South Africa’s Department of Home Affairs has launched the first phase of a new Digital Asylum System, introducing an online process through which people seeking asylum can register their intention to apply, as the government moves to address lengthy processing delays, decades-old backlogs and alleged abuse of the country’s asylum system.
Announced on 10 November by the department, the new platform allows individuals to submit personal information, facial biometric data and supporting documents digitally. The government says the system is designed to improve identity verification, reduce opportunities for corruption and help officials plan for the number of applications expected.
The platform is currently live for an initial batch of test cases. Public registration is expected to begin after the department’s next scheduled software release, due this coming weekend.
However, registering an intention to seek asylum does not amount to a formal asylum application and does not automatically grant an individual asylum or refugee status, or South African citizenship. Applicants will still have to complete the formal process under South African law.
The department says the first phase will help it understand expected application numbers, allocate resources and prepare for the wider rollout. Later stages are expected to introduce appointment scheduling, further biometric checks and the digitisation of asylum applications and appeals.
Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber said the system could help address long-standing weaknesses in the asylum process, including delays that have allowed some applicants to exploit the time taken to decide their cases.
The department also plans to use machine-learning and artificial intelligence tools in subsequent phases to help process applications and appeals more quickly. It says these measures will support the handling of a large backlog while enabling faster action on rejected applications, in accordance with the law.
The launch follows a July 2026 Constitutional Court judgment that found several provisions of the Refugees Act unconstitutional. The ruling concerned restrictions that could prevent some people from having their asylum claims assessed on their merits because of how or when they entered the country.
The government has since been working on a revised approach to processing asylum claims while responding to the legal implications of the judgment. The new registration platform forms part of that effort, although the department has made clear that registering an intention to apply does not provide blanket protection against immigration enforcement.
For people without internet access or suitable digital devices, the department says assisted registration will be available at Refugee Reception Offices.
The success of the system will depend not only on its technology but also on whether it can reduce delays without creating new barriers for people seeking protection. For now, the launch marks the beginning of a phased change to how South Africa records and processes asylum claims.
Comments0 ShowHide