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South Africa · Independent means

South Africa Permanent Residence — retired person (section 27(e))

7 facts quoted from the official source

A foreigner intending to retire permanently in South Africa may qualify through prescribed lifelong income or income-producing assets.

Savings required
ZAR 37,000
the lowest published threshold
Can bring
—
Not stated in the official source
Requirements
2
each quoted below
Who qualifies

Who this route is for

Every item below is the government’s own wording, quoted from the official source. Whether you personally qualify depends on your full profile.

2 requirements quoted from the official source.

The conditions that decide it
  • Admission or enrolment requirementSection 27 permits require a foreigner of good and sound character; prohibited or undesirable status must be resolved before application.
  • Financial resourcesThe prescribed minimum is R37,000 per month from pension, irrevocable annuity, retirement account or income-producing assets.via gov.za
What rules you out

1 exclusion quoted from the official source.

  • Material restrictions or case-specific conditionsPermanent residence may be withdrawn after absence from South Africa for more than three years, subject to the statutory exceptions.
Also stated by the source
  • Long-term residence or conversion pathThis route directly grants permanent residence if approved.
  • Work rightsA permanent resident has the rights, privileges, duties and obligations of a citizen except those expressly reserved to citizens.
Family

Who you can bring

— Not stated in the official source. The official page for this route does not address dependent-family rights, so we do not publish a claim either way.
Costs & timelines

What the source prices

Validity
1 proven from the official source.
  • Initial duration or stay ceilingThe legal status sought is permanent residence.
How it works

From here to a yes

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FAQ

Straight answers

01Who qualifies for this route to South Africa?
The official source states: A foreigner intending to retire permanently in South Africa may qualify through prescribed lifelong income or income-producing assets.
02How much money do I need?
The official source states: The prescribed minimum is R37,000 per month from pension, irrevocable annuity, retirement account or income-producing assets. The lowest published threshold is ZAR 37,000 (savings).
03What does this route lead to?
The official source states: This route directly grants permanent residence if approved.

Every answer is quoted from the official dha.gov.za page for this route, last read 2026-07-27.

We checked 7 points against the official source; 7 are quoted on this page. The other 0 are either not addressed by the source or not yet backed by a quote — we would rather show you the edge of the record than fill it with a plausible guess.

See the 0 open points

Fees and processing time are not published in the official source for this route. We publish a number only when the official text states that number.

The source

Where every quote comes from

Official government source dha.gov.zaLast read 2026-07-27 Every quote on this page is from this South Africa government page.
Compiled from official sources · pending independent re-check · Last checked 2026-07-27 · Our methodology
 · Compiled by António Mira · How we verify · Not legal advice — rules change; confirm with the official source before deciding.
Same category, same country

Other independent means routes to South Africa

2 other independent means routes to South Africa.

Permanent Residence — financially independent person (section 27(f))Retired Person Visa
Same category, elsewhere

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