Reanudación de la ciudadanía sudafricana (s13)
Ciudadanía en South Africa
- Elegibilidad
- Un ex ciudadano sudafricano que dejó de ser ciudadano en virtud de una ley anterior o de las secciones 6, 7, 8 o 10 puede solicitar al Ministro la reanudación de la ciudadanía, lo que el Ministro puede permitir al estar convencido de que los motivos de la pérdida o privación ya no existen o no tienen consecuencias, siempre que el solicitante resida en la República o regrese a ella para su residencia permanente (s13 de la Ciudadanía Act 88 of 1995). La reanudación es una nueva concesión discrecional de una ciudadanía genuinamente perdida, distinta del restablecimiento declarativo de la cohorte de la sección 6(1)(a).
- Plazo
- Standard DHA application processing.
- Renuncia
- No requerida
Resumen
A former South African citizen who ceased to be a citizen under a prior law or under sections 6, 7, 8 or 10 may apply to the Minister to resume citizenship, which the Minister may allow on being satisfied that the grounds for the loss or deprivation no longer exist or are of no consequence, provided the applicant is resident in or returns to the Republic for permanent residence (s13 of the Citizenship Act 88 of 1995). Resumption is a discretionary re-grant of a citizenship genuinely lost, distinct from the declaratory reinstatement of the section 6(1)(a) cohort.
Cómo solicitar
- Procedure for s13(2) resumption: application on form DHA-175 plus proof of permanent residence in the Republic for not less than one year; approval confirmed by certificate DHA-237. The DHA-175 also probes prior foreign-state employment / foreign-armed-forces service and requires willingness to take the oath of allegiance.
Base jurídica
Primary statute: SA Citizenship Act 88 of 1995 s13 (+ s11). Operative 1995-10-06–present. Authority: Department of Home Affairs (DHA).
Escenarios de ejemplo
Los escenarios de ejemplo se muestran en inglés.
Eligible to apply (discretionary) for resumption under s13.
s13(3)(a) allows a person who ceased to be a citizen under s7 to apply to the Minister for resumption where she is 'residing in the Republic permanently or returns to the Republic for permanent residence.' The grant is discretionary under s13(3)(b) — the Minister must be satisfied the grounds for loss 'no longer exist or are of any consequence.'
Eligible to apply (discretionary) for resumption under s13.
s13(3)(a) lists prior s8 deprivation among the triggers for resumption; s13(3)(b) lets the Minister allow resumption if satisfied the grounds for the deprivation 'no longer exist or are of any consequence.' Resumption is a constitutive re-grant, not automatic; the residence nexus and Ministerial satisfaction are real gates.
Wrong route — no s13 application needed; he is deemed never to have lost citizenship.
The s6(1)(a) cohort is restored declaratorily by ZACC 8/2025 ('deemed not to have lost their citizenship') — there is no fresh application, no return/PR requirement and no Ministerial discretion. s13 resumption is for genuinely-lost cohorts (s7 renunciants, s8-deprived, prior-law/homeland losses), not the voided-s6(1)(a) cohort; Stefan should use the reinstatement path (ZA-RST-02).
Resumen informativo recopilado a partir de fuentes legales primarias: no es asesoramiento jurídico. La ley de ciudadanía cambia; verifica con la autoridad competente antes de actuar. Verificado por última vez el 2026-07-01.
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