How to Become a South African Citizen by Naturalisation in 2026: Requirements, Documents and Process

Becoming a South African citizen by naturalisation is possible for qualifying permanent residents, but living in South Africa for several years does not automatically make someone eligible for citizenship.

Under the current South African citizenship by naturalisation rules, an ordinary adult applicant must generally already have permanent residence and must have completed at least five years of continuous qualifying ordinary residence immediately before applying. Applicants must also satisfy requirements relating to good character, language ability, knowledge of the responsibilities and privileges of citizenship, travel outside South Africa, and their existing nationality.

One of the most important developments for applicants is that the Citizenship Regulations were amended in July 2023. The current regulations now expressly state the five-year residence period. Older explanations referring to a 10-year ordinary naturalisation requirement are based on an earlier regulation that was invalidated by the courts and subsequently amended.

South Africa is also preparing for a much broader reform of its citizenship and immigration system. Cabinet approved the Revised White Paper on Citizenship, Immigration and Refugee Protection in 2026. However, the legislation needed to implement those proposals has not yet replaced the current Citizenship Act and regulations.

Quick Answer

South African Naturalisation Requirements in 2026

Naturalisation is governed primarily by the South African Citizenship Act 88 of 1995, as amended, together with the Citizenship Regulations.

For the ordinary section 5 route, an adult applicant generally has to satisfy the Minister of Home Affairs that the statutory requirements have been met.

These include:

Meeting the residence requirement alone is therefore not enough. Naturalisation remains an application that must satisfy the complete statutory framework.

The Five-Year Naturalisation Residence Rule

The residence requirement has generated considerable confusion because South African law and the regulations were inconsistent for several years.

The South African Citizenship Amendment Act 17 of 2010 changed section 5 so that the ordinary applicant must have been ordinarily resident in South Africa for a continuous period of at least five years immediately before applying.

However, the Citizenship Regulations published in December 2012 originally imposed a 10-year requirement.

That contradiction eventually reached the courts.

In Mulowayi and Others v Minister of Home Affairs and Another, the 10-year regulation was declared invalid because a regulation made by the executive could not override the five-year period Parliament had established in the Citizenship Act.

The Constitutional Court removed the suspension of the declaration of invalidity in 2019.

The position became even clearer on July 7, 2023, when the Department of Home Affairs formally amended regulation 3(2)(a).

The current regulation now expressly provides that the period of ordinary residence contemplated by section 5(1)(c) is five years immediately preceding the application for naturalisation.

This does not necessarily mean that a foreign national can arrive in South Africa and become a citizen five years later.

The applicant normally has to obtain permanent residence first.

That distinction can substantially lengthen the real-world pathway to citizenship.

The 90-Day Travel Rule

Applicants should pay very close attention to international travel during the qualifying period.

The regulations state that an ordinary applicant must not have been outside South Africa for more than 90 days in any year during the five-year period immediately preceding the naturalisation application.

An applicant who exceeds the permitted absence may fail to qualify even if they have held permanent residence for more than five years.

This makes travel history one of the most important parts of preparing a naturalisation application.

Before filing, applicants should reconstruct their movements using documents such as:

• Current and expired passports
• Entry and exit stamps
• Airline itineraries
• Employment travel records
• Home Affairs movement records where available

Do not assume that simply maintaining a South African home while spending long periods abroad necessarily preserves eligibility.

Do Years on a Temporary Visa Count Toward Citizenship?

This is one of the most commonly misunderstood parts of South African citizenship law.

A work visa, study visa, visitor visa, relative’s visa or other temporary residence status is not the same thing as permanent residence.

For ordinary naturalisation, section 5 requires the applicant to have been admitted for permanent residence.

The Citizenship Act also excludes certain periods of temporary or conditional residence when calculating residence for citizenship purposes.

For many immigrants, the practical process therefore looks more like this:

Temporary residence -> Permanent residence -> Qualifying citizenship residence -> Naturalisation

For example, a foreign worker may qualify for a direct permanent residence pathway after holding qualifying work status for at least five years and meeting the Immigration Act requirements.

If permanent residence is granted, the person must then satisfy the Citizenship Act before naturalisation.

That is why some applicants may spend roughly 10 years or more in South Africa before reaching an ordinary naturalisation application, even though the citizenship residence requirement itself is five years.

Processing periods for visas, permanent residence and citizenship can make the complete journey even longer.

Can You Get South African Citizenship Through Marriage?

Marriage to a South African citizen does not automatically make the foreign spouse a South African citizen.

Marriage is generally more important at the immigration and permanent-residence stages.

A qualifying spouse may eventually become eligible for permanent residence under South African immigration law. Once permanent residence and the applicable citizenship requirements are satisfied, naturalisation may become possible.

