South Africa Retirement Visa

South Africa’s climate is a big drawcard for people on the verge of retirement.
The country is especially attractive to people who chase the summer, spending half the year in South Africa and the other half on the sunny side of Europe.
A South African Retirement Visa is perfect for those who want to immigrate and retire in the country permanently, as well as those that follow summer. One of the great things about a South African Retirement Visa is that retirees can come and go without constantly submitting applications for visa extensions.

Please note: If you aren’t on a valid Long-Term Visa in South Africa when you apply for a Retired Person’s Visa, you must apply within your country of origin or permanent residence.

Note also: A Retired Person’s Visa is only for people who want to immigrate to South Africa purely to enjoy their retirement and not for people who want official employment, formalised education, and long-term volunteering at any organisation.

All Required Application Forms can be found at our Immigration Resources

Requirements

• All visa applications in South Africa require proof of independent financial support for the duration of the stay
• Retirement Visas require a monthly income of at least R37,000. The income may originate from a pension, retirement account, or irrevocable annuity OR from assets providing the required monthly income. Accepted income from assets are dividend payments, rental income as well as interest payments.
• If your partner is retiring in South Africa with you, they needn’t meet the financial requirements of a Retirement Visa. Additionally, you don’t need to have access to double the minimum amount required
• There are no age restrictions on the South African Retirement Visa as per the law. However, some South African embassies abroad have additional rules to the existing law

Contact us, and one of our immigration consultants will tell you if the South African embassy in your country of origin or permanent residence has specific rules regarding age limits for a Retired Person’s Visa.

Forms and Documentation

You need the following documents and forms to apply for a South African retirement visa:

• Supporting financial documents proving your monthly income is at least R37,000.
• Documents include pension confirmation, rental contracts, title deeds, and financial statements.
• The usual personal documents, including passports and marriage certificates.
• Medical and radiological reports.
• Supporting forms required for retirement visas in South Africa by certain embassies abroad may include proof of accommodation, flight details, and Chartered Account Certificates. 

Note: All documents accompanying your application for a South African retirement visa must be in English. Ensure all your documentation is professionally translated into English.

Contact your IBN Immigration Solutions consultant to determine the exact costs of a Retirement Visa in South Africa.
Your consultant can explain the different fees and costs along each step of the process.

You first need to ensure that your retirement income totals at least R37,000 per month.

Contact your IBN immigration consultant to ensure that the types of income will be accepted and that they genuinely total R37,000 per month. For example:

1. The exchange rate may affect your income
2. The interest rate may affect your income
3. Taxation in your country or any country where you invest may affect your income
4. Rental income will be affected if your property is vacant for a month or more. Are your other types of income sufficient to cover this shortfall?
5. Your IBN immigration consultant will also tell you if your Retirement Visa application meets your specific embassy’s requirements
6. Your immigration specialist will prepare your application for a Retirement Visa in South Africa with minimum involvement on your side
7. Once your application pack is completed, it goes through an in-house quality check to make doubly sure that all of the visa requirements have been met and that the application is error-free
8. Your immigration specialist will give you the quality-approved application pack for you to apply for your visa