Citizenship by Naturalisation

In terms of Section 5 of the South African Citizenship Act (most recently amended by Act 17 of 2010), a foreign national who is a permanent resident of South Africa may apply for naturalisation as a South African citizen so long as certain requirements are met.

In order to qualify for naturalisation as a South African citizen, the applicant must generally meet the following criteria:

• Be a permanent resident of South Africa.
• Have been ordinarily resident in South Africa for a specific period prior to the application.
• Be of good character.
• Have an adequate knowledge of one of the official languages of South Africa.
• Intend to continue to reside in the Republic.