Comments on: Poll: Give Up SA Citizenship?

By: kaylin

kaylin — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 20:57:01 +0000

All my life i dreamed of become a US citizen because i wanna see other parts of the world not just staY my whole life in SA i reallY wanna see the other places….i’m turning 18 next month so wht can i do to get a passport?

By: texun2000

texun2000 — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 03:03:01 +0000

[contd] I cannot imagine living again behind 6ft walls, bearing arms on a daily basis, experiencing less than acceptable service and paying unnecessary premiums for basic services and utilities. I carry with me the time I lived there, and I keep my family close – in my heart, we rotate trans-Atlantic visits on a frequent basis. All that said, I am an American now in my heart – I have never been happier than during my last 11yrs spent here.

By: texun2000

texun2000 — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 03:02:33 +0000

I left South Africa in Dec 200, and on receiving my green card always knew that citizenship was my intent. I have ancestral citizenship for Great Britain and so a 3rd [South African] was not an option. I became a citizen of the US yesterday, and renounced my citizenship of South Africa. While I have an enornous family over there, returning is not an option as I am fully vested here and would find it an extreme challenge after 11yrs to return and attempt to settle. Many reasons – largely that I have traveled extensively, and have now become accustomed a way of life that unfortunately is out of reach for my generation in SA [my opinion]. The freedoms, safety, opportunity and level of choice that I have access to here is also out of reach given the current state of the Government, the lack of privatization, the general climate and tension that I sense when I do return on visits.

By: ChickenRunner

ChickenRunner — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 23:21:42 +0000

The Receiver of Revenue would also be interested in you on your return for unpaid taxes on your overseas earnings and for not sending in a tax return.

By: johnels

johnels — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 18:56:07 +0000

In reply to JoDe. JoDe, your great question is one reason why we decided to go the "dual citizenship" route, i.e. not knowing exactly what the implications would be of giving up our SA citizenship. I am really interested in knowing the answer to your question if you can get a confirmed answer. If I can take a guess, I'd say that if you're entitled to a pension, you're entitled to it no matter what your citizenship. :)

By: JoDe

JoDe — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 18:14:39 +0000

Does any one know if you can continue to receive a pension from the SA government if you do not have SA citizenship or dual citizenship?

By: johnels

johnels — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 12:51:35 +0000

In reply to alan. Alan, yes, this certainly is a very personal issue for everybody. I imagine that there are a lot people who left SA around the time you did, who feel the same as you do.

By: alan

alan — Fri, 29 May 2009 19:31:31 +0000

I left S/Africa in 1980 to visit the US. and I’m still here. I was not aware one could forfeit one’s SA citizenship by becoming a US citizen. I don’t know the new S/Africa other than reports I read and hear say. For me, the old SA. is what lives in my heart. Please don’t take this to mean I’m racist. I’m not, and I don’t care really for SA citizenship now as it is and at my age.