Immigration Visa & Permits
SOUTHERN AFRICA
The aspect of immigration in or rather into any Southern African country is frequently occupying the newspapers, magazines and blogs. It was and mostly remains one of the most unpleasant aspects of Doing Business in Africa. Sometimes based on ancient or simply inadequate Acts and Regulations at least some of the countries, like South Africa, offer a variety of options and conditions under which temporary residence visa or permanent residence permits may be obtained.
It, therefore, requires utmost diligence in preparing an application as well as perseverance to be successful when applying for any Visa or Permit in Southern Africa. Any rejection of an application complicates not only the business concerned but also requires an appeal or a review, which is time and cost-intensive.
INTO SA advises, drafts and assists with the compilation of all required documents and – as far as possible locally – handles the submission of all applications through its branches in South Africa or offices in other countries in Southern Africa.
INTO SA advises and assists with the right application to obtain the correct permit or visa. To give already an indication of the various Visa and Permit options in Southern Africa, the following overviews address specific, popular immigration destinations.
For immigration applications in South Africa or at any foreign mission abroad, please contact the respective regional Division of INTO SA in South Africa.
Please see for a more comprehensive explanation of the various immigration visas and permits Into SA’s Pocket Guide “PASSPORT IMMIGRATION LAW”, Volume I of “Doing Business in South Africa” (2018 – next edition will be published 2025).
South Africa
Applying for a temporary residence visa at the Embassy, Consulate or High Commission in the applicant’s home country abroad has never taken more time and its outcome was never more erratic than today. An unofficial, but nevertheless real, internal policy of mass rejection and conjuring up reasons to deny any visa make the process tedious and unforeseeable.
The same applies to the processing times and arbitrary rejection practice at the Department of Home Affairs in South Africa. Waiting times of more than 6 years have become the norm and wrong decisions due to deliberate boycotts or lack of knowledge of the underpaid employees at the department have so far been the reality.
The previous Minister Aaron Motsoaledi was openly xenophobic and seldom attended meetings at his offices and had long lost control of the department. This was promised to change under the new Government of National Unity (GNU) and more specific, under the new Minister of Home Affairs, Dr. Leon A Schreiber, but although he alleges tackling the backlog in record time, it becomes more obvious every day that he only archives this through mass rejection for reasons that make little to no sense.
It is therefore more important than ever to have any chance of success, that the applications are “iron-clad and waterproof” and are followed up on regularly.
Nevertheless, the following pages shall serve as a first guide through the types and respective requirements for the majority of Visa and Permits currently available in South Africa: Please see for a more comprehensive description of the various immigration visas and permits Into SA’s Pocket Guide “PASSPORT IMMIGRATION LAW”, Volume I of “Doing Business in South Africa” (2018 – next edition will be published 2026).
Into SA Immigration Services in Southern Africa
It requires utmost diligence in preparing an application as well as perseverance to be successful when applying for any Visa in Southern Africa. Any rejection of an application complicates not only the business concerned, but also requires an appeal or a review, which are equally time and cost-intensive.
Into SA Immigration Experts draft and advise on the best Immigration Strategy to anticipate potential grounds for rejection and to manoeuvre the current backlog-tackling rejection atmosphere clouding the Department of Home Affairs, VfS Global and the South African missions abroad. Thereafter applications, supporting evidence and respectively necessary legal documents are drafted and compiled. Finally, the client is guided to submission of the application(s) and Into SA is monitoring all processes from there.
Temporary Residence | Permanent Residence |
Visitor Visa with / without Work | Kinship / Relative |
Spouse or Life Partner Visa | Spouse / Life Partner |
Business Visa | Business |
Retired Person Visa | Retirement |
General Work Visa (point-based) | 5-Year Employment |
Critical Skills Work Visa | Critical Skills |
Intra-Company Transfer Work Visa | Financially Independent |
Remote Work Visa (Digital Nomads) | 5-Year Refugee Status |
Study, Medical, Artist & Exchange Visa | Reinstatement |