Answer to a question from a reader

What should I do now that the five-year ban in my passport has expired?

The short answer

You may need to update some details on your passport.

The whole question

Dear Athalie

I was banned from South Africa for five years. Now that the five-year ban has expired, what should I do?

The long answer

If the ban was for five years and the five years are now up, there should be no legal reason why your passport should not be accepted. 

Your passport would obviously need to be up to date. If it is not up to date, you would have to apply to renew it from the authorities or embassy of the country that issued the passport.

Visitors from neighbouring African countries are allowed to enter if they have proof of a recent Covid-19 PCR test, and are wearing masks and observing social distancing rules.

If you need further advice and assistance, you could ask one of the following organisations:

Johannesburg: 011 339 1960

           Email: lhr@lhr.org.za

Email: info@lrc.org.za

Johannesburg Office Tel: +27 11 836 9831

Cape Town office: Tel: +27 21 481 3000

Cape Town

Tel: +27 21 465 6433

Cape Town 

Tel: 021 762 0322

Wishing you the best,
Athalie

Answered on March 11, 2021, 11:45 a.m.

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