A spousal visa allows the spouse of a South African citizen or permanent resident to live in South Africa. Applications require proof of a legally recognised marriage, evidence that the relationship is genuine and subsisting, and the standard supporting documents for a temporary residence visa.
The relationship evidence is what most applications turn on. The Department of Home Affairs assesses whether the marriage is genuine rather than one of convenience, and it conducts interviews and home visits for this purpose.
Eligibility and Entry Requirements at a Glance
Applications generally require the following.
- A legally recognised marriage to a South African citizen or permanent resident
- Proof of the marriage, being an unabridged marriage certificate
- Evidence that the relationship is genuine and subsisting
- Proof of the South African spouse citizenship or permanent residence
- A police clearance certificate from every country where you lived for twelve months or longer after eighteen
- A medical report and a radiological report
- Proof of financial means, where the route requires it
Passport and Travel Document Requirements
Your passport must be valid well beyond the period of stay applied for, and must have sufficient blank pages for the visa.
Where you are already in South Africa, the rules on whether you may apply from within the country or must apply from abroad are strict and depend on your current status. Getting this wrong results in refusal regardless of the merits.
Visa and Supporting Document Requirements
Relationship evidence commonly includes joint financial records, correspondence, photographs over time, evidence of cohabitation and affidavits from people who know you both. Volume matters less than consistency across the evidence.
The Department conducts interviews and may conduct a home visit. Both spouses should be able to answer consistently about the relationship, and inconsistency is treated as a serious adverse factor.
Foreign marriage certificates generally require legalisation and, where not in English, sworn translation.
Financial, Health and Entry Conditions
Financial thresholds and prescribed periods for this route are set by regulation and revised periodically. This page does not restate them, because an out-of-date figure would cause exactly the refusal it is meant to prevent. Confirm the current figures with the Department of Home Affairs.
A spousal visa does not automatically confer the right to work. Where you intend to work, study or run a business, an endorsement must be applied for, and working without it is a serious breach affecting future applications.
How to Prepare or Apply
Prepare the police clearance certificates first. They are required from every country where you lived for twelve months or longer after the age of eighteen, and obtaining them from multiple countries takes months.
Immigration applications are refused far more often on documentation and procedure than on substance. Where the application is significant to your life, taking advice from a qualified immigration practitioner is prudent rather than optional.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I work on a spousal visa?
Not automatically. An endorsement must be applied for, and working without it is a serious breach affecting future applications.
What relationship evidence is needed?
Joint financial records, correspondence, photographs over time, evidence of cohabitation and affidavits. Consistency matters more than volume.
Will there be an interview?
The Department conducts interviews and may conduct a home visit. Both spouses should be able to answer consistently.
Do I need police clearance from other countries?
Yes, from every country where you lived for twelve months or longer after the age of eighteen. Start these first, as they take months.
Confirm current requirements, forms, fees and processing times with the Department of Home Affairs, since immigration rules and thresholds change and are applied strictly. See visa requirements and browse all travel and immigration requirements.