I would like to apply for South Africa citizenship by naturalization. Travel records of the past 5 yrs are required. Unfortunately, i lost my passport in April 2018 which means i don't have any records prior to that date. How can i successful convince Dept of Home Affairs that i never left South Africa for more than 90 days in the past 5 yrs? Can i use an affidavit, employer's letter or bank statement at least to prove that i was around.
SA Citizenship application
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Thabani2005Zim
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I received my Permanent Residence (handwritten certificate) in 2013. When I later applied for the green ID in 2014, Home Affairs required me to complete a PRP (Permanent Residence Permit) verification. That process took six months and was handled through Pretoria. Afterward, they provided me with a stamped copy of the PRP confirming the verification.
My questions are:
Do I need to go through the PRP verification process again either through Home Affairs or VFS?
For the police clearance, is it mandatory to go through Home Affairs, or can I obtain it independently and submit the certificate?
My questions are:
Do I need to go through the PRP verification process again either through Home Affairs or VFS?
For the police clearance, is it mandatory to go through Home Affairs, or can I obtain it independently and submit the certificate?
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Could you please share how you were able to convince Home Affairs in your case?
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1. Yes. You need to go through the PRP verification process again if it is required. The reason is because your PR status might have changed over years. Some people left SA for more than 3 years. Something like that might impact your status, so they need to check it in its sytem.
2. If only you are applying in SA, you have an option to use its electronical system. If you are apply abroad, you can only prepare the certificate independently. Are you going to apply in South Africa?
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Hi guys, Limpopo applicants your induction could be coming soon (this week ) Be phone-alert
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Hello good people
Any information or news on the citizens certificate
Any information or news on the citizens certificate
Seems all quiet now.
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Hi all.
I don't know if you should be laughing or crying. But here's the question and answer directed to the DHA minister by an MP in regards to the citizenship applications.
Link: https://pmg.org.za/committee-question/30909/
That's right!!! Since Dr Schreiber took office, in a whole year DHA has naturalized only 24 people.
26 June 2025 - NW3145
Marawu, Ms TL to ask the Minister of Home Affairs
(1) What total number of foreigners have been naturalised as South African citizens since his appointment as Minister of Home Affairs on 3 July 2024; (2) what is the breakdown of the countries of birth for all individuals who were naturalised since his appointment; (3) what total number of naturalisation applications have been (a) received and (b) processed during his tenure to date?
Reply:
(3)(a)&(b) 903 naturalisation applications were received and are being processed.
END.
I don't know if you should be laughing or crying. But here's the question and answer directed to the DHA minister by an MP in regards to the citizenship applications.
Link: https://pmg.org.za/committee-question/30909/
That's right!!! Since Dr Schreiber took office, in a whole year DHA has naturalized only 24 people.
26 June 2025 - NW3145
Marawu, Ms TL to ask the Minister of Home Affairs
(1) What total number of foreigners have been naturalised as South African citizens since his appointment as Minister of Home Affairs on 3 July 2024; (2) what is the breakdown of the countries of birth for all individuals who were naturalised since his appointment; (3) what total number of naturalisation applications have been (a) received and (b) processed during his tenure to date?
Reply:
- 24.
- Breakdown of the countries of birth for all individuals who were naturalised:
| NO. | COUNTRY | TOTAL |
| 1 | Bangladesh | 1 |
| 2. | India | 3 |
| 3. | Kenya | 1 |
| 4. | Lesotho | 4 |
| 5. | Malawi | 1 |
| 6. | Mozambique | 1 |
| 7. | Nigeria | 2 |
| 8 | Philippines | 1 |
| 9 | Democratic Republic of the Congo(DRC) | 4 |
| 10. | Rwanda | 1 |
| 11. | Somalia | 1 |
| 12. | United Kingdom | 1 |
| 13. | Zimbabwe | 3 |
| TOTAL | 24 |
END.
There is something not adding up in his reporting and the figures, and i dont know if its me. A week before this he advises that they received 1666 naturalisation applications(between June 2024 and June 2025), and rejected 152, and approved 569. This would leave 945 applications being processed and yet to be rejected and approved. Yet in the same period only 24 people were naturalised. It means being naturalised and getting your application for naturalisation approved means two different things. From what we have faced here, my assumption is he only issued 24 certificates (naturalised) against 569 approved applications. That is if the 24 certificates are even from the same period in question which i doubt. Either way, there is something broken in the system, or his reportingHi all.
I don't know if you should be laughing or crying. But here's the question and answer directed to the DHA minister by an MP in regards to the citizenship applications.
Link: https://omg.org.za/committee-question/30909/
That's right!!! Since Dr Schreiber took office, in a whole year DHA has naturalized only 24 people.
26 June 2025 - NW3145
Marawu, Ms TL to ask the Minister of Home Affairs
(1) What total number of foreigners have been naturalised as South African citizens since his appointment as Minister of Home Affairs on 3 July 2024; (2) what is the breakdown of the countries of birth for all individuals who were naturalised since his appointment; (3) what total number of naturalisation applications have been (a) received and (b) processed during his tenure to date?
Reply:
- 24.
