The short answer
Your best option would be to urgently consult with an organisation experienced in dealing with Home Affairs.
The whole question
Where can I get help with getting Home Affairs to process my application for citizenship for my son, born in 2020 in Russia, and whose father is South African? Russian birth certificates do not mention the father, so my child’s father had a DNA test done to confirm paternity. My 90 days of not having to have a visa are fast running out and still no response from Home Affairs.
The long answer
The South African Citizenship Act, 1995 (Act 88 of 1995) was amended by the South African Citizenship Amendment Act, 2010 (Act No. 17 of 2010) which came into operation on 1 January 2013. It brought in new requirements for claiming citizenship. This is what the South African High Commission says: A child born outside South Africa and of which at least one of the parents was a South African citizen at the time of the child`s birth has a claim to South African citizenship by descent. The child`s birth must, however, be registered in South Africa for the child to acquire South African citizenship.
Foreign Birth Registration, according to Home Affairs:
• All births registered by the Department are in terms of the Births and Deaths Registration Act. There is no exclusion or separate requirements for foreign birth registrations;
• Supporting documents must be attached to an application as prescribed in the Births and Deaths Registration Act. Only complete applications with required supporting documents will be accepted and processed for Foreign Birth Registration;
• Offices must ensure that parents/grandparents birth certificates are attached with every application submitted. Without these no application will be processed.
Requirements:
• Application form Notice of Birth (DHA 24);
• DHA 529 (applicant, parents duly fully completed);
• Full birth certificate of the applicant;
• Front office will verify birth certificate of the applicant’s age from 15 years and above

with the country of origin (embassy);
• Marriage certificate if the parents are married or both parents must acknowledge paternity;
• Proof of birth/citizenship of the South African parent;
• Police report from country of origin as well as one from South Africa (15 years and above);
• An interview report for both the applicant and the South African parent (15 years and above);
• Proof of Paternity / DNA tests (15 years and above).
To apply for South African citizenship by descent, you will need to submit the following documents to the Department of Home Affairs:
• Form DHA-24 to register your birth;
• Form BI-24, signed by both parents if your parents were unmarried at the time of your birth, to confirm paternity;
• Forms DHA-529
• Your birth certificate;
• Your parents’ marriage certificate (if applicable);
• Form DHA-9, the application form for an identity document, along with two ID photographs (for those aged 15 years and over);
• Proof of your parents’ identity;
• If applicable, proof of your parents’ foreign citizenship.
As I understand from your email, you have done all these things, but you have still not got a response from Home Affairs.
As you probably know, Home Affairs has a huge backlog of applications, and many people are severely disadvantaged by the department’s dysfunctionality. The problem is that if your visa runs out before they get onto your application, you are in danger of being deported and then they can ban you from coming back for the next five years as an undesirable person.
Since Home Affairs has proved more responsive to a stronger legal voice than inquiries made by an ordinary person, I think your best option would be to urgently consult with one of the following organisations which have had a great deal of experience in dealing with Home Affairs. V.4898

One of the highlighted topics: Critical Skills Visa.

- Key Insight: Is your profession on the Critical Skills List? This visa is your fast track to working in South Afr...
- This matter relates to critical skills visa and its broader implications.
- Individuals are advised to seek professional guidance.

Is your profession on the Critical Skills List? This visa is your fast trac V.6139
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One of the applicants, Phindile Mazibuko, became a victim of identity theft in 2012 when fraudulent transactions occurred, using her personal details.

-The Pretoria High Court found that the department of home affairs had violated constitutional rights without due process.
-Only half of Lawyers for Human Rights` test group has been unblocked, while 385 000 identities remain blocked nationwide.
-LHR appeals extension, urges affected people to seek help now.

Lawyers for Human Rights (LHR) are intensifying pressure on the department of home affairs over the national ID-blocking crisis, accusing the state of acting too slowly to unblock qualifying individuals despite a landmark court ruling.

In January last year, the Pretoria High Court found that the department`s practice of blocking IDs without due process was unlawful and unconstitutional. One of the applicants, Phindile Mazibuko, a Swati citizen and South African permanent resident since 1998, fell victim to identity theft in 2012 when fraudsters used her personal details.

 V.6133
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The Border Management Authority (BMA) has doubled its staff at Airports in South Africa , including immigration officers.

What does this mean for travelers? V.6128
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The Border Management Authority (BMA) has doubled its staff at Airports in South Africa , including immigration officers.

What does this mean for travelers? V.6129
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A Washington state mother and her 6-year-old son have been released after spending more than three weeks in US immigration detention due to a brief trip to Canada and a small paperwork mistake, her attorney told CNN on Saturday.

Sarah Shaw, a New Zealand citizen who has lived legally in the US since she arrived in 2021, was detained at the Blaine, Washington, Customs and Border Protection checkpoint when returning home after dropping her two oldest children off at the Vancouver airport for a flight to visit their grandparents in New Zealand. Shaw, 33, chose the flight out of Vancouver because it was direct and she didn`t want her children to have to navigate a layover alone, her attorney Minda Thorward, told CNN.

 V.6130
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On 22 July 2025, the Gauteng High Court dismissed Sitrusrand Boerdery`s review of the Department of Employment and Labour`s refusal to issue a Working Conditions and Salary Benchmarking Certificate, an essential precondition for obtaining corporate visas under the Immigration Act.

Acting Judge Kekana AJ held that the Department`s decision was lawful, rational and procedurally fair. This judgment illustrates how businesses can - and must - structure their corporate visa applications to meet statutory requirements, and how legal practitioners should prepare robust review challenges when administrative authorities decline to recommend foreign-work permits.

 V.6131
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The United States could forfeit an estimated 9.4 billion dollars in visitor spending over the next three years following the introduction of a new 250 dollars `visa integrity fee,` according to industry groups, who warn the policy risks undermining tourism and costing thousands of jobs.
The United States’ decision to introduce a 250 dollars `visa integrity fee` on international visitors has triggered sharp criticism from the global tourism industry, with officials warning that the measure could deter millions of travellers and cost the U.S. economy billions.
The 250dollar `visa integrity fee,` part of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act signed on July 4, 2025, will take effect later this year. According to immigration law firm Envoy Global, it applies to all nonimmigrant visa holders which include students, tourists, temporary workers, and business visitors particularly from African countries. V.6132
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The Border Management Authority (BMA) has doubled its staff at Airports in South Africa , including immigration officers.

What does this mean for travelers? V.6127
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1. Right to Legal Representation•You have the right to consult with a legal representative.•Contact an immigration practitioner, legal aid clinic, or attorney urgently.•Do not sign any documents without understanding them fully. 2. Section 34 of the Immigration Act•You must be brought to court with 48 hours to confirm arrest but you can remain locked up very long as courts figure out what to do with you •If you`re found to be illegally in South Africa, you may be detained for up to 30 days (extendable by a magistrate) pending deportation.•BUT this cannot happen arbitrarily. You must be informed of your rights, and Home Affairs must follow due process.- becomes a nightmare , you could lose your job , business , place to stay V.6121
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Driving for Bolt, Uber, Mr D, or Checkers Sixty60?If you`re undocumented, you`re risking more than just your income.The Risks if You`re Not Legal: - Vehicle impoundment - Heavy fines - Arrest & deportation - Permanent bans from working in SA V.6122
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