- The draft revised White Paper places the First Safe Country Principle at the heart of refugee reform, making asylum seekers who received protection elsewhere ineligible for asylum in South Africa.
- The paper proposes merit-based citizenship and visa reforms, a digital Intelligent Population Register, and Electronic Travel Authorisation to record biometrics.
- Public comment is open from 12 December 2025 to 31 January 2026, with provincial and national consultations planned.
South Africa has placed the treatment of refugees at the core of its draft revised White Paper on Citizenship, Immigration and Refugee Protection.
Following Cabinet approval, the Department of Home Affairs published the draft for public comment, describing it as “the most fundamental reform to South Africa’s citizenship, immigration and refugee protection frameworks in a generation.”
Central to the draft is the refinement and implementation of the “First Safe Country Principle”. This principle states that asylum seekers who have been granted refugee status or lawful protection in another country, or who pass through safe third countries to reach South Africa, are ineligible for asylum in South Africa.
The government says this measure is intended to combat the practice of applicants “picking and choosing” South Africa as their preferred destination while passing through other safe countries en route.
The department recognises the need to guard against refoulement. The draft states, “To mitigate the risk of refoulement, this reform will require the Minister of Home Affairs to, on an annual basis, designate safe third countries that have ratified the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees, and to withdraw such designation as and when the need arises.”
The paper further mandates the government to enter into bilateral agreements with safe third countries to ensure a more equitable sharing of migration burdens in sub-Saharan Africa. This approach aligns with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees’ focus on migration routes rather than single-country flows.
Other major proposals in the draft
On citizenship, the reforms introduce merit-based criteria for naturalisation, an annual window period for applications to prevent backlogs, a Citizenship Advisory Panel to objectively consider and advise on applications, and a points-based system for economic pathways to citizenship. The draft upholds the principle that a child with at least one South African parent at birth automatically becomes a citizen.
On immigration, the draft aligns proposed changes with the recommendations of Operation Vulindlela and the department’s digital transformation agenda. New visa categories are proposed for remote work, start-ups, skilled workers, sports and culture, and sectoral work visas will replace corporate visas for specific industries. The paper also supports rolling out Electronic Travel Authorisation to record biometrics for every foreigner in South Africa and proposes a merit-based points system for certain visas and permanent residency.
Regarding civil registration, the White Paper proposes a technological overhaul. The department plans to transform the National Population Register into an Intelligent Population Register (IPR) to serve as the foundation for a digital ID system.
Unlike the current register, an IPR will use advanced technologies, including artificial intelligence, biometrics, and real-time integration to improve governance and service delivery. Mandatory birth and death registration for citizens and foreigners will be introduced through digital channels, with additional detail to be set out in a separate policy.
Public consultation and how to take part
The publication of the draft revised White Paper opens a formal public consultation period from 12 December 2025 to 31 January 2026. Individuals, organisations, and interested parties are invited to submit written comments and participate in provincial and national consultation sessions.
Consultations will take place across all nine provinces between 15 and 30 January 2026. A national stakeholder session will engage government departments, Chapter 9 institutions, business, labour, academia, civil society, and multilateral organisations.
The department will coordinate with the Government Communication and Information System, provincial governments, and social partners to inform the public. Members of the public are encouraged to provide input and play “a critical role in shaping the future governance of citizenship, immigration and refugee protection in South Africa.”
How to submit comments
Written comments may be submitted between 12 December 2025 and 31 January 2026 by email to Whitepaper@dha.gov.za or by post to The Director General, Department of Home Affairs, Private Bag X114, Pretoria, 0001.
The draft revised White Paper is available on the department’s website and in the Government Gazette.
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