Home Affairs has released a draft White Paper proposing stricter asylum rules and a merit-based citizenship system. Public submissions are open until the end of January. Picture Credits: Corruption Watch
By Thulane Madalane
South Africa – The Department of Home Affairs has proposed sweeping changes to South Africa’s asylum, immigration, and citizenship framework, including tighter asylum rules and the introduction of a merit-based system for naturalisation.
The proposals are contained in a revised draft White Paper on Citizenship, Immigration and Refugee Protection, published on Friday by Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber.
Under the proposed changes, asylum seekers who have already been granted refugee status in another country will no longer be eligible to apply for asylum in South Africa. The White Paper also introduces a “first safe country” principle, which would disqualify applicants who passed through safe third countries before arriving in South Africa.
Minister Schreiber said the reforms are aimed at clamping down on fraud and abuse within the asylum system while strengthening national security and improving administrative efficiency.
In a major shift, citizenship applications will no longer be assessed primarily on the length of time a foreign national has lived in the country. Instead, applications will be evaluated using clearly defined merit-based criteria.
A Citizenship Advisory Panel will be established to objectively assess applications, while a points-based system will apply to those seeking citizenship or permanent residence through economic contribution. Applications for citizenship will also only be accepted during an annual window period to prevent administrative backlogs.
The White Paper makes it clear that existing protections for children remain unchanged. A child with at least one South African citizen parent at the time of birth will continue to automatically qualify for citizenship, while children born to non-citizen parents will still be required to apply for naturalisation.
Following the introduction of new visa categories through Operation Vulindlela, the document also proposes expanded use of points-based systems for certain visas and permanent residency permits.
In addition, the White Paper outlines civil registration reforms for births and deaths as part of preparations for the rollout of a digital identity system. Members of the public have until the end of January to submit comments on the draft White Paper. Public consultations are expected to take place across all provinces in mid-January.
