Passport Expiry

[Kwagga 0]

The consulate has told me my passport needs to be valid for 6 months after the date of visa issue.

If all goes well, Im hoping to have my visa by August the latest. My passport expires in 11/2010. Would there be a need to renew my passport for any reason?

From what I gather, my life will be stamped and stuck in my passport.

So do I renew now before my visa is issued or will it be fine as is.

Am I just having a 'special stress moment' here?

[payxibka 10,045]

other than it is probably easier to renew it "in-country" rather than from abroad.

[YuAndDan 153]

It will be fine as is unless your interview is after 05/2010 NEXT YEAR.

[Cuchita 1]

My fiance renewed his cause here is more expensive and a hasle to go a consular office here. If you got the money then get a new one!.

[HappyNathy 0]

I agree with Payxibka that it is probably easier in South Africa BUT the glitch could come if you are required to turn in your current passport and they do not get the new one back to you in time for your visa. Although last year I did contact the US Consulate in Washington DC to request how to go about getting a new SA passport now that I am in the States and the docs they said they would send me never arrived.

...I'm not sure I actually helped

There are expediting services around the Home Affairs offices where if you pay an extra fee they speed up the process for you. For instance, I had to have our unabridged marriage certificate pronto and paid R500 to get it in 2 weeks.

Another thing on a side note that you may want to look into as it caused me a hassle here: I had to provide my driving record from the Department of Transport in SA when I tried to get a driver's license in Georgia. It was a nightmare organizing that from here so before you leave South Africa maybe get a few copies of that for when you get to the States.

A website to check out if you don't know it: www.sausa.org --> A forum for South Africans on their way or already in the USA. My whole driver's license debacle is posted there under: Lost my SA license, now what?

I do hope I helped

[Kwagga 0]

Thank you all for your input.

I think I will apply for a new one here in SA as it only take 6 weeks which will give me enough time. If I go the replacement passport route instead of renewal, I will pay a bit more, but will then be able to keep my current passport for 'just in case VSC speeds up' (Thanks for the tip on turning in current passport HappyNathy )