In terms of Section 2 of the South African Citizenship Act 88 of 1995 which was amended in 2010, a citizen by birth is someone who was already a citizen by birth prior to the commencement of the Amendment Act or someone who was born in or outside of the Republic of South Africa and:
- One or both of their parents was a South African citizen at the time of the birth.
- They were born in the Republic to parents who, at the time of their birth, were admitted into the Republic for permanent residence.
It is important to note that the 2010 Amendment Act changed the scope of citizenship by birth significantly, particularly regarding children born to non-South African citizens. Our legal team can assist in determining your eligibility under the current legislation.