Answers to your questions
Have a question you would like answered? Email us and we may answer it. The questions here are based on ones from our readers, with identifying information removed.
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Topic: Home Affairs | Show questions and answers for all topics
Home Affairs refuses to give us permanent residency even though we were born in South Africa, and our parents and siblings have permanent residency. What can we do?
As you were both born in South Africa before 2014, you still automatically qualify for citizenship provided you have not lived anywhere else but South Africa.
What should I do if my passport is on the V-list?
You can contact Home Affairs to appeal your status as a "prohibited person".
How can a permanent resident's child born under the amended citizenship laws become legalised?
The child will have to apply for temporary visas to be legal, and apply for citizenship when they are 18 if they have only lived in South Africa.
How can I get an interview for a birth certificate at Home Affairs?
You can phone their hotline but you will probably have better luck if you get help from a non-government organisation.
What can I do if my mother ripped up my birth certificate before I could get an ID?
It would be best if you can get another trusted adult to go with you, but sometimes these processes at Home Affairs prove difficult.
What can I do if Home Affairs won't help me get an ID because my parents aren't with me?
It would be helpful if one of your relatives came forward as a parental figure or guardian to help you apply.
Can I as a Zimbabwean travel to South Africa to give my child my surname?
Yes, your child can bear your name. You can travel to South Africa if you have a relative visa.
How can I get a copy of my South African–born child's birth certificate? Neither parent is South African.
Everyone born in South Africa has the right to a birth certificate. You should be able to get a copy from Home Affairs.
What visa/permit will allow my non-South African wife to stay in the country for longer than 90 days? I am a citizen.
You can apply for a temporary spousal visa or a spousal permit.
How can you get a birth certificate with no proof of birth or parent's ID?
You could make a sworn affidavit explaining your circumstances, but you may need legal help.