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South Africa: Visas

Overview

Before making any plans to buy a home in South Africa, you must ensure that you will be permitted to use the property when you wish and for whatever purpose you have in mind. This includes ensuring that you have the required permits and visas. While foreigners are freely permitted to buy property in South Africa, most aren’t allowed to remain in the country longer than one or three months per year without an appropriate permit or visa (see below), which may limit your enjoyment of a holiday home.

If there’s a possibility that you or a family member will wish to work or live permanently in South Africa, you should ensure that this will be possible before making any plans to buy a home there (see also Working Fact Sheer).

The following categories of people don’t require a visa to travel to South Africa for tourist, business or transit purposes:

• Holders of South African passports (or official travel documents issued in place of a passport);

• Holders of passports from the following countries: Australia, the Republic of Ireland and the United Kingdom, including the British Islands Bailiwick of Guernsey and Jersey, Isle of Man and Virgin Islands, as well as British Overseas Territories, but not nationals of British Dependent Territories (Anguilla, Bermuda, British Antarctic Territory, British Indian Ocean Territory, Cayman Islands, Falkland Islands, Gibraltar, Montserrat, Pitcairn, Henderson, Cucie and Oeno Islands, the Sovereign Base of Akrotiri and Dhekelia, and the Turks and Caicos Islands), who do require a visa.

Holders of passports from the following countries can visit South Africa for a holiday or business trip (or for transits) of up to 30 days without a visa: Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Cape Verde, Costa Rica, Cyprus (diplomatic and official passport holders can stay up to 90 days for holiday visits), Egypt (only diplomatic and official passport holders for holiday visits), Gabon, Guyana, Hong Kong (only holders of Hong Kong British National Overseas passports or Hong Kong Special Administrative Region passports), Hungary (diplomatic and official passport holders can stay up to 120 days for holiday visits), Jordan, Lesotho, Macau (only holders of Macau Special Administrative Region passports), Malaysia, the Maldives, Mauritius, Morocco (only diplomatic and official passport holders for holiday visits), Namibia, Peru, Poland (diplomatic and official passport holders can stay for holiday visits of up to 90 days), the Seychelles, the Slovak Republic, South Korea, Swaziland, Thailand, Tunisia, (only diplomatic and official passport holders for holiday visits), Turkey, Zambia and Zimbabwe (only government officials, including police officers on cross-border investigations).

Holders of passports from the following countries can visit South Africa for a holiday or business trip (or for transits) of up to 90 days without a visa: Andorra, Argentina, Austria, Belgium, Botswana, Brazil, Canada, Chile, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Ecuador, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, Mexico, Monaco, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Paraguay, Portugal, Romania (only diplomatic and official passport holders for holiday visits), San Marino, Singapore, Spain, St Vincent & the Grenadines, St Helena, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Uruguay, the US and Venezuela.

You require a visa if any of the following applies:

• You aren’t a national of one of the above-mentioned countries;

• You intend to stay in South Africa longer than the permitted exemption period;

• You intend to work or study in South Africa;

• You intend to take part in a sports event;

• Your visit is related to the pursuit of your career;

• You intend to take up permanent residence in South Africa.

The possession of a visa doesn’t guarantee you entry into South Africa. It entitles you only to proceed to a South African port of entry, where an immigration officer will check that you satisfy the basic requirements for entry into the country.

Whether or not you need a visa, you require the following in order to be granted entry into South Africa:

• A passport valid long enough to cover the intended period of stay.

• A ‘clear and sound mind and body’ (whatever that means!) and no criminal record.

• Enough money to support yourself during your stay and to pay for return passage if you don’t have a return or onward ticket.

If you come from, journeyed through or disembarked at a country in the yellow fever belt of Africa or South America, you must also have proof of inoculation against the disease. The inoculation only becomes valid ten days after the inoculation and remains valid for ten years.

Visas aren’t issued at South African ports of entry and airline officials are obliged to insist on seeing visas before allowing passengers to board aircraft. If you arrive in South Africa without a visa, the law requires immigration officers to refuse you entry and to put you on a return flight.

