How to Register Your Child Born Outside South Africa and Get Their SA Birth Certificate
If you are a South African citizen living abroad and your child was born outside South Africa, your child may be entitled to South African citizenship by descent — and to a South African birth certificate and passport. This guide explains the foreign birth registration process, what documents you need, where to apply, and how the dual citizenship rules work for children born abroad.
Who Qualifies?
A child born abroad is entitled to South African citizenship by descent — and can therefore be registered with the DHA — if at least one parent is a South African citizen at the time of the child’s birth, as confirmed by the SA Embassy in Washington.
This includes:
- Children born abroad to two South African citizen parents
- Children born abroad to one South African citizen parent and one foreign national parent
- Children born outside South Africa who were adopted by a South African citizen
Dual citizenship note: Children born abroad and registered with South African Home Affairs are automatically permitted to maintain dual citizenship. They do not need to apply for a retention letter. Children under 18 are exempt from the retention of citizenship requirement — they retain SA citizenship automatically regardless of what other citizenship they hold, provided they acquired the foreign citizenship before age 18. See the SA High Commission UK guidance on retention of citizenship.
Fees at a Glance
| Service | Fee |
|---|---|
| Foreign birth registration (Notice of Birth) | Free |
| First SA birth certificate issued after registration | Free |
| SA passport applied for at the same time | R600 |
| Processing fee at some overseas missions | Local currency fee applies — confirm with your mission |
Where to Apply
You must apply at the nearest South African embassy, high commission, or consulate in the country where you are residing. Applications are processed at the mission and then forwarded to DHA Pretoria for finalisation.
As noted by the SA High Commission in the UK, both parents must be present at the appointment to register the birth. Children aged 7 and above must also attend the appointment in person. Applications for birth registration are generally only accepted in person — contact your nearest mission to confirm whether postal applications are accepted before assuming this option is available.
Book an appointment in advance. Most SA missions worldwide require appointments for civic services. Walk-ins are generally not accepted for birth registrations.
Forms You Will Need
| Form | Purpose | Availability |
|---|---|---|
| DHA-24 | Notice of Birth — the primary birth registration form | Barcoded — NOT downloadable. Collect from the mission or request in advance |
| DHA-24/LRB | Notice of Birth for late registrations (after 30 days) | Barcoded — obtain from the mission |
| DHA-288A | Affidavit for registrations between 30 days and 1 year | Obtain from the mission |
| DHA-288 | Affidavit for registrations over 1 year | Obtain from the mission |
| DHA-288C | Affidavit completed by the father for children born out of wedlock | Obtain from the mission — do not sign before your appointment |
| BI-529 / DHA-529 | Determination of Citizenship Status — one form per SA parent, plus one in the child’s name (three forms total) | Download from dha.gov.za — complete fully but do not sign until in front of an official |
| DHA-73 | Passport application (if applying for the child’s first SA passport at the same time) | Download from dha.gov.za — complete but do not sign |
Critical note on forms: Do not sign any forms before your appointment. All forms must be signed in the presence of a DHA official at the mission. Forms completed or signed at home before the appointment will be rejected.
Documents You Will Need
The exact document requirements vary slightly by mission, but the following list reflects the standard requirements confirmed by the SA High Commission in the UK and the SA Embassy in Washington.
For the child:
- Original and certified copy of the child’s foreign birth certificate (in English, or officially translated into English by a sworn translator if in another language)
- Child’s foreign passport or ID, if applicable (original and copy)
- Proof of how and when the child acquired any foreign citizenship, such as a naturalisation or registration certificate (a foreign passport alone is not sufficient proof of how citizenship was acquired)
- 4 passport-size photographs of the child
For both SA parents (each parent):
- SA barcoded ID book or Smart ID card (original and copies)
- Valid SA passport (original and copies)
- SA birth certificate (original and/or copy)
- If the parent holds dual nationality: proof of how and when the foreign citizenship was acquired (naturalisation certificate, registration certificate, or a letter from the foreign authorities — not just a foreign passport)
- Retention of SA citizenship letter, if one was issued to you (bring it to your appointment)
For married parents:
- Marriage certificate (original and copy). If married outside South Africa, the marriage certificate must be legalised or apostilled before being submitted
For parents born out of wedlock (the child):
- Both parents must still be present
- Father completes Form DHA-288C — do not sign before your appointment
For one SA parent and one non-SA parent:
- Non-SA parent’s passport or government-issued ID (original and certified copy)
- Notarized letter of consent from the non-SA parent (or the SA mother if the SA father is registering) confirming consent for the child’s birth to be registered in South Africa
Step-by-Step Process
Step 1 — Book an appointment at your nearest SA mission
Contact your nearest SA embassy or high commission and book an appointment for civic services. Confirm their specific document requirements and whether any forms need to be collected in advance, as requirements can vary slightly between missions.
Step 2 — Collect barcoded forms in advance if possible
Forms DHA-24 and DHA-288C are barcoded and cannot be downloaded. Some missions allow you to collect them in advance or request them by post. Check with your mission whether this is possible — arriving on appointment day without these forms may result in a rescheduled appointment.
Step 3 — Prepare all documents
Gather originals and copies of all required documents. Have foreign-language documents translated by a sworn translator. Have your marriage certificate apostilled or legalised if it was issued outside South Africa.
