Department of Home Affairs Port Elizabeth

It was quick to get in the gate, the early morning breeze was cool to skin... Bring a jacket. 3 different officials told me where to sit outside but upon getting inside all sense of reason dissapeared. I suggest a good sense of humour to make the time move faster... Believe me you'll need it and also before I forget a cushion for the these cheese graters they call chairs. Pray the system doesn't crash for me!

Things run smoothly - from outside queues to inside. Staff are efficient enough, just epically understaffed. Spent over 6 hours to get a smart ID including photos, application and payment. Seems you'll save about and two to three hours if you apply online too bad I couldn't submit my application online due to a site error. Not too terrible. CT HOME Affairs is more chaotic. Just bring something quiet to do or be prepared to count tiles, and lights and shoes and, and and...

4 days of trying the online passport application/booking system but failed to make a booking at a bank - system error. Went to this DHA to try to sort out. Queued for 3 hours, took photos/fingerprints, but system went down. Returned the next day only to be told to restart from scratch - photos etc had been lost. Queued for 4 hours so far, still waiting. Probably have to waste another day for collection.

Went in to apply for my ID card today. Highly recommended that you complete the online application first. Take a printout of the confirmation and it allows you to join the 2nd queue inside and not the one out the door and around the corner. Unfortunately they experienced an offline problem today resulting in me taking 3 hours 8am till 11am to get this done. Staff were friendly, unfortunately they can't do much about an offline/slow system. Ticketing system works quite well although their 2nd screen showing the number called wasn't working and not all the numbers called were displayed on the only working screen.

Did my passport application online before going in and booked an appointment. Went in expecting none of this to matter standard what you're used to - spending hours in queues etc etc. However, when arriving and explaining I had an appointment, I was sent straight through and given a ticket number behind existing appointment holders who hadn't shown up and was all done and dusted in less than 15min. Stark contrast to my attempt at doing this "the old way" at another office - staff at the PE branch were friendly, process was easy and they deserve recognition for this. If all home affairs were this smooth we'd have more time to complain about the potholes and Eskom!

Always make sure you book your appointment online with the branch booking system. Once you schedule your appointment you arrive there and they will let you go to the reception desk - all appointments are on their system for that day, hence your name will be there. They give you your ticket and you get it done within 20min. As far as I know you can only book for your ID and passport applications. You can also submit your applications via “ehomeaffairs” online.

Well, what more could be said about the organised chaos at home affairs, no control, no one informing where to go on arrival. Typical of our state run entities. Did my application at absa, only for my new card to be sent to home affairs, what a schlep, arrived at 9.15 sat outside with at least 200 other clients all unaware of non existant procedures that are supposed to be in place. This is 21st century with embarrassing typical South African 3rd world organising. Were we all actually expecting anything less.? Viva home affairs Viva.

Great service booked an appointment online was immediately attended to did not even spend more than an hour. Just did not know they don’t take cash always bring your bank card.

They can organize for people to get seated in the correct place quite quickly...it's not such a disorganized mess

Absolutely horrible. In at 07h00 and system down by 2-3pm had to leave and askd to come back tomorrow. Went out afterwards for dinner wit family and waitress rekated exactly same experience last week. Everyone relates story of system down after lunch. Obvioulsy seems they dont want to work after lunch. Hiboh! We arr not idiots