What this involves
Tell us where you are in the process below — starting an application, waiting on one already lodged, or dealing with a refusal — and roughly your visa category.
Work visas (general, critical skills, or intra-company transfer) each carry different documentary requirements, including in some cases a Department of Employment and Labour certificate confirming no suitable South African candidate is available — we identify the correct category upfront rather than letting an application fail on a mismatch.
A visa refusal can usually be appealed internally to the Department of Home Affairs within a strict window (commonly 10 working days for some categories), and, failing that, taken on judicial review to the High Court — timing is critical, so we prioritise an initial assessment of an appeal's prospects as soon as a refusal comes in.
Permanent residence applications (direct residence, work-based, or via a spousal/life partner relationship) generally require a longer qualifying period and materially more supporting evidence than a temporary visa, and can take well over a year to be decided.
How long does it take?
Standard visa applications commonly take 4 to 8 weeks to be decided by Home Affairs. Permanent residence applications often take well over a year.
What will it cost?
R6 000 to R15 000 excl. VAT
Covers: Preparing and submitting one visa or permit application.
Based on 4 to 10 hours of Attorney time at our rate of R1 500 per hour, excluding VAT.
This is an estimate, not a quote. The final fee depends on the facts and how complex your matter turns out to be, and your Attorney confirms it in writing before work starts. Court fees, sheriff’s fees, counsel and other disbursements are charged separately.
Ask for a firm quoteThis page is general information, not legal advice for your situation. See our Disclaimer.