Business Visa
For foreign nationals establishing or investing in a business in South Africa.
Foreign nationals who plan to invest in the South African economy, by establishing a business or by investing in an existing one, must apply for a Business Visa. Applicants are required to invest a prescribed capital contribution.
A Business Visa may be issued to a foreigner who intends to establish their own business, or invest in an existing business, with a minimum of R5 million brought in from abroad, provided a registered accountant certifies that the funds will remain part of the business’s underlying book value.
What Home Affairs looks for
The Department of Home Affairs must be satisfied that the business is legitimate, considering the business plan, undertakings with SARS and other registrations where necessary, and an undertaking that a minimum ratio of citizens or permanent residents will be employed.
Reduced investment amounts
In sectors that matter for local enterprise and development, such as information technology, tourism, clothing and textiles and other industries approved by the Department of Trade and Industry, the Director-General may waive or reduce the R5 million investment amount.
Some businesses are excluded as undesirable, while others are considered favourable and in the national interest and may qualify for a reduced amount.
From first call to decision
The same three steps, whatever your application.
- 1
Consultation and eligibility assessment
Contact us by phone, email or through this website to schedule a consultation. Come ready to share the visa you are interested in, your reasons for travel and your personal circumstances.
- 2
Document preparation and application
We give you a personalised list of the documents your application needs, then review the application for completeness and accuracy before it is submitted.
- 3
Submission and after-care
We keep you informed about the status and progress of your application through the communication channel you prefer.
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Tell us where you stand. We will show you the way forward.
Start a short assessment, or book a consultation with our team in Pretoria or Harare.