A number of British nationals travel to South Africa each year, either to find work, to study there, or simply to take a vacation. Some stay for a short period, whilst others decide to relocate completely. If you are one of the few who wish to start a new life in South Africa, it might be a good idea to apply for South African citizenship through naturalisation.

South African citizenship is granted to foreigners who have obtained a certificate of naturalisation from a qualified minister. First of all, a person must be of legal age to apply for a certificate and must be of good morals. The applicant must have spent at least eight years in South Africa prior to filing for a certificate, and at least four of those eight years must have been spent as a permanent resident of the country. The applicant must also intend to stay in South Africa even after the issuance of a certificate, and must serve the country as a contributing member to society. The minister should also deem him/her as knowledgeable in the native language as well as the basic privileges and responsibilities of a South African citizen.

South African citizenship through naturalisation is regarded as a privilege, not a right, as it is up to the minister’s discretion whether to qualify an applicant or not, even after he/she has fulfilled all the requirements and met all the conditions for naturalisation. Furthermore, a minister may revoke a naturalised citizen’s certificate at any given time for a number of reasons. A naturalised citizen can lose his/her South African citizenship if he/she marries someone who is a citizen of another country or if he/she is found to have active citizenship in any other country.