Thousands

Clients helped
worldwide

30+ years

British nationality and
cross-border expertise

Complex claims

Specialists in complex and
historic nationality claims

Personalised

Expert guidance based on
your family circumstances

Quick self-check: is it worth booking?

If any of these make you pause, it is worth booking a consultation:

  • A parent or grandparent was born in the UK or in Ireland
  • Your family has links to a former British territory
  • A possible claim runs through your mother or grandmother
  • Your parents or grandparents were not married at the time of birth
  • You want to understand your children’s future citizenship options
  • You are simply unsure whether your ancestry could create a claim

You do not need to know whether you qualify before booking. The consultation is designed to help you get that clarity.

Could your family history give you more options?

Choose your city and book a free, private consultation with a nationality specialist while the team is in South Africa.

Book your ticket
Book your ticket

Limited appointments • Booking required • One consultation per family

Could your family line point to Ireland instead?

If you have a parent or grandparent born on the island of Ireland, tell us when you book. Our British and Irish nationality specialists can help identify which route may be worth exploring.

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What our customers say

Trusted by global citizens

  • "I had a great experience with Sable International throughout my UK citizenship journey. It was a long and sometimes challenging process, but their team was consistently professional, responsive and knowledgeable. I truly felt supported from start to finish and couldn’t have done it without them. Highly recommend their services to anyone navigating UK immigration or citizenship."
  • "Extremely efficient and informative. Very quick to respond and very helpful. A pleasure to have such great service."
  • "Frances Butler was very patient through the early stage of assessing my potential citizenship candidacy. She was extremely thorough with her answers and highly respectful, which instilled a lot of confidence about moving forward to hire Sable and apply for "double descent" citizenship. Thank you!"
  • "They handled my application for UK citizenship by double descent efficiently and were there to answer any questions and concerns that I had. Knowing that Sable was working on my behalf eliminated most of the stress and uncertainty inherent in this process. Highly recommended."
  • "I would have hated to do this citizenship process on my own. Kerry was very patient in guiding me through the process and answered all my questions promptly. Can’t thank her enough. Still have more to do. This is a valuable service. Now just waiting."
  • "Staff are efficient, extremely patient and go the extra mile to help clients. From assisting me in my UK citizenship journey to transfers, Sable have been amazing."
  • Robert
  • Gert Z
  • Gregory L
  • James M
  • Mary Jane P
  • Debra R

Why British citizenship matters for South African families

British citizenship can provide more than a connection to your heritage. For many South African families, its real value is greater choice: the choice to live, work, study, travel or keep a strong second option available for the future.

If you qualify and secure British citizenship, it may allow you to:

  • Live and work in the UK without immigration restrictions
  • Create future education and career options for your children
  • Access the UK as more than a visitor
  • Travel more easily with a British passport
  • Build a practical Plan B for your family’s future
  • Pass citizenship to the next generation in certain circumstances

Why British nationality claims are often missed

Many people assume British citizenship only passes directly from a UK-born parent. In reality, nationality law is far more complex.

A potential claim can depend on exact dates and places of birth, a parent’s citizenship status, whether citizenship was held by descent, marital status at the time of birth and historic connections to former British territories. Changes addressing past discrimination may also create routes that did not previously exist.

That is why a family line that looks straightforward can still produce an unexpected result — and why a proper specialist assessment matters.

Not sure whether your family line qualifies?

That is exactly what the consultation is for. Speak privately to a nationality specialist in uMhlanga or Sandton and get a clearer view of whether your ancestry could create a route to British or Irish citizenship.

Book uMhlanga Book Sandton

Appointments are free, limited and must be booked in advance. Please select one consultation per family.

SA Consult - Expo Collage

What happens in your consultation?

Leave with greater clarity about:

  • Whether your family history may create a citizenship claim
  • Which British or Irish nationality route may apply to your circumstances
  • Whether your children could benefit
  • What documents or evidence may be needed
  • Whether another UK immigration route may be more appropriate, where relevant
  • What your next step should be if you decide to proceed

You only need to book one consultation per family.

What should you bring?

Bring any details or documents you already have relating to your parents, grandparents or family history. Useful documents may include:

  • Birth certificates
  • Marriage certificates
  • Passports or old passports
  • Naturalisation or registration documents
  • Adoption or name-change documents, if relevant
  • Previous citizenship advice or application history

Do not worry if you do not have everything yet. Your consultation can still help you understand what may be needed next.

Why speak to Sable International?

British nationality claims can turn on small details in a family history and the law that applied at a particular point in time. Our specialists look beyond a simple checklist to assess your circumstances, explain realistic options and identify the evidence and next steps that may be required.

  • 30+ years of British nationality and cross-border expertise
  • Specialists in complex and historic nationality claims
  • Individual guidance based on your family circumstances
  • Practical support with the application process if you decide to proceed
  • A free consultation with no obligation to take matters further

Your consultation will be with one of our UK nationality specialists

  • John Dunn: Citizenship and Immigration Manager
    John Dunn
    Group Director: Citizenship and Immigration
  • Mishal Patel: Casework Manager
    Mishal Patel
    Director: Citizenship and Immigration
  • Kristy De Goede
    Kristy De Goede
    Immigration and Nationality Adviser
  • Frances-Butler-bw
    Frances Butler
    Immigration and Nationality Adviser
  • Lisa Oosthuizen
    Lisa Burgers
    Immigration and Nationality Adviser
  • Chelsea Hallett
    Team Leader – UK Citizenship and Immigration
  • John Dunn
    Group Director: Citizenship and Immigration

    John joined Sable International in 2008 and has managed multiple divisions during his time with the company.

