parents to document their child's citizenship as soon as possible after the birth. Delay in doing so could cause inconvenience and possibly deprive your child of this valuable document.

I Have Adopted a Child in South Africa. Should I Apply for a CRBA?

A child's derivative claim to U.S. citizenship depends on the existence of a legal and blood relationship between the child and U.S. citizen parent(s). Therefore, adopted children do not acquire citizenship automatically upon adoption. However, adopted children, or some children born abroad to U.S. citizen parent who were found to have no derivative claim to citizenship, may be eligible for citizenship through naturalization under the Child Citizenship Act of 2000.

How Do I Register My Child’s Birth?

To register the birth of a U.S. child in South Africa, please call American Citizen Services at the Consulate in the consular district of South Africa in which your child was born. Both parents of the child whose birth is being registered must appear in person with the child at the Consulate.  You will need the following documents to report the birth:

• Completed application form: form DS-2029.

• Original South African Unabridged Birth Certificate bearing the child’s full name

• Both parents' passports and U.S. Certificate(s) of Naturalization (if applicable)

• Original or certified copies of all final Civil Divorce Decree(s) or Death certificate of spouse (if applicable).

• If only one parent is an American citizen, evidence of the U.S. citizen parent’s physical presence in the United States. This evidence may include, but is not limited to, elementary, middle, high school, college, university and/or graduate school transcripts, military or other government service records, employment verification letters, etc. 
• Additional documentation if required by the Consular Officer.

Passports

The Consular sections in Johannesburg, Cape Town, and Durban all process United States passport applications. Currently the processing time for most passports is two to three weeks.

The Department of State has amended the rule requiring the consent of both parents to obtain a passport for a minor child. In the past, when only one parent has appeared at the Consulate to apply for a minor's passport, a written statement of consent from the other parent was required. With effect from November 1, 2004, the Department requires that such statements of consent be notarized. The statement must give the non-appearing parent's unequivocal and unconditional consent to the issuance of the passport, and must be notarized before foreign notaries or local officials authorized to take acknowledgments and witness signatures. Applicants under 16 years of age must appear in person at the Consulate.

For the required forms you may click on the links provided, obtain them from the consulates, or visit http://travel.state.gov/passport/forms/forms_847.html.

Applying for a U.S. Passport

A passport fee change took effect February 1, 2008. Pls refer to the Bureau of Consular Affairs website for the revised fees.

American Citizen Registration

If you are visiting or residing in South Africa, please register your presence. Registration makes your presence and whereabouts known, in case it is necessary for a consular officer to contact you in an emergency. During a disaster overseas, American consular officers can assist in evacuation were that to become necessary.

We cannot assist you if we do not know where you are.

Online Registration:

The State Department (DOS) recently launched an online travel registration website. It allows U.S. citizens to record foreign trip and residence information that DOS can use to communicate with and assist citizens in an emergency.

U.S. citizens who travel or reside abroad can also access this site. We invite you to register yourself and your family and become acquainted with travel registration. If you are already registered with this Embassy/Consulate, please re-register online to update your records. Registration is particularly important for those who plan to stay in a country longer than one month

The new online travel registration service for U.S. citizens allows you to register and update your own records, making it easier for you to keep your information current. This also includes your travel itineraries.

The data you provide is completely secure, and is held behind DOS firewalls, accessed only by cleared personnel in Embassies, Consulates, and DOS, and releasable only under provisions of the Privacy Act.

Federal Benefits

Social Security Administration

The Social Security Administration website contains information about benefits, payments and international services, i.e. for U.S. citizens who are residing outside of the U.S.

Department of Veterans Affairs

The Department of Veterans Affairs website offers the Federal Benefits Manual for Veterans and Dependants (1997), details of benefits available, and downloadable benefits forms.

Social Security claims for South Africa are handled by the Regional Social Security Office in Frankfurt, Germany, therefore we are limited in the information we can provide regarding Social Security.

