As a permanent resident, you have most of the rights and responsibilities of a South African citizen. However, you cannot vote in South African elections or hold a passport.
Permanent residency is not as permanent as citizenship. You may have your permanent residence permit withdrawn if you don’t live in South Africa within the first year after the permit has been issued if you live outside South Africa for three years or you are convicted of a serious criminal offense.
Citizenship by birth or descent cannot be revoked unless you take on another nationality without first applying to retain your South African nationality or you serve in the armed forces of another country, which is at war with South Africa.
You could lose your South African citizenship by naturalization if you supply false information about yourself, conceal important information relating to your application, or obtain your naturalization fraudulently, or you are sentenced to jail for 12 months for an offense that would also have been an offense in South Africa.
How to apply for a South African permanent residence permit
You can apply for a direct residency permit or a residency-on-other-grounds permit. But before you can make an application for either, you have to prove to the Minister of Home Affairs that you are not an undesirable person. These include people with certain infectious diseases (like cholera), many criminals, bankrupts, and anyone involved with a racial hatred organization. Once you receive confirmation, you can apply for permanent residence in South Africa.
Direct residence permit
You can apply for a direct residence permit if you or your spouse have been living and working in South Africa for a minimum of five years, or you are the spouse or dependent of a South African citizen or someone who holds a permanent residence permit.
Residency-on-other-grounds permit
You can apply for a residency-on-other-grounds permit if you have a permanent work offer in South Africa or intend to start up a business, have exceptional skills and qualifications, are a refugee, are retired, are relatives (biological or by adoption) of a South African citizen or someone who holds a permanent residence permit and you are financially independent.
How to apply for South African citizenship by descent
You will need to submit the following documents to the Department of Home Affairs:
Form DHA-24 to register your birth.
Form BI-24 with signatures from both parents if your parents were unmarried at the time of your birth, to confirm paternity.
Forms DHA-529
Your birth certificate
Your parents’ marriage certificate (if applicable)
Form DHA-9, the application form for an identity document, along with two ID photographs (for those aged 15 years and over)
Proof of your parents’ identity
If applicable, proof of your parents’ foreign citizenship
Adoption order (if applicable)
Citizenship by naturalization
You can apply for South African citizenship through naturalization if you have held a permanent residence permit for at least five years if you have married a South African, or you are a minor under 21 years with a permanent residence.
If you’re a permanent permit holder, you must have lived for one year’s ordinary residence in South Africa immediately before your application. After you have acquired permanent residency, you should have lived for an additional four years in South Africa during the eight years before your application for naturalization (excluding the year of ordinary residence).
If have a South African spouse, you must have two years of permanent residence. You also must have been married for two years immediately before your application but after you received permanent residence status.
If you are a minor, then you can apply for permanent residence immediately. The responsible parent of a minor can apply on their behalf as long as the minor lives permanently in South Africa.
You must have adequate knowledge of the duties and responsibilities of a South African citizen. Also, you must be able to communicate in an official language and be of good and sound character. You must also intend to continue living in South Africa.
Can I get citizenship through my child in South Africa?
The basic principle of South African citizenship is that a child follows the citizenship or nationality of his or her parents.
If one parent is a South African citizen, the child will be a citizen by birth.
Children born of permanent residents follow their parents’ status. We do not separate children from parents.