    He has over a decade of experience in immigration, citizenship and residency-by-investment. He combines that with a background in sales, marketing and management to ensure that Sable International is the go to for all things relating to citizenship and immigration around the world.

    Outside of work, John is dedicated to his young family. He enjoys fitness activities and loves the outdoors.

    Read John's latest articles and insights.

  • Mishal Patel
    Director: Citizenship and Immigration

    Mishal joined Sable International in 2009 as an intern a now serves as a Director of our UK-based Immigration and Citizenship division, overseeing his team of British nationality and immigration specialists.

    He is a registered Level 2 immigration adviser in UK immigration with the Immigration Advice Authority (IAA). Mishal assists in isolating claims to British nationality for those who have connections to former British Territories, UK residency, Crown Service, surrogacy and those adopted by British citizens. 

    Mishal has a special interest in discretionary applications for British citizenship for children and statelessness. He is fluent in English, Kiswahili and Gujarati.

    Read Mishal's latest articles and insights.

  • Kristy De Goede
    Immigration and Nationality Adviser

    Kristy has been part of the Sable International family for many years. She started off on the tax refunds team and then moved into the immigration department. She has since become an expert in assisting customers with their UK visa applications and extensions.

    Dedicated to providing excellent customer service to all clients, she has become particularly good at assessing what a client’s best relocation options are.

    Outside of work she enjoys spending time with her family and friends. She also has a keen passion for travel.

  • Frances Butler
    Immigration and Nationality Adviser

    Frances grew up in the UK and moved to Cape Town in 2006. Prior to starting at Sable International, she spent some years working with children in the USA and London and at a US exchange program, helping young women with program and visa applications.

    She is a big people person and loves meeting new people. In her free time she enjoys spending time with family, travelling and exploring the local restaurant scene.

  • Lisa Burgers
    Immigration and Nationality Adviser

    Lisa studied at Stellenbosch University, where she completed a degree in social work.

    She is an Immigration and Nationality adviser assisting clients from all over the globe with UK citizenship and immigration queries. There is nothing better then seeing a clients dream come true and being able to be a part of the journey.

    When she’s not helping ensure all our clients’ needs are taken care of, she likes to spend quality time with her family, friends and fur kids. She’s also quite fond of experimental cooking, going on outdoor adventures and kicking back with a good book.

  • Chelsea Hallett
    Team Leader – UK Citizenship and Immigration

    Chelsea joined Sable International in 2015 as a Nationality Administrator. Born and raised in Cape Town, South Africa, she has travelled extensively throughout the UK, where she developed a keen interest in British nationality and immigration matters.

    She has since progressed to the role of a UK Nationality and Immigration Adviser and Team Leader for the advisory team, where she oversees complex cases and supports delivery of high-quality, compliant services.

    Chelsea is recognised for her structured approach, attention to detail, and commitment to operational excellence, ensuring clients receive a professional, efficient, and seamless service experience.

Frequently asked questions

01Is the consultation free?

Yes. The South Africa nationality consultations are free, but appointments are limited and must be booked in advance. If there appears to be a viable route, the specialist will explain your options with no obligation to proceed.

02Do I need to know if I qualify before booking?

No. The purpose of the consultation is to help you understand whether your family history could create a citizenship claim.

03Can I book for my whole family?

Yes. Please book one consultation per family so the specialist can consider the relevant family line together.

04Can Sable International help with Irish citizenship?

Yes. If your ancestry points to Ireland, our specialists can help you understand whether an Irish citizenship route may be available and what the next step would be. Mention the Irish connection when you book.

05What if my case is complicated?

That is often where specialist advice is most useful. Nationality claims can depend on historic laws, family circumstances and specific dates or documents.

06Can I still book if I do not have all my documents?

Yes. Bring whatever information you have. The consultation can still help identify which documents may be needed next.

07What happens after the consultation?

If there appears to be a possible route, the team will explain the likely document requirements, the next steps and how Sable International can support the application process.

Two cities.
One chance to get clarity.

Our nationality specialists are visiting South Africa for a limited series of free, private, one-to-one consultations. Choose the city that works best for your family and reserve an available appointment time.

Appointments must be booked in advance. Please select one consultation per family.

12 October 2026
uMhlanga The Oyster Box
Book uMhlanga
13 - 14 October 2026
Sandton The Maslow Hotel
Book Sandton

SABLE INTERNATIONAL

Building Futures Beyond Borders

We are a group of 15 specialist companies, all operating under one brand and a common shareholding. In our 30 years, we've become experts in advising and helping clients enhance their global mobility. Our business now spans 12 international offices on three continents, staffed by 250 skilled, talented people.

1995

Founded over 30 years ago in London

10+

Offices helping clients across four countries

250+

Dedicated staff across our business divisions

2m+

Clients helped with global services

89.6

Net promoter score from happy clients