SA Visa and Passport

If you only plan on staying in the country on a short-term basis to set up your business you should apply for a work visa; if you expect a long-term endeavor, you might consider applying for permanent residence permit (see below). Read more on the Department of Home Affairs' (DHA) website . Permanent residence permit in South Africa It is possible to apply for permanent residence on the basis of holding a work visa. Anyone who has held a General Work Visa for a period of five years may apply for a Permanent Residence permit, while holders of a Critical Skills Work Visa may apply immediately if they have five years of experience in their field of expertise. For critical skills applicants, it is a big advantage to be in possession of a permanent employment contract, or an offer of permanent employment, at the time of application. Permit residence applications are processed by the Department of Home Affairs' (DHA) head office.

Business Visas If you plan to move to South Africa to open a business or invest in an existing business, you must apply for a Business Visa. Applicants are required to invest substantial capital and show a business plan. All business visa applicants must apply for a letter of recommendation from the Department of Trade and Industry regarding the feasibility of their business and the contribution of the business to the national interest of South Africa. Additionally, it must be shown that: the business’s work force comprises at least 60 percent of South African employees; the proposed business is not deemed to be 'undesirable' in nature; the business has the highest chance of success by way of a detailed business plan; the business is compliant with existing South African company law.  Among other requirements, the  DHA states you must submit the Form BI-1738, plus a certificate issued by a chartered accountant registered with the South African Institu...

Corporate visas A Corporate Visa is not issued to an individual but to an employing company, and allows that company to employ a number of foreign workers during a certain time period. Workers will be employed on Individual Corporate Worker Certificates. This type of visa is incredibly advantageous to a company as it allows the firm to employ foreigners much faster and at a discounted fee to the DHA.

Intra-company transfer visa (ICT) In today’s globalised world people who work in multinational companies are commonly transferred between countries. Where a person has been transferred into South Africa, they need to apply for the Intra-Company Transfer visa. Any applicant must have first worked for a minimum of six months in the company’s foreign office before applying to relocate and immigrate to the South African branch. Under the new immigration law, this visa is issued for a period of four years and is not extendable. Should an applicant hold an ICT visa valid for two years (issued under the old act), then the applicant may apply for an extension of a further two years. However, those years do not count towards realising a permanent residence permit for South Africa. Depending on whether you are being transferred or merely seconded to your company’s branch, you’ll need either a work visa or a business visa. If you are being transferred temporarily to a So...

Critical skills work visa (highly skilled migrants) There are some skills and qualifications that are regarded as critical or exceptional by the South African government. A person who has such skills and/or qualifications can apply for a Critical Skills Work Visa. In order to obtain this visa, the applicant does not have to secure a specific position of employment at the time of application. The legislation specifies what skills qualify as 'critical' via the DHA’s critical skills list , but a relevant South African authority or organisation (for example, SAQA) needs to confirm the applicant’s skills and/or qualifications in writing, so as to ensure the applicant falls within the critical field of work. Occasionally a letter from the relevant professional body is also required. If you have a doctorate in a specific field and have published articles and/or are considered an expert in a field, this can aid your application. See the full list of conditions for the...

General work visa The General Work Visa is the most common type applied for. In order to obtain this type of visa, the employing company first has to provide substantial proof that the position cannot be filled by a South African citizen. This usually means they have to advertise the position in the local media first, so as to ensure jobs aren't being denied to South African citizens. Secondly, proof has to be submitted of the applicant’s qualifications and/or experience, and their qualifications have to be checked by the relevant South African authority, South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) . Applicants will also be required to obtain certification from the Department of Labour, stating among other things, that their salary and benefits are commensurate with those paid to South African citizens in similar positions. Applicants must sign a permanent contract of employment and include this in their application pack to the Department of Home Affairs (DHA),...