The Department of Home Affairs has launched the first phase of its new Digital Asylum System to combat corruption and reduce processing delays. This platform is in line with a Constitutional Court ruling in July, that found that certain aspects of the Refugees Act were unconstitutional.
The new online portal will allow asylum seekers to digitally record their intent to apply for asylum by uploading personal information, facial biometrics, and supporting documents. The Department says the platform, at this stage, will only record an individual’s intention to apply for asylum.
This is to understand the anticipated application volumes, allocate recources, and plan accordingly.
Registering an intention will not automatically grant official refugee status to applicants, or shield them from immigration enforcement.
Minister of Home Affairs Dr. Leon Schreiber highlighted that delays were largely driven by funding and personnel shortages. He adds that “Home Affairs had only nine officials to handle thousands of outstanding appeals”.
Subsequent rollout phases will integrate advanced machine learning and AI to streamline applications and appeals.
This portal marks a major milestone in the department’s broader digital transformation, following the Electronic Travel Authorisation system.