Apply For A South African Life Partner Visa

Guide to the South African Life Partner Visa (Section 11(6))

Foreign nationals who enter a permanent life partnership with a South African citizen or permanent resident can apply for the Life Partner Visa under Section 11(6) of the Immigration Act. Once issued, you gain the right to reside in South Africa and, with appropriate endorsements, you can work, study, or operate a business.

Important: This guide focuses solely on the Section 11(6) Visitor’s Visa for life partners. A separate Relative’s Visa remains available for partners who do not wish to work or run a business.

Apply for a Life Partner Visa

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Summaries & Comparisons

Feature	Detail
Valid For	Issued for up to 3 years
Renewable	Yes, this visa can be renewed indefinitely
Work & Study Rights	Allowed. Can obtain endorsements to work, study, or run a business immediately
Financials	Sponsor must show R3,000 per month
Change of Status in SA	Holder may change status to another visa from within South Africa
Permanent Residency	Eligible after 5 years of marriage or partnership

Feature	Life Partner Visa (Section 11(6))	Relative’s Visa (Section 18)
Primary Applicant	Spouse or Life Partner of an SA citizen/permanent resident	Immediate family (Parents, Children, Siblings) of an SA citizen/ permanent resident
Visa Validity	Issued for up to 3 years	Issued for up to 2 years
Work, Study & Business	Allowed. Can obtain endorsements to work, study, or run a business immediately.	Restricted. Generally prohibited (especially for siblings). Exception: Parents of SA children may apply for endorsements.
Financial Requirement	Sponsor needs R3,000 per month per applicant	Sponsor needs R8,500 per month per applicant (Spouses/minors are exempt from this specific amount)
Permanent Residency	Eligible after 5 years of marriage or partnership	Partial Eligibility. Leads to PR for “First Step” kin (Parents/Children); No PR for “Second Step” kin (Siblings)
Change of Status in SA	May change status from inside South Africa	Depends. Siblings must apply abroad. Parents/Spouses can apply inside SA.
General Comments	Best for spouses with offer of employment, run a business or want to study	Best for non-working parents or siblings relying on support

Who Qualifies for the Section 11(6) Life Partner Visa?

You qualify if you demonstrate a permanent life partnership (same-sex or opposite-sex) that endures for at least two years. Moreover, you must cohabit exclusively with your South African citizen or permanent resident partner at the time of application.

Advantages of the Life Partner Visa

This option delivers significant simplifications when compared to standard work or business permits:

Work rights: You simply require a job offer. You bypass the Points-Based System and critical-skills list entirely.
Business rights: You may operate a business without the typical R5-million investment requirement.
Financial threshold: You (or your South African partner) must prove access to R3 000 per month (below the R8 500 demanded by the Relative’s Visa).

Proving a Genuine Relationship

Home Affairs want to confirm that your life partnership is authentic and enduring. Therefore, you submit comprehensive evidence of at least two years of exclusive cohabitation, including:

A notarial agreement, signed by both partners and notarised in South Africa, which attests that the partnership remains permanent, exclusive, and free of other marital or partnership ties.
Affidavits from both partners that affirm the relationship’s ongoing nature, exclusivity, and mutual emotional and financial support.
Proof of shared living arrangements for two years, such as joint lease agreements, municipal utility bills, bank statements showing a joint account, or official correspondence addressed to both at the same residence.
Additional supporting documents, like travel records as a couple, joint bank accounts (or powers of attorney over each other’s bank accounts) joint medical aid, bills paid on behalf of each other and affidavits from family and friends who corroborate the partnership’s legitimacy.

Furthermore, if your home country legally recognises life partnerships, you may include official proof of that recognition, authenticated and translated into English if necessary.

Major 2019 Rule Change: Apply from Inside South Africa

Following the Constitutional Court’s ruling in Nandutu and Others v Minister of Home Affairs (2019), life partners of South Africans no longer need to exit the country for a long-term visa application. As long as you enter South Africa lawfully and hold a valid visa at submission, you may change your status from within the country.

Adding Work, Study, or Business Endorsements

On its own, the life partner visa only permits the holder to reside in the Republic. However, you may request that it be endorsed for work, study, or business:

Work endorsement: Submit an employment contract or formal offer letter from a South African employer.
Study endorsement: Provide a provisional acceptance or offer letter from a registered educational institution.
Business endorsement: Include Companies and Intellectual Property Commission (CIPC) registration documents plus a South African Revenue Service (SARS) tax number.

Note: When you switch jobs, you apply for a fresh work endorsement. Nevertheless, your residence visa stays valid provided the partnership persists.

Securing Permanent Residency

After five continuous years in a life partnership with a South African citizen or permanent resident, you may apply for permanent residency under Section 26(b) of the Immigration Act.

How to Apply (2025 Procedure)

Step 1 – Gather Your Documents
You assemble a complete set of standard requirements, all originals or certified copies where specified, with non-English documents translated by a sworn translator:

Fully completed DHA-1738 form (Application for Visa to Temporarily Sojourn in the Republic).
Passport valid for at least 30 days beyond your intended departure date, with at least two unused pages for endorsements.
Notarial agreement attesting to the permanent, exclusive life partnership, plus affidavits from both partners.
Evidence of two years’ exclusive cohabitation (as detailed in the Proving a Genuine Relationship section above).
ID documents Certified copy of your South African partner’s ID document or permanent residence permit.
Letter of support from your South African partner, which confirms emotional and financial support.
Police clearance certificates From every country where you’ve resided for 12+ months in the last 5 years (for applicants over 18). Allow ample time for these, as some can take months.
Medical Report: Completed standard medical certificate. Note: Radiological reports are no longer required per Immigration Directive 4 of 2023.
Proof of medical insurance covering your stay in South Africa (if not endorsed for work).
For endorsements: Employment contract (work), acceptance letter (study), or CIPC/SARS documents (business).
If applicable: Proof of any dependent children (birth certificates, consent affidavits) or prior marital status (divorce/death certificates).
Two recent passport-sized photos.

Your South African partner must attend the submission in person to verify details.

Step 2: Submit the Application
You must usually book an appointment in advance and attend personally for biometrics and document verification. Distinguish clearly between locations:

In South Africa: Submit at your nearest VFS Global Visa Facilitation Centre. You must hold a valid temporary visa at the time of submission, and both partners must appear together. VFS will forward your documents to the Department of Home Affairs for adjudication.
Abroad: Lodge at the nearest South African embassy, high commission, consulate or VFS Centre.

Fees and Processing Times (2025)

DHA application fee for the visa → Free for life partner visa applicants.
VFS Global service fee → Approximately R1 550 (varies by location and services like courier return).
Average processing time → 8–12 weeks (submissions inside South Africa are often adjudicated quicker than abroad, though backlogs may extend to 20 weeks).

Visa Duration & Conditions

Home Affairs typically grants the Section 11(6) visa for up to three years initially and renews it upon application, provided the partnership continues. Consequently, you maintain legal status by proving the relationship’s vitality at renewal.

If the life partnership ends (separation or death), the visa expires immediately. In such cases, you must apply for another type of visa or depart South Africa.

Tips & Notes (Late 2025)

A South African police clearance certificate is now required regardless of prior time spent in South Africa.
Same-sex life partnerships receive identical treatment to opposite-sex ones under South African law.
Joint bank accounts strengthen financial interdependence claims—open one early if possible.
If applying from within South Africa – your application will be rejected if you apply less than 60 days prior to expiry of your current visa.