Ok, guy's and dolls,

I got my PR for SA about 10 years ago.
Stamped in my passport, 'May continue to stay . . . . . . yady, yady , ya, and so on.

So what happens if I split with the Mrs, ? do I lose my SA PR ?

'vette

No.

I think you have been naturalised by now, so shouldn't be a problem anyway. I finally got mine last week (only taken 30 months, well done HA) and there is a note on the certificate saying if you have lived here for 2 years with PR and then separate it's fine. Or words to that effect.....

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Thank you Pablo,

I thought you would be one of the first for a reply,

So if me and the wife split, I can still continue to live in Die Kaap.

Cool

I think I may have spent to much time in Yantai, China, but thats for another day


'vette

Actually, unless the law has been changed on this, which I doubt, there is no automatic naturalisation (i.e., automatic granting of citizenship). If you are a Permanent Resident, you remain one provided you have met the residency rules. But you do not automatically have citizenship conferred/forced on you. You have to apply for citizenship.

And remember, if you become a SA citizen, then you must enter/leave SA on a SA passport, and cannot use your foreign passport for that purpose.

I suppose I ought to stress that there are residency rules with Permanent Residence. If you live out of the country for a certain amount of time, the Permanent Residence lapses - at least in theory. Not sure what the current time limit is. 5 years? 3 years?

True - didn't mention this but Pablo is spot on - you do qualify but need to apply for it (it's not automatically bestowed) - which takes ages. And ages. And ages. The amount of time you need to be in SA is irrelevant - by the time they get round to processing it you'll have been here for 5 years!

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Hi Pablo,

It used to be 5 years, then around 2003, it got changed to 3 years.

You actually you are right on both counts.

'vette

On a side note,

if I apply for citizenship, is that the same as applying for the ID book,
I have an ID number on my SA driving licence, but never applied for the ID book.
Would I have to forfeit my UK citizenship, or can a person be citizen of 2 countries?

Would you think it a good idea for me to apply for an ID book, and subsequently a SA passport?

'vette

No. Both citizens and Permanent Residents (who are non-citizens) have ID books. If you are a Permanent Resident, your ID book states "non-citizen" in it, and if you are a citizen, then it says "citizen".

In practical terms, there is no real difference. Except that citizens can vote. Permanent Residents can't vote.

No, you wouldn't have to renounce your UK citizenship if you applied for SA citizenship. You can be a citizen of both (if you indeed decided to become a SA citizen). The only proviso is the one I mentioned before, that if you *do* become a SA citizen, then you must enter/leave SA on a SA passport.

Don't forget though that you can have an ID book *without* having to be a citizen. Being a PR is good enough.

Yes, you may as well, once you're there. People are always asking to see it for ID purposes. As I said, if you are a PR, then you can apply for an ID book. You don't need to become a citizen in order to get one.

This would only apply if you decided to apply for citizenship. As a citizen, you would be entitled to apply for a SA passport.

As I recall, you're supposed to have been living in SA continuously for a set period as a PR before you can apply to become naturalised (i.e., to become a citizen). I can't recall what that time limit is, or whether it has changed. 5 years perhaps? Not sure.

Having an SA passport gives you bugger all frankly - if you have a UK passport with a PR stamp you can use the SA queue when you come in, and only have to carry 1 passport. That's what I do and it is easy peasy.

Getting an ID book is a help when trying to arrange credit - and every time I fill in a form I have to explain I don't have one which is a pain. If you already have a number it should be easy enough to arrange - I applied for an ID book last week - 3-6 months (apparently) and no cost. If you apply for a replacement it takes the same time but costs around R200.

Not sure where you are, but I have heard from loads of people that Randburg is the best Home Affairs office in the country - whatever you do, don't go to Germiston. They are filled with a bunch of incompetent [rest of message deleted due to repeated profanity and abuse]

UK_Vette, I'm a teensy bit confused.
If I recall you were going to SA, overland, posted a lot of pics of a young Mrs Uk Vette, from China, and now your impending departure from Mrs UK vette may affect your SA PR? which you got 10 years ago?
WTF????
Is she Sa?
heh???

"Jerry, Jerry".....?

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Well, it could be a parting of ways.

Unfortunately I was in China for so long, and got sort of attached.
Hazard of the job, I suppose.
Now things are a little difficult in the household.


'vette
pm sent

Shame chief - I have walked the path myself so my sympathies.... just don't do what I did - leave her the keys to the house while you go fishing, tell her to take what she wants, then come home the next day and find your carpets, light fittings, door handles and toilet-roll holders all gone. Still - gave me an excuse to fumigate and get her vile stench out of the house. (good to see I'm not bitter!)

And I didn't catch anything either.

yeah, I got back to one cup and saucer,one plate, one mug, one pot one chair etc..
Those days Greatermans was the place to shop.
found a sales lass who was pretty and worked on commission, and we walked through the shop, new dishwasher,Fridge and duvet were the first of a long list and took care of my pet hates and made sure the beer was cold....
Three days later, having left the keys with a neighbour I returned home to a fully furnished house with a meal in the oven and the Sales lass's home phone number on the Counter.
we dated for about two months...
The ex's sudden departure was the best thing that ever happened to me.

Me too - although I never got round to dating the salesperson who sold me the new contents of my bachelor pad. Probably because his name was Sipho, and he had extremely questionable personal hygeine.