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RETENTION OF SOUTH
AFRICAN CITIZENSHIP
VERY IMPORTANT
Immigration Consultants are not allowed to process or hand in any application related to services for South African citizens. Only attorneys duly registered in South Africa are allowed to assist their clients in processing any applications to this office. However, applications sent to this office by an attorney MUST be accompanied by a duly signed power of attorney.
In terms of SA Immigration Act of 2002 as amended, Immigration practitioners duly registered in South Africa are ONLY allowed to handle applications related to foreigners.
DEFINITION
Application for the retention of RSA citizenship is an application that MUST be made before one acquires foreign nationality. South African citizens who take up foreign citizenship without applying for retention of South African will lose their SA citizenship. Persons under the age of 18 years do not need to apply for retention of their South African Citizenship, as they will not loose their citizenship whilst still minors.
A person who has lost citizenship by virtue of failure to apply for the retention of RSA citizenship will have right to permanent residency in South Africa – if he or she was born in RSA. Such a person will be allowed to apply for the resumption or reinstatement of South African in South Africa. An application for resumption or reinstatement of RSA citizenship is approved on condition that such an applicant will live permanently in RSA once his or her application has been approved.
REQUIREMENTS
Completed BI 1664 form (PLEASE IGNORE QUESTION 8 OF THE FORM);
Completed BI 529 form. All South African Citizens who are abroad at the time of lodging a passport application form must fully complete this form. The purpose of the form is to establish that as a South African Citizen you have not lost your Citizenship. PLEASE MARK N/A TO QUESTIONS THAT ARE INAPLICABLE. It is worth noting that questions 9 – 11 MUST be answered.
Certified copy of photo page of the passport. Applicants who will be applying in person will be assisted by the Consular staff with the certification of their documents.
Letter of non acquisition of British nationality. Information on how to obtain non acquisition letter is available on this link:
