I'm Zimbabwean but went to school in SA. Do I qualify for a South African ID?

The long answer

No, unfortunately just attending school doesn’t qualify you for citizenship, if you were born in Zimbabwe. The Centre for Child Law explains in a 2023 booklet on children’s rights that your citizenship depends on the citizenship of your parents on the day that you were born. In South Africa and Zimbabwe, citizenship is passed from parents to their children.

If your parents have got South African permanent residence, you as their child can also apply for permanent residence if you are under 21, under the first step of kinship (Section 26C). You would need to submit a full birth certificate, parental consent and proof of financial support. After five years of permanent residence you could apply for citizenship.  

If your parents have ZEP permits (which have now been made valid until 28 May 2027), neither you nor your parents are currently able to directly apply for permanent residence, no matter how long you or your parents have lived in South Africa.

There was a brief flare of excitement on 14 April 2026, after media reports that the Deputy Minister of Home Affairs, Njabulo Nzuza had said in a television interview on Newszroom Afrika that ZEP holders could now apply for permanent residence. But Home Affairs quickly put an end to the excitement by saying that the Deputy Minister had been misunderstood, and that the established legal route has not changed for ZEP holders. Moneyweb  quoted Home Affairs as saying, “Consistent with the conditions of their permits, the holders of ZEP do not qualify for permanent residence permits.” 

Polity clarified in an article on 16 April 2026 that ZEP holders cannot directly apply for permanent residence but must apply first for temporary visas like work permits, and thereafter transition to applying for permanent residence in the normal, structured step-by-step way.  

You could also apply for permanent residence if you have been married to a South African citizen for at least five years under Section 27. 

Once you get permanent residence, you would need to hold it for five years before you could apply for citizenship through naturalisation. 

But because a Revised White Paper on Citizenship, Immigration and Refugee Protection has now been approved, there’s another big change starting from April 2026: Leon Schreiber, the Minister of Home Affairs, says that instead of basing qualification for citizenship only on how long you have lived in the country, citizenship by naturalisation will now be based on merit. This means that applications will be evaluated on economic contribution, skills, qualifications, and investment.

He said that this new system would operate in parallel with the existing principle that a child with at least one parent who is a South African citizen at the time of birth automatically becomes a citizen. But a child born to non-South African parents will have to apply for naturalisation.

These are the new changes:

1. Points-Based Selection: Applicants with critical skills, those who create jobs, or invest in the economy will receive higher scores.

2. Citizenship Advisory Panel (CAP): A new, specialised panel has been established to objectively consider applications and advise the Department of Home Affairs.

3. Annual Submission Window: To manage backlogs, applications for naturalisation can only be made in a specific period once a year, rather than being accepted every day. 

If you would like further advice about your situation, you could ask the Scalabrini Centre of Cape Town for help and advice. It is an organisation that has a lot of experience with citizenship issues. Here are their contact details:

• The Scalabrini Centre of Cape Town

Email: [email protected]

Tel:  + 27 (0) 21 465 6433

Wishing you the best,
Athalie