Saturday, August 18, 2007

Visa Requirements for South Africa

South African Visa Guide

Requirements for South Africa

1 . Who requires a tourist visa for South Africa?

A tourist visa for South Africa is required by all except the following for business and tourist purposes:

· nationals of EU countries, Australia, Canada, Japan and US for visits of up to 90 days;

· nationals of Iceland, Liechtenstein, New Zealand, Norway and Switzerland for visits of up to 90 days;

· nationals of Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Ecuador, Israel, Jamaica, Malta, Paraguay, St Helena, Swaziland, Uruguay and Venezuela for visits of up to 90 days;

· nationals of Antigua & Barbuda, Barbados, Belize, Benin, Botswana, Bolivia, Cape Verde, Comoros Islands, Costa Rica, Cyprus, Gabon, Guyana, Hong Kong (SAR), Hungary, Jordan, Korea (Rep. of), Lesotho, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritius, Mexico, Namibia, Peru, Seychelles, Singapore, Slovak Republic, Thailand, Turkey (except holders of Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus passports, who do require visas) and Zambia for visits of up to 30 days;

· transit passengers continuing their journey by the same or first connecting aircraft provided holding onward or return documentation and not leaving the airport.

Note:
Holders of Visitors visas are not allowed to take up employment in South Africa. Unaccompanied children must hold written consent from their parents when travelling alone. Passports valid for at least 6 months beyond date of departure from South Africa required by all.

2. What are the required documents for a tourist visa for South Africa?

· Passport valid for 6 months beyond date of departure.

· 2 passport-size photos with signature on reverse side.

· 1 completed application form (failure to complete the application fully and in detail may result in visa being delayed or refused).

· Proof of sufficient funds to cover visit.

· Onward/return ticket and, if in transit, proof of sufficient documentation for admission to the country of destination.

· No criminal record

· Visitors should be of sound mind and body.

For study permits:
Official letter of acceptance from South African academic institution.

For work permits:
Official letter of employment from South African company stating salary and position.

For business visas:
Letter from employer.

Note:
In the case of failure to comply with any of these regulations, visitors may be required to leave a cash deposit with the Immigration Officer.

3. How much time is required to issue a tourist visa?

Applications should be made well in advance. Although the minimum processing time is 3 days, nationals applying for a visa are advised to apply up to 10 weeks before their departure date.

4. What are the costs of visa for South Africa?

Visitors, Business, Re-entry and Transit:

Study Permits: (depending on level of education).

Work Permits:

Work Seekers Permits:

Nationals of India, Zimbabwe and GAP students are exempt from visa fees.

5. Where can I get further information about South African Visas?

· Embassy of South Africa

6. How do I applying for a South African work visa?

Present immigration policy in South Africa is tight due to the emphasis placed on giving jobs to the general population of South Africa. This is seen with the focus on Affirmative action laws being passed where all businesses need to report on what their 'quotas' are and where they will be in the future.

However, if you have a skill that is in short supply or have wads of cash ready to invest in South Africa - you will be able to get a work visa.

The current requirements are:

· You must be of good character and a desirable inhabitant

· You must not be likely to be harmful to the welfare of South Africa

· You cannot have an occupation in which there is already a sufficient number of people available to meet the current requirements of that occupation

7. Categories for work visas

· Workers. Applicants must be within the age group 18 to 51, with an acceptable offer of employment, commensurate with their qualifications and experience.

· Spouse and/or dependent child. Applicants must be legally married to/the child of a South African citizen or permanent resident, able to submit proof that the breadwinner has an offer of employment in SA or sufficient financial resources to be financially independent.

· Retired person. Applicants must be of appropriate age, with transferable capital, pensions and/or private income payable in South Africa.

· Financially independent person. Applicants must have a minimum of R1,500,000 capital/investment in South Africa, are expected to maintain themselves on the income by that investment and refrain from engaging in employment or establishing an own business for three years, without obtaining prior consent from the Department of Home Affairs.

· Own Business/Business Partnership. Applicants must have a viable business prospectus/partnership agreement and feasibility study, together with sufficient transferable assets for investment in the business and to maintain an acceptable standard of living.

· Sponsored persons. Applicants can be sponsored by a South African citizen or permanent resident, namely:
(a) children/grandchildren,
(b) a fiancé(e) to whom marriage within 90 days of arrival in the Republic is intended.

8. Where do I find South Africa Visa Forms?

The South Africa government is not fully web-enabled at present. Most of the applications therefore have to be done manually at the relevant consulates.

However, here is a list of common visa forms that you can download.

(You will need Adobe Acrobat to read these documents as they are in PDF format. Click here to get your free copy of Acrobat.)

· Visa Application

· Application to Import Pets

· Application to Import Used Vehicles

· Form BI 529E

· Form BI 9E

· Form BI-73

· Application for Temporary Residence

· Application for a Workseeker's Permit

· Application for a Work Permit (Temporary Employment)

· Application for a Work Permit (Arts & Entertainment Industry)