If you would like specific information of a type of visa or work permit, see the Services section. In the FAQ section below, we have tried to answer the most commonly asked questions.

Do I need a visa to Visit the UK as a tourist?
If you are a South African national, you do no need prior Visa if the purpose of your visit is to spend a holiday in the UK of up to six months duration. During this period you must support yourself without working and must leave the UK when your visit over.

Although prior Visa is not required, South Africans are still subject to Immigration control. You can still be refused entry on arrival in the UK if the Immigration Officer is not satisfied that you are a genuine visitor who meets the requirements of the Immigration Rules.

If you have been refused entry before at a UK port, you should apply for a visitor’s Visa before you travel. Please give us details of your previous refusal, including the port reference number and any documents you were handed by the Immigration Officer. Until we receive details of the refusal from the port in question, there will be a delay in processing your application.

If you are between the ages of 17 and 30, and you would like to work in the UK , you might be eligible for a working holidaymaker’s Visa. Please see our separate information pack on this category. Please note that you cannot enter the UK as a visitor and then change your status to a working holidaymaker. You must have a working holidaymaker’s Visa before you go.

Do I need a visa to Visit the UK on business?
South Africans can also enter the UK to conduct business for up to six months without prior entry clearance. However:

• Such business must be directly linked to your employment outside of the UK
• You should normally live and work outside of the UK and have no intention of transferring your base to the UK , even temporarily.
• You must receive a salary from outside of the UK . However, you may get reasonable expenses from a UK source to cover travel and subsistence during your visit.

If you want to work in the UK , set up or take over an existing business, or open up a branch office in the UK , then please ask our advice on what is the correct type of Visa you should apply for.

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Do I need a visa to Visit the UK on medical grounds?
You can also visit the UK for up to six months to receive medical treatment. However, this must be done privately and not on the National Health Service. However:

• If you are suffering from a communicable disease, you must satisfy a Medical Inspector that there is no danger to public health;
• Your proposed course of treatment is finite;
• You intend to leave the UK when your treatment is over;
• Satisfactory arrangements have been made for the necessary consultation or treatment.
• Sufficient funds are available to pay for the necessary treatment privately.

If I want to work or live in the UK , on what basis can I do this ?

Working Holidaymaker Visa (for 17-30 years olds)
The Working Holidaymaker scheme enables young Commonwealth citizens to spend an extended holiday in the United Kingdom of up to two years’ duration.

Employment Visa on the Grounds of UK Ancestry(where one of your grandparents was born in the UK )

This section provides information regarding the requirements which have to be met to apply for a permit free Visa on the grounds of ancestry. Information on how dependants can apply is also included.

Settlement Visas for Family Members
This section explains what you need to do if you want to settle in the United Kingdom (UK) with your relatives. You must obtain a visa before you travel to the , otherwise you will be refused entry on arrival.

Settlement Visas for Partners
This section explains what you will need to do if you wish to settle in the United Kingdom (UK) as the spouse, fiancé/e or the unmarried partner (including same sex couples) of someone who has the right of live in the .  Such a person is the applicant’s ‘sponsor’

If you have any other questions, please contact us at VISA ONE

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