Migrate to South Africa

South Africa is God’s very unique creation swathing in all kinds of natural antiquity and beauty. The place has beautiful mountains, lakes, meadows, valleys, and state-of-the-art architecture facilitating educational, residential, and commercial purposes. If you haven't visited Cape Town yet, you surely did miss some fizz in your life.  South African Immigration is a gift that you can give yourself and your family. Migrating to South Africa will once and forever transform your life for the better. It will lift you to another realm.

Here are a few benefits of migrating to South Africa:

• Diverse landscape
• Lifestyle
• Affordability
• Climate
• Congeniality
• Cheap healthcare

South Africa issues the following Visas to the aspiring lot:

• Visit Visa
• Work Visa and
• Business Visa

Visit Visa

Rated as one of the world's best tourist destinations, South Africa offers visitors sunny weather, beautiful scenery, some of the world's best beaches, with top hotels and restaurants sprinkled all over the map. South Africa is also one of the most affordable and, in some cases, the easiest accessible holiday destinations globally. By virtue of this Visa, you can stay in South Africa for 90 days.

Work Visa

Work Visa authorizes individuals who aspire to travel overseas to secure employment or take up arranged employment. Applicants who are highly skilled and qualified professionals, who are interested in searching for jobs or are already appointed by a company according to the General Labor Agreement would be issued this Visa. VisaMint Overseas Services provides wonderful processing for you to procure this Visa.

Business Visa

One way to obtain residency in South Africa is via Immigration to South Africa on a business visa. A business visa does not just mean setting up a business or buying into one in South Africa, but it also means you wish to work within this business. Should you wish to invest but not work in the business, please see the information on the investor's Visa.

How to obtain a PR for South Africa?

Any country would welcome a highly skilled migrant. Which country doesn’t want to invite professionals who can contribute to its economy and make it thriving?

But before advancing your case with VisaMint, stop by the company and get to know whether you fall under the prohibited or undesirable person’s category or not. The following write-up casts light on the possibility of migrating to South Africa on a PR. The content has been carefully curated from the Official Website of the Department of Home Affairs- South Africa for your understanding.  

You and your spouse qualify for a direct permanent residence permit if you have lived in South Africa based on your work permit for a minimum period of five years. Dependents of South African citizens or permanent residence permit holders can also apply.

Residency on other grounds applies to foreigners who:

• are in possession of a permanent work offer in South Africa
• have exceptional skills and qualifications
• intend to establish a business in South Africa
• qualify as Refugees in terms of Section 27(c) of the Refugees Act
• qualify as retired persons
• are financially independent or
• are relatives (biologically or judicially adopted) of a South African citizen or permanent residence permit holder.

General Information

Applications for permanent residency in South Africa are considered in terms of Section 26 (Direct Residency Permits) and Section 27 (Residency-on-Other-Grounds Permits) of the Immigration Act 2002 (Act No 13 of 2002) and read with Regulation 33 of the Immigration Regulations. In terms of granting Permanent Residency Permits, emphasis is placed on immigrants who are in a position to make a meaningful contribution to broadening the economic base of South Africa.

You may be considered a prohibited person if:

• You are infected with infectious diseases that can spread easily. These diseases include cholera, pestilence, yellow fever, and any other diseases as determined by the Department of Health from time to time.
• You have a warrant of arrest against you or a conviction for genocide, torture, drug trafficking, money laundering, kidnapping, terrorism, or murder secured in South Africa or any country with which South Africa has normal diplomatic relations.
• You are a member or supporter of an organization practicing racial hatred or social violence.
• You are a member of an organization using crime or terrorism to reach its goals.
• You have previously been deported and have not been rehabilitated by the Department in the prescribed manner.

To make an application for a permanent residency permit, applicants must first submit a representation to the Minister of Home Affairs, motivating why they should be declared not to be a prohibited person or an undesirable person.

You may be deemed to be rehabilitated if:

• you submit an affidavit or solemn declaration that you will comply with the Act
• the Department has no reason to believe that you are inclined to violate the Act again
• you have not been inside the Republic of South Africa for four years or more
• alternatively, you may be deemed to be rehabilitated by a forfeiture to the State of R50 000 (which may be reduced to R2000 if you paid for the cost of your deportation as well as the related costs).

You may be deemed to be an undesirable person if

• you are or are likely to become a public charge
• the Minister identifies you (after consultation with the Immigration Advisory Board as undesirable o you have been judicially declared incompetent
• you are an un-rehabilitated insolvent
• you are a fugitive from justice
• you have a previous criminal conviction without the option of a fine for conduct that would be an offense in South Africa (with the exclusion of certain prescribed offenses).

To make an application for a permanent residency permit, applicants must first submit a representation to the Minister of Home Affairs, motivating why they should be declared not to be a prohibited person or an undesirable person.

Only after the Minister of Home Affairs has declared a prospective immigrant not to be a prohibited/undesirable person can an application for permanent residency status can be submitted.

Once you have received a positive response from the Minister of Home Affairs, you may apply for a Direct Residency Permit or a Residency-on-Other-Grounds Permit.

Direct residence permits

This category of permit applies to foreigners residing in South Africa based on their work permits for a minimum period of five years, their spouses, and to dependents of South African citizens/permanent residence permit holders.

To apply for a direct residency permit, you need to complete Form BI-947.

Residency-on-other-grounds permits

This category of permits applies to foreigners who:

• are in possession of a permanent work offer in South Africa, or
• have exceptional skills and qualifications
• intend to establish a business in South Africa
• qualify as Refugees in terms of Section 27(c) of the Refugees Act
• qualify as retired persons
• are financially independent
• are relatives (biologically or judicially adopted) of a South African citizen/permanent residence permit holder

In addition to completing and submitting Form BI-947, you must also provide the following documentation:

• A full set of fingerprints
• A marriage certificate / Proof of spousal relationship, if applicable
• A divorce decree/proof of legal separation, if applicable
• Proof of custody of a minor, if applicable
• A death certificate for a late spouse, if applicable
• The consent of parents in the case of minors
• Proof of judicial adoption of a minor, if applicable
• Police clearance certificates for all countries in which you resided for one year or longer since your 18th birthday
• A valid temporary residency permit (if already in South Africa).

Additional documents apply to the different immigration categories, and these are listed in the permanent residence application Form BI-947.

Immigration to South Africa is easy if you fulfill the eligibility conditions and follow the statutes laid down by the government of South Africa. In any case, the documentation required for the immigration process is tedious. You should certainly consult with one of the best South African immigration consultants in VisaMint Overseas Services to know how to move your file forward.