Dual citizenship and travel

[Drought]

Hi

Question: if one has dual citizenship of SA and Australia are you legally obliged to enter SA on your SA passport or can you select which one to use for travel?

A colleague recently had to travel to SA to visit a sick relative, but postponed due to their SA passports having expired-

Would appreciate clarification.

Drought

[Mara]

Yes, that is the law for dual citizenship. You have to maintain both passports. You would leave and enter Australia on your Australian passport, you would enter and leave South Africa on your South African passport.

[elleneo]

I don't understand the licence question? Why not just pick up car and drive with Aussie licence? Am international licence is for non-English eg German licences, it's merely a translation. You still need to produce your valid licence with it. I drove with my Aussie licence no problem as it is in English.

[Drought]

thank you Mara

[Bretty2]

I have dual citizenship with the UK and travelled back to SA for a holiday in 2010 with my SA passport having expired 3 months before that. I handed the the customs official both passports telling him my SA one had recently expired, he simply told me to renew it as soon as possible.

My reason was renewing an SA passport in the UK is a schlep and expensive so I did it the day after I arrived while I was home on holiday and got my new passport within 2 weeks.

They may be stricter now but 4 years ago they didnt mind me arriving like that. You will probably have issues when you leave though so unless you are here for an extended stay and can apply for a new one while here then rather sort it out beforehand.

[ottg]

Want to bump this thread. a conundrum that needs your help if you need to get to SA quickly

Scenario: You have dual citizenship and about visiting South Africa but your SA driver license has expired.

Now here is a dilemma: You have booked a rental car which can only be picked up with a SA driver license (however you can pick up the vehicle on an Aus driver license)

BUT you can only drive with a valid SA driver license.

You need to apply for a new driver license that takes 6-weeks where a temporary one can be issued for the 6-weeks once presented yourself at  www.rtmc.co.za 

It means I drive illegally from accepting the rental car till you get to a license department.

 

Also renunciation of your SA citizenship takes 6-9 months and depending on the timing you may still be in such a situation.

 

Any practical comments how to fix or overcome this?

[SurferMan]

Hi ottg,

 

renunciation is immediate but the DHA wheels will take forever to turn, if ever at all. You pose an interesting problem though? International drivers licence from the AA?

[ottg]

3 hours ago, elleneo said:

Why not just pick up car and drive with Aussie licence?

 

This is the problem - if you have dual citizenship you have to enter SA on a SA passport. If your SA driver license expired then you are not allowed to drive. You cannot drive on an Aus driver license as you aren't regarded as an Aus citizen when coming into SA with a SA passport. Their is also another problem not mentioned above: when you apply for a renewal but you cannot pick it up in person, someone on your behalf can do that (if they comply to some rules). BUT say you dont know anyone in the suburb where you have applied then you will sit with another issue. (eg is you are visiting JHB for legal matters but you from Cape Town initially)

I asked the SA High Commission and they couldn't tell me except referred me to the RTMC website. However I have now emailed them in SA  http://www.rtmc.co.za/index.php/licence-card and waiting for a reply.

Edited January 21, 2016 by ottg

[Mara]

You will have both passports with you. When you go to pick up the rental car, show your Australian passport for identification and then use your Australian license. Honestly they do not care. All they worry about is that you are licensed. For instance I am a dual citizen Australia and New Zealand.  When I visit New Zealand I hire a car and drive on my Australian license as my New Zealand license has long since expired.

[MerlinZA]

At the moment I have dual UK and SA passports. I still have my UK drivers licence as it lasts 10 years as opposed to only 5 years for the SA one. I have been stopped at road blocks and the odd traffic infringement. At no time have the cops had an issue with my UK licence. As for as car rental, we currently on our last SA holiday before we leave for Oz next month, and have a hire car. I gave them my SA ID and my UK drivers, with no issues. As far as travelling, between London and Johannesburg I hold both passports in my hand at each end and at each side they take that countries passport. I once came back into SA with just my UK passport and was only told I had only 90days entry since I didnt have my SA passport with me (I was only in SA for a week on business)  

[rozellem]

11 hours ago, ottg said:

 

This is the problem. If your SA driver license expired then you are not allowed to drive. You cannot drive on an Aus driver license as you aren't regarded as an Aus citizen when coming into SA with a SA passport. 

Really??!!  I have triple citizenship but only an Aus license and this has NEVER been mentioned, much less been an issue.  Not with police nor car rental companies.   

[SurferMan]

Not true. An expired licence does not mean you are not allowed to drive. Competence to operate a vehicle is not linked to a licence. A licence is a revenue stream for Government and a means to verify your ability to operate a vehicle. 

[ottg]

Ok, I got an answer back from RTMC:

Your Australian driving licence is accepted in the RSA (during your visit) as long as it is valid in the country of issue. I would just advise that you also get an international driving licence along with it. If you are stopped in a roadblock you explain that although you are still an RSA citizen you were compelled by Australian law to convert your licence on that side.

On 1/20/2016 at 6:21 AM, SurferMan said:

International drivers licence from the AA?

 

On 1/21/2016 at 1:18 PM, elleneo said:

Am international licence is for non-English eg German licences, it's merely a translation.

 

I have now asked them explicitly if an international driving licence is merely for non-English speaking countries. Awaiting for a reply!

[ottg]

Just got an answer back from the RTMC Director: Compliance

Our legislation does not compel you to have and international driving licence but we are in the process to change it. The international driving licence translates the codes of the driving licence so that traffic officers can understand what vehicles you are authorised to drive. It is just better to have it.

This now clears it up for me.