There is also a specific spouse and surviving-spouse provision under section 5(5) of the Citizenship Act.

Curiously, regulation 5 currently prescribes a period of 10 years of ordinary residence immediately before the application for that special route.

It also applies a rule restricting absences during the preceding five-year period to no more than 90 days in any year.

That creates an unusual situation.

A spouse who independently qualifies under the ordinary section 5(1) route after five years of qualifying residence as a permanent resident may find the ordinary naturalisation provision more useful than the marriage-specific provision.

Documents Required for South African Naturalisation

Applicants should obtain the latest application forms and document instructions directly from the Department of Home Affairs before filing.

The principal naturalisation application is DHA-63.

The 2012 regulations and the 2023 amendments should be read together because the later amendment expanded the evidence listed for naturalisation.

Depending on the applicant’s circumstances, the documentation can include:

Applicants with documents issued in another language should also confirm translation and authentication requirements with Home Affairs.

Where required, foreign-language records may need an appropriate English translation certified by a sworn translator.

Applicants should keep originals as well as certified copies where required.

Do not rely solely on an old online checklist. Citizenship forms and administrative practices can change, and Home Affairs may require updated documentation.

Is There a South African Citizenship Test?

South African law requires an applicant to demonstrate the ability to communicate in at least one official South African language to the Minister’s satisfaction.

The 2023 amendment to the Citizenship Regulations also expressly lists proof of the ability to communicate in an official language as supporting evidence for naturalisation.

The Citizenship Act separately requires adequate knowledge of the responsibilities and privileges of South African citizenship.

However, the current Act and Citizenship Regulations do not prescribe a standardized nationwide written multiple-choice citizenship test comparable to the formal tests used in some other countries.

That does not mean an applicant can assume that no questions will ever be asked.

The Minister has statutory authority to make inquiries, and the 2023 amendments inserted regulation 3B, which expressly allows the Minister or a delegated official, in appropriate circumstances, to require an applicant to appear for a hearing.

Applicants should therefore understand basic South African civic life, the constitutional system, the responsibilities attached to citizenship and the information contained in their own applications.

Dual Citizenship and Naturalisation in 2026

South Africa’s dual-citizenship rules changed significantly following a Constitutional Court judgment in 2025.

For years, section 6(1)(a) of the Citizenship Act provided that a South African citizen could automatically lose South African citizenship after voluntarily acquiring another nationality unless the person had first obtained permission to retain South African citizenship.

In Democratic Alliance v Minister of Home Affairs and Another [2025] ZACC 8, the Constitutional Court held that provision unconstitutional.

The Court’s order operated retrospectively to October 6, 1995, and people affected by the automatic-loss provision are deemed not to have lost their South African citizenship through that provision.

That ruling is especially important for people who were already South African citizens and later obtained another citizenship.

Naturalisation presents a different question.

Section 5(1)(h) and regulation 4 remain relevant to a foreign citizen who is trying to become a South African citizen.

If the applicant’s existing country permits dual nationality, the applicant may be able to retain both nationalities.

If the foreign country does not permit dual citizenship, South African law contemplates renunciation of the existing nationality following conditional approval.

Regulation 4 requires official evidence of renunciation and provides a six-month period following receipt of the conditional approval letter to submit the proof.

The Mulowayi litigation illustrates why this sequence matters. Applicants can face serious consequences if they become stateless while a South African citizenship application remains unresolved.

Children and People Born in South Africa

Not everyone who needs recognition as a South African citizen should use the ordinary adult section 5 naturalisation process.

A minor who is permanently and lawfully resident in South Africa can potentially be naturalised through an application by the responsible parent or legal guardian under section 5(4).

There are also special rules for certain people born in South Africa.

Section 4(3) addresses a person born in South Africa to parents who were not South African citizens and were not admitted for permanent residence, where the statutory requirements are satisfied after the person reaches adulthood.

This provision became the subject of important litigation in Minister of Home Affairs v Jose.

A major administrative development followed in 2023.

The First Amendment to the Citizenship Regulations introduced regulation 3A and a specific application form, DHA-63A, for section 4(3) naturalisation applications.

The amended regulations set out extensive evidence requirements. Depending on the applicant’s family circumstances, these can include birth-registration documents, parental immigration or refugee documentation, evidence of residence in South Africa from birth, school records, language evidence and biometrics.

For that reason, a person born in South Africa should first determine whether a birth-based or section 4(3) citizenship route applies before attempting to use the ordinary permanent-resident naturalisation procedure.

Can Refugees Become South African Citizens?

Recognized refugees can eventually reach South African citizenship, but refugee status itself is not citizenship and does not automatically convert into citizenship after a set period.

There are generally separate stages.

