Permanent Residence Visas for South Africa

Permanent Residence

What is a Permanent Residence Permit?

Applying for a Permanent Residence Permit is a fantastic option to consider if you have long-term interests in South Africa. It allows you to reside, work, study and start a business, and there are several categories upon which you can base an application for Permanent Residence. It should also be noted, however, that Permanent Residence Permits may lapse if certain requirements are not met.

Why a Permanent Residence Permit?

Permanent Residence holders are, essentially, vested with all of the rights available to South Africans.
This Permit allows a foreign person to apply for a South African Identity Document.
Holders of a Permanent Residence Permit are more easily able to apply for financial assistance such as loans and mortgages/bonds in South Africa.
Once you are a South African Permanent Resident, you will no longer be required to apply for renewals of your Temporary Residence Visa (a process that is often quite time-consuming, uncertain and costly).

Permanent Residence Permit Categories

There are several categories upon which you can base your Permanent Residence application and many of these categories are either linked to, or correspond with, Temporary Residence Visa categories. The simplified list of Permanent Residence Categories is as follows:

Foreigners who have been in possession of a work visa for five years, without interruption, and who have received a permanent offer of employment in South Africa may be eligible to apply for Permanent Residence. The Intra-Company Transfer Work Visa is, however, excluded from this category.
Spouses of South African citizens or permanent residents may apply for Permanent Residence on the condition that their spousal relationship has existed for at least five years.
Children of South African citizens or permanent residents may apply for a Permanent Residence Permit.
Holders of a Critical Skills Work Visa who have a minimum of five years post-qualification experience may apply for Permanent Residence. The dependent family members of such an applicant may also be eligible for Permanent Residence.
Foreigners intending to either establish a business in South Africa or making an investment into an existing South African business may, subject to certain financial conditions, be eligible to apply for Permanent Residence.
Individuals who have held Refugee Status for the past five years and who have obtained a Certificate from the Refugee Standing Committee certifying that they will remain a refugee indefinitely are eligible to apply for a Permanent Residence Permit.
If you are entitled to pensions and/or irrevocable annuities for the remainder of your life, totalling no less than R37, 000.00 per month, you may qualify for a Permanent Residence Permit.

The current South African immigration landscape has several categories under which a Permanent Residence Permit can be applied for.

PERMANENT RESIDENCE