# question about PR and Licences



## Misc (Sep 8, 2014)

Hello all,
I have been living in Australia now for 12 years, and want to move back to SA.
Unfortunately I did not read the fine print about losing citizenship when I got my Australian one.

So a bit of a story my kids will stay with my ex-wife in Australia. So when I move back I will lose my Australian citizenship from what I read.
Is it possible just to apply for PR in SA? And keep my Australian citizenship? I would have gladly gave it up but with my kids over here in Australia makes it complicated.

I was also looking for some information on driving licence, when I moved to Australia I did not have a SA licence but got one here now for 12 years … Do I need to go do the driving test again when I move back?
Thanks for the help any sorry for the incoherent writing.


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## LegalMan (Dec 26, 2012)

Yes, you can get PR and do practically anything in SA except vote.

Regarding your driver's license - I can't advise.


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## LegalMan (Dec 26, 2012)

Yes, you can get PR and do practically anything in SA except vote.

Regarding your driver's license - I can't advise.


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## Misc (Sep 8, 2014)

Thank you for the info, I assume it would take the same time to get approved or declined as for a person that is not originally from SA.


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## LegalMan (Dec 26, 2012)

Yes, as far as we have seen. All PR applications go to Pretoria, regardless of who you are or from where you apply.


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## irishexpat (May 25, 2011)

You can get an international driver's licence before you come over, which you carry alongside your Australian licence. Once you get Permanent Residence you can exchange your Aussie licence for a South African one, so long as it's still valid.


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## irishexpat (May 25, 2011)

Actually, I think you can just plain drive on your Aussie licence. However, if you want to buy a car you will need a traffic register number and the document that goes with it. Take your passport, licence and (I think, been ten years) proof of address to a traffic centre, they give you a document with a traffic register number which is what you use to register a car in your name. I also used it to get a licence here as I never had on in Ireland.


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## Misc (Sep 8, 2014)

Thanks both @irishexpat and @legalman I really appreciate it. This all helps a lot.


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## Misc (Sep 8, 2014)

Hello again,

Different question i checked my ID number last night and it is still active. 
Does a person ID always stay active or is it that I might still have my citizenship? 

I know there is a form that i can fill in and find out, but at the same time I am not sure if i fill it in and send it off with the proof that i have AUS citizenship they might just fix the mistake hah...


Thanks


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## Saartjie (Mar 1, 2010)

Misc said:


> Hello again,
> 
> Different question i checked my ID number last night and it is still active.
> Does a person ID always stay active or is it that I might still have my citizenship?
> ...


Can I just ask, is it Australia that forbids you to hold dual citizenship? I don't see why you checking the status of your SA citizenship with SA authorities would in any way jeopardize your Australian citizenship given that SA allows you to hold dual or have I completely misunderstood your situation.


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## irishexpat (May 25, 2011)

Good question, you were in Oz for 12 years? If you got Australian citizenship prior to 2004 you would have lost your SA citizenship unless you asked for special exemption.
After 2004 you still had to ask permission to keep your citizenship but I think it was automatic. But if you didn't ask, you didn't get.

Still, you are entitled to have your SA citizenship back by virtue of being born here, but there is bureaucracy involved.
At least, so says the man from Home Affairs I heard answering this very question on 702 a while ago.


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## Jem62 (Jul 25, 2012)

If you were born in SA you can apply to resume your SA citizenship once you arrive in the country. You can never lose your right of abode if you were born here.


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## Misc (Sep 8, 2014)

Thank you all for the Info it is very helpful.


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