Laws governing citizenship

• Children’s Act No.38 of 2005
• Children’s Amendment Act No.41 of 2007
• Immigration Act No.13 of 2002
• Immigration Amendment Act, No.3 of 2007
• Immigration Amendment Act, No.13 of 2011
• Refugees Act No.130 of 1998
• Refugee Amendment Act No.17 of 2017
• South African Citizenship Act No.88 of 1995
• South African Citizenship Amendment Act No.17 of 2010

Note:

There are a number of laws undergoing reform, which may change the requirements described in this chapter. In November 2023, the government released a White Paper on Citizenship, Immigration and Refugee Protection: Towards a complete overhaul of the migration system in South Africa. The White Paper was released for public comment. South Africa has different pieces of legislation dealing with citizenship, immigration and refugee protection, which are often not aligned with each other. The White Paper proposes that the government must review all the legislation relating to citizenship, immigration and refugee protection and include it all in a single law.