Once Home Affairs has made a decision on your application, you will be notified and given a decision letter. This letter will explain your next steps. Receiving an answer on your application can take several months. If your application is successful and you are granted citizenship, your details will be entered into the National Population Register, and you will be given an electronic DHA-5 birth certificate and, if you are 16 years or older, you will get a South African ID number and ID card. 10 If I cannot get citizenship in South Africa, what other documentation options do I have? If you cannot get citizenship in South Africa, then you must have a Zimbabwean (or other) passport. Along with your passport, you will also need a permit that allows you to stay in South Africa. There are different permits that you can apply for to stay in South Africa. We explore these on the next page. 12