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Read inand orsubscribe visitto South Africa.Africa Thistravel includesadvice thefor latestup-to-date information on:  

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• customs, safety and security emergencies.

Coronavirus

ReadFollow ourthe guidanceadvice onof moving,the livingSouth orAfrican retiringgovernment abroadand your local authority. You should also read the South Africa travel advice.   for our latest guidance.

GetIf helpyou fromwould thelike UKto governmentbe abroad,vaccinated including in anSouth emergency.  Africa, you can apply online.

Visas,Visas residency and citizenship residency

MakeBritish surenationals youcan meetvisit theSouth entryAfrica requirementsand can stay in the country for South90 Africadays without a visa. Check the entry requirements beforeof youSouth travel.  Africa.

Visas  

If you want to staylive in South AfricaAfrica, foryou morewill thanneed 90to days,submit youan mustapplication apply for thea appropriatetemporary residence visa at the South African High Commission. 

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Citizenship  

Healthcare in South Africa

South Africa recognisesdoes dualnot citizenshiphave a reciprocal health agreement with the UK.United ThisKingdom meansand thatvisitors youto doSouth notAfrica haveare advised to giveapply upfor (renounce)travel youror Britishmedical citizenshipinsurance toahead becomeof atheir Southarrival. AfricanTravel citizen.  

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Thehealth Britishcare Highcan Commissionbe inexpensive. PretoriaPublic cannothealth helpcare withvaries across South AfricanAfrica, visaand standards of treatment and residencyhygiene applications.  may not be the same as you would expect in the UK.

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WorkingWork invisas Southare Africa  

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Drivingwhich gives you the right to live in South Africa  

Africa.

Read ourthe South Africa government’s guidance on moving,working livingin andSouth retiringAfrica abroad.as Thisa coversforeign national and how to:  to get a visa.

To apply for a visa you may need to provide:

• driveUK abroadpolice legally certificate not older than 6 months

• takea yourmedical UKreport

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• getoffer drivingor licencecontract letters of employment

For

Studying information on driving in South Africa,Africa

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If you haveplan ato UKstudy Blue Badge and live in South Africa, you must returnmeet itall tovisa therequirements originalbefore UKyou issuing authority.  travel.

Tax  

ReadContact ourthe guidancerelevant oneducation moving,provider livingin orSouth retiringAfrica abroad.to Thischeck coverswhat tax,fees includingyou payinghave UKto tax and National Insurance.    pay.

Tax

The UK has a double taxation agreement with South Africa so so that you do not pay tax on the same income in both countries. countries.

ContactAsk the Southrelevant Africantax Revenue Serviceauthority foryour any questions about double taxation relief. relief.

ConsiderYou gettingshould get professional advice on paying tax in South Africa.Africa. ToYou docan this, find a lawyer in South Africa. .

Pensions 

Claiming

Read yourguidance UK pension 

on:

• Readtax ourif guidanceyou onleave moving,the livingUK orto retiringlive abroad. This covers:  

  • howtax toon claim your UK Stateincome Pension if you live abroad

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  • paying tax in theSouth StateAfrica

  • paying Pension National Insurance while abroad

  Benefits

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  For South African benefits, you should check if you are eligible on the government’s website.

  Pensions

  Read ourState Pension guidance onif moving,you livinghave lived in Australia, Canada or retiringNew abroadZealand. Thisand coversyou howare claiming or waiting to claim your UK benefitsState abroad,Pension.

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  Life certificates for UK State Pensions

  If you canget claima benefits‘life incertificate’ Southform Africafrom the UK Pension Service.  , you must respond as soon as possible. Your payments may be suspended if you do not.

  BuyingMoney and rentingbanking

  The propertySouth inAfrican Reserve Bank is the central bank of South Africa  

  ReadAfrica ourand guidanceit onis moving,primarily livingresponsible orfor retiringoverseeing abroadbanks. South Africa is home to various types of banking institutions. These include locally controlled banks, mutual banks, co-operative banks, international banks and foreign banks. Standard Bank., ThisAbsa, coversFirst buyingNational Bank, Nedbank, Capitec Bank, Investec and rentingMercantile propertyBank abroad.   

