South African Citizenship Services
Many South Africans abroad are not aware of the rules and procedures around citizenship of their home country, especially once they have assumed the citizenship of another country. (Please note that we cannot assist with passport applications as you are required to be present physically.) Here at Apostil.co.za, we offer a fast and reliable service that makes a formal application to the relevant authorities for your Determination of Citizenship Status and obtains written confirmation from the relevant authorities confirming your status. We also assist our clients with obtaining other documents such as a Letter of Retention of Citizenship. Read more about both of these services below, as well as a third option for those renouncing their citizenship.What is the Determination of Citizenship Status?
A Determination of Citizenship Status for South Africa is ultimately the process of verifying whether an individual's citizenship has been revoked or not. Should your citizenship status be revoked, you may apply, in certain circumstances, for the resumption thereof. Sometimes, a person may have a relevant claim to citizenship. Perhaps they were born to a citizen parent and never registered this birth in South Africa. Or, often, a person born in a previous part of South Africa (e.g., Namibia) while it was still part of South Africa, would have a legitimate claim to citizenship. Also, some people who have been out of South Africa for a long time and wonder if their citizenship is still intact, may require the Determination of Citizenship procedure. The Head Office of the Department of Home Affairs is responsible for issuing Determinations of Citizenship. The application can only be lodged in the event that you can submit completed with BI-529 (Determination of Citizenship Status) form (possibly you will need a BI-275 as well). Sometimes, you will also need to submit proof of your continuous residence (for one year prior to the application) as well as a valid Police Clearance Certificate (possibly a Police Clearance from the country or countries of present nationalities). You can learn more about the Determination of citizenship status here.What is a Letter of Retention of Citizenship?
Before you can take up citizenship in another country, you are required by law to make a formal application to the Department of Home Affairs or your closest mission/consulate abroad to retain your citizenship. Many people have lost their citizenship unknowingly because they did not go through the Letter of Retention process. Thus, citizens that wish to apply for foreign citizenship without losing their citizenship must first apply for the retention of Citizenship. The Department of Home Affairs supplies general information on the topic, which can be found here. In order to apply for a Letter of Retention of Citizenship, you will need to complete the BI-1664 (Application for Retention of Citizenship) and BI-529 (Determination of Citizenship Status) forms. You will also need to supply us with clearly scanned copies of your original passport and your residence permit in the foreign country. Along with other vital documents, such as your ID and Birth Certificate, you will also need to submit written confirmation from the relevant authorities of the respective country confirming that you have not yet acquired citizenship in that country. Make sure you start the citizenship retention process early to avoid any problems with gaining a second citizenship.Why do I need to apply for a Letter of Retention of Citizenship?
If you want to obtain dual citizenship you must obtain permission from the DHA to retain your citizenship before applying for foreign citizenship. Before you can apply for this Letter, you will need to complete the process of Determination of Citizenship. Failing to apply for a Letter of Retention of Citizenship before applying for foreign citizenship will lead to you immediately losing your citizenship.Renunciation of Citizenship
However, if you are taking up a new citizenship that requires you to renounce any other citizenships, you will need to apply for this at Home Affairs to prove that you are no longer a citizen. Some countries require you to show this before you obtain their citizenship, and some after, on certain conditions. Typically, to apply, one needs to complete the Renunciation of Citizenship application form, DHA-246. Also, you'll need to submit proof either of your new foreign citizenship, or a confirmation letter that you are applying for another citizenship shortly. There are other application documents, including the DHA BI-529 (Determination of Citizenship Status). DIRCO has summarized the application requirements. However, you would do best to check the DHA on the matter, although strangely their website does not contain information on the renunciation of the citizenship process. A last point - it may not be necessary to apply for renunciation of citizenship at all. The High Commission in Australia states: citizens who have voluntarily obtained the citizenship of another country after their eighteenth (18th) birthday, without applying and receiving permission to retain their Citizenship prior to when they obtained their other citizenship, have automatically lost their Citizenship from the date they obtained the citizenship of the other country. Such persons consequently need not apply for renunciation. Should you require a Renunciation of Citizenship document, Apostil.co.za can assist you with the application from abroad, on your behalf.Contact us
Furthermore, to obtain assistance with any of the above Citizenship documentation services (Determination, Retention, Renunciation, etc.), send us a message on our contact page, or have a look at our pricing page and fill in the enquiry form. Forms on this page: - BI-529 (Determination of Citizenship Status)- BI-275 (Application for the Resumption of Citizenship)
- BI-1664 (Application for Retention of Citizenship)
