The British Consulate-General in Cape Town represents the UK government in South Africa.

Find out more on our UK and South Africa news page..

We provide services to British nationals living in and visiting South Africa. You can access UK government services while in South Africa.

The consulate is only able to see customers by appointment.

Urgent assistance

If you’re travelling in South Africa, read our South Africa travel advice.

Public access to the Consulate is by appointment only. See below options for contacting us online or by phone if you need our help.

If you’re travelling in South Africa, Eswatini or Lesotho you need advice which is not covered by reading our travel advice then you can contact us online.

If you need urgent help (for example, you’ve been attacked, arrested or someone has died), call +27 (0) 21 405 2400 or +44 1908 516666. If you’re in the UK and worried about a British person in South Africa, call 020 7008 5000 (24/7, 365 days a year).

Get an emergency travel document

You can apply for an emergency travel document if you’re abroad and your passport has been lost or stolen, damaged or expired, and you can’t get a new or replacement passport in time to travel.

Apply online for an emergency travel document

If the person needing the emergency travel document is under 16, a parent or guardian should apply on their behalf.

If you are travelling in more than 3 weeks, check if you can get a new or replacement passport in time to travel.

If you are not a British citizen or have not had a British passport before

If you’re not sure, check if you’re a British citizen.

If you’re not a British citizen but think you may be eligible, contact us to apply for an emergency travel document.

Other consular services

Notarial and documentary services

For legal reasons, we’re unable to carry out notarial acts in Commonwealth countries. This includes certifying documents as true copies of originals, administering oaths or taking affidavits. For these or other notarial acts, you should contact a local notary. A standard letter is available to confirm we do not offer these services in South Africa.

We offer a limited range of documentary services. See the list of documentary services we provide.

Consular fees

We charge fees for some of our services. See the full list of consular fees in South Africa.

We also provide services in Pretoria.

Development work in South Africa

The International Development Strategy (IDS) sets out a new approach to development. It does this through long-term partnerships tailored to the needs of each country the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office works with, built on mutual accountability and transparency. The Integrated Review Refresh (IR23) reiterates that sustainable development is central to UK foreign policy and sets out how the UK will go further and faster to reduce poverty.

For information on how the IDS and IR23 are being implemented in South Africa, view the UK-South Africa development partnership summary.

For up-to-date information on the UK’s Official Development Assistance (ODA) programme work in South Africa, view the Development Tracker.

Our people

Contact us


British Consulate General Cape Town

15th Floor, Norton Rose House, 8 Riebeek StreetForeshore
Cape Town
Western Cape
8000
South Africa

24/7 Telephone - general and consular enquiries
+27 21 405 2400 / +27(0)12 421 7500 / +44 1908 516666 / +44 20 7008 5000

Passport enquiries
Telephone: +44 (0)300 222 0000

Visa enquiries
Monday to Friday, 24 hours. Calls cost £1.37 per minute on top of your standard network charges. Telephone: + 44 (0) 203 481 1736

Public access to the consular section is by appointment only.

Use our contact form for online enquiries:
www.gov.uk/contact-consulate-cape-town

Access and opening times

Corporate information