Germany

South African Embassy in Berlin

Complete guide to the South African Embassy in Berlin, Germany. Passport renewal, Smart ID, citizenship, birth registration, and consular assistance for South Africans in Germany. Also covers the Munich honorary consulate.

Contact Information

Embassy Address

Tiergartenstrasse 18
10785 Berlin, Germany
Postal: Postfach 080461, 10004 Berlin

Phone & Email

Phone: +49 30 22073 0
Fax: +49 30 22073 190
Consular: berlin.consular@dirco.gov.za
Political: berlin.political@dirco.gov.za
Admin: berlin.admin@dirco.gov.za
After-hours: +27 12 351 1000

Opening Hours

General: Mon-Fri 08:00-16:30
Visa section: Tue & Thu 09:00-11:00
Consular: By appointment
Closed on German & SA public holidays

Head of Mission

Minister Plenipotentiary: A Oosthuizen
(Ambassador post currently vacant as of early 2026)
Website: suedafrika.org

Services Available

Passport Services

  • Passport renewals (directly at Embassy)
  • New/first passport applications
  • Child passport applications
  • Emergency Travel Certificates (BI-123)
  • Maxi Tourist Passport (48 pages)

Identity Documents

  • Smart ID card applications (Live Capture available)
  • ID book replacements
  • Temporary Identity Certificates

Civil Registration

  • Birth registration (SA citizenship by descent)
  • Marriage registration
  • Death registration
  • Unabridged birth certificates

Visa & Citizenship

  • Visa applications (Tue & Thu 09:00-11:00)
  • Citizenship by descent & retention
  • Notarial services & document authentication
  • Police clearance fingerprinting

Passport Renewal in Germany

Passport applications in Germany are handled directly at the Embassy in Berlin. There is no VFS Global service in Germany.

Step-by-Step: Renewing Your SA Passport in Germany

  1. Book an appointment by emailing berlin.consular@dirco.gov.za or calling +49 30 22073 0
  2. Gather documents: current passport, South African ID, completed application form
  3. Attend the Embassy at Tiergartenstrasse 18, Berlin for biometric capture
  4. Pay the fee: R1,200 (standard 32-page) or R2,400 (maxi 48-page) — in EUR equivalent
  5. Wait for processing: approximately 6-8 weeks (forwarded to DHA Pretoria)
  6. Collect passport from the Embassy

Standard 32-page

R1,200

~6-8 weeks

Maxi 48-page

R2,400

~6-8 weeks

Emergency Travel Cert

R140

1-2 working days

Booking Appointments

Consular services require appointments.

South Africans in Germany

Germany is home to a growing community of South Africans, concentrated in Berlin, Frankfurt, Munich, Hamburg, and Cologne. The Embassy in Berlin is the only full South African diplomatic mission in Germany. South Africans in southern Germany may also find the Munich honorary consulate useful for basic assistance.

Frequently Asked Questions

Email berlin.consular@dirco.gov.za to book an appointment at the Embassy, Tiergartenstrasse 18, 10785 Berlin. Bring your current passport and SA ID. The fee is R1,200 (standard) or R2,400 (maxi), paid in EUR. Processing takes 6-8 weeks. Germany does not use VFS Global.

Tiergartenstrasse 18, 10785 Berlin, in the Tiergarten diplomatic quarter. The nearest S-Bahn/U-Bahn station is Potsdamer Platz or Kurfurstenstrasse.

Yes, the Berlin Embassy has DHA Live Capture equipment. Contact berlin.consular@dirco.gov.za to book. Processing takes 6-12 weeks. First Smart ID is free; re-issues cost R140.

Visa applications are accepted on Tuesday and Thursday between 09:00 and 11:00 only. Note that German citizens do not require a visa for short visits to South Africa (up to 90 days).

Book an appointment at the Embassy. Bring the original German birth certificate (Geburtsurkunde), both parents' SA IDs/passports, marriage certificate, and completed DHA-24 form. Processing takes approximately 4 months.

Germany Services

Official Links