A refugee may first need to qualify for permanent residence. After obtaining permanent residence, the person must then satisfy the applicable Citizenship Act requirements for naturalisation.

There is an important source of confusion online.

Some South African government service pages still state that a refugee may apply for permanent residence after more than five years on refugee status.

However, the currently amended Refugees Act provides a different rule.

Section 27(c) provides that a recognized refugee may apply for permanent residence after 10 years of continuous residence in South Africa from the date asylum was granted, if the Standing Committee for Refugee Affairs certifies, after considering the relevant circumstances, that the person will remain a refugee indefinitely.

Applicants should therefore rely on the current legislation rather than older summary webpages that still refer to five years.

After permanent residence is obtained, citizenship remains a separate process.

How to Apply for South African Citizenship by Naturalisation

The ordinary application uses DHA-63.

A sensible preparation process is:

1. Confirm that naturalisation is the correct citizenship pathway. A person born in South Africa, a minor, or someone with another citizenship claim may fall under different provisions.
2. Confirm permanent residence status. Do not confuse a temporary visa with permanent residence.
3. Calculate the five-year qualifying period. Identify the relevant residence dates before applying.
4. Audit international travel. Check for any absence exceeding 90 days during a relevant year.
5. Obtain current police clearances and supporting documents.
6. Prepare proof of language ability and other documents required by the amended regulations.
7. Confirm the rules of your existing country regarding dual nationality.
8. Complete DHA-63 and any additional forms required by Home Affairs.
9. Submit the complete application through the procedure directed by Home Affairs.
10. Keep proof of submission. Retain copies, receipts, reference numbers and correspondence.
11. Respond to verification requests or a hearing if required.
12. Complete renunciation procedures only when legally required and at the correct stage.
13. Complete the Declaration of Allegiance before issuance where applicable.

The 2023 Regulations prescribe DHA-75 as the current form of the Declaration of Allegiance.

It requires the person becoming a citizen to affirm faithfulness to South Africa, respect the Constitution and laws, and undertake the duties and responsibilities associated with citizenship.

How Long Does South African Naturalisation Take?

The DHA-63 form states that an application may take approximately 12 months to consider and finalize.

Applicants should treat that as an administrative estimate rather than a guaranteed legal deadline.

There is no publicly available 2026 national dataset establishing a dependable median naturalisation processing time for all applications.

Some applications may move more quickly. Others can take substantially longer because of permanent-residence verification, security checks, missing documents, internal administrative problems or litigation.

A useful real-world example is the recent Sakharov litigation, which involved Home Affairs declining to accept a citizenship application until an internal permanent-residence verification process had been completed.

The litigation demonstrates an important principle: internal administrative procedures cannot simply create additional legal requirements that do not exist in the Act or regulations.

Applicants should therefore keep detailed records whenever Home Affairs refuses to accept an application or imposes an additional requirement.

Ask for the reason and legal basis in writing where possible.

Why Can a Naturalisation Application Be Refused?

Naturalisation can fail where the applicant does not establish one or more statutory requirements.

Potential problems include:

• Not having permanent residence
• Insufficient qualifying residence
• Absences exceeding the permitted limit
• Problems establishing good character
• Missing police reports or other supporting records
• Inadequate evidence of language ability
• Failure to satisfy citizenship-knowledge requirements
• Incorrect or incomplete information
• Dual-nationality or renunciation problems
• False statements or concealed material facts

The Citizenship Act also contains serious consequences where citizenship was obtained through fraud, false representation or concealment of a material fact.

Applicants should therefore correct inconsistencies before filing rather than trying to explain them only after Home Affairs discovers them.

A refusal can also affect when another application may be made.

The Act generally restricts reconsideration and further applications for a period after refusal, subject to the statutory provisions and circumstances.

Where the problem is not genuine ineligibility but unlawful administration, judicial review may be available.

South African courts have repeatedly intervened where Home Affairs applied invalid rules, failed to implement statutory citizenship rights or attempted to introduce hurdles without adequate legal authority.

Will South African Citizenship Rules Change?

Possibly, and this is one of the biggest issues to watch during 2026 and beyond.

Cabinet approved the Revised White Paper on Citizenship, Immigration and Refugee Protection in 2026.

The policy proposes a major restructuring of South Africa’s citizenship, immigration and refugee systems.

Among other reforms, the White Paper contemplates a more integrated legal framework, digital transformation, changes to permanent residence, more objective or merit-based approaches to naturalisation, and broader restructuring of the way citizenship and immigration applications are managed.

However, a White Paper is a statement of government policy.

It is not, by itself, an amendment to the Citizenship Act.

Following Cabinet approval, the Department of Home Affairs stated that it would begin drafting and tabling the legislative amendments required to implement the policy.

