# Pr under accompanying spouse



## ruvimbomugadza (Mar 18, 2014)

Hi guys
Please advise.

We applied for PR as a family under my husband because he falls under special skills.
We both got different reference numbers for our application.
I have been working in SA for more than 6 years now and have a general work permit,which i renewed last year and expires in 2018.
I entered into south africa on my own as a student and later got work and obtained a general work permit.
Was never an accompanying spouse.

Someone just told me that because i applied under my husband i will get an accompanying spouse PR,though i will be able to apply for an ID i wont be able to work.

Is this true?Because i know i couple of people who applied like us and got PR certificates which are unconditional and does not state accompanying spouse.And a lady who have accompanying spouse written on her certificate(originally she entered SA as an accompanying spouse on her husband's qouta work permit)but managed to get an ID and is working.

What is the law on accompanying spouse fro PR?
Do i have to reapply on my own.

Please help.


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## Skilled (May 10, 2011)

Hello

All PR holders have equal rights in South Africa. It does NOT matter which category of PR you have. The only thing one should look at is the conditions on it and they all fall away after a certain period.

If you have a PR you can work and do what South Africans do except voting and holding a SA passport.

The PR under category 26(b) requires you to confirm at Home affairs after 2 years of acquiring it that you are still married. It also states your Husband's surname and Nee your surname. But what you do with this PR is just the same across the board. My wife's PR is writtern Spouse and she can work with that.

A permenant residence permit is just that. You cant be a permanent resident who is not allowed to work! 

All permanent residents can get employed. A Spousal Temporary Permit is the one that doesn't allow you to work. You would need an endorsment on it

Thanks


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## Skilled (May 10, 2011)

Also, your General Work Permit has been superceded with your PR. One cannot hold two statuses. In other words, using your General Work Permit after acquiring Permanent Resident Permit is prohibited. You can still use it but its unlawful. Home Affairs normally cancels your other permits when you have a Permanent Resident Permit.

But you can still use the previous permits to apply for a different permenant resident should you wish to. But believe me it's unnecessary. If you divorce (not really implying that), you will still retain you PR only if that happens after 2 years from the day the PR was issued.


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## LegalMan (Dec 26, 2012)

@Skilled is 100% right.

@Skilled - let me know if you ever want to work at an immigration law firm.


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## ruvimbomugadza (Mar 18, 2014)

Thanks for the info,it really takes away the worry!
I will wait for the certificate to come out then and see what it says.

Thanks again.


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