Immigration Services South Africa
Legal Immigration Services comprises of leading immigration lawyers and professionals and provides a full spectrum of South African Immigration services to all foreign people and corporations interested in pursuing leisure and retirement, working or business ventures in South Africa.
Legal Immigration Services is also the leading immigration service with a national footprint that assists and successfully represents its clients on all visa and residence acquisition, technical enforcement matters like overstays as well as litigation services to expedite pending applications and appeals with the Department of Home Affairs (DHA).
The full spectrum of immigration services comprises of the following select areas:
- Temporary Residence Visas
- Permanent Residence Permits
- Expedition/Finalisation of Pending Applications – Court Litigation
- Immigration Consulting and Advisory services
Temporary Residence Visas – see “Categories for Visas & Permits”
Our immigration laws set out the categories of visas that allow long-term temporary residence in South Africa and upon successful application and adjudication it allows a foreigner the opportunity to enter South Africa and conduct activities set out in the visa ranging from short visits/leisure, study, work, retirement, relatives, spouse, business, volunteer and other associated activities.
One of the most fundamental changes in our immigration laws in May 2014 compelled foreign applicants to apply from abroad if they wished to change status in South Africa off a visitor’s status. However, once such applicant is the holder of a long-term visa they would then be able to renew or change such status in South Africa and not from abroad.
Legal Immigration Services are contacted by clients’ from abroad and in South Africa to consult, advise, assist on visa preparation and submission that is legally assured and quality approved that meets all the legal requirements to ensure success.
Note: We would point out that our DHA in South Africa do not adjudicate visas that are submitted abroad (normally where the applicant holds a passport or residence) are handed in to the relevant South African Missions, namely, High Commission, Embassy or Consulate-General where such applications are adjudicated save for permanent residence applications, which are all adjudicated in Pretoria.
It is important to appreciate that the various South African missions around the world often apply their own interpretation of the immigration laws, which impacts on predictability and certainty in what should be an administrative process and for that reason it is imperative to consult experts to avoid frustration and disappointment.
Permanent Residence Permits – see “Categories for Visas & Permits”
Legal Immigration Services is highly adept and experienced in acquiring permanent residence in the most professional and efficient manner.
Our Department of Home Affairs (DHA) will treat applications for permanent residence that are deficient and incomplete with refusal and this is often beset by extra delays and for that reason it should be a priority to ensure that the paperwork is compliant, quality checked and legally assured.
Legal Immigration Services will allow its clients’ to safely charter the most suitable category that will allow the most certainty in the outcome and will look at all the options to ensure that an application for permanent residence is achieved within twelve months through its networks and legal channels.
Permanent residence will grant the foreign applicant the right to remain indefinitely in South Africa and enjoy the same rights and obligations as South African citizens save for the right to vote in South Africa and passport. The holder of permanent residence is entitled to conduct any work or business activity in South Africa no matter what category of permanent residence is applied for and obtained.
Permanent residence may be applied for from abroad or in South Africa provided such applicant holds a recognised temporary residence status in the country. There is legal authority to expect permanent residence after eight months of submission but it is seldom granted in this timeline unless litigation is pursued, which is part of our legal services.
Immigration & Court litigation – see “Categories for Legal Services”
Legal Immigration Services offers its clients’ a comprehensive and extensive legal litigation service that will often back up temporary and permanent residence applications or appeals that have been delayed without a decision or pending appeals.
Legal Immigration Services offers the following legal services:
- Preparation and Submission of immigration appeals against refusals for temporary or permanent residence status;
- Attendances on high court and procurement of court order to expedite delayed visa or permanent residence outcomes or appeals in relation thereto;
- Successful waiver applications after being declared undesirable having overstayed on departure from South Africa to permit a safe return to South Africa;
- Attendances on legalisation within South Africa and submission of good cause requests upon overstays in the country with the intention not to depart;
- Refusals at South African international airports where the visa or permit is determined to be irregular;
- Representation and appearance in Magistrate’s Court for criminal charges under our immigration laws.
Immigration Consulting and Advisory services
The Department of Home Affairs (DHA) is riddled with inconsistency and poor adjudication skills and for that reason the needs of corporate entities that require large scale acquisition of foreign workers are different to individuals or families who wish to relocate to South Africa.
Business and corporate entities require professional advisory skills to ensure that there is the least amount of disruption to its corporate and business strategies in the employment of foreign skills from abroad.
There are always factors that relate to timing and strategic direction in terms of which categories of temporary residence will best serve the immigration needs in relation to business needs of the entity.
Legal Immigration Services engages with businesses and corporate entities intent on the introduction of foreign workers into South Africa in the most efficient and seamless manner. In this regard strategies often embrace a host of visa planning in the form of section 11(2)’s, intra-company transfer work visas, critical skills and typically corporate worker visas.