Refusal of South African temporary passports by British Authorities

The United Kingdom decided on 19 April 2006, that South African temporary passport holders would no longer be allowed to enter the United Kingdom on such documents with immediate effect.
 

The decision was reportedly taken due to concerns about the shortcomings with the passport issuing process in South Africa and the impact that has on British immigration controls. The rationale behind the ban had been necessitated by the fact that South African temporary passports are prone to abuse by third country nationals. Fraudulently obtained South African passports are regularly encountered at UK ports, held by a variety of nationalities.
 

This decision does not prevent South African nationals travelling to the UK, but requires them to obtain a full South African passport.
 

Transitional arrangements will apply to those who already hold South African temporary passports issued on or before 19 April 2006. Those travellers who purchased tickets prior to 19 April 2006 will be able to travel on their temporary passports to the UK before 1 June 2006; and those who purchased an airline ticket between 10 and 30 May 2006, can travel to the UK before 1 June 2006 provided that they have first secured a visa for entry to the UK.

With effect from 1 June 2006 no South African temporary passport will be accepted by British Immigration Authorities.