WHAT IS TO LOVE ABOUT LIFE IN SOUTH AFRICA?

Nelson Mandela famously and justifiably called South Africa, “the most beautiful place on earth.”

Start with Cape Town, one of the most beautiful cities on earth, with Table Mountain behind it and the ocean in front. Then there’s the famous Kruger National Park, with its wild animals or the picturesque winelands of the Cape region.

For more rugged appeal, try the awe-inspiring mountains and foothills of the World Heritage-listed uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park. (Drakensberg means “Dragon Mountain” in Afrikaans, and the Zulus named the range’s eastern face uKhahlamba or “barrier of spears”.)

Next, try the “Wild Coast” from the Great Kei River to Port St Johns. It is an extraordinary and pristine country in all its stupendous natural beauty.

IS SOUTH AFRICA AN EXPENSIVE PLACE TO LIVE?

A second reason to love about life in South Africa is that the cost of living is relatively low. According to livingcost.org, a website that measures the cost of living in countries around the world, rent in South Africa averages less than 25% of that for equivalent accommodation on average in the United States. The difference ca be even greater if you compare prices to somewhere like New York or Chicago.

Similarly, food costs are 60% less and pretty much everything else is either about the same (transport) or a lot less (restaurants). In fact, those on expatriate salaries, which are relatively high, can enjoy an extraordinary lifestyle with luxury accommodation, domestic staff, and a driver.

The South African economy is one of the largest in Africa and it is the centre of economic activity in the south. Several sectors – tourism, with the resurgence from covid, real estate and health care, are performing strongly.

HOW IS THE LIFESTYLE LIKE IN SOUTH AFRICA?

The lifestyle can be delightful. The weather is generally superb – winters are mild, and summers are warm and dry.  

For those with children, the education system comprises of international private schools and the medical care with private insurance is outstanding.

For entertainment and leisure, there are a host of superlative restaurants with wonderful wines to go with them. Many cities, especially Cape Town, are also undertaking urban renewal.  This is making the urban life more vibrant, exciting, high quality, and yet still very affordable. 

Further afield, the many cultures of South Africa are fascinating and there is almost every entertainment and recreation of which you can conceive. From a plethora of water sports to the wildlife preserves, the latest movies, and so on. There is even snow skiing at Tiffindell!

Among the listed benefits, many applicants find the possibility of obtaining Portuguese citizenship the most important factor, as you will effectively become a citizen of the EU. Another large and popular advantage is that Portugal also allows for dual citizenship.

HOW DO I GET PERMANENT RESIDENCE IN SOUTH AFRICA?

To quote the Managing Partner of Harvey Law Group (HLG), Bastien Trelcat, in their Johannesburg office, “It is a very attractive place to live in many ways. Large numbers of people from around Africa, and even from the United States and Europe, enquire about migrating to South Africa.”

Harvey Law Group (HLG) is a global law firm pioneering immigration law and the investment immigration industry. With over 30+ years of experience in immigration and an office presence in South Africa, we can assist with permanent residence permit applications.

“The situation varies for each individual, but one route everyone who is interested in migrating to South Africa should look at, is the Financial Independent Visa for Permanent Residency (View Program).”

WHAT IS THE FINANCIALLY INDEPENDENT VISA IN SOUTH AFRICA? 

The Financially Independent Visa South Africa (FIVPR) grants a direct Permanent Resident status in South Africa. It enables the applicant and their family to live, study and work in South Africa, own a business, and buy property.

The FIVPR can cover the applicant and their family – a spouse, children under age 21 who are financially dependent on the main applicant. There is no restriction on the age of any children who are medically dependent.

Holders of FIVRP can leave the country at any time and return without any additional paperwork or expense. They can also apply for a Non-Citizen Identity Book and essentially have all the rights of a citizen except that of voting. Those rights remain theirs indefinitely. The FIVPR is available to anyone who can prove their net worth at ZAR 12,000,000 (or approximately USD 820,000 at the time of writing). The application fee is ZAR 120,000, which is a little over USD 7,000.

The only other requirement is that the applicant must visit South Africa once every 3 years, prove their identity and their net worth, provide a police clearance certificate that they have no criminal record, and undergo a medical examination. There are no age, nationality, or residency requirements. There are also no requirements for an investment or donation.

WOULD YOU LIKE MORE INFORMATION ON THE FIVPR?

Please see: https://harveylawcorporation.com/south-africa-permanent-residency/ .

Would you like to consult with one of our legal staff?

Please email our South African office for an appointment [email protected]