Which Visa?

Hi,

Hi,
How is your immigration process going? I hope its all going smoothly for you :)
I am in the process of applying for a life partner (spousal visa) to join my fiance who is living in SA. Im slowly getting the paperwork together but am completely stuck on the notorial contract... where did you manage to get yours from? Im trying to find companies in the UK that can help me but seem to be getting no-where. I'd be really really really grateful of any advice/help you can give me.

Many thanks, Amy

Thank you so much for your reply. I have employed a company to help me with my case, but they are being extremely unhelpful and basically told me to get all my paperwork together and then they will help me, so I have been feeling a little lost! I wanted to sort the visa out before I went to SA because i thought it would be easier, but its actually proving very complicated and expensive. Im so grateful of you help and advice, its nice to talk to someone who has "been there, done that". I am due to visit SA in April for a two week holiday, so may get a few bit sorted out while I am there. Did you have to have a radiological report done? If I have one done in the UK it costs £90, but Im thinking it may be cheaper in SA... how much did yours cost?
Many thanks Amy
p.s. what part of SA are you living in?
x

Edited by Amy - 06 Feb 2009 at 5:13pm

Hi,
I managed to find a template document that sets out the "cohabitation agreement". It was free to downlaod and reads nicely and very clearly, if I had had a lawyer to draft one for me it would have cost me £60! Your welcome to a copy of it Acjumina.

I was dupped by the immigration lawyer into thinking that I could do all the paperwork while I was in the UK. I had explained that I was in the UK while my fiance was in SA so they knew our situation when they took on my case, yet they have sent me two documents that need to be signed while we are both present infront of a lawyer!! Its proving much more expensive to do all the paperwork while I am in the UK. My medical with my GP cost £110 which would have been much cheeper to do in SA. A private radiological report is also nearly £90, Im sure that will be cheeper in SA too.

Had I known what I know now, I would no way have paid an immigration lawyer to help me, its a waste of money! You are better off doing it alone. I have copies of all the documents you will need to fill in if you would like a copy of them.

I didn't know about needing a return flight either, I hoped I could go one way as long as I could prove I had the finances to buy me a ticket home again. I have £2000 in savings, but i only get a quarterly bank statement, I hope that will be enough.

I wish I had found you guys earlier, you have been so much more helpful that the visa company I am paying £750 to!

I will gladly give you my email address Acjumina and pass on all the info I manage to find out.

Take care both of you x

Edited by Amy - 06 Feb 2009 at 5:14pm

Hello There

I'm applying for a temporary residency permit need to get a radiological report too.  The cheapest place I can find is £200!  Amy, you mention £90, I'd love to know where you are getting yours done!  I live in London. 

Hi there.

I work for an immigration company in South Africa. You could consider flying into South Africa on a visitor's visa first.

Check the length of permit that your country's nationals are given for visiting South Africa. Most foreigners are usually given 90 day visitor permits but some countries are only given 1 month etc.

Also, check if your country is visa exempt eg: anyone from the UK can just arrive at the airport and get their passports stamped with a visitor's visa on arrival. But some countries have to obtain visas from the South African embassies abroad, before they can enter South Africa.

Once you are in South Africa, on your visitor's permit, you can actually extend this ONCE ie: you will be issued with an additional 90 days (or however long your first permit was). Then you may change to another permit whilst in South Africa, as long as you can meet the necessary criteria.

If you have a South African spouse or life partner, you may apply for a Section 11(6) of the Immigration Act ie: an SA Life Partner/Spousal Visa. If you are married, the marriage certificate makes life much easier. However, if you have a life partner, you need to prove co-habitation for at least 6 months. There is an affidavit that you are required to complete too (amongst other things) which states that you are in a Life Long relationship with your partner. This sworn affidavit can be done at a police station in South Africa.


Indeed you will need to get a large portion of your information together yourself, as unfortunately an agent does not have access to all of your personal documents. However, we will provide you with a Memorandum outlining exactly what you require, along with application forms; affidavit forms; template letters where possible and we will assist you with the process. Once you have got your documents together, we will collate the application and submit on your behalf. We will then follow up with the Department of Home Affairs on the progress of your application and once it has been finalised, we will arrange to take your passport in for endorsement of the permit.


If you are interested in having us assist you with your application. Please feel free to email me: elissa@globalimsa.com. You can visit our website www.globalimsa.com


With best wishes,

Elissa

Hello everyone,

Hi Elissa,

Hi there

Dear Rebecca

I am just responding quickly to your last post. I note your statement re: not having an understanding of what Immigration Practitioner Agents do. I thought I would give you a brief run down on how we function.

