The South African Chamber of Commerce in the USA (SACCUSA) had the privilege of joining senior management from the Department of Home Affairs at the South African Embassy in Washington, DC for a site visit to the VFS Global Centre in Atlanta.

The visit provided valuable first-hand insight into the customer experience, including the opportunity to engage with a South African citizen, Sarah from Nashville, Tennessee, who travelled to Atlanta to renew her passport. It was encouraging to witness the process in action and to see the professionalism and efficiency with which services are being delivered.

The rollout by the Department of Home Affairs to make selected consular services available through VFS Global centres has brought essential services significantly closer to the diaspora community. Importantly, it has also contributed to improved turnaround times for passport applications, addressing long-standing challenges faced by South Africans residing in the United States.

SACCUSA is proud to have partnered with the Department of Home Affairs and VFS Global in creating awareness of these expanded services across Atlanta, Miami, Houston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York City, and Washington, DC. Strengthening access to civic services for our community remains a shared priority, and we look forward to continued collaboration in support of South Africans across the United States.