For many foreign nationals working their way through South Africa's immigration processes, the ultimate destination is citizenship by naturalisation. The South African Citizenship Act 88 of 1995 (the Act) provides two pathways to that destination. The first, under section 5(1),...
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A Reversal, a Grey Area and a Retreat
The first week of the final quarter was busier than anyone expected. In the space of a few days, the Minister waived a rule that has caused real harm since January, and the Department opened its asylum system and then...
ADVISORY: Refugee Reception Offices Reopened to New Asylum Applications
The Department of Home Affairs has instructed all Refugee Reception Offices to resume receiving new asylum applications with immediate effect. The directive was issued by the Acting Director-General on 28 September 2026. It follows the Constitutional Court’s judgment of 7...
Before the Dawn: The Immigration Landscape as 2026 Draws to a Close
We have entered the fourth quarter, and with it the beginning of the end of 2026. With just under three months remaining in what has been a busy year across the board, we take stock of the immigration landscape and...
A conclusion is not a reason: what Link means for the refusals you are receiving now
Why we are writing about this now Our appeals desk is currently seeing a familiar cluster of refusals. Work visa applications refused because the Department “could not verify the applicant’s employment”, where the application was accompanied by a complete Managed...
Trusted Employer Scheme Phase II: DHA Widens the Door, But Raises the Bar
On 20 July 2026, the Department of Home Affairs published Government Notice No. 7715 in Government Gazette No. 55036, formally inviting corporate employers to submit expressions of interest in Phase II of the Trusted Employer Scheme (TES). The notice, signed...
Section 8(4) of the Immigration Act: A Structural Fault Line in South Africa’s Immigration Appeal Process
One Husband, Several Wives, One Visa Regime: Can a Polygamous Marriage Qualify for the Spouse Visa?
The Netflix series The Polygamist has taken the social media world by storm. The shenanigans of its chief protagonist, Jonasi, have left viewers with mixed feelings; some resent the character outright, while others find a curious sympathy for his unorthodox...
The 60-Day Rule: How a Forgotten Regulation Became South Africa’s Most Consequential Immigration Hurdle
A rule that always existed, but never quite applied Few provisions in South African immigration law have, in the span of a few weeks, generated as much confusion, frustration and disrupted relocation as Regulations 9(5) and 9(8) of the Immigration...
Earning South African Citizenship
South African citizenship has historically been granted through two primary routes: by birth (jus sanguinis — citizenship through a parent) and by naturalisation after a qualifying period of permanent residence. The 2026 White Paper introduces a third dimension: merit. Citizenship...