Immigration Interview for marriage South Africa
As a foreigner in South Africa, getting married to a South African citizen means that there are certain processes that you need to follow before you decide to tie the knot with your partner. A marriage officer will not be allowed to marry you and your partner and you will not be allowed to register your marriage at the Department of Home Affairs.
If you do not qualify for the visa, then these different South Africa visa types is what you could potentially qualify for.
What are the requirements for a foreigner to marry a South African?
The requirements are straightforward and nothing that you need to particularly worry about. There is one particular document that you need to obtain way in advance in your country of residence.
The Requirements:
- Letter of non-impediment
- A visit visa to be legally in the country (visa exempt countries for South Africa)
- Schedule an appointment with the Department of Home Affairs
1.Letter of non-impediment
Before coming to South Africa you need to apply for a letter of a non-impediment in your country of residence or if you are in South Africa already then you need to apply for this at the embassy/consulate in SA. The letter of non-impediment just confirms to the Department of Immigration that you are not married in your country of residence. This letter permits you to get married in South Africa to your partner and have the wedding of your dreams. If your letter of non-impediment is written in a different language then you must have it officially translated into English by a sworn translator.
Not all countries issue the letter of non-impediment like the United Kingdom and in this instance, you would need an official letter stating this.
2. Visit Visa
You need a valid visit visa to enter the country and certain countries are exempt from applying for a visit visa and certain countries need to apply for a visit visa at a South African embassy or consulate. Remember that you might need to extend your visa as the remaining days on your visa could not allow you to complete all the things you need to do. Avoid overstaying your visa as this could lead to you being banned from South Africa. Our post explains it all: What is the penalty for overstaying in South Africa on an expired visa.
If you need to apply for a temporary residence visa, then you can make use of an immigration consultant or lawyer and wonder how much an immigration lawyer costs in South Africa? There are many advantages in using an immigration consultant and many times one of the advantages are waiver letters for immigration in South Africa.
3. Schedule an Appointment with the Department of Home Affairs
Once you have received and complied with the above mentioned, then your next step as a couple is to schedule an appointment with the Department of Home Affairs (regional office) for a marriage interview before your wedding takes place. You might receive an appointment within three weeks depending on how busy DHA is then.
What questions do they ask at a marriage interview?
From my experience, many people have mentioned that basic questions are asked when you are at the interview and nothing to be anxious and nervous about. One thing I should mention is that you are both interviewed separately.
So these are the basic questions that clients have reported back to me:
- How did you meet your partner?
- How long have you been together with your partner?
- Do you love your partner?
- Why do you love your partner?
- Have you met your partners family?
- What’s your partner’s date of birth?
- Does your partner have kids?
- What are their names?
- Where does your partner stay in SA?
The aim of the interview is for the immigration officer to confirm how genuine your relationship is with your partner or in plain simple terms how real is your relationship with your partner. DHA needs to confirm that your relationship is not fake and for purposes of obtaining a spousal visa which leads to permanent residence and eventually to citizenship. There are people out there who are trying to game the system.
Migrate With Q can assist you with Immigration Services in South Africa by assisting you in applying for a spousal visa.
Charl Vollmer has 8 years of experience helping people immigrate to South Africa. I am passionate about helping people and making their dreams a reality. Charl constantly stays up to date with South African Immigration rules and regulations. To contact Charl, visit our contact page.