How much does an immigration lawyer cost in South Africa?

Hiring immigration lawyers in South Africa for your visa application or permit means adding another expense to your budget. The reality often is that doing it on your own means that you could end up making mistakes that cost you more money and time.

In this digital era, everyone has access to an overabundance of information, forms and e-books. So you’ve been thinking of hiring an attorney or professional lawyer or Immigration Agents South Africa and are they worth the while to apply for your visa. You might take into consideration all the costs that need to be paid like VFS biometric fees, medical & radiological fees, government fees, so the best thing to do is cut out the immigration lawyer costs and handle your visa application on your own. Here’s the thing, some visa applications are simple and can be compiled without an immigration lawyer but not all applications are straightforward.

The best thing is, you do not need to make use of an immigration lawyer, you can make use of an immigration consultant or practitioner that would not cost as much as an immigration lawyer. An immigration consultant would not charge as much for their services. Apply for a work permit South Africa can be troublesome if you are completing this mammoth task on your on.

Here are a few reasons why using a consultant or practitioner who specializes in South African immigration would be wise. Navigating the complex immigration framework in South Africa regarding the processes, law and in addition, there might be extra requirements you need to adhere to at different South African embassies or consulates.

These are the different South Africa visa types you could apply for.

How much does an immigration lawyer charge in South Africa?

The legal fees will vary from lawyer to lawyer and depending on the visa you are applying for. A visa application for a spousal visa will cost way less than applying for a work visa because of the complexity of the work visa and the 3rd party processes that need to happen.

The fees for an immigration lawyer would range between:

Fees:

• Consultation: R 2,000.00 to R 5,000.00
• Visa facilitating process: Between R30,000.00 to R70,000.00 

Different immigration lawyers will charge more for their services and depending on your situation and dependent on their overheads etc.

The fees of an immigration agent or consultant could range between the following:

• Critical Skills Visa fee – R 11,500.00
• Corporate Visa fee – R 11,500.00
• Business Visa – R11,500.00
• General Work Visa – 11,500.00
• Intra-Company visa – R11,500.00
• Life Partner Visa – R 8,500.00
• Permanent Residency – R 11,500.00.
• Relatives Visa – R 8,500.00
• Retirement Visa – R 11,500.00
• Spousal – R 8500.00
• Student Visa – R 5,700.00

As you can see that an immigration consultant will charge a once-off fee and they might offer a free assessment to discuss your options.

Immigration Lawyers and Immigration consultants reduce your risk of rejection

Your chances are much higher when you make use of an immigration lawyer or consultant and they can save you time (weeks) when it comes to preparing your application.

They know exactly what types of visas you can apply for by understanding your situation and the information you provide them with, whilst preparing your application successfully the first time around. This eliminates the task of Home Affairs requesting more documents or all together with a visa refusal.

They can schedule your VFS appointment and prepare you for the process so that you know what to expect on the day of your appointment. The best part is that they can assist you whether you are based in South Africa or abroad. Technology has made it possible for them to assist you from anywhere in the world.

Before you come on board as a client, they will assess your case by evaluating all the information and see whether you qualify for a particular visa or permit. First assessing whether you qualify or not will greatly benefit you and save you money. The pitfalls that come with applying on your own can lead to job losses, losing your placement at a school or university. We have heard of many cases where partners or spouses have been separated from one another. Applying for a spousal visa can be stressful (section 11(6) immigration Act South Africa)so it’s best you use an immigration consultant. 

Another advantage of using a lawyer or consultant is, they can help you in applying for a waiver letter (immigration) for South Africa if you need the Department of Home Affairs to exclude a certain requirement for you. Clients can benefit from this as in certain cases it saves you from having to fly back to your country of residence to apply for a police clearance for instance.

Immigration consultants can assist you in applying to overturn a ban if you have been declared a prohibited person. (What is the penalty if I overstay my visa in South Africa)

Immigration lawyers and Immigration consultants are experienced

They know the ins and out:

They have been through the visa and permit process thousands of times, they know what to expect and what is required. They know what paperwork is required and what is needed to support your application.

They know what the Department of Home Affairs expects:

They know what the Department of Home Affairs is looking for when they inspect your application. This does boost your application to an extent but does not guarantee that your application will be successful because an immigration practitioner compiled it.

They facilitate the entire process for you:

An immigration firm or agency will facilitate the entire process for you. They will be in contact with you every step of the way to update you or request any documents they might need and to answer all the questions you might have along the way.

They can easily fix any complex issues:

If any issues arise along the way, then rest a sure that your immigration law firm will take good care of you. Their advice will go a long way and most definitely send you in the right direction. They will explain all the terms and conditions to you so that you understand them and take care of the processes that matter.

A word of caution, beware of scammers in South Africa promising or guaranteeing you a visa. There are many scammers out there that will take your money and not provide a service to you. At some firms, you are nothing but a number.

Migrate With Q offers you a bespoke service where everything revolves around you. We keep up with the ever-changing trends in the complex industry. Our immigration services South Africa will make sure you get your visa.