You must therefore apply for a visa at your nearest South African Consulate, Embassy or High Commission (see below). If you cannot go in person, you can post the application, but it must be accompanied by your passport in order to endorse it. If South Africa isn’t represented in your home country or a neighbouring country, you may send your application directly to the Department of Home Affairs, Sub-directorate: Visas, Private Bag X114, Pretoria 0001, South Africa (012-314 8911, www.home-affairs.gov.za).

You should apply for a visa a minimum of four weeks before your date of departure for South Africa. It takes a minimum of ten days on average to process a visa application but can take much longer. South African visas currently cost R425 (or US$63 or €54), but this is subject to change and you should check the South African Department of Home Affairs website for the current price (www.home-affairs.gov.za/visa_detail.asp).

A visa application form must be completed and signed by each applicant over the age of 18 and by each applicant under the age of 18 who has a valid passport. The form must also be accompanied by the following:

• Your original passport, valid for long enough to cover your stay and with at least one free page;

• Two passport photographs;

• The fee (see above);

• Full details of your intended travel arrangements, including air tickets, accommodation details and documentation indicating your financial resources for the stay.

People under the age of 18 travelling independently of their family must accompany their visa application with certified consent from both parents or guardians, signed before a public notary.

People over 60 must provide proof of medical insurance when applying for visas and this may also be required in other cases.

For further information about visas, contact your nearest South Africa office abroad (Consulate, Embassy or High Commission). There’s a full list on the South African Department of Foreign Affairs website (www.dfa.gov.za/foreign/sa_abroad). You can also make enquiries directly to the authorities in South Africa, at the Department of Home Affairs, Sub-directorate: Visas, Private Bag X114, Pretoria 0001, South Africa (012-314 8911).

There are various types of visa for South Africa, according to your status, as detailed below.

Visitor’s Visas

Visitor’s visas are issued to the following people, among others:

• Those visiting for holiday and family visits, on organised study or tourism packages and for sporting activities;

• Spouses or dependent children accompanying visa or temporary residence permit holders (see page below);

• People who intend to apply for permanent residence.

Additional visa application requirements for the above are:

• Documentation supporting the purpose of the visit;

• Proof of funding for the visit (either a bank statement or a letter from the relevant institution agreeing to provide funding for you).

If you’re married to a South African and want to accompany or join your spouse in the country, apply for a visitor’s visa and accompany the application with an affidavit ‘to join spouse’ completed and signed by your spouse. When you arrive in South Africa, you will be issued with a temporary residence permit (see below).

If you’re engaged to be married to a South African and want to accompany or join your fiancé(e) in the country, apply for a visitor’s visa and accompany the application with an affidavit completed and signed by your fiancé(e) that you’re to be married within three months. When you arrive in South Africa, your visa will be replaced by a temporary residence permit (see below).

Business Visas

Business visas are issued to people visiting South Africa to hold business discussions, attend business meetings, explore investment opportunities, promote commerce, trade or industry, or visit a business enterprise as a shareholder or director. Business visas are also issued to professional photographers and foreign media representatives who intend to cover current events in South Africa for a foreign market. Additional visa application requirements for the above are:

• A letter or letters confirming the business trip from the company or companies being represented, which will meet travel and accommodation expenses;

• A letter or letters confirming the business trip from the South African company or companies being visited. If this cannot be supplied, supply the names, residential addresses and telephone numbers of the South African companies to be contacted during the visit.

• An itinerary and proof of accommodation booking;

• Proof of funds, e.g. a bank statement.

© Survival Books Limited 2005

“Buying a Home in South Africa” 1st Edition, Graeme Chesters.

Reproduced with the permission of Survival Books Limited.

Further information on this topic can be found in “Buying a Home in South Africa” 1st edition, by Graeme Chesters.

For extensive information about buying a property in South Africa, you can purchase this book at www.survivalbooks.net

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