Social Security Regional District Office for the Southern Africa Region:

Federal Benefits Unit
American Consulate General
Siesmayerstr 21
60323 Frankfurt AM Main
Germany
Phone: 49-69-7535-2496
Fax: 49-69-749-352

If you would like to apply for retirement, survivors or disability benefits we can provide you with a questionnaire, which you need to complete and forward to the Regional Social Security Office in Frankfurt, Germany.

To receive this information packet call the nearest US Consulate.

Applications for Social Security Numbers may be made at one of the consulates. Your application and supporting documents are forwarded to the Social Security Administration who assign a number. The Social Security Number will be mailed directly to you, though the process takes several months.

Beginning June 1, 2002, before a Social Security number is issued, Social Security will contact the office that issued your birth record to make sure the record you provide is valid.

The Social Security Administration publication Protecting Social Security Numbers (pdf) details the changes in the way Social Security Numbers and cards are issued.

Questions about the change are answered in Social Security Administration (SSA) Protects Social Security Numbers (pdf) publication.

Information about Windfall Elimination Provision can be found in the following publication: There's Something About Social Security Benefits (pdf).

If you have not received your Social Security Number within 6 months, please contact the Social Security Regional Office in Frankfurt, Germany, Phone: 49-69-7535-2496

IF YOU ARE 18 YEARS OR OLDER AND APPLYING FOR A SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER FOR THE FIRST TIME, YOU WILL NEED TO APPEAR IN PERSON, EITHER AT A U.S. CONSULAR OFFICE ABROAD OR AT A SOCIAL SECURITY OFFICE IN THE U.S.

 

Filing Taxes in the U.S.

Internal Revenue Service

The Internal Revenue Service, Philadelphia Service Center, provides taxpayer assistance for this region. The Service Center can provide tax forms and publications, can help you with account problems and can assist with the preparation of current and prior year tax returns. You can reach the office at the following address:

Internal Revenue Service
11601 Roosevelt Blvd.
Philadelphia, PA 19154
Ph: (215) 516-2000
Fax: (215) 516-2555

Hours of operation are from 6am-2am Eastern Standard Time. The Philadelphia Service Center services all overseas filers, including military personnel stationed abroad.

If you require forms only, please contact the Consular Section in Johannesburg, Cape Town or Durban or visit U.S. Internal Revenue Service.

For information about tax issues in South Africa, please visit SARS South African Revenue Service)

Information on filing state taxes is available on the internet state by state. The consulates do not have any information or forms for individual states.

 

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

When am I required to file my tax return?

U.S. Citizens	15 April
U.S. Citizens living overseas*	15 June
Non-resident Aliens with U.S. wage income	15 April
Non-resident Aliens with no U.S. wage income**	15 June

* (Please attach form 4868 to your tax return explaining your residence outside of the U.S.)

** (additional extensions are available by filing form 4868 for extensions)

I am a U.S. Citizen living overseas, do I need to file a U.S. tax return?

Yes, most U.S. Citizens must report their worldwide income on their U.S. tax return (minimum income levels apply as determined by filing status). This also applies to those people who are self-employed and earn a net-profit of US$400 or more as they are subject to social security and medical taxes. In many instances, you will qualify to claim an exclusion of up to US$70,000 for your foreign earned income; however, you must file a return to claim the exclusion. You also may be entitled to a credit for taxes paid to a foreign government, but you must file a return to claim this credit.

What if I haven't filed tax returns recently?

You are required to file a tax return for any year that your income exceeds minimum filing levels. Contact the IRS to bring your accounts up to date. If you owe back taxes and are unable to pay in full, the IRS offers installment payment arrangements and considers offers-in-compromise to satisfy a tax liability. Taxpayers who come forward, make a true voluntary disclosure, and file an accurate return, will not be prosecuted. For more information or filing assistance, please contact the IRS Philadelphia Service Center.