- Breakdown of the countries of birth for all individuals who were naturalised:
(3)(a)&(b) 903 naturalisation applications were received and are being processed.
NO. COUNTRY TOTAL 1 Bangladesh 1 2. India 3 3. Kenya 1 4. Lesotho 4 5. Malawi 1 6. Mozambique 1 7. Nigeria 2 8 Philippines 1 9 Democratic Republic of the Congo(DRC) 4 10. Rwanda 1 11. Somalia 1 12. United Kingdom 1 13. Zimbabwe 3 TOTAL 24
END.
Question to the Minister of Home Affairs - NW2253 | PMG
A question to the Minister of Home Affairs, asked on 20 June 2025 by Mr T P Mogale
pmg.org.za
I conducted a further review of the question and answer in parliament for all questions related to naturalisation. The previous minister reported in 2023 that in 2022, he did not issue citizenship to anyone, as there were no qualified applicants. In that instance, he was referring to section 5(9), which talks about citizenship through exceptional circumstances, but the question was general, asking about all certificates. So it made me wonder if, after the approval of the application, there is a further layer of discretion allowed in the law for the minister to decide whether to issue certificates or not even if you have approval of your application. Does anyone know
pmg.org.za
Question to the Minister of Home Affairs - NW789 | PMG
A question to the Minister of Home Affairs, asked on 29 March 2023 by Mr A C Roos
pmg.org.za
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Close to impossible
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Thanks BBN for this digging.I conducted a further review of the question and answer in parliament for all questions related to naturalisation. The previous minister reported in 2023 that in 2022, he did not issue citizenship to anyone, as there were no qualified applicants. In that instance, he was referring to section 5(9), which talks about citizenship through exceptional circumstances, but the question was general, asking about all certificates. So it made me wonder if, after the approval of the application, there is a further layer of discretion allowed in the law for the minister to decide whether to issue certificates or not even if you have approval of your application. Does anyone know
Question to the Minister of Home Affairs - NW789 | PMG
A question to the Minister of Home Affairs, asked on 29 March 2023 by Mr A C Roos
I think we can also raise this issue of non-issuance of certificates with the Legal Resources Centre (LRC).
LRC has offices in many places, including Johannesburg (Braamfontein), Durban, Capetown. Unfortunately, Scalabrini can't assist if you're not in Capetown. Also Lawyers for human rights doesn't handle naturalization cases.
What we're going through is called 'suffering in silence'. If it's not raised with people such as LRC, I doubt anything will be done. My observation is that we're victims of a political game. Before 2019, DHA of Mr Gigaba would naturalize over 1000 people per year, if you look at over 300 people in a single ceremony and there were different ceremonies across the country each year. Why do you think Dr Motsoaledi stopped naturalization ceremonies and Dr Schreiber didn't bring them back. Those ceremonies would expose what's happening. Now unless an MP presses them for the numbers of naturalized people, you will never hear about them.
Why I say a political game is at play? ANC may think not naturalizing people will appease the electorate and earn them more votes. For DA, since they won the case of giving people their citizenships back regardless of when they left the country, they might think, well, we have the numbers to win the national elections. Hence a DA minister sees no need to fix this naturalization problem. He'll leave the black folks to eat each other up OR shoot themselves in the foot.
During Dr Motsoaledi's tenure, the argument for delayed certificates was always COVID disruptions or Lubisi investigations into malfeasance. But recently DDG Civics (Mr Sigama) stated it clearly, 'we are prioritizing South Africans'. And he's right but read that again, and you'll understand why you're not getting certificates.
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Legal Resources Centre contacts
Attachments
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Based on my lawyer feedback on this topic. He mentioned that the minister office is not taking any action and the minister is not going to sign any certificate. Basically he didn’t give thump up yet! It’s going to be a long battle. Nothing can be done.
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Any update please?
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Another very useful legal avenue is Helen Suzman Foundation (HSF). HSF and LRC are free of charge and yet more effective than immigration lawyers. Their effectiveness stems from the respect that those in government have over them as groups that helped them in their fight for freedom. And if you've been following their cases, they will go up to the highest court in the land and still free of charge.
hsf.org.za
Helen Suzman Foundation
hsf.org.za
The hard truth is, NGOs like the Helen Suzman Foundation or LRC do amazing work, but they typically prioritize cases with immediate, provable harm. Unfortunately, our situation — though deeply frustrating — is a slow burn, not a five-alarm fire. That means it’s unlikely to be their top priority.
One option that may be worth exploring is Lawyers for Human Rights (LHR). They could potentially take on our case if we frame it as a systemic failure of DHA to meet its constitutional obligations.
But, here’s the reality: our best shot is pooling our resources and launching a class-action lawsuit. I know someone tried this before here and filed, but low engagement caused it to stall. If we’re serious about forcing change, let’s try it one last time — maybe this time we gather enough people to get the ball rolling?
But, here’s the reality: our best shot is pooling our resources and launching a class-action lawsuit. I know someone tried this before here and filed, but low engagement caused it to stall. If we’re serious about forcing change, let’s try it one last time — maybe this time we gather enough people to get the ball rolling?
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