NB: PLEASE APPLY BY POST
The South African Citizenship Act provides for retention of South African citizenship PRIOR to the acquisition of a foreign citizenship. A condition of attaining dual citizenship for all South African citizens aged 18 years or older is that they must apply and be granted permission to retain their South African citizenship prior to the acquisition of a foreign citizenship.
 
If a South African citizen does not obtain this prior permission, they will automatically lose their South African citizenship on voluntary acquisition of a foreign citizenship.
 
South African citizens under the age of 18 years are exempt and do not require to apply for dual citizenship, as long as they acquire the foreign citizenship before their 18th birthday. They automatically retain their South African citizenship for life unless, once they have reached the age of 18 years and they then wish to acquire a further foreign citizenship, they will then have to apply for prior permission to retain their South African citizenship. Failing to do so, they will automatically lose their South African citizenship.
In essence legislation provides that a South African dual citizen can use his or her foreign passport/citizenship/nationality freely outside South Africa.
 
Requirements to qualify and apply for retention:
Two certified copies of a valid South African passport. Please do not send your original passport.
Proof that foreign citizenship is not yet acquired, from the authorities of the country you wish to acquire foreign citizenship of
Fully completed DHA-1664 form, in BLACK INK and BLOCK LETTERS
Fully completed DHA-529 form, in BLACK INK and BLOCK LETTERS (FULLY COMPLETED means all questions on the two forms must be answered. Please do not answer “N/A”, it is not an answer to any of the questions. DHA-529 is required, disregard number 8 of DHA-1664)
Part A: questions 9, 10 and 11 are most important for the applicant. B. number 10(d) must also be answered, with circling a No or a Yes. NO if you are applying for the FIRST TIME for Retention. Yes if you applied for a Retention previously and attach your first Retention copy.
Part B: The relevant status can be written next to the words Marital Status on the form (e.g. Never married/ Married/ Divorced/Widowed). The details of the applicant’s current or former spouse must then be completed on the DHA-529 whether deceased or divorced or widowed)
Part C and D: Both the parents’ details must be completed including their ID numbers.
Part E: Ensure that form DHA-529 is signed. Valid telephone/mobile number, email address (in block letters) and physical address must be provided.
 
PLEASE NOTE: Any application with incomplete forms/information/payment will be returned to the applicant without processing.
 
N.B. Acquiring foreign citizenship without applying for retention will result in an automatic loss of your South African Citizenship. You cannot apply for retention after acquiring foreign citizenship.
The letter/certificate should be carefully preserved. You should be able to present to Home Affairs in future whenever requested. 
 
Fee: SEK220