South Africa: Information on the nationality law
| Publisher | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada |
| Author | Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board, Canada |
| Publication Date | 1 December 1991 |
| Citation / Document Symbol | ZAF9985 |
| Cite as | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, South Africa: Information on the nationality law, 1 December 1991, ZAF9985, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/3ae6aaf550.html [accessed 17 September 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
According to a spokesperson for the Consulate General of South Africa in New York, South African nationality is acquired by birth and by descent (20 Dec. 1991; South African Citizenship Act No. 44 of 1949, 173-187). A person will be recognized as a national of South Africa provided that they prove that they were born in South Africa by producing any one of the following documents: a birth certificate, a birth identity book, a birth registration certificate, or a baptism certificate (20 Dec. 1991).
The above-mentioned procedure also applies to political exiles (Ibid.). The recognition of South African nationality for political exiles is also regulated by the Aliens Control Act, Act No. 96 of 1991 (Ibid.).
Additional and/or corroborating information on the subject could not be found among the sources currently available to the IRBDC in Ottawa.
Bibliography
Consulate General of South Africa, New York. 20 December 1991. Telephone Interview with a Representative.
Statutes of the Republic of South Africa - Aliens and Citizens. "South African Citizenship Act. No. 44 of 1949."
Attachment
Statutes of the Republic of South Africa - Aliens and Citizens. "South African Citizenship Act. No. 44 of 1949."