You may or may not be aware that the Department of Home Affairs in South Africa has in the past been notorious for its poor service. Naturally, they are trying to improve things and the government is investing finance to try get it better organised and is eliminating any corruption it stumbles upon. So with this in mind, many people would rather pay an agent to do the work for them, rather than spending 2 or 3 days in the Department of Home Affairs trying to establish what the best options for them are. As I say, the Department is improving, so all credit to them, it is not as chaotic as it was but they have a long path ahead.
Even I, as a South African, paid an agency to obtain my ID book for me, after 3 attempts to try get it sorted out myself, with no luck.

An Immigration Practitioner has a better understanding of the Immigration Act than the General Man in the Street and hence can advise accordingly. And the Department of Home Affairs is aware that the Immigration Practitioner has a good knowledge of the law and as long as we submit a complete application they do not give us quite the same runaround as they may someone else.

Re: what we actually do....
1) We offer a free consultation:
During this consultation we will assess you whole situation, look at your CV, establish whether any immediate family is coming with you etc.
Once we have established the facts, we can then advise what your options are. Some people have several options.

2) We will then offer you a quotation to assist and represent you with your application.

3) If you are happy with the quote, you will let us know and we will issue you with a tax invoice.

4) Once you have made payment, we will issue you with a Memorandum which will explain exactly what is required for your application. We will issue you with templates and forms etc to make the process easier. With many letters, you will be required to simply print them off and enter the missing information. Naturally, you can contact us at any time should you be having difficulty with getting your information together.

5)We will then meet again, to check that your documents are present and correct.

6)Your application will then be passed onto our processing team who will then collate and document your application and make sure everything adds up.

7)We will then submit your application on your behalf.

8) The Department of Home Affairs is then entitled to 30 working days to consider your application (Embassies abroad may be faster but it varies from Embassy to Embassy). (If you are in South Africa and your current permit expires in this time, you may remain in South Africa until you get a result, as long as your application was submitted before your current permit expires - Preferably 30 days before it expires).

9) We will then follow up with the Department of Home Affairs on a weekly basis, as the time to finalisation draws near and will inform you once you application has been finalised.

10) As long as you are in a City where we have an office, we can take your passport for endorsement for you. However, if we do not have offices there, you will need to take your own passport in for endorsement. We have offices, in Durban, Cape Town, Johannesburg, Pretoria, and Knysna.

11) We then keep you on record and when the time draws near for your new permit to expire, we will notify you of this, so that you can decide whether you intend to renew it or change to another permit or...?

In summary, we do the work and the runaround, and take on the stress, and you as the client, rest on your laurels and wait for an outcome.

I hope that gives you a better idea of our role.

With best wishes,

Elissa

Global Migration SA
www.globalimsa.com

Ps: we have all the correct medical and radiological forms and affidavits etc, but unfortunately I do not have permission to give them out unless a client has engaged our services. Sorry!

For further information on Immigration Matters for South Africa, feel free to contact me at Global Migration SA.


With best wishes,

Elissa Davie
Regional Co-ordinator, KZN Division

Office Suite 3C
3rd Floor, Royal Palm Hotel
6 Palm Boulevard
Umhlanga Newtown Centre, 4320
kwaZulu-Natal

Tel: 031 576 0368
Cell: 082 307 3204
Fax to Email: 0865 102 574
Web: www.globalimsa.com
Email: elissa@globalimsa.com

By the way, if anyone needs the medical, affidavit forms etc. just let me know. I could send them to you....

Hi Shiver

First question is:

What kind of permit are you applying for?
Is you husband a SA citizen?
Are you on a British passport?

Hi Elissa,

Hi all,

Sorry to 'hijack' the thread but need some clarity over what is required for attaining a temporary resident permit.
With regards to  the BI -1738 form - application for temporary residency,  it does not state anywhere on it you are applying through the 'life partner' category?
The closest option is the relatives permit which is incorrect as this does not allow the the permit to be endorsed when work is found later on etc?

Am I missing something here.

The rest of it 'seems' simple,
Police clearance -  on its way from the UK
Radiological and medical test -  easily arranged
Proof of togetherness  - council tax letter for 11/04 and 11/08, joint bank account since 2006.
Avifdavit - take above letters to police station and easily sorted.


Anything else?

Thanks in advance

Marcus