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1. Immigration guidelines and categories of prospective immigrants

1.1. Important information in connection with your passport

2. Permanent residence

2.1. Direct residence

2.1.1. Holders of work permits for past 5 years

2.1.1.1 How do I obtain a work permit?

2.1.1.2 Required documentation

2.1.2. Spouse of citizens or residents

2.1.2.1 Required documentation

2.1.3. Minors of citizens or residents

2.1.3.1 Required documentation

2.2. Residence on other grounds

2.2.1. Applicants with offer for permanent employment

2.2.1.1 Required documentation

2.2.2. Applicants with extraordinary skills or qualifications

2.2.2.1 Required documentation

2.2.3. Business permit

2.2.3.1 Required documentation

2.2.4. Refugees

2.2.5. Retired persons

2.2.5.1 Required documentation

2.2.6. Applicants with minimum net worth

2.2.6.1 Required documentation

2.2.7. Relatives of citizens or residents

2.2.7.1 Required documentation

2.3. Required documentation for all categories of permanent residence applications

2.4. Application procedure

2.5. Validity period of a permanent residence permit

2.5.1. Expiry and withdrawal of a permanent residence permit

3. Temporary residence permits

3.1. Validity period and extensions

3.2. Visitor’s permit and extensions

3.2.1. Allowable activities with a visitor’s permit

3.2.2. Countries with visa requirements

3.2.3. Required documentation for extension of a visitor’s permit or a visa

3.2.4. Visitor’s permit for up to 3 years

3.2.5. How often can I extend a visitor’s permit?

3.3. Diplomatic permit

3.4. Study permit

3.4.1. May I work with a study permit?

3.4.2. May I change institutions?

3.4.3. May I work after completion of the studies?

3.4.4. Required documentation

3.5. Business permit

3.5.1. Required documentation

3.5.2. What options are available if I do not meet the minimum financial criteria?

3.5.3. After how many years can I apply for a permanent residence permit?

3.5.4. What is the difference between a temporary and permanent business permit?

3.6. Work permit (employees)

3.6.1. Quota work permit

3.6.1.1 Required documentation

3.6.2. General work permit

3.6.2.1 Required documentation

3.6.3. Exceptional skills work permit

3.6.3.1 Required documentation

3.6.4. Intra-company transfer work permit

3.6.4.1 Required documentation

3.6.5. Required documentation for type of work permits

3.6.6. Corporate permit

3.7. Retired person’s permit

3.7.1. Required documentation

3.8. Relatives of citizens or residents

3.8.1 Required documentation

3.9. Other temporary residence permits

3.10. Application procedure

3.11. Expiry of temporary permits, illegal stay and consequence

4. Application fees for all permits

5. Family members, marriage, citizens and other information

5.1. Definition of spouse, partner, family member and children

5.2. Returning South African citizens

5.3. Marriage to foreigners

5.4. Age restrictions

5.5. The position of the chartered accountant

6. South African citizenship, documents and validity periods

6.1. Citizenship and passports

6.2. Identity book (ID) and driver’s licence

7. Frequently asked questions

• Do I have to leave the country when my visitor’s permit expires?

• What happens, if I only do the extension of my visitor’s permit within the last month of its validity?

• Can I extend after the expiry period of my permit?

• What permit should I apply for if I only want to stay 6 months in SA?

• Is there a special permit for applicants from the arts and film industry?

• What options are available if I do not have the prescribed minimum capital for a business permit?

• What permit is required if I invest in a company as a non-executive owner or a silent partner?

• Can I change from a temporary to a permanent residence permit?

• I do not have enough income as a pensioner – what can I do?

• From what age can I apply within the category of pensioners?

• Is it advisable to apply for a temporary or permanent residence permit as a pensioner?

• Does the main applicant under the pensioner category have to prove sufficient…. funds, or is the income of the entire family taken into consideration?

• May I conduct work with a permanent residence permit?

• How much time does the application procedure take?

• Who decides the outcome of my application?

• Where will the application be processed?

• May I stay in South Africa while my application is being processed?

• Can I import household contents and cars without a residence permit?

• Where can I obtain the application forms?

• Can you assist us with the application procedure?

• Is available local housing being considered in the application?

• What should I do with my existing medical aid cover?

• How much capital do I have to transfer to South Africa?

• Can I change from one permit to another one?

• What are the tax implications of a residence permit?

• Should I apply for a temporary or permanent residence permit?

8. Possible reasons for application delays

9. The future of the Immigration Act

10. Guidelines

10.1. Declaration of foreign assets

• for the Department of Home Affairs

• for Exchange Control purposes

10.2. Reporting duty of commercial banks

10.3. Foreign income

10.4. Foreign accruals after the immigration

10.5. Payments made from the Republic

10.6. Travel allowances

10.7. Emigration from South Africa

10.8. Future of exchange control

11. Opening of local bank accounts and transfer of capital

11.1. Required documentation for the opening of a bank account

12. Purchase of fixed property

12.1. Additional costs

12.1.1. Calculation of total costs when purchasing property

12.2. Mortgage loans

12.2.1. Mortgage loan table

12.3. Letting of fixed property

12.4. Purchase of property without an estate agent

12.5. Sale of property and tax consequences

12.6. Registering of property in a company or a trust’s name

12.6.1. What is a Trust?

12.6.2. Purchase of property already registered in a company or a trust

12.6.3. Purchase of property into a company or a trust to be founded

12.6.4. Implications of value-added-tax (VAT)

12.6.5. Changes to the income tax act with regard to fixed property transfers

12.7. Summary of standard procedure when purchasing fixed property

12.8. Practical advice for home buyers

13. Money, capital market & equities

13.1. Money market and fixed deposit rates

13.2. Securities (Shares / Unit Trusts / Bonds)

13.3. Investment products of insurance companies

14. Founding of a company

15. Ex - Financial Rand investments

16. Definition of non-residents

17. Opening of local bank accounts (“non-resident account”)

18. Purchase of fixed property, mortgage loans and letting

19. Purchase of shares, bonds & mutual funds

20. Sale of assets and repatriation of funds

21. Ex - Financial Rand investments

22. Subsequent approval of a permanent residence application

23. Other investments

24. Government services

25. Banking

26. Insurance companies and products

26.1. Health care insurance

26.2. Short-term insurance (property, assets)

26.2.1. Domestic short-term policies

26.2.2. Commercial short-term policies

26.3. Pension, Provident Funds and Retirement Annuities

26.4. Tax-exempt annuities and pensions

26.5. Life insurance policies

26.6. Endowment policies

26.7. Tax-free income

26.8. Secondary market for endowment policies

26.9. Life annuities

26.10. Portfolio Management

27. Employment and remuneration

28. Tax system

29. Taxation of natural persons

29.1. Definition of „residents / non-residents“ for taxation purposes

29.2. Income tax table

Taxation of interest income, dividends, rental income, mortgage loans,

pension income, foreign income, wealth tax, donations tax & estate duty

29.3. Example: Calculation of income tax liability of a natural person

30. Capital gains tax (CGT)

30.1. Example: Calculation of capital gains tax liability

31. Taxation of non-residents

32. International tax planning

33. Corporate tax

34. Other taxes

35. Possible changes to the Income Tax Act

36. Double taxation agreements

37. Investment agreement between South Africa and other countries

38. Shall I invest capital available abroad in South Africa?