South Africa
Expatriates and Work Permits Emigrants After utilising the foreign capital allowance/ settling-in allowance, emigrants with blocked funds (new and past emigrants) wishing to exit more than R4 000 000 (single person) and R8 000 000 (family units) respectively, must obtain approval from the Reserve Bank. Any such approval is conditional and subject to the payment of a Blocked Rand Levy of 10% of the blocked funds released, leaving 90% of the blocked funds released available for remittance abroad. Common Monetary Area Southern African Customs Union (SACU) members (with the exception of Botswana) are all members of the Common Monetary Area (CMA). There are no restrictions on the movement of funds within the CMA. Persons not having permanent residence status in South Africa are required to obtain work permits before arriving in the country. These permits are granted or refused depending upon whether the individual has skills in scarce supply.
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Guide to Fiscal Information
Notes: 1. South Africa’s immigration system is regulated by the Immigration Act. This Act sets out the categories of permits available. There are three basic components to the South African system: visas, temporary residence permits and permanent residence permits. An Amendment Bill has been presented to amend the classes of work permits and a number of other administrative measures.
• Visas – Some countries are exempt from obtaining visas before coming to South Africa, others not. Nationals from countries that are exempt from visas can enter South Africa and obtain a visitor’s temporary residence permit at the port of entry (up to the limit of their visa exemption for visits that justify this form of entry, such as business meetings and holidays). Nationals that are not exempt from visas are required to obtain a visa at the South African Embassy before they depart for South Africa. As the list for visa exemptions can change without notice, it is advised that the applicants confirm their visa exemption status on the official website of the Department of Home Affairs at: www.dha.gov.za/Non-Exempt%20 Countries.html, alternatively, contact the nearest South African embassy. A list for embassies is available at: www.dfa.gov.za/ consular/index.html. • Temporary residence permits – There are various categories of temporary residence permits, ranging from visitor’s permits for tourism to work permits. These permits are valid for periods of between three months and 24 or 36 months. Generally,the principle is to apply for the permit that most closely applies to the circumstances before coming to South Africa, at the relevant South African Embassy. The Immigration Act specifically provides for foreigners intending to establish or invest in, or who have established or invested in, a business in South Africa. Foreigners can obtain the appropriate permits for the members of such foreigner’s family. Previous
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