A South African spousal permit may be issued to a foreign spouse of a South African citizen for permanent resident subject to that relationship being in good faith i.e. not of convenience.
he South African Spousal Visa requirements
- Your spouse needs to be either a South African citizen or permanent resident.
- To obtain Permanent residency you will need to apply for a South African Spousal Permit and this requires you to have been married for a period of 5 years or more to qualify.
- Applications for a temporary spousal visa do not have any minimum period that you need to have been married for.
- Proof required within a South African spousal visa application includes:
- A marriage certificate.
- Proof of your South African spouses citizenship or residence.
- A letter of support from your South African spouse.
- Proof of good health and standing.
- A completed temporary residency application form.
Other points to note
- The South African spousal visa requirements apply to both same sex and hetro-sexual relationships.
- The spousal visa only allows you to enter and stay in South Africa, use the links below to find out about an endorsement to your spousal visa that enables you to:
- Work on a spousal visa
- Study on a spousal visa
- Set up and run a business on a spousal visa
- If you intend to work there is no requirement for your prospective employer to show proof they have tried to recruit a South African.
- If your intention is to set up a business there is no minimum investment amount requirements nor a need to recruit a certain amount of South Africans.
- Even if you qualify for permanent residence (spousal permit) you may still wish to apply for temporary residence. Permanent residence applications can take up to two years (in extreme cases longer).
How long does a spouse visa take in South Africa?
About 30 days, In our experience processing a spousal visa, applied for at a South African embassy abroad, typically takes about 30 days. Adding spousal working rights to an existing visa in South Africa can take about 30-40 working days. Spousal working rights and the spousal visa run co-currently.
Can you work with a spousal visa in South Africa?
Only a spousal based visitor visa issued in terms of section 11(6)(b) of the Immigration Act may allow its holder to work. The specific work endorsement is subject to the foreign spouse having secured an offer or contract of employment in South Africa.