South AfricaLong-term residence
Explore the five recorded questions, answers and sources for this pathway.
The exact status is a permanent residence permit under section 26(a) of the Immigration Act, 2002.
An applicant who applies for a permanent residence permit in terms of section 26(a) of the Act shall submit proof of a work visa contemplated in section 19 of the Act, for a continuous period of five years.
The applicant must have held a work visa under the Act for five years; the Form 18 checklist asks for proof of five years' continuous work permit status. The official source does not state from what date the five-year period is counted.
(a) has been the holder of a work visa in terms of this Act for five years and has proven to the satisfaction of the Director-General that he or she has received an offer for permanent employment;
Proof of five year's continuous work permit status.
Only a work visa contemplated in section 19 of the Act counts. The regulations do not specify partial counting or other visa types for this route.
An applicant who applies for a permanent residence permit in terms of section 26(a) of the Act shall submit proof of a work visa contemplated in section 19 of the Act, for a continuous period of five years.
The work visa must be held for a continuous period of five years. The regulations do not specify absence rules for this route.
An applicant who applies for a permanent residence permit in terms of section 26(a) of the Act shall submit proof of a work visa contemplated in section 19 of the Act, for a continuous period of five years.
The application is made on Form 18 and submitted by the applicant in person, with the application fee, a copy of the applicant's birth certificate, biometrics for applicants over 16, a yellow fever certificate where applicable, a police clearance certificate, medical and radiological reports (no radiological report for children under 12 or pregnant women), documents for dependent children, marital status or spousal relationship documents, a birth certificate for each dependent child, a deed poll where a name, surname or sex was changed, and, for applications made in the Republic, a valid temporary visa for each applicant. The listed personal documents must be originals or apostilled copies, translated by a sworn translator where applicable. The Form 18 checklist for section 26(a) also requires an offer of permanent employment. The permit is issued on condition that the holder is not a prohibited or undesirable person and subject to section 28, under which the Director-General may withdraw it on grounds including absence from the Republic for more than three years or not taking up residence within one year of issue.
(1) An application for a permanent residence permit contemplated in section 25(2) of the Act shall be made on Form 18 illustrated in Annexure A and shall be submitted by the applicant in person.
(2) The application contemplated in subregulation (1) shall be accompanied by- (a) the applicable application fee; (b) a copy of a birth certificate in respect of the applicant; (c) biometrics in respect of any applicant over the age of 16 years;
(d) a yellow fever vaccination certificate if that person travelled or intends travelling from or transits through a yellow fever endemic area: Provided that the certificate shall not be required where that person travelled or intends travelling in direct transit through such area or where an application is made in the Republic; (e) a police clearance certificate;
(f) medical and radiological reports: Provided that a radiological report shall not be required in respect of children under the age of 12 years or pregnant women; (g) the documentation contemplated in regulation 9(1)(d) relating to dependent children accompanying the applicant to or joining the applicant in the Republic; (h) the documents relating to the applicant’s marital status or spousal relationship contemplated in regulation 3(2);
(i) a birth certificate in respect of each dependent child; (j) a deed poll in the case of an applicant who has changed his or her name, surname or sex; and (k) where the application is made in the Republic, a valid visa for temporary sojourn at the time of application, in respect of each applicant.
(3) The documents contemplated in subregulation (2)(b), (e), (g), (h), (i) and (j) shall be original or copies apostilled by the issuing authority of the country of origin and, where applicable, translated into one of the official languages of the Republic, which translation shall be certified as a correct translation by a sworn translator.
Offer of permanent employment.
(3) A permanent residence permit shall be issued on terms and conditions that the holder is not a prohibited or an undesirable person, and subject to section 28.
The Director-General may withdraw a permanent residence permit if its holder -
(c) has been absent from the Republic for more than three years, provided that -
(d) has not taken up residence in the Republic within one year of the issuance of such permit.
These are the answers currently recorded in the catalogue. A missing or partial answer is not an eligibility decision.
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