What is ROSA?
ROSA is the acronym for the ‘Registration of South Africans Abroad’, it was introduced by the Department of International Relations and Cooperation to enable travelers to register when travelling abroad.
The information travelers register on ROSA allows the Department of International Relations and Cooperation to assist South African citizens in the event of an emergency. ROSA is only available to South African citizens who are travelling, living or working abroad.
ROSA is an initiative that is endorsed and supported by the Association of South African Travel Agents (ASATA).
The South African Embassy in Japan encourages South African Citizens in Japan to register when entering and departing Japan. This will enable the Embassy to have a realistic number of South Africans still in Japan and to better use the resources when required to assist South African Citizens at the time of declared consular emergency.
Why should I register?
Vast numbers of our people who travel to Japan do not encounter any difficulties. However, through our missions, we can assist South Africans who may become victims of crime, accidents, illness, death, natural/man-made disasters, civil unrest, or whose family and/or next-of-kin needed to contact them in an emergency.
Registration through the mission’s website is NOT considered proof of South African citizenship. If you apply for any service from the Embassy whilst in Japan, you will be asked by staff to provide proof of South African citizenship, such as a passport or bar-coded ID book/card.
By registering with ROSA, you assist the Department of International Relations and Cooperation through the Embassy to locate you during an emergency, thus verifying your status and liaising with your next-of-kin. Information on ROSA is not continuously monitored and will only be accessed during a declared consular emergency.
Registration is voluntary and free of charge. We encourage you to consider registration as an integral part of your travel planning and security.
How do I register?
Download ROSA application on Embassy website: www.sajapan.org. Complete the form and email to rosa.tokyo@dirco.gov.za
How can the Embassy or Consulate assist me while I am abroad?
The Chief Directorate: Consular Services in the Department of International Relations and Cooperation, in close collaboration with the Consular Sections at the Embassy in Japan, provides consular services to South African citizens who work, live and visiting Japan. Consular Services operate 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. On weekends and after hours, assistance is rendered in co-operation with the Department’s Operations Room in Pretoria. A detailed list of services is available at: http://www.dirco.gov.za/consular/index.html.
How will my information be used?
ROSA will be utilized by Consular Officers at Head Office or at a South African Embassy in Japan, in the event of a disaster, emergency or other crisis as outlined above.
Information on ROSA is only accessed by the Department during a declared consular emergency. Only authorized officers of the Department of International Relations and Cooperation will have access to the information which will solely be used in the event of an emergency. This will enable the Department to e.g. react by contacting the next-of-kin to verify the status of the South Africans travelling abroad that might have been affected by the emergency.
Registration and Privacy
The Department of International Relations and Cooperation is committed to ensuring that any personal information received through the ROSA on-line registration process is safeguarded against unauthorized disclosure.
The Department will not disclose the information you provide through the registration application to any third parties (this includes family members) unless you have first given written authorization to do so. If family members make enquiries about your whereabouts, such requests will be forwarded to you. You may choose to inform the Embassy of your decision to respond or not.
The Embassy ROSA email uses secure encryption to safeguard your privacy and therefore any unauthorized interception by third parties of the information you send via the email is unlikely. The Department does not accept responsibility for any such interception.
Important Notification: The responsibility remains with the individual traveller to:
- act responsibly and be aware of the risks
- consider and purchase full travel insurance or an overseas health plan
- respect the culture and customs of Japan.
Contact details
Consular Officer, in case of emergency
Ms Fenicia Dunjua
Tel: +81-3-3265-3366
Mobile:+81-80-7374-5062
E-mail: dunjuaf@dirco.gov.za
Afterhours contact, in case of emergency
Duty Officer+81-90-6497-3452
Corporate/Consular Service Manager, in case of emergency
Ms Bongi Muntuzane Nkosi
Office number: +81 3 3265 3366
Mobile:+81-70-1522-4192
Email: nkosib@dirco.gov.za