I'm thrilled to be a permanent resident in South Africa, and have the opportunity to get a South African ID book. When I applied, PR status was granted in absolute record time (it took about 6 weeks), and since that was the first permit I had applied for in a few years, I was starting to believe that things at the Department of Home Affairs were improving. My first experience with Home Affairs was in 2005 (prior to that, I had gotten permits while out of the country). A study permit reputed to take 30 days to issue, took almost 2 years. Since then, there has generally been gradual improvement with each subsequent application.
I've always managed to deal with home affairs with relatively good humour; it's part hazing process (weeds out the chancers; you have to really, really, really want to be here to get through it), part collective cultural experience (like complaining about Telkom), part participant observation research for my PhD. That said, when I went in to Harrison street last year in June to apply for an ID book, I wasn't heartbroken by the thought that it could be my last time in that building. Ha!
Since then, my application has been lost three times; I am now tied to the Harrison street office, because apparently once one application is lost, you must reapply at the same office or risk having a duplicate emerge some day (and, as the helpful call center lady said, you really really don't want that). Some office in Pretoria that processes permanent residence ID applications was moving in June last year (and possibly still is). Nobody knows if or when it will function. Neither the online feedback system nor the ministerial hotline have elicited any response. The call center tells me I must go back to Harrison street and reapply for the 4th time, even though there's no indication that my last application ever existed (I'm told that the reference number is 'impossible', even though I have a receipt with it!).
What could it be? Some racket with the guys who take passport photographs (I've gone through 8 of them now)? Really bad luck? I'm planning to go back for another round of fun on Friday.
I'm also willing to bet my unborn child will get a US passport before I have a South African ID.... (I hope I'm wrong!)
I've always managed to deal with home affairs with relatively good humour; it's part hazing process (weeds out the chancers; you have to really, really, really want to be here to get through it), part collective cultural experience (like complaining about Telkom), part participant observation research for my PhD. That said, when I went in to Harrison street last year in June to apply for an ID book, I wasn't heartbroken by the thought that it could be my last time in that building. Ha!
Since then, my application has been lost three times; I am now tied to the Harrison street office, because apparently once one application is lost, you must reapply at the same office or risk having a duplicate emerge some day (and, as the helpful call center lady said, you really really don't want that). Some office in Pretoria that processes permanent residence ID applications was moving in June last year (and possibly still is). Nobody knows if or when it will function. Neither the online feedback system nor the ministerial hotline have elicited any response. The call center tells me I must go back to Harrison street and reapply for the 4th time, even though there's no indication that my last application ever existed (I'm told that the reference number is 'impossible', even though I have a receipt with it!).
What could it be? Some racket with the guys who take passport photographs (I've gone through 8 of them now)? Really bad luck? I'm planning to go back for another round of fun on Friday.
I'm also willing to bet my unborn child will get a US passport before I have a South African ID.... (I hope I'm wrong!)
No comments:
Post a Comment