06/08/2025
Border Management Authority debunks false claims about new passport law
News 24 – 05 August 2025
• Circulating messages suggesting mandatory use of South African passports from May 2025, with penalties for non-compliance, have been denounced as false by the BMA.
• Dr Michael Masiapato confirmed that South Africans are still governed by the South African Citizenship Act, 1995, which requires valid South African passports for travel but makes provisions for emergencies.
• Citizens are encouraged to verify any travel-related information through official government platforms rather than acting on misleading viral messages.
The Border Management Authority (BMA) has dismissed widespread messages claiming new passport requirements for South African-born citizens as entirely inaccurate.
The circulating messages claim that, from May 2025, all people born in South Africa have been required to enter and exit the country solely using a South African passport.
The message further alleges that failure to comply would result in fines, arrests, or criminal records.
BMA commissioner Dr Michael Masiapato has labelled the message as false and misleading, stating that no such laws have been implemented.
“The existing legal position remains unchanged and continues to be governed by the South African Citizenship Act, 1995 (as amended), which outlines that South African citizens are expected to enter and depart South Africa using their valid South African passport, even if they hold dual citizenship,” he said.
“In the event that a South African citizen’s passport expired whilst they were abroad, they are advised to approach the nearest South African embassy to apply for and obtain an emergency travel certificate (ETC).”
Masiapato also clarified that in the event they are unable to obtain an ETC, citizens would not be refused entry into the country, provided they have a form of South African identity in their possession at the time.
He said:
However, there is no new enforcement directive on solely using a South African passport, fine structure, or arrest policy introduced in 2025 as claimed in the false message.
He urged the public to verify all travel and immigration-related information through official government platforms, such as the Department of Home Affairs and the BMA, before acting on viral messages or unverified sources.
He further encouraged South Africans abroad and travellers to South Africa to remain calm, ignore “sensationalised messages, and rely solely on official communication for accurate updates.”
Such verification can be done on the BMA or Department of Home Affairs websites.
Border Management Authority debunks false claims about new passport law
News 24 – 05 August 2025
• Circulating messages suggesting mandatory use of South African passports from May 2025, with penalties for non-compliance, have been denounced as false by the BMA.
• Dr Michael Masiapato confirmed that South Africans are still governed by the South African Citizenship Act, 1995, which requires valid South African passports for travel but makes provisions for emergencies.
• Citizens are encouraged to verify any travel-related information through official government platforms rather than acting on misleading viral messages.
The Border Management Authority (BMA) has dismissed widespread messages claiming new passport requirements for South African-born citizens as entirely inaccurate.
The circulating messages claim that, from May 2025, all people born in South Africa have been required to enter and exit the country solely using a South African passport.
The message further alleges that failure to comply would result in fines, arrests, or criminal records.
BMA commissioner Dr Michael Masiapato has labelled the message as false and misleading, stating that no such laws have been implemented.
“The existing legal position remains unchanged and continues to be governed by the South African Citizenship Act, 1995 (as amended), which outlines that South African citizens are expected to enter and depart South Africa using their valid South African passport, even if they hold dual citizenship,” he said.
“In the event that a South African citizen’s passport expired whilst they were abroad, they are advised to approach the nearest South African embassy to apply for and obtain an emergency travel certificate (ETC).”
Masiapato also clarified that in the event they are unable to obtain an ETC, citizens would not be refused entry into the country, provided they have a form of South African identity in their possession at the time.
He said:
However, there is no new enforcement directive on solely using a South African passport, fine structure, or arrest policy introduced in 2025 as claimed in the false message.
He urged the public to verify all travel and immigration-related information through official government platforms, such as the Department of Home Affairs and the BMA, before acting on viral messages or unverified sources.
He further encouraged South Africans abroad and travellers to South Africa to remain calm, ignore “sensationalised messages, and rely solely on official communication for accurate updates.”
Such verification can be done on the BMA or Department of Home Affairs websites.
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