Navigating an Application for a Critical Skills Visa

A critical skills visa is ideal for an individual who has both academic and work experience which fall under a set list of critical skills issued by the Department of Home Affairs. If you are a first time applicant and currently do not hold a long term visa for South Africa, you must make your critical skills application abroad in your country or citizenship and/or residency. From start to finish an application for critical skills can be as short as three months and take up to six months to finalize. This is an important timeline to keep in mind, especially if you have a job waiting for you in South Africa. 

Some Kenyan passports to be rendered invalid from 31 August 2019

For Kenyan citizens living in South Africa who have not yet updated their passports to an 'E-Passport' must make arrangements to do so as soon as possible. Passports that are not updated will be rendered invalid from 31 August 2019.

Obtaining temporary or permanent residency based on a relative

A foreigner who has a relative in South Africa that is either South African or a South African permanent resident, may be eligible for temporary and/or permanent residency. But there can be long turn-around times to receive an outcome, especially for permanent residency permits.