The department of Home Affairs has launched phase two of its online Citizenship Reinstatement Portal.
The portal follows the Constitutional Court judgment of 6 May 2025 in Democratic Alliance v Minister of Home Affairs. The court declared Section 6(1)(a) of the South African Citizenship Act unconstitutional.
As a result, South Africans who automatically lost citizenship after acquiring another nationality without prior ministerial permission had their citizenship restored.
Phase one launched in November 2025. During the past 11 weeks:
- 12 008 people checked their citizenship status
- 1 088 people had their citizenship successfully reinstated
Now, phase two introduces real-time automated processing.
Qualifying applicants can receive confirmation in as little as one hour instead of waiting six to eight weeks.
Why it matters to you
If you lost South African citizenship after becoming a citizen of another country, this portal allows you to confirm your restored status quickly and without paperwork.
In addition:
- You do not need to fill in forms
- You do not need to stand in queues
- You can apply from anywhere in the world
Once confirmed, your status updates immediately on the Population Register. You can then apply for:
- A South African passport
- A Smart ID card
There is no additional waiting period.
