A South African spousal visa enables a husband, wife or long- term partner of a South African permanent resident or person in possession of a citizenship migrate to South Africa on the basis of their permanent relationship.

The South African immigration services offer a range of spousal permits for those people who wishing to migrate either permanent or temporary.

Through immigration, a South African spousal visa of this kind is assessed purely upon the marital status or the duration of their relationship and this permit does not require any letter of employment in order to join their partners or spouses. Candidates that are successful in getting a South African spousal visa can apply for temporary or permanent residence permits that will allow them to be able to work and live in South Africa and undertake employment they wish.

A marriage certificate is required in cases where the married applicant wishes to immigrate to South Africa through this route on a temporary permit.

 Life relationship will also need to be supported by documentary evidence of mutual financial arrangements like loans, bank accounts, utility bills and co-habitation. People who wish to apply for life-partner immigration or spouse immigration as a permanent option must have been in a life relationship or married to the sponsoring South African permanent resident or citizen for a period of around one year. Permanent settling in South Africa will result in most cases where one person applied for a South African spousal visa through the temporary or permanent route.

A five-year South African spousal visa will no longer be provisional on the continuous existence of a relationship and it cannot be withdrawn in case of relationship or marital status change.

A Spouse Visa is very important whenever a spouse is going to join another spouse in any country. A Spouse Visa is simply an endorsement attached on a spouse’s valid passport, granting him or her permission to enter a country where his or her spouse lives.

For a Spouse Visa to be issued by the applied country, there are several requirements by the country’s immigration office. Even though they vary from one country to another, requirements can include a valid marriage certificate, which has been registered by an official registrar.

A Spouse Visa is only granted to a spouse who is in a subsisting marriage, meaning that the sponsoring spouse must indicate by showing letters that they have been keeping in touch with each other. This may even include submitting telephone bills to show that the sponsor and spouse are communicating on a regular basis.  

The sponsoring spouse must also prove that he or she is capable of providing shelter and food as well as showing that he or she is financially capable of catering to the spouse’s needs when the spouse joins him or her in the country as a resident. This can be done by showing financial proof, such as a bank statement, pay slips or business account if the sponsor is self-employed. All of these things help in the issuance of a Spouse Visa.

It is good for the spouse applicant to confirm everything with the sponsoring spouse before deciding to apply for a Spouse Visa. The most important thing when applying for a Spouse Visa is that, as an applicant, one should make sure that one is 18 years and above since someone who is under 18 years is considered a minor who is not allowed to sign an affidavit.