Step 4 — Attend the appointment (all required parties)
Both parents and children aged 7 and above must attend. Do not sign any forms beforehand. The DHA official will take fingerprints and certify copies at the mission. The official will certify copies — the embassy will not make photocopies for you, so bring your own copies.
Step 5 — Application is forwarded to DHA Pretoria
After your appointment, the mission forwards your application to DHA Head Office in Pretoria for finalisation. Processing time is approximately 4–6 months once the application reaches Pretoria, according to the SA Embassy in Washington and the SA High Commission in Berne. Some missions report up to 6–9 months depending on backlogs.
Step 6 — Receive birth certificate and passport
Once finalised, an abridged birth certificate will be issued first. The mission will notify you by email. The certificate is then sent to you in the pre-paid, self-addressed special delivery envelope you submitted on appointment day. Once you have the birth certificate, you can separately apply for the full unabridged birth certificate (Form BI-154) if needed. If you applied for the passport at the same time, it will be dispatched together.
Late Registrations: Births Not Registered Within 30 Days
If your child’s birth was not registered with DHA within 30 days of birth, it is treated as a late registration and additional forms and documents apply:
| Delay | Additional Requirements |
|---|---|
| 30 days to 1 year | Form DHA-24/LRB + DHA-288A |
| 1 year to 6 years | Form DHA-24/LRB + DHA-288 |
| 7 years and above | Full late registration investigation process applies — contact your nearest SA mission for guidance |
Dual Citizenship: What Parents Need to Know
For the child: Children born abroad and registered with South African DHA are automatically permitted to maintain dual citizenship — they hold both SA citizenship and the citizenship of the country of birth (if applicable). According to the SA High Commission in the UK, South African citizens under 18 are exempt from the retention of citizenship requirement and do not need to apply for a retention letter.
For SA parents: If you are a South African parent living abroad who has acquired, or intends to acquire, the citizenship of another country, retention of SA citizenship rules apply to you as an adult. A landmark Constitutional Court ruling in May 2025 changed the legal landscape — adults who acquired foreign citizenship without first applying for retention may no longer automatically lose their SA citizenship under the old Section 6(1) of the Citizenship Act. However, the administrative processes at DHA and missions are still being updated. As noted by Emigration Assist, applying for a retention letter remains the safest practical route until the DHA’s new digital portal is fully operational.
What You Cannot Do
- You cannot register a child’s birth with SA Home Affairs from abroad without visiting an SA mission — in-person attendance is required at most missions
- You cannot download or pre-sign Form DHA-24 — it is barcoded and all forms must be signed in the presence of a DHA official
- You cannot submit a foreign birth certificate alone as proof of SA citizenship — you must complete the full DHA-24 registration process
- You cannot track the status of your application online — the DHA’s Track and Trace portal is currently suspended; contact your mission or the DHA Call Centre on 0800 60 11 90
- Naturalised citizens and Permanent Residents can now apply for Smart IDs at bank branches (Phase 1 rollout), but only if they are from certain visa-exempt countries. All others must still use a DHA live capture office.
Official DHA Contact Details
| Channel | Details |
|---|---|
| DHA Call Centre (toll-free) | 0800 60 11 90 |
| hacc@dha.gov.za | |
| Official website | www.dha.gov.za |
| SA embassy locator | DIRCO mission finder |
| SA government services portal | www.gov.za — register birth |
Frequently Asked Questions
1. My child was born abroad. Can they get a South African birth certificate? Yes, if at least one parent is a South African citizen. You need to register the child’s birth through the nearest SA embassy or high commission using Form DHA-24. Processing takes approximately 4–6 months from submission at DHA Pretoria.
2. Does my child born abroad automatically have SA citizenship? Not automatically — the birth must first be registered with South African Home Affairs through the foreign birth registration process. Once registered, the child is recognised as a South African citizen by descent and is permitted to hold dual citizenship.
3. Do I need a retention letter for my child’s dual citizenship? No. Children under 18 are exempt from the retention of citizenship requirement. They automatically retain SA citizenship as long as any foreign citizenship was acquired before their 18th birthday. A retention letter is only required for adults acquiring foreign citizenship.
4. Both parents must attend the appointment — what if one parent is not available? Contact your nearest SA mission directly. Both parents are generally required, but missions may have specific provisions for situations where one parent is deceased, the child was born out of wedlock, or one parent is genuinely unable to attend. Each mission handles exceptional circumstances differently.
5. My child’s foreign birth certificate is not in English. Is that a problem? Yes — all foreign documents must be in English or accompanied by a sworn English translation. You must bring both the original foreign-language document and the officially translated copy to your appointment.
6. How long does foreign birth registration take? Processing takes approximately 4–6 months once the application reaches DHA Pretoria. Some missions report up to 6–9 months. You will be notified by email when your birth certificate is ready and it will be returned in the pre-paid self-addressed envelope you submitted.
7. Can I apply for my child’s SA passport at the same time as birth registration? Yes. Most missions allow you to apply for the first SA passport (Form DHA-73) simultaneously with the birth registration. The passport costs R600 and will be dispatched once the birth certificate is ready.
8. My child was born abroad 3 years ago and has never been registered with SA Home Affairs. Can I still register? Yes, but it is treated as a late registration. For births over 1 year old, you need Forms DHA-24/LRB and DHA-288 in addition to the standard documents. Contact your nearest SA mission to confirm the current requirements for your child’s age at registration.