Can I still travel to SA on a British passport if I was born in SA?
Hi all - I'm writing on behalf of a relative. They were born in SA in the 1960s and emigrated to the UK as a minor when their parent remarried. They were given British citizenship as a minor, and haven't had an SA passport since that time. They have lived in the UK for 50 years. They never formally renounced their SA citizenship.
They've been informed that in order to travel to SA now, they must have an SA passport because they were born in SA. They can no longer travel on a British passport. They've been told to acquire a huge amount of documentation (death certificates, divorce papers, all sorts) which may be impossible to do (their parent's death certificate is lost, for example, what with him passing over 40 years ago). They still have family, including an elderly mother, in SA, and need to be able to visit, but might not be able to jump through the hoops required to get an SA passport or ID. They do still have a valid British passport.
What are my relative's options? Are SA immigration really that hot on people born in SA travelling only on an SA passport, or do they not really care? How risky really would it be to travel on the British passport? Would they need all this documentation in order to renounce their SA citizenship? Would that in fact be easier?
I'm really grateful for any help/advice you can give! Thanks!