The DHA Citizenship Retention Portal

The Citizenship Retention Portal project is a strategic initiative by the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) aimed at addressing a critical legal, administrative, and human rights issue affecting thousands of individuals. The primary objective is to digitize and streamline the process of retaining South African citizenship lost due to unconstitutional legislative provisions, in compliance with a Constitutional Court ruling.

The Portal will be a secure, user-friendly digital platform that enables individuals to submit, track, and manage applications related to lost or unconfirmed South African citizenship. It will offer a centralized, automated solution that enhances service delivery, reduces turnaround times, and improves communication between the Department and applicants.

The project aligns with the DHA's digital transformation strategy, focusing on modernizing core services, enhancing operational efficiency, and ensuring inclusive access for all South Africans, including those residing outside the country. The portal will incorporate advanced document verification capabilities, secure authentication, and integration with existing national identity systems. 

The project is expected to restore confidence in DHA services, reduce administrative burdens, and streamline internal processing workflows.

The Citizenship Retention Portal will provide a secure, digital, and user-friendly platform where affected individuals can:

  • Submit retention notifications (we cannot call it an application) to retain their citizenship.
  • Upload supporting documentation digitally.
  • Track the status of their applications in real-time.
  • Receive automated notifications and decisions.
  • Engage with DHA officials via an integrated case management system.

The Portal will:

  • Ensure compliance with the Constitutional Court judgment.
  • Improve operational efficiency and reduce backlog.
  • Build public trust through transparency and accountability.
  • Provide a replicable framework for addressing similar human rights or legislative compliance issues in the future.