Permanent Residence
For people ready to make South Africa their permanent home.
Permanent residence is available to foreign nationals who have lived in South Africa on work visas for at least five years, to their spouses, and to dependants of South African citizens and permanent residents.
Applications are considered under Section 26 (direct residence) and Section 27 (residence on other grounds) of the Immigration Act, 2002, read with Regulation 33 of the Immigration Regulations. Emphasis is placed on immigrants who can make a meaningful contribution to broadening South Africa’s economic base.
Section 26: direct residence
- 26(a): holders of a work visa
- 26(b): spouses married for at least five years
- 26(c): dependants under 18 of a citizen or permanent resident
- 26(d): dependants over 21 of a citizen
Section 27: residence on other grounds
- 27(a): applicants with a quota permit
- 27(b): applicants with critical skills
- 27(c): business
- 27(d): refugees
- 27(e): retired persons
- 27(f): financially independent applicants
- 27(g): relatives of a citizen or permanent resident
The process
Book a consultation- 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.
Related services
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Start a short assessment, or book a consultation with our team in Pretoria or Harare.