  Contactare aamong lawyerthe major banking institutions in South AfricaAfrica, ifoffering you’rea consideringrange buyingof propertyservices orto land. clients locally and internationally.

  Voting

  Banknotes and coins are used daily for transactions. You can use your foreign card to access cash and make transactions before you open a bank account in South Africa  

  Africa. MasterCard and Visa cards are widely accepted, but American Express cards are less common.

  UKOpening elections 

  Reada ourresident guidancebank onaccount

  You moving,will livingneed orto retiringprovide abroad.the Thisbank coverswith howcopies to:  of:

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  • work UKor electionsstudy from abroad permit

  • registerproof of address in South Africa such as ana overseasutility voter  bill

  • three months bank statement

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  Accommodation Africanand elections  

  buying property

  YouSee cannotbuying votea inproperty abroad.

  The South African electionsproperty unlessmarket youadheres holdto Southa Africanland citizenship. 

  Studyingregistration system in Southwhich Africaevery  

  piece of real estate is displayed on a map and ownership is recorded in one of the regionally located Deeds Registries.

  If you planare buying property you should speak to studya home loan expert about seeking pre-approval for a mortgage. Home loan experts help you liaise with banks and financial institutions. Foreigners on temporary residence permits in South Africa,Africa youdo mustnot meetusually allqualify visafor requirementsa 100% mortgage from financial institutions. Some of the leading home loan experts include Ooba, beforeBetterBond youand travel.  SA Home Loans.

  ForYou morecan information:  find a lawyer in South Africa to assist with buying property.

  • readThere guidanceare no restrictions on travelforeign grantsnational’s forownership studentsof studyingproperty abroadin orSouth onAfrica, placementsexcept (England)  for illegal immigrants.

  • Driving in South Africa

    readVisitors guidanceand onshort-term tertiaryresidents (higher)can educationdrive in South Africa with a valid UK photo card driving licence. If you only have a paper licence, you should also get an International Driving Permit (IDP)   before you travel.

  • contactPermanent yourresidents highermust educationapply providerfor ina Southlocal Africalicense. You must convert your UK driver’s license orwithin the UK  first year of receiving permanent resident status.

  • If you are asked for a letter authenticating, certifying or validating your UK driver’s licence, you should contact theyour SouthUK Africanissuing Departmentoffice, ofeg Higherthe EducationDriver and TrainingVehicle Licensing Agency    (DVLA).

  Children 

  ReadThe ourDepartment guidanceof onTransport website moving,has livinginformation oron retiringdriving abroad.in ThisSouth coversAfrica. movingYou abroadcan withalso children,read including:  our guidance on:

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  childThe maintenanceBritish paymentsHigh ifCommission adoes parentnot livesissue abroad 

Schoolsletters andconfirming education 

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AllShould childrenyou agedrequire 7confirmation toof 15your mustdriving attendlicence schooldetails, orcontact homeDVLA schoolto inrequest Southa Africa.  certificate of entitlement.

ForYou morecan information,write readto theDVLA:

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• theRead Southour Africanguidance nationalon curriculumtaking a vehicle out of the UK  .

Childcare  Disabled drivers

TheIf you have a UK Blue Badge and live in South AfricanAfrica, Departmentyou formust Basicreturn Educationit isto responsiblethe original UK issuing authority.

You can apply for earlya childhooddisabled developmentparking (ECD)card in South Africa.  

TheAfrica provincialat educationyour departmentslocal aremunicipal responsibletraffic department. Each province has different procedures with regards to the application for overseeingparking childcarepermits andfor ECDpersons centreswith disabilities.

