Applying for SA Citizenship

You can become a citizen by way of birth, descent, naturalisation and, in specific instances, by registration.

You are a citizen by birth if you were born in South Africa, if one or both of your parents are South African or if one or both of your parents had a South African permanent residency permit at the time of your birth.

“You are a citizen by descent if you were born outside of South Africa and both or one of your parents are South African or were adopted by a South African citizen and your birth was registered in accordance with the Births and Deaths Registration Act,” says Dirk Janse van Noordwyk from the Nigel branch of Home Affairs.

To apply for citizenship by decent, you need to submit:

• Form DHA-24, to register your birth in terms of the Births and Deaths Registration Act. In the event you were born out of wedlock, both parents must sign the birth registration Form BI-24 to confirm paternity.
• Forms DHA-529 to be completed by yourself and your South African parents.
• Your foreign, unabridged birth certificate.
• Your and your parents’ marriage certificate, if applicable, and copies of them.
• Your ID with two photos that comply with the passport and ID photograph specifications.
• Proof of your South African parents’ foreign citizenship with copies.
• Proof of identity of your South African parents.
• If you were adopted by a South African citizen, submit a copy of the adoption order.

Citizenship by way of naturalisation can be given if you have a valid permanent residence permit or exemption, if you are a permanent residency permit holder and have had one year’s ordinary residence in South Africa or if you are married to a South African and you have had two years of permanent residence and two years of marriage to that person.

To apply for citizenship by naturalisation you need to submit:

• Forms DHA-63 and DHA-757.
• Your South African non-citizen ID.
• Form SAP 91 with a full set of fingerprints in order to obtain a police clearance report for applicants 18 years and older.
• If you are younger than 18, your parents must sign your application form and payment of the naturalisation fee.

Citizenship by registration only applies to British citizens who lived in South Africa for at least two years immediately prior to September 2, 1949.

“You can check the status of your citizenship by contacting the nearest office of the Department of Home Affairs,” says Janse van Noordwyk.

If you want to apply for citizenship of another country while keeping your South African citizenship as well, you need to complete forms DHA-1664 and DHA-529 and pay the required application fee.

It is important to note that the application must be made and approved before you get the other citizenship, or you will lose your South African citizenship automatically on the date that you receive the foreign citizenship.

You can also apply to take the other country’s citizenship as your only one and renounce your South African one by completing form DHA-246.

If you have lost your citizenship, you can apply to have it reinstated if you are a former citizen by birth or descent and you have returned to South Africa permanently or are living in South Africa permanently.

Former citizens by naturalisation, must re-apply for permanent residence or apply for exemption, before they can be considered for resumption.