Eligibility quiz
Do you intend to retire in South Africa?
Benefits
Benefits for youBenefits for you
Live in South Africa for life
You can live permanently in South Africa, and your status normally does not need periodic renewal.
You must take up residence within one year, and your status can be lost in some circumstances.
Study in South Africa
You have a right to basic education and can study without a separate study visa.
Schools and other institutions may have admission requirements.
Work in South Africa
You can work without a separate work visa.
You must still meet any requirements for your profession.
South African travel document
A travel document may be available if you cannot get a passport from your country of origin.
It is valid for five years and is not a passport.
Use public healthcare
You can use public healthcare under the rules for those services.
You also have a right to emergency medical treatment.
Receive social grants
If you live in South Africa, you may qualify for social grants, including grants for older people, disability and child support.
Each grant has its own conditions, which may include age, income, residence or medical requirements.
How to apply
Applying at a consulateApplying at a consulate
Find your consulate
Find the South African mission where you can apply. This may be the mission for the country where you usually live, one in a country whose valid passport you hold, or the mission designated to serve the nearby country where you are if it has no South African mission.
Searches DuckDuckGo for “Which South African mission serving your city accepts permanent residence permit applications?”
Download the application form
Download form BI-947, the application for a permanent residence permit.
Download the formFill in the form
Complete and sign the form in English, typing or using black ink. A spouse included in the application must also sign; if the applicant is a child, both parents sign.
Get help with the formSearches DuckDuckGo for “How do I fill in the South African permanent residence permit application form BI-947?”
Gather your documents
Prepare the required documents for the consulate.
See required documentsArrange your interview
Contact the consulate to arrange an interview before you hand in your application. Ask how to pay the application fee.
Searches DuckDuckGo for “How do I arrange an interview for a South African permanent residence permit at the mission serving your city?”
Attend your interview
Bring your signed form and documents to the consulate and hand them in yourself. Pay the application fee as the consulate directs, give your fingerprints and other biometric information if required, and bring your spouse if they are included in the application.
Searches DuckDuckGo for “How do I attend an interview and submit a South African permanent residence permit application at the mission serving your city?”
Wait for the decision
Stay in the country where you applied legally while your application is being processed, and respond to any requests from the consulate or Home Affairs. You can contact Home Affairs to ask about your application’s status.
Track your applicationSearches DuckDuckGo for “How do I track my South African permanent residence permit application?”
Pay after approval
If you applied as a financially independent person, pay R100,000 after approval as Home Affairs directs. This is separate from the application fee.
Find payment instructionsSearches DuckDuckGo for “How do I pay the amount due after approval of a South African financially independent permanent residence permit?”
Collect your permit
Follow the consulate’s instructions to collect your permit or have it endorsed. Follow its instructions for entering South Africa.
Searches DuckDuckGo for “How do I collect an approved South African permanent residence permit from the mission serving your city?”
Enter South Africa
Complete the entry formalities in your approval instructions and travel to South Africa. Once there, follow the conditions of your permit and keep your permit and passport details current.
Find entry instructionsSearches DuckDuckGo for “How do I enter South Africa after my permanent residence permit is approved?”
Documents needed
Family certificates and recordsFamily certificates and records
Birth certificates
Bring your full birth certificate or an extract from your birth record, and a birth certificate for each dependent child who accompanies or joins you. Bring the original or a certified copy. If your name has changed, also bring the document showing the change, such as a declaration, deed poll or adoption certificate.
Marriage and relationship records *
If you are married, bring your marriage certificate, an extract from the marriage record or proof of your customary marriage. For a permanent spousal relationship, bring the required sworn statement and notarial contract. If you are divorced or legally separated, bring your final divorce decree or proof of separation, and any relevant custody and maintenance orders, even if you have since remarried.
* Only if you are married, in a permanent spousal relationship, divorced or legally separated.
May need translationMay need apostille/legalisationDependent children’s documents *
Bring the required documents for each dependent child who accompanies or joins you. Ask the office where you apply which documents are needed for your family; each child also needs a birth certificate.
* Only if dependent children accompany or join you.
May need translationMay need apostille/legalisationConsiderations
Things to think aboutThings to think about
Permanent residence can end
Your status can be withdrawn for breaking immigration rules or permit conditions, certain convictions, or being barred from staying.
It can also end if you do not settle in South Africa within one year, or spend over three years abroad without an advance extension for good cause.
Some government, qualifying employer or international-organisation service and accompanying family periods do not count; a return counts only if admitted and staying.
Discuss
Online communitiesOnline communities
Visas and permits sa
English Facebook group for people living in South Africa interested in South African visas
Join on FacebookSouth African Visa Applications - Help
English Facebook group for people interested in South African visas
Join on FacebookSouth African Visa and Immigration Forum
English Facebook group for people living in South Africa interested in South African visas
Join on FacebookConsultation
Talk to a professionalTalk to a professional
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