Department of Home Affairs Paarl, are THEIVES

Utterly disappointed in the service we got from the department of home affairs in Paarl!! As an early wedding gift from my mother to me and my fiancee, we had short notice to get everything ready and to plan our holiday in a months time. I knew my passport was about to expire this year, and my fiancee couldn't find hers anywhere. So I told her lets go and renew yours as I would need a new one to.

We tried phoning the department of home affairs Paarl in advance to hear if they are setup with the new bio-metric system or should we get passport photos. No one answered the phone. As we got to the place, the people a crossed the road told us that we need to take photos, charging us R100. We thought they knew what they were talking about and didn't think anything about it. 15min later when we entered the D.HA they told us that they are on the new bio-metric system... money well wasted.

We both got our tickets and waited to be served. We both got served more or less at the same time and had the privilege to be seated next to each other at counter 1 & 2. We both gave our details. When it came to the invoice, mine was R400 for new passport, and hers was R800 for new passport and replacing passport.

What made me mad is, replacing an old passport is the same as renewing it. Its not like we are going to use the old one. The government are a bunch of *******. How can you charge her double if we both are doing the same thing. Plus on your website it states R140 to get an new ID or Passport, which you guys should fix.

This is why our beloved country is so F*ed up because everyone wants steel from everyone. She should of only paid R400 like me.

I believe that everyone should pay one fee, whether you are replacing or renewing your ID/Passport.

This is exactly why everyone hates the government, they wanna suck everyone bone dry.