Home Affairs services offered during lockdown level 3

You can now get married, but only by appointment and with two witnesses present, and in the offices of the Department of Home Affairs. No crowds and no parties.  These were some of the regulations that would apply in lockdown level three, as earlier announced by the Home Affairs Minister, Aaron Motsoaledi.

Fifty people will still be allowed to gather for a funeral, but no night vigils or gatherings will be permitted afterwards. Permits to cross provincial or metropolitan areas or district boundaries will be issued for attending funerals and may be obtained at police stations and magistrate’s offices. Only certain people are allowed to attend funerals crossing provincial borders or in other districts or metropolitan areas: Spouses or partners, children and grandchildren, adopted, foster or stepchildren, children-in-law, parents of the deceased, siblings and grandparents.

Two family members who have permits, may accompany the remains of the deceased when being taken across provincial, metropolitan or district borders, provided the death was not Covid-19 related. The timeframe allowed for returning from attending a funeral in another province for instance, is 72 hours. Should a funeral need to be held within 24 hours due to religious or customary requirements, a sworn affidavit instead of a permit will suffice. A death certificates or a certified copy must be produced to obtain a permit.

Motsoaledi earlier announced that ‘essential travel’ for South Africans who want to return to countries where they are based will be allowed under level three. In a statement last Saturday, Motsoaledi said that the approval was made following consultations with the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (Dirco) and the National Coronavirus Command Council.

Motsoaledi said that South Africans who wish to leave the country are permitted to depart only for the following reasons:

٠Work;

٠Study;

٠Family reunion;

٠Take up permanent residency;

٠To receive medical attention.

Travel between countries is allowed in special circumstances.

South Africans wishing to return to the countries where they reside should have the following:

٠  A copy of their valid South African passport;

٠ A letter confirming their admissibility under the current circumstances from the embassy or other diplomatic/consular representative of the country they want to travel to;

٠  If returning by road or connecting via flights, the proof submitted needs to include permission from each transiting country;

٠  Proof of means of travel such as air or bus tickets and the intended date of departure;

٠ South Africans who fall in these categories and satisfy the criteria can send an email to covid19travel@dha.gov.za.

An email will be sent to travellers who meet the criteria to enable them to proceed with their travel arrangements. People applying as a group can send one email with the supporting documents for each member of the group.  Few exceptions will be allowed for the return of other people to their country of origin, such as tourists, as no provision has been made for their return as per decisions of the National Covid-19 Command Council or Cabinet. Permit holders who are not South African nationals will also not be allowed to come back to work here if they are stranded somewhere else. To find out more, phone 0800 60 11 90 for enquiries.

During level three, Home Affairs will also offer the following essential services:  the registration of births, reissue of birth certificates, late registration of birth (by appointment), marriage services, death certificates, issuing of temporary IDs, collection of IDs applied for prior to the lockdown, and the issuing of passports only for people involved in the cross border transportation of essential goods and medicines.

Asylum and refugee services will remain closed. All asylum seeker permits lawfully issued which have expired or are to expire during the period of the national state of disaster are deemed to have been extended up to and including 31 July 2020.

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