Voting

You cannot vote in theSouth Africa’s elections. Only after obtaining South African provinces.   citizenship, you are eligible to vote.

ForYou moremay information,be includingable ECDto policiesvote andin laws,some visitUK theelections. ECDYou Informationcan:

• check Hubif you are able to vote. 

• register as an overseas voter

Births, deaths, marriagesmarriage and civil partnerships partnership

Births  Births

If your child is born in South Africa, you should register the birth within South Africa. Home Affairs will issue an unabridged birth certificate. This can be used for all official purposes in the SouthUK, Africanincluding authorities. 

Readapplying ourfor guidancea onBritish moving,passport livingfor oryour retiringchild, abroad.providing Thisthey coversare howotherwise to:  eligible for British citizenship.

• You do not need to register the birth with the UK authoritiesauthorities. toBut getif ayou UKwish, birthyou certificate  

• can apply for youra child’sconsular firstbirth British passport registration.

Deaths  

ReadPlease ournote guidancethat onchildren moving,born livingin orSouth retiringAfrica abroad.are Thisnot covers:  

• whatautomatically entitled to doSouth afterAfrican someonecitizenship. diesIf abroad 

• howyou toneed registeradvice theabout deathBritish withor theSouth UKAfrican authorities citizenship for your child, you may find it useful to speak to a lawyer.

Deaths

If someone dies in South Africa, read our guidance on: on:

• what to do whenafter someone dies in South Africaabroad 

• funeralbereavement directors in South Africa 

Marriages

If andyou civildecide partnerships  

Readto ourhold guidancea onfuneral moving,or livingcremation orin retiringSouth abroadAfrica, you can refer to the list of funeral directors in South Africa.

Marriage Thisand coverscivil partnership

Find out how toyou can get married or get a civil partnership abroad.   abroad.

YouFind canout alsoabout readnotarial theand Southdocumentary Africanservices government’s guidance on getting married in South Africa. .

Divorce

Pets

If andyou separation want to import live animals, you must apply for a veterinary import permit.

ReadSee our guidance on moving,importing livinganimals orinto retiringSouth abroad.Africa.

Please Thisnote coversthat howthe toBritish getHigh aCommission divorcePretoria orcannot endrecommend aone civilprovider partnership.   

Theover Southanother. AfricanYou governmentare offersadvised guidanceto ondo howyour own research to getfind athe divorceagency inthat Southis Africa.  right for you.

Emergencies

ConsiderDial takingthe legal10111 adviceor from112 anumber lawyerfor inthe Southpolice, Africa. 

Documentsambulance foror Britishfire peoplebrigade inand South082 Africa 

911 for sea rescue.

ReadIf ouryou need guidance on documentschild forabduction, Britishread peoplethe abroad.guidance Thison covers:   

• legalisinginternational andparental certifyingchild UK documents  abduction.

• marriageDial and10111 civilto partnershipreport documents 

• affirmationsa andmissing affidavits  child.

• witnessingIf signatures 

Lawyers,you translatorshave andbeen notaries  

Tothe findvictim of a lawyer,rape translator or notarysexual assault in South Africa, read the guidance on professionalwhat servicesto ifdo you’reand abroad. 

Pets 

Ifwhere you want to bringget yoursupport petin withcases youof torape Southand Africa,sexual read guidance on:  assault.

• importingIf animalsyou toare Souththe Africa  

• takingvictim yourof peta dog,crime, cathave been arrested, or ferretare toaffected by a non-EUcrisis, contact countrythe British High Commission Pretoria.

Returning to the UK  UK

Read returningthe toguidance theon UKreturning permanentlyto the UK permanently., Thiswhich includes information on bringing family membersmembers, back to the UK, tax and access to services. services.

Disclaimer  

WeThe provideSouth thisAfrican informationReserve asBank aoffers guideinformation only.to Forpersons definitivewishing information,to contactemigrate thefrom South African authorities.  Africa.

Read our consular information disclaimer.