South Africa: Declaring Citizenship to Retain Current Status  

Key Points  

•  South Africa declared it unconstitutional to invalidate the citizenship of South Africans that had not applied to retain their status prior to acquiring new citizenship 

Overview  

The government of South Africa declared it unconstitutional to invalidate the citizenship of South Africans that had not applied to the Minister of South Africa to retain their South African citizenship before acquiring new citizenship. These measures apply to individuals who acquire citizenship status in another country, either voluntarily or formally, through marriage. 

What are the Changes?  

The government of South Africa ruled that South African citizens cannot be stripped of their citizenship status if they obtain new citizenship. These measures apply regardless of whether the applicant applied to retain their status in South Africa.   

Looking Ahead  

The Constitution Court will conduct a final review before the law goes into effect. 

Continue to check the government of South Africa’s website and Envoy’s website for the latest updates and information.