Life Partner Visa Renewal South Africa
If you are a life partner visa holder in a relationship with a South African citizen, this will allow you to live and work, study or run your own business in South Africa if you have the proper endorsements.
However, the life partner visa holder is required to renew their visa every two years. the life partner visa falls under the relative’s visa category and considered a temporary residence permit / permit.
The visa is valid for two years and thus the visa holder needs to renew his or her visa every two years to maintain their legal status.
This guide is meant for people who are in a relationship with a South African citizen and needs to renew their temporary residence visa.
If this is your first time applying for a life partner visa, then make sure that you read our life partner visa South Africa guide to give you all the information you need.
A quick run-down you need to have been in a relationship with a South African citizen or permanent resident to apply for the visa.
If you do not qualify for the visa, then you need to apply for a work visa or you can read our detailed guide called South African immigration options 2022. You can change status from a tourist visa to a life partner visa if this is your first time applying.
These are the different South Africa visa types that you could apply for.
How to extend a partner visa?
Step 1: Life Partner Visa Application
Renewing your visa is treated as a new application.
This means that you need to collect all the necessary documents to satisfy all the requirements as per the Department of Home Affairs. These are the necessary documents that you need to submit at a VFS centre nearest to you.
These are the documents needed:
- Correctly completed online form.
- A clear copy of your passport and a copy of your current temporary residence visa.
- Your passport expires in no less than 30 days after your visa expires.
- The application must be submitted in person.
- You must apply 60 days before your visa expires.
- Police clearances
- A medical report not older than 6 months
- A radiological report not older than 6 months – (Pregnant women and children under the age of twelve are not required to apply for this radiological report).
- A notarial agreement signed by both parties vouching that the relationship existed for two years before the date of application and that your relationship still exists.
- Proof of official recognition issued by the authorities of the foreign country of the applicant.
- Documents proving cohabitation and the proving shared financial responsibilities by both parties including any particulars of any children within the relationship.
- Yellow fever certificate if you have recently travelled through a yellow fever endemic area.
- Full birth certificates for each dependent child.
- Proof of union in the case of traditional marriage.
- Divorce decree if applicable.
- Death certificate if applicable.
- Legal separation order if applicable.
- Employment offer if applicable.
- Proof of provisional acceptance from a university or any educational institution.
- Proof of registration from CIPC and SARS if you are starting a business.
- Support letter and a copy of your South African citizen or permanent resident partner’s ID.
Remember that you need to apply for study, work or business rights at the time of applying.
Not doing so means that you would have to reapply for the visa again with the endorsements.
Mandatory Government and VFS Fees:
VFS fee – R 1550.00
Department Of Home Affairs Fee: None
Step 2: Scheduling your VFS Appointment
- Navigate to VFS South Africa’s website.
- Duly complete all the forms as requested.
- Choose an appropriate date to submit your application at your nearest VFS and have your biometrics collected.
- Pay the mandatory fees via an online portal on their website with a debit or credit card or you can do the payment at the Standard bank branch with their online generated bank receipt as no handwritten receipt will be accepted.
NB!! After making the pre-payment at Standard bank you have 3 working days to schedule your appointment by visiting your online profile again.
Step 3: On the days of your appointment
Arrive 15-30 mins earlier so that you are in time for your appointment.
Please bring the following with you:
- Appointment letter
- Printed online application form
- Proof of payment
- Visa application supporting documents
- Passport
Once you’ve entered into VFS’s offices, collect your token and wait for your token number to be called. Once your token number has been called they are allowed to submit your application.
Step 4: Collect your decision at VFS
You can read our blog “How do I check my permit status in South Africa” to find out how to track the progress of your visa in South Africa.
Once you have you have received a notification that the outcome of your visa is ready then you may collect it at the VFS that you originally submitted.
As of 1st March 2022, you are no longer required to first schedule an appointment before collecting. What this means is that you can simply walk in and collect the outcome between 10:00 am and 3:00 pm. It’s a first-come, first-serve basis.
How long does a life partner visa take in South Africa to process?
Due to Covid, the process to adjudicate your visa takes about 5 – 7 months to be processed by the Department of Home Affairs.
We recommend that if it takes longer than this that you enquire through the Department of Home Affairs about your visa.
You can apply for permanent residence if you have been with your partner for more than 5 years and the advantage of this is that you do not need to renew your visa every 2 years.
What are the life partner permit disadvantages & Advantages?
The disadvantages:
- If your partner breaks up with you, then you would either need to leave the country or apply for an alternative visa.
- Visa is only valid for 2 years unlike a work permit which has a maximum of 5 years
The advantages:
- Way less complicated than applying for a work visa or business visa.
- You can add business rights, working rights or study rights to the visa.
- Apply for permanent residency after 5 years. The life partner permanent residence permit South Africa explains this process in detail.
How to cancel a life partner permit in South Africa?
You can simply email or call the following:
Visa and Permit withdrawals:
Email address: VisaVerifications@dha.gov.za
Contact Details: 012 406 – 4432 (Mulalo)
Contact Migrate With Q and we can assist you in applying for the visa. Our immigration services in South Africa will first provide a free assessment before we take you on a client.
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.