This article will guide you on How a foreigner can get a South African passport. Let’s get started: There are two main ways for a foreigner to get a South African passport: by descent or by naturalization.
By descent means that you have a parent or grandparent who was a South African citizen at the time of your birth. If you qualify, you can apply for a registration certificate, which is essentially a passport for South Africans by descent. Once you have the registration certificate, you can apply for a regular South African passport.
By naturalization means that you have lived in South Africa for a certain period of time (usually five years) and meet the other requirements, such as being financially self-sufficient and speaking English or Afrikaans. You will need to apply for permanent residency first, and then after three years you can apply for citizenship. Once you are a citizen, you can apply for a passport.
Obtaining South African citizenship by naturalization is a process by which a person who is not a citizen of South Africa can apply to become one. To be eligible for naturalization, a person must have been a permanent resident of South Africa for a specified period, typically five years or longer. They must also meet certain requirements, such as being of good character, being able to speak one of the official languages, and passing a citizenship test.
If these requirements are met, the applicant can submit their naturalization application to the Department of Home Affairs for processing. The application process can take several months or even years to complete, depending on the complexity of the case.
Once approved, the applicant will be invited to attend a citizenship ceremony and take an oath of allegiance to South Africa. After the ceremony, the applicant will receive a certificate of naturalization and can apply for a South African passport. Obtaining South African citizenship by naturalization provides numerous benefits, including the right to live and work in South Africa without restriction, access to social services and healthcare, and the ability to participate in elections and politics.
Steps in applying for a South African passport by descent:
- Gather the required documents, which include:
- Your birth certificate
- Your parent’s or grandparent’s South African birth certificate or identity document
- Proof of your relationship to your parent or grandparent (e.g., marriage certificate)
- Two passport-sized photographs
- Take your documents to a South African embassy or consulate in your home country.
- Pay the application fee.
- Wait for your application to be processed. This can take several months.
- If your application is approved, you will be issued with a registration certificate.
- Take your registration certificate to a South African Department of Home Affairs office to apply for a passport.