What do I need to immigrate to the UK from South Africa?

Check which visa you may need

The UK as a country welcomes millions of tourists each year. You can come to the UK for a short stay of up to six months on a Visitor visa for these purposes. However this blog post is more focused on those visa categories allow the holder to live in the UK for a longer period.

Under the points-based immigration system, each visa will require you to meet a set level of points via eligibility requirements specific to each visa.

For example, you could come to the UK on a Skilled Worker visa for up to two and a half years. You can also extend this visa for a further two and a half years.

Or, if you are looking to join a UK citizen or settled person, you could apply for a Spouse or Fiance visa. You can then come to the UK to get married or enter a civil partnership if you are engaged, or if you are already married you can join your spouse.

There are very detailed requirements for each visa that will depend on your personal circumstances and needs. Therefore it’s highly recommended that you engage an immigration lawyer in your case to provide tailored advice.

Check the eligibility requirements

To qualify for a certain visa, you must meet certain requirements.

For example, for a Spouse visa, requirements include:

• Be aged 18 years or over
• Being in a lawful marriage with your spouse (if applying for a Fiance visa, you’ll need to prove your plans to marry within six months in the country)9
• Meeting the income requirement – your spouse should earn at least £41,700 
• Able to prove your English language skills with an English Language Test pass

If you are aiming to move to the UK to work, most likely you will need to apply for a Skilled Worker visa. You will need to score 70 points. To do so, you’ll need to consider the following:

• Do you have a secured job offer from an organisation licensed to be a sponsor for overseas workers?
• Are you able to prove your English language skills to at least B1 level?
• Will you receive the minimum level of salary required of £41,700?
• Or if you are being paid to a lesser level, are you undertaking a job on the shortage occupation list?

Make sure you have a valid passport

Before travelling anywhere, you absolutely need to have a valid passport, and the same is true when immigrating. Your passport must be valid for at least six months after you may return to South Africa. You also need blank pages for your stamps when you leave and return to the country.

If you realise you need a new passport, you will need to ensure you allow enough time to apply to the Department of Home Affairs in South Africa. This can take weeks, so ensure you are prepared.

Application options if you have a British relative

If you have family relative links to the UK, you could have different options open to you when immigrating to the UK. These visas could give the holder a longer time in the country and lead to permanent residency.

For example, if one of your grandparents was born in the UK, you could be eligible for the Ancestry visa. Because South Africa is a Commonwealth country, this gives a pathway towards permanent residency. You could also bring your partner and family relatives on this visa to the UK with you.

Gather the required documentation

Once again, the specific documents you will expect to show will depend on your specific circumstances and of course the visa you are applying for. Having the most detailed and full supporting evidence is key to your visa application and to immigrating successfully to the UK. However some general things to take into consideration are as follows:

• Travel documents – valid passport and documentation from plane tickets
• Personal details for identification
• Proof that you can meet the financial requirement – bank statements, income statements like pay slips. If you are applying for a Skilled Worker visa for example, you will need the evidence of the salary of your position on headed paper from your employer
• Secure English Language Test result to the required level or evidence of your degree qualification

How the Immigration Advice Service can help you

While it is never a legal requirement to employ an immigration lawyer to make any visa or nationality-based application, it is highly recommended. As this blog has made clear, there are many options that could be open to you, each requiring careful consideration and specific legal requirements to be met.

It is so easy to make a potential mistake that could jeopardise your application. Reach out to a reliable, professional, and high-quality immigration law firm that has decades of experience in all areas of immigration law. No matter the potentially complex circumstances of your case, our lawyers are here to help you remotely, both online and over the phone.

To find out more about how to immigrate to the UK from South Africa, call our friendly client care team today for more information on 0333 305 9375.