South Africa's Business Visa is a temporary residence visa under Section 15 of the Immigration Act, targeting foreign nationals who intend to establish a new business or invest in an existing one. It is administered by the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) and requires a recommendation from the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (DTIC). The visa is designed to attract foreign direct investment, stimulate job creation for South African citizens, and support sectors in the national interest, and it provides a pathway to permanent residence.
The visa is issued for up to 3 years and is renewable for further 3-year periods. Renewal must be submitted at least 60 days before expiry. The holder must provide proof that the ZAR 5,000,000 investment has been fulfilled and the 60% employment requirement is met, within 24 months of issuance and every 2 years thereafter. A fresh DTIC recommendation is not required for renewal, but compliance proof is mandatory. If the investment has not been made at the time of application, the holder has 24 months to invest; failure to do so may prevent renewal.
The holder may only conduct work related to the specific business for which the visa was issued. No other employment is permitted. The DHA maintains a list of ineligible business undertakings published in the Government Gazette.
Spouses and children may accompany the visa holder by applying for a relative's visa under Section 18 of the Immigration Act. Applications can be submitted concurrently with the main business visa or afterwards. Required documents include marriage and birth certificates and proof that the main applicant can financially support all dependants. Children over 6 require study visas for school attendance. Processing takes 8-12 weeks for embassy submissions.
South Africa operates a residence-based tax system. Individuals meeting the physical presence test (91+ days per year for 6 years, totalling 915+ days over the 5 preceding years) are taxed on worldwide income. Business visa holders residing in South Africa will generally become tax residents and must register with SARS. An extensive network of double taxation agreements is available.
The application follows a two-stage process. First, the applicant obtains a DTIC recommendation by submitting through the Visa Recommendation System (VRS) portal, which takes approximately 45 working days. Second, the visa application is submitted to the DHA either online via the ePermit system, through a VFS Global centre within South Africa, or at a South African embassy abroad. DHA processing takes 8-12 weeks after the DTIC recommendation is obtained, making the total timeline typically 4-6 months.
Fees: DHA application fee of ZAR 1,520 plus VFS Global service fee of ZAR 1,550 for in-country applications.
Business visa holders may apply for permanent residence under Section 27(c) of the Immigration Act after demonstrating that the ZAR 5,000,000 investment has been maintained in the book value of the business and the 60% employment quota has been met. The investment must be maintained for 5 years following issuance of permanent residence.