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Hi Giggety.

I think you should contact Home affairs and ask them what you need for the application, and also contact the South African embassy/consulate in America and ask them the same, then make sure you got it all, then you should be covered.

About the cohabitation, I really don聮t know, when I applied for my visa I submitted official letters to both me and my BF send to the same address. Maybe you could get your GF mother to sign a letter as a 聯landlord聰 stating that you have lived together. ??? I don聮t know if that is going to be enough.

Shared financial responsibility does not mean that you need at shared bank account. You must just prove that you both got funds to support yourself and each other, and a letter stating that you intent to do just that.
To prove that you got funds you can submit a bank statement from your US bank with money on, or prove that you got a monthly income.

About the life partner contract (as you call it) you must go to Home Affairs and collect an affidavit that you fill in and get stamped at your local (S.A) police station. Easy as that.

I think you are going to need a police clearance certificate from S.A. (check up on that) you must go to your local police station to get that. It took me 10 weeks to get, so rather do it sooner than later.

Also you need 4 friends or family to verify your relationship, they must write a letter saying that they know you and your GF and that you are in a relationship together, and they must sign and include a copy of their passport.

Also about the immigration agents, in my opinion it is really not necessary, and anyway you are going to have to do a lot of things yourself anyway. All you need is a lot of patience and time.

One last thing, maybe you should read through some of the old discussions on expat, we have talked a lot about these visas and application process, maybe you will pick up good advice.

Good luck with everything.     
Sarah

Sarah thank you for all of the information it will be very helpful.

I have already been to home affairs to talk to them, and they didn't seem to know a lot about the spousal visa. I think they did give me the affidavit though, they gave me the forms BI-1712A titled affidavit in respect of parties to permanent spousal relationship. So we just need to fill that out and take it to the police station, and then have them fill out the bottom part that says Commissioner of oaths and stamp in the bottom right corner? I will try to get the police report while we are there but I will only be here for a couple more weeks so hopefully my GF can pick it up and send it out to me.

With respect to the letter that we will support each other that need to be notarized or written by a lawyer or can we right something up on our own and both sign it? Also I don't have a ton of money in my bank account after being here so long without working and my GF does not either, but she is working so would her bank statement with a paycheck deposit and my bank statement showing I do have some money, even though it is not much be good enough to show shared responsibility?

with the letters from friends is there a standard form for that or just wirte that they know us and how long we have been together and what not?

I guess I will try to email the embassy about what we need to get from her mom to prove we have been living together. Does anyone else here have an idea about what we need to show this? We don't have any official papers in both our names.

I will also try to read around here more and see if can find out more.

Sorry I have one more question, in some of the other posts here about life partner visa people got cohabitation agreements is this necessary? Also if we do need it, would a need a attorney to write it up or could I just use a generic one like this

Hmm yes, Home affairs are not very helpful at all, I got a list of items I needed to submit, after gathering everything and I went to apply they said, 聯Oooh ups, we forgot to tell you that you need these items as well聰

I don聮t remember what the affidavit is called, but it is properly the one that you have. And yes you (Both of you with identification documents with you) just fill it out and go to the police station and get them to fill out the stuff in the bottom.

I just typed up the letter of support, both me and my BF signed and then we got it stamped at the police station.
The same with the letters from friends.
If you want, you can send me your email in a PM then ill email you the letters, so you can see them, it was really very straight forward.

With regards to finances, I think it should be okay with your GF showing payslips, for you, I don聮t know how much money they consider enough, maybe you should ask. But it can also be funds in savings accounts, investment accounts or anything. However I seem to remember that they must go back 3 months. (there is always a way)

I am not sure about the cohabitation agreement, I did not need that, maybe people use it if they do not have solid prove of cohabitation.

Hi,

I'm in the same boat. I'm living in Gansbaai. I've been here with my partner now for about 6 weeks. We were in the U.S. for 3 1/2 years. She is South African, and we moved here. We got a house together, and we can get the affidavits from friends and family. As well as the power/water bill is in both of our names, because of the house. Other than bank statements for me from the U.S. and the account we have here (in her name because I don't have an S.A. Id) The only other thing we would need would be application form from home affairs, and have at stamped at the police dept.?

I didn't apply for the extended visa this time because I understand you can only do that once. I will be going back to the U.S. early Oct, and then come back. I haven't found anywhere that it says you have to stay out of S.A. any specific period of time before I can come back in.

Thanks,
R

@Rowzze - I am an American with a South African partner. We are completing LLP paperwork for me to live in S. Africa. But I am curious how your S.A partner lived with you in the US for 3 1/2 years? What permit did you have? Were they able to work in the US?

My partner and I are also talking about him coming to the US for a while so curious of your experience!

@giggity44 - I'm in relative similar scenario as an American filing paperwork to join my South African partner. Regarding LLP you can do the whole thing on your own without an immigration agent or the fee! (Which is quite high!) If you are in Arizona, you file your paperwork with the General Consulate of South Africa in Los Angeles.

Regarding letters, I have 2 on my side and 2 on his side from S. Africa and one from him. All are notarized. Each is a simple letter confirming our relationship from friends/family.

The Affidavit is a very simple form- 2 parts-- you can get the form of the Los Angeles consulate's website.

Seems pretty straight forward. When you return to S. Africa, will you be working? I was on an extended tourist visa until May.

Hi there,

I'm a Romanian person trying to get a SA visa as my fiance is a SA citizen and we would like to love there.

First of hole, sorry for the stupid question but what is the LLP visa (is the first time when I here this acronym)?

Sarah advice's are very useful and I was wondering if any of you managed to get a temporary permit visa or any other type of visa (taking into account that you all have BF/GF from SA) that allows you to live for long term and work in SA? If yes, can you please share with me:
-聽 what documents you have submitted
- what were the documents that were requested additionally by HA
- were the documents mentioned above by Sarah (affidavit having police stamp, police clearance certificate from SA, the letter that acknowledges and agrees the financial dependence, the 4 letters from friends or family) enough?
- any other advice that can help me get the visa

Thank you and I look forward your feedback.

DeeDee

paperok for lifeparner in souh africa its anigh mayor to get that visa聽 when iread what you wrote you can never get that visa alot is needed ihave one but ihad to ait till iget married to my gf聽 have ajoint account聽 have abizness regestered that is if you want endorsment for work as well show ho you share financial responsibility聽 eg water bills power聽 food at home buys聽 rent who pays accounts who pays what and alo more if you married its easier proof of adress聽 living together idnt want to discourage you but in souh africa they hate foreigners and dnt what to give out visas iwaited for mine聽 for four years 2011 got it 2015 after contacitng the minister of home affairs and got authorisation now am renewing it dnt knw if iwill get it again ihave akid abizness am married聽 been living with my wwife from 2009 imagine but wish luck try

Hi Malagala,

Welcome on board聽

This is an old thread (2012). We recommend members to share their experience on recent threads so that members can benefit from the inputs.

All the best,
Bhavna

Someone please provide me with the contact details for the minister of Home affairs. I am a South African but i am so sad and disgusted by the way foreigners are being treated and how difficult is is to get approved for聽 A Visa gosh!!!聽 Foreigners are being exploited by the amount of money they have to give out just to put through an application and get the relevant documents needed.

Myself and my partner have been together for 3 years now. We have been applying since last year for a life partner visa. Its been the third time that we have been declined even though we have provided sufficient proof. We have given affidavits from friends and family including our land lady proving that we are together. We have given bank statements,medical certificate,name clearance ect everything listed on the requirement yet every time we apply we have been declined. Its as if its a money making business. When you put through a new application you are required to pay another R1200.00 all the time. Its so frustrating.