Until new legislation is enacted and commenced, current naturalisation applications continue to be governed by the existing Citizenship Act, valid regulations and binding court judgments.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many years does it take to become a South African citizen?

For ordinary naturalisation, current law requires at least five continuous years of qualifying ordinary residence immediately before the application, together with permanent residence and the other statutory requirements.

The complete journey from first arriving in South Africa can be much longer because time may be required to qualify for permanent residence before the citizenship period is completed.

Is the naturalisation requirement five years or 10 years?

For the ordinary section 5(1) naturalisation route, it is five years of qualifying continuous ordinary residence immediately before application.

The previous regulation imposing 10 years was invalidated through the Mulowayi litigation. In July 2023, the regulation itself was formally amended and now expressly states five years.

A separate 10-year prescribed residence rule currently remains in regulation 5 for the special spouse or surviving-spouse provision.

Can I count five years on a work visa toward naturalisation?

Do not assume that temporary work-visa residence counts in the same way as qualifying permanent residence for citizenship.

An ordinary naturalisation applicant must have been admitted for permanent residence. Many workers therefore first use their work history to qualify for permanent residence and later become eligible for naturalisation.

Does buying a house in South Africa make me eligible for citizenship?

No.

The 2023 Citizenship Regulations list proof of fixed property “if any” among the evidence that may accompany a naturalisation application, but property ownership is not stated as a general substitute for permanent residence or the citizenship residence requirements.

Do I need to speak Afrikaans?

Not specifically.

The law requires the ability to communicate in at least one South African official language. Afrikaans is one option, but it is not the only qualifying language.

Is there a medical examination for citizenship?

The current Citizenship Regulations do not establish a general naturalisation medical examination comparable to some immigration medical requirements.

Citizenship applications instead involve identity, police, residence, travel and other documentary verification.

Can I keep my current passport after becoming South African?

That depends partly on the citizenship laws of your existing country.

If your existing country permits dual citizenship, retaining both nationalities may be possible.

If it prohibits dual nationality, South African naturalisation rules may require proof that the previous citizenship was renounced after conditional approval.

Can a refugee become a South African citizen after five years?

Refugee status itself does not automatically produce citizenship after five years.

Under the currently amended Refugees Act, the section 27(c) permanent-residence pathway generally requires 10 years of continuous residence from the date asylum was granted, together with the required certification that the person will remain a refugee indefinitely.

Citizenship remains a separate process after permanent residence.

Can Home Affairs interview me?

Yes.

The Citizenship Act allows inquiries and personal appearances, and the 2023 Regulations expressly allow the Minister or a delegated official to require an applicant to attend a hearing in appropriate circumstances.

Does marriage automatically give me South African citizenship?

No.

Marriage can affect immigration and permanent-residence options, but citizenship requires a separate legal process.

Should I renounce my current citizenship before applying?

Generally, do not renounce another nationality prematurely.

Where renunciation is required because the existing country does not permit dual nationality, the Citizenship Regulations contemplate conditional South African approval first and submission of official proof of renunciation afterward within the prescribed period.

Naturalisation Checklist

Before lodging an application, an ordinary applicant should be able to answer yes to the following questions:

• Have I confirmed that section 5 naturalisation is the correct route for me?
• Do I hold South African permanent residence?
• Have I completed at least five years of qualifying continuous ordinary residence?
• Have I checked every international absence during that period?
• Was I outside South Africa for no more than 90 days in any relevant year?
• Do I have current police and identity documentation?
• Can I prove my ability to communicate in an official South African language?
• Have I collected the employment, permanent-resident ID and other evidence required by the amended regulations?
• Do I understand whether my current country permits dual nationality?
• Have I obtained the latest application forms and office instructions from Home Affairs?

Naturalisation is not simply a matter of having lived in South Africa for a certain number of years. The applicant’s immigration status, travel history, documentation, nationality and personal qualifications all matter.

For people who satisfy the requirements, however, the law currently provides a clear ordinary pathway: permanent residence, five continuous qualifying years, compliance with the substantive requirements, successful adjudication, and issuance of the naturalisation certificate.

Sources

• South African Citizenship Act 88 of 1995 – South African Government
• South African Citizenship Amendment Act 17 of 2010 – South African Government
• Regulations on the South African Citizenship Act – Government Gazette 36054
• First Amendment of the Citizenship Regulations – Government Notice R3658 of 2023
• Mulowayi and Others v Minister of Home Affairs and Another – Constitutional Court
• Democratic Alliance v Minister of Home Affairs and Another [2025] ZACC 8 – Constitutional Court
• Refugees Act 130 of 1998 – South African Government
• Apply for Permanent Residency Permit – South African Government
• Cabinet Approval of Revised White Paper on Citizenship, Immigration and Refugee Protection – South African Government