Question NW1450 to the Minister of Home Affairs
24 June 2021 - NW1450
Roos, Mr AC to ask the Minister of Home Affairs
Given the continued closure of determination and retention of citizenship services in his department, (a) what number of applications for the (i) determination and (ii) retention of citizenship were (aa) received and (bb) processed in the period 1 January 2021 to 12 May 2021, (b) what mechanism is available for citizens to satisfy legally prescribed requirements to retain citizenship before assuming the citizenship of a second country, given that there is no set date for the end of lockdown to curb the COVID-19 pandemic, (c) what are the reasons that it is not possible to receive and process the specified applications via a designated email address as an emergency measure and (d) given that visas are being extended under lockdown regulations essentially waiving overstays for the affected persons until the document renewal is possible, why is the loss of citizenship not suspended until such time as the retention of citizenship service is reopened and affected parties have been afforded a reasonable time period to apply?
Reply:
(a)(i) 117 determination applications
(ii) 407 retention applications
(aa) 68 determination applications processed
(bb) 76 retention applications processed
(b) While awaiting review of the Regulations, clients are advised not to assume citizenship of another country.
(c) Original documents are critical for authentication purposes.
(d) The proposal will be considered in the review process.
END