Standard Bank / Home Affairs eHomeAffairs – Paid but unable to secure appointments for both children

I am extremely frustrated and exhausted by this process.

I paid and completed online Home Affairs passport applications for both my children (twins) through the Standard Bank eHomeAffairs platform, specifically because it is advertised as a convenient alternative to dealing directly with Home Affairs.

Since paying, I have not been able to secure appointments for both children. The booking system only allows me to make an appointment for one child, while the second child’s profile is blocked and states that I have reached the booking limit — despite both applications being fully paid for.

I have spent weeks trying to resolve this: • I have contacted the Standard Bank Home Affairs number, which simply refers you back to the general Standard Bank call centre. • I have contacted the Standard Bank call centre and email address, where no one is able to assist with this issue. • I have contacted the Home Affairs call centre, where I have spent hours with no resolution other than being told IT will “investigate”.

I have now reached a complete dead end. Walk-ins have apparently been stopped, the booking system will not allow me to proceed, and no one is taking accountability for fixing an issue that is clearly a system error.

The irony is that the online system is meant to save time, yet when something goes wrong — as it has here — there is no support, no escalation path, and no solution. You are simply stuck.

At this point, I am formally requesting that Standard Bank refund me, so that I can start afresh and attempt to book Home Affairs services through a bank that is actually accessible and able to provide assistance when issues arise.

This experience has been incredibly disappointing, time-consuming, and stressful. I would appreciate urgent feedback and resolution.