Born in Cape Town, live in the UK, can I move back?

Yes, you are definitely a citizen of South Africa by birth :)

Also, you do need to get a Green Identity Book - which is only given to citizens and permanent residents, and which is the physical manifestation of your status that gives you the right to live and work in SA.

To apply for this book for the first time, you will need you birth certificate, which you can get from the Department of Home Affairs in SA if you don't have it on hand. Do note, this can be a HUGE mission, as even the simplest task at Home Affairs is a long and tenuous journey. Once you have your birth certificate, you merely need to fill out the necessary form and submit along with the certified birth certificate and two colour passport pictures to Home Affairs. For more information, read the official Identity Document page. 

Do you  need to do this stuff from abroad, or do you plan to do it in SA?

Thanks so much for your help, I would have never of known that! The thing is, I just got back from an amazing holiday out in Cape Town and I knew from the moment I arrived that this is a place I would love to live in, maybe it's because I know I can as I was born there and I do want a change, I may end up hating it but I really want to just give it a go as it is such an amazing place. So nothing is certain now but I do hope to go out there in the near future so this information is extremely helpful. Can I organise getting my birth cirtificate whilst I am in the UK or would I need to get it sorted out in SA? My parents may have a copy of it, if so that would save some time.. Also, would you know of any good websites for looking for jobs? I am currently in the media / sales / marketing field, so any info on agencies or websites would be of great use. What is your opinion living in Cape Town? Would you ever book back to the states?

Ha, Cape Town has a way of doing that to a lot of people - me included. I arrived five years ago and have no plans to leave as of yet. 

If you're in the UK, I would start by contacting the South African Embassy or Consulate there. Ask if you can make arrangements to apply for your ID from abroad, and ask them if you can use a certified copy of your birth certificate, or if you'll need the original.

From there, you can start applying for jobs, but it's best to know that in the advertising/media/publishing industry, they'll likely want you to interview in a week's time, and then start as soon as. 

The best site to check out for this sort of thing is Bizcommunity.com. What experience do you have though, I might be able to point to some company web sites.

Oh really is that how you live there now, was it hard for you to move over from the states? Ok sure, I think my main priority is to pass my driving license in the UK so I have that ready when I go out there, then I will start looking up how to get my ID but in meantime will look that up so I am prepared. Is it best to move over first then to start looking for jobs? What did you do? I have been on that website, it seems the best for media related roles. I have experience in marketing for larger supermarket chain, experience in advertising, sales and designing ads for newspapers and magazines, this is where I currently am now, 3 years. Got experience in helping out at an advertising agency too. Thanks so much for all your help! I have been looking up places to rent to see the prices etc. where do you think is the best, safest place to live? I am quite a city girl so I like being near shops, restaurants, possibly a sea view too.

Hi savafrica

Have you made the big move to Cape Town yet? :)

Given what you've said about yourself I'd say you should look around for a place in the city centre (Tamboerskloof, Gardens, Vredehoek) or Sea Point. It's a bit of a Catch-22 though, as it would be better to know where you were working before you looked for a place to rent.

It'd also be best to look for a job here - as Stephanie said, you might be required to come in for an interview at short notice once you apply. If I were you I'd start applying anyway just to get a feel for what sort of jobs will get you responses. Maybe if you're lucky an employer will be OK with doing a phone interview or Skype call for now.

I would suggest you start by staying somewhere short-term like a backpackers or at a friend's house for a month or two, rather than trying to organise a place to live or a job from the UK. capetown-westerncape.gumtree.co.za is a good place to hunt for a place, but it'd be best to do it here so you can have a look at the flat/house before signing a lease - otherwise you might get scammed. It happens sometimes...

Hi... I am South African born came to the UK 27 years ago and was naturalised as British due to marriage status and have children here. My heart now is back in South Africa. How easy is it to get back and how do I go bout getting a SA passport. What criteria do I have to meet to be able to work there, live there. My whole family are back in SA.

Hi Anonymous

If you were born in SA you should be able to apply for a South African citizenship without much trouble. You will need to submit some paperwork to the Department of Home Affairs to have your citizenship reinstated, which involves proving that you have relocated to South Africa. Take a look at the Home Affairs website for more info - http://www.home-affairs.gov.za/Citizenship.html

As a British citizen, you don't need a visa to enter South Africa and you can stay for up to three months. You should be able to come to SA and apply for citizenship here, and then simply not return to the UK.

Can anyone help? I was born in SA in 1988 and moved to the UK in 2000 with my English born mother and south African born father. I am 24 now and would like to spend some time working and living in cape town. Do I need a visa or other documents to do this? Jason

Can a non south African rent or buy in south Africa, only a holiday home required?

Hi Anonymous

Foreigners can both rent and buy property in South Africa. Here in Cape Town it's common for tourists to rent flats or houses short term for holidays, and the local market caters for this. You can check out http://capetown-westerncape.gumtree.co.za and search under "holiday home" or "flats to rent" for options. My only advice would be to avoid renting from overseas, as there is the occassional scammer on Gumtree and similar sites who will get you to make a deposit into their account and then disappear - rather come here and stay in a backpackers or hotel while you look for a flat in person, as real landlords will want to meet you. You could also try going through a reputable travel agency, but this will be more expensive.

For long-term rentals and some short-term rentals you'll be asked for your visa, passport, bank statements, the first month's rent in advance (at least) plus a deposit, up to two or three times a month's rent.

To help you decide where to live, read about the different areas and suburbs in Cape Town.

Hi Jason

Do you have a South African passport or ID book? If so you don't need a visa to enter the country, or live and work here. If not you should be able to apply for this documentation at the South African embassy in London. At worst, you will have to apply to have your residency re-instated, which requires a bit more paperwork, but which you are definitely entitled to do. You will eb able to have dual citizenship as a British citizen and an SA citizen.

I suggest you make an appointment at the SA High Commission to talk to someone about your options.

For more info:
SA High Commission in London - http://southafricahouseuk.com/passports/psprt_sacit.html

SA Department of Home Affairs - http://www.home-affairs.gov.za/Citizenship.html

Hi, I currently reside in the UK, but want to return to Cape Town with my daughter (12 years). I have both a British and South African passport and my daughter has British Passport - can I just return with her?