Voter Registration

Voting Information

U.S. Law authorizes qualified citizens residing abroad to register and vote by absentee ballot in their state of last residence. Voting Officers at U.S. Embassies and Consulates provide information on the voting processes and will help you with complying with your home state's laws. Americans do not actually vote at Embassies and Consulates. The electoral process is administered by the states, and you vote by mailing an absentee ballot to your home state.

How to Obtain Voting Information

For official information for voting overseas, the Voting Assistance Guide is available at Embassies and Consulates. It has instructions on filling out the federal forms, gives suggestions on how to determine the state in which you should vote, and summarizes state regulations on how to register and request ballots.

For information on voting overseas visit: http://www.fvap.gov.

How to Register and Get A Ballot

Acceptance or denial of voting applications is up to state officials (state voting laws differ). Depending on your state, you may register permanently, register temporarily, or apply for an absentee ballot by waiving registration. You may do any of these with a Federal Post Card Application (FPCA) available from your embassy/consulate.

The FPCA and your completed ballot can be mailed postage free from embassies and consulates using APO/FPO (military) mail facilities or the diplomatic pouch. However international airmail often is faster, but must be used at your own expense. You may want to consider it if you are mailing material shortly before your state's filing or election deadline. If you make a timely application for an absentee ballot for a general federal election, but do not receive it in time, you may use the Federal Write-in Absentee Ballot (FWAB), available from the Embassy/Consulate voting officer. It is only good for federal and not individual state offices. The FWAB can be mailed by the same methods as the FPCA, but must show an overseas return address.

Other Voting Services

The Consulates voting officers will post notices of upcoming elections, notarize ballot materials, and perform similar voting-related duties. Note: The Consulates voting officers do not provide information on candidates and issues. It is the voters responsibility to keep informed through U.S. media, relatives in the U.S., and overseas political party organizations. For further information you may contact:

Republicans Abroad, 310 First Street, S.E., Washington, D.C.20003.

Democrats Abroad, Democratic National Committee, 430 South Capitol St, S.E., Washington, D.C. 20003.

FBI Clearance Request

U.S. citizens (& former residents of the U.S.) who are applying for South African residency should write directly to:

FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION
ATTN: IDENTIFICATION DIVISION
1000 CUSTER HOLLOW ROAD
CLARKSBURGH, WEST VIRGINIA 26306
USA
Phone: 304-625-2703

Requirements:

• Letter of request to the address above
• Certified check or money order of U.S.$ 18.00 made out to the Treasury of the United States
• A photocopy of some form of identification, i.e. Passport, Driver's License, or Birth Certificate
• Set of rolled fingerprints on a fingerprint card - U.S. citizens can request a fingerprint card from American Citizen Services at the U.S. Consulates in Johannesburg, Cape Town, or Durban.
• Non-U.S. citizens can use the standard fingerprint card FD-258. Contact your local law enforcement agencies (i.e. SAPS) to arrange for your fingerprints to be taken by that agency.
• Processing time for an FBI clearance is 60 days minimum.

For further information please see: FBI Indentification Record Request.

Information for Travelers

U.S. CITIZENS TRAVELLING IN SOUTH AFRICA — DO NOT LEAVE PASSPORTS, OR OTHER VALUABLES UNATTENDED IN MOTOR VEHICLES. A VERY HIGH PERCENT OF STOLEN U.S. PASSPORTS ARE FROM UNATTENDED VEHICLES, ESPECIALLY IN TOURIST AREAS. YOUR UNITED STATES PASSPORT IS YOUR MOST VALUABLE DOCUMENT *** KEEP IT SAFE! ***

Arriving in South Africa: To enter the country, South African law requires that you have at least two blank pages in your passport. Without the blank pages, you will not be permitted to go through immigration and will be forced to leave on the next available flight.

For up to date information on traveling overseas go to http://travel.state.gov or see the following links to U.S. State Department web sites.

