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:

1. Two certified copies of a valid South African passport. Please do not send your original passport.
2. Proof that foreign citizenship is not yet acquired, from the authorities of the country you wish to acquire foreign citizenship of, (original and with a sworn translated version if not issued in English). In case of UK, it is a Non acquisition letter issued by the UK visas and Immigration, only an original letter from British Home Office will be accepted.

  UK VISAS AND IMMIGRATION

  Department 101

  The Capital Building

  Liverpool

  L3  9PP

Tel.:   0300 123 2253

Web:  www.gov.uk/uk-visas-immigration

3. Processing fee (Non-Refundable): £25.00 (British pounds) must be deposited electronically into High Commission’s account. See below banking details:

Please attach proof of payment with your application

N.B. NO Postal orders, or CASH must be posted)

4. Fully completed DHA-1664 form, in BLACK INK and BLOCK LETTERS
5. 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)
   1. 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.
   2. 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)
   3. Part C and D: Both the parents’ details must be completed including their ID numbers.
   4. Part E: Ensure that form DHA-529 is signed. Valid telephone/mobile number, email address (in block letters) and physical address must be provided.
6. Self-addressed pre-paid special delivery envelope with your correct postal address.
7. PLEASE NOTE: Any application with incomplete forms/information/payment will be returned to the applicant without processing.
8. Processing time: 15 working days
9. (Non-acquisition letters must be received in the office 20 days before their expiry date). 

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.

Once it is processed the letter will be posted in the pre-paid self-addressed special delivery envelope. The letter/certificate should be carefully preserved. You should be able to present to Home Affairs in future whenever requested. 

PLEASE DO NOT POST THE ORIGINAL PASSPORT

ADDRESS

South African High Commission

15 Whitehall

London

SW1A 2DD