Residency
South Africa — Residency: Citizenship
South African naturalisation applications are accepted only after five years on a permanent residence permit, with language proof, police clearance and an absence limit of 90 days a year.
VerifiedGovernment / official sourceDepartment of Home Affairs — citizenship by naturalisationLast reviewed: 2026-10-23
Key facts
- Home Affairs accepts naturalisation applications only if the applicant has held permanent residence for five years; a SAnews article says ten years, so confirm with Home Affairs.
- Language proficiency proof with a completed language test form, a police clearance valid six months and a letter accepting dual citizenship from the country of origin are required.
- An applicant absent from South Africa for more than 90 days in any year of the five-year ordinary residence period does not qualify.
- The regulations use form DHA-63 with DHA-1620; a Western Cape page lists DHA-246, so check the current form.
Steps
- Step 1: Meet Eligibility Criteria (Uncertain) — It is unclear what specific criteria must be met for eligibility, but typically, it involves a residency requirement and a good character assessment.
- Step 2: Gather Required Documents (Uncertain) — The specific documents required for a citizenship application are not well-documented in English-language sources.
- Step 3: Submit Application (Uncertain) — The process for submitting a citizenship application is not clearly outlined in English-language sources.