Advice from South Africans who have moved to Australia?
#16
Re: Advice from South Africans who have moved to Australia?
Thats not correct
I was born in SA to British parents and have dual citizenship. Becoming a UK citizen does not mean that you will lose your SA citizenship.
I am now in Oz and intend to take Australian citizenship soon and i can have that as well as my SA and UK citizenships, together with the passports.
If you intend to have another passport (it is possible to have citizenship without having a passport) other than your SA passport then you need the permission of the SA authorities to hold that other passport - it costs a fee and is just a letter - this is primarily about travel to and from SA to ensure that you as a SA citizen are registered when you enter SA
My advice - the more passports you have the better - you never know
I was born in SA to British parents and have dual citizenship. Becoming a UK citizen does not mean that you will lose your SA citizenship.
I am now in Oz and intend to take Australian citizenship soon and i can have that as well as my SA and UK citizenships, together with the passports.
If you intend to have another passport (it is possible to have citizenship without having a passport) other than your SA passport then you need the permission of the SA authorities to hold that other passport - it costs a fee and is just a letter - this is primarily about travel to and from SA to ensure that you as a SA citizen are registered when you enter SA
My advice - the more passports you have the better - you never know
Loss of South African Citizenship (Section 6)
A South African citizen who by a formal and voluntary act acquires the citizenship of another country, automatically loses his or her South African citizenship.
http://home-affairs.pwv.gov.za/sa_citizenship.asp
#17
Forum Regular
Joined: Apr 2006
Location: Sunshine Coast
Posts: 77
Re: Advice from South Africans who have moved to Australia?
JAJ is correct. If you don't ask for permission they will take away your South African citzenship. It happened to a friend of mine.
Loss of South African Citizenship (Section 6)
A South African citizen who by a formal and voluntary act acquires the citizenship of another country, automatically loses his or her South African citizenship.
http://home-affairs.pwv.gov.za/sa_citizenship.asp
Loss of South African Citizenship (Section 6)
A South African citizen who by a formal and voluntary act acquires the citizenship of another country, automatically loses his or her South African citizenship.
http://home-affairs.pwv.gov.za/sa_citizenship.asp
"Retention of South African citizenship may, however, be applied for, but must be done and be approved before acquisition of the other citizenship to prevent automatic loss of the South African citizenship. Applications must be on form BI 1664 and are subject to payment of a prescribed fee of R115-00. Applications may be lodged at any Home Affairs domestic office or if abroad, at the nearest South African Embassy or Mission. "
The letter you get in return has to be kept with your passport although this requirement seems to have been removed in 2004;
"In essence, the act repealed the provision which allowed the Minister of Home Affairs to deprive a citizen of his or her citizenship for having used the citizenship of a foreign country. Consequently, the previous requirement for exemptions or letters of permission from the Minister to make use of a foreign passport has now been terminated. The issue of deprivation of citizenship was inconsistent with the Constitutional right to citizenship. "
Maybe i just filled in the right forms and did the beaucracy properly?
The key element of that act was twofold - to reduce the number of SA citizens that had moved abroad, with no intention of returning, and were voting, and to reduce the number of people entering the country on the passport of another country when they were SA citizens - something to do with moving money i think. When you enter SA and hold SA citizenship then you have to use your SA passport - seems sensible to me;
"Essentially, the Amendment Act provides that a South African citizen, who has dual citizenship or nationality, can freely use his or her foreign passport outside South Africa. However, they must use their South African passport to depart from or enter South Africa."
#18
Thread Starter
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 308
Re: Advice from South Africans who have moved to Australia?
Thank you for your replies.
My husband and his entire family are dual citizens, some of them applied to be and others didn't have to due to the law changes. (You used to have to apply for it) My Husband didn't apply to be a dual citizen and he was told that according to the new laws he just needs to use his SA passport when leaving SA or returning and his British passport for leaving or returning to the UK.
My husband and his entire family are dual citizens, some of them applied to be and others didn't have to due to the law changes. (You used to have to apply for it) My Husband didn't apply to be a dual citizen and he was told that according to the new laws he just needs to use his SA passport when leaving SA or returning and his British passport for leaving or returning to the UK.
#19
Thread Starter
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 308
Re: Advice from South Africans who have moved to Australia?
Hi
We've been in Aus after having spent 13 years in the UK. Also arrived blind! Easy to settle here due to lifestyle similarities with SA although culturally it's quite different. I think it's easier to transition coming direct from SA than from the UK, although it will depend how long you've been in the UK and how much you've bedded down there.
I am UK/SA citizen and my OH was naturalised in the UK - highly recommended, definitely worth the 700 pounds!
Any ideas on where you plan to settle in Aus?
We've been in Aus after having spent 13 years in the UK. Also arrived blind! Easy to settle here due to lifestyle similarities with SA although culturally it's quite different. I think it's easier to transition coming direct from SA than from the UK, although it will depend how long you've been in the UK and how much you've bedded down there.
I am UK/SA citizen and my OH was naturalised in the UK - highly recommended, definitely worth the 700 pounds!
Any ideas on where you plan to settle in Aus?
#20
Thread Starter
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 308
Re: Advice from South Africans who have moved to Australia?
I don't think it was necessary of you to be rude to me. If you must know I didn't apply because I needed my passport to travel back and forth to SA. My father has a collapsed kidney and the other one is failing, so I needed to be free to travel at the drop of a hat.
#21
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 554
Re: Advice from South Africans who have moved to Australia?
We are a long way from losing our saffa status if we do this big move to Oz and are still trying to wade through all the paperwork. Any saffa's who live in the UK, how easy was it to get police checks etc????
I remember how difficult it is to get anything done when you live there, so shudder to think how much worse trying to do it from somewhere else!!!!!
I remember how difficult it is to get anything done when you live there, so shudder to think how much worse trying to do it from somewhere else!!!!!
#22
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Oct 2005
Location: Hill overlooking the SE Melbourne suburbs
Posts: 16,622
#23
Re: Advice from South Africans who have moved to Australia?
Or you could use the Nationality Checking Service and apply in person. (if you local council does not participate you can always travel to one that does).
http://www.ind.homeoffice.gov.uk/app...ationality/ncs
#24
Thread Starter
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 308
Re: Advice from South Africans who have moved to Australia?
Thank you for your advice.
#25
Re: Advice from South Africans who have moved to Australia?
We are a long way from losing our saffa status if we do this big move to Oz and are still trying to wade through all the paperwork. Any saffa's who live in the UK, how easy was it to get police checks etc????
I remember how difficult it is to get anything done when you live there, so shudder to think how much worse trying to do it from somewhere else!!!!!
I remember how difficult it is to get anything done when you live there, so shudder to think how much worse trying to do it from somewhere else!!!!!
I was born in Durban to UK parents but have lived in UK just about all my life and I have never had a SA passport but I have Police checks every year for my job as an approved contractor for the Political party conferences, no problems.
Still don't know if I should get a 'confirmation of SA citezenship and a SA passport before an Aussie one though.
Johnnyyt
#26
Re: Advice from South Africans who have moved to Australia?
I was born in Durban to UK parents but have lived in UK just about all my life and I have never had a SA passport but I have Police checks every year for my job as an approved contractor for the Political party conferences, no problems.
Still don't know if I should get a 'confirmation of SA citezenship and a SA passport before an Aussie one though.
Still don't know if I should get a 'confirmation of SA citezenship and a SA passport before an Aussie one though.