Travel warnings: Travel Warnings are issued when the State Department decides, based on all relevant information, to recommend that Americans avoid travel to a certain country. Countries where avoidance of travel is recommended will have Travel Warnings as well as Consular Information Sheets. You may also want to review Background Notes for a specific country.

Public Announcements: Public Announcements are a means to disseminate information about terrorist threats and other relatively short-term and/or trans-national conditions posing significant risks to the security of American travelers. They (PAs) are made when there is a specific threat that cannot be countered. In the past, Public Announcements have been issued to deal with short-term coups, violence by terrorists and anniversary dates of specific terrorist events.

Consular Information sheets: Consular Information Sheets are issued by the State Department for every country of the world with information on such matters as the health conditions, crime, unusual currency or entry requirements, any areas of instability, and the location of the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate in the subject country.

List of Local Physicians: The linked list [pdf format] includes the names and locations of physicians of various specialties within the Johannesburg area. The Consulate assumes no responsibility for the professional ability or integrity of the persons or firms whose names appear on the list.

Warden Message

PREPAREDNESS OF AMERICAN CITIZENS LIVING ABROAD

Among the highest priorities of the Department of State and our missions abroad is the safety and security of locally- resident Americans overseas. In the past year the Department has intervened to assist in the evacuation of Americans from half a dozen countries throughout the world, as a result of serious political or economic unrest, natural disasters, and terrorist attacks.

Hundreds of expatriate Americans each year are forced by personal emergencies (e.g. death or illness in the family) to return to the U.S. on short notice. Evacuations, especially under crisis conditions, are inevitably very disruptive and distressing for those involved. The State Department routinely provides standard advice to its employees on prudent steps to take to ensure they would be prepared in the event of such an evacuation.

This and other advice on crisis preparedness is available on the State Department's Travel website, and we are summarizing the principal points below. The Embassy commends these elementary steps to you for your careful consideration:

• Assemble all vital documents such as passports, birth and marriage records, vaccination, insurance and bank records in one readily accessible location;
• Check to be sure that your passport and any necessary visas are valid and that you are registered at the Embassy/Consulate with your current address and phone number. If you need to obtain a new passport or to update your registration, please do so at the nearest U.S. Consulate. Visa processing can take several weeks. Immediate family members should keep their U.S. visas current, and apply for visas with as much time in advance of planned travel as possible.
• Make or update as necessary a complete inventory of your household effects, in duplicate.
• Maintain an adequate supply of food, water, and necessary medications in your home. Make sure your car is in good working order. Keep the gas tank full and check oil, coolant, tires, and battery.

We do not want American citizens to become unduly alarmed. These are precautionary measures only. Given the potential for acts of violence, terrorism, or anti-American demonstrations, we believe it is important for all citizens to maintain readiness for all possibilities in case of an emergency. We will promptly inform you of any significant developments and advise you accordingly.

The Department of State encourages all American citizens residing abroad to register their presence and obtain up-to-date information on security conditions at the nearest American Embassy or Consulates.

Embassy in Pretoria:

United States Embassy
PO Box 9536, Pretoria 0001
877 Pretorius St, Pretoria
Tel: (27-12) 431-4000 x4020
Fax: (27-12) 342-2299

No FEAR Act

Rights and protections available under Federal antidiscrimination and whistleblower protection laws

On May 15, 2002, Congress enacted the "Notification and Federal Employee Antidiscrimination and Retaliation Act of 2002," which is now known as the No FEAR Act. One purpose of the Act is to "require that Federal agencies be accountable for violations of antidiscrimination and whistleblower protection laws." Public Law 107-174, Summary. In support of this purpose, Congress found that "agencies cannot be run effectively if those agencies practice or tolerate discrimination." Public Law 107-174, Title I, General Provisions, section 101(1).

The Act also requires this agency to provide this notice to Federal employees, former Federal employees and applicants for Federal employment to inform you of the rights and protections available to you under Federal antidiscrimination and whistleblower protection laws.

Information and guidance on the Act is available from the Office of Civil Rights.