# Help- lots of questions not getting anywhere!!



## jc25 (Jun 27, 2013)

Hi there, 
I am from the UK i am planning on moving to SA in august to be with my partner. I will apply for the relative permit once in SA as at present i don't have proof of cohabitation. I have a few questions - the embassy aren't too helpful!

*My partner lives on a farm and accommodation is part of his salary, this is also where i would live so we wouldn't have a rental agreement in our names or anything- is a letter from his boss or from my partner stating i live with him enough proof?? or what do i need?? 

* Do we need to have a joint bank account in SA???

* Also i have heard that photo's of us together can be helpful to send with the visa application- as proof of relationship- is this correct?

* And similarly letters from friends etc supporting/ verifying the relationship???

* I have organised my police certificate with ACRO- i hope this is the right company to use?? 

* Can i get the medical and x-ray done once im in SA- as they want to charge soooo much here its ridiculous, or does anyone know of somewhere in the UK which isn't as pricey??

Sorry lots of questions , thanks for your help!  :fingerscrossed:


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## 2fargone (Jun 14, 2011)

jc25 said:


> Hi there,
> I am from the UK i am planning on moving to SA in august to be with my partner. I will apply for the relative permit once in SA as at present i don't have proof of cohabitation. I have a few questions - the embassy aren't too helpful!
> 
> *My partner lives on a farm and accommodation is part of his salary, this is also where i would live so we wouldn't have a rental agreement in our names or anything- is a letter from his boss or from my partner stating i live with him enough proof?? or what do i need??
> ...



I am pretty sure but I am not an expert hopefully LegalMan will reply. When I applied for this in the USA I had to have proof we were living together. It doesn't seem like you have that. I would double check as I think that is required.


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## 2fargone (Jun 14, 2011)

Hi there, 
I am from the UK i am planning on moving to SA in august to be with my partner. I will apply for the relative permit once in SA as at present i don't have proof of cohabitation. I have a few questions - the embassy aren't too helpful!

*My partner lives on a farm and accommodation is part of his salary, this is also where i would live so we wouldn't have a rental agreement in our names or anything- is a letter from his boss or from my partner stating i live with him enough proof?? or what do i need?? 

You should have something in your name saying you live together. I had letters that were addressed to our apartment, but my boyfriend typed a letter saying we had been living together, and enclosed a copy of his apartment bond. 

* Do we need to have a joint bank account in SA???
No you don't need too. And S.A. doesn't do joint accounts like in the USA and UK you can add your bfs name but it's not the same joint account.

* Also i have heard that photo's of us together can be helpful to send with the visa application- as proof of relationship- is this correct?
I didn't submit photos. As we had already been a couple for quite a while before we applied, and had be living together. I did submit letters addressed to our apartment, and copy of my flight stubs showing I had been in S.A. And my passport stamp.

* And similarly letters from friends etc supporting/ verifying the relationship???
Yes I had three letters from three different friends saying how long they had known us and they verified the relationship.

* I have organised my police certificate with ACRO- i hope this is the right company to use?? 
Not sure about this organization. I don't know how it works in the UK, but I assume you went the police station and they took your fingerprints? And you told them what you wanted?

* Can i get the medical and x-ray done once im in SA- as they want to charge soooo much here its ridiculous, or does anyone know of somewhere in the UK which isn't as pricey??
You can, but it might be cheaper to do in the UK. Medical anywhere from R300-R500 X-ray R400- R700 

Sorry lots of questions , thanks for your help!  :fingerscrossed:[/quote]

Again please see my first response, and check on that. Also might be faster to apply for this visa in the UK vs SA


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## jc25 (Jun 27, 2013)

One more question....
I am leaving in August and have a RTN ticket for April- but is this okay as i will be entering on a visitor 3 month visa :-s I did clarify with the embassy before booking and they said it was fine- im not that convinced 

Any help much appreciated- finding all this very stressful!!!


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## 2fargone (Jun 14, 2011)

jc25 said:


> One more question....
> I am leaving in August and have a RTN ticket for April- but is this okay as i will be entering on a visitor 3 month visa :-s I did clarify with the embassy before booking and they said it was fine- im not that convinced
> 
> Any help much appreciated- finding all this very stressful!!!


Yes that is fine. You can search on the forum here many people have come on a 3 month visa then applied for a Life Partner, Work, Spousal visa. It wont be a problem.


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## jc25 (Jun 27, 2013)

I was referring more to the flights and having a RTN that is more then 3 months ???


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## 2fargone (Jun 14, 2011)

jc25 said:


> I was referring more to the flights and having a RTN that is more then 3 months ???


Ok so your ticket is more then three months in South Africa? Is that correct? I have done that before. I've gotten hassled before in the USA when they look up the requirements, just tell them you are going to apply for a visa in South Africa. I've never been denied entry I just get hassled.


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## LegalMan (Dec 26, 2012)

Hi JC25

Here you go:



> *My partner lives on a farm and accommodation is part of his salary, this is also where i would live so we wouldn't have a rental agreement in our names or anything- is a letter from his boss or from my partner stating i live with him enough proof?? or what do i need??


You need proof of cohabitation and shared financial responsibility for the period you claim to have been life partners. This can be in many different forms. A letter from the company will definitely help, but the best thing is simply to open a bank account in both your names at the same address. Then you prove both in one shot.



> * Do we need to have a joint bank account in SA???


Not necessarily, but it helps to prove shared financial responsibility.



> * Also i have heard that photo's of us together can be helpful to send with the visa application- as proof of relationship- is this correct?


I've never needed this in any application that I have assisted with. It's probably the easiest way to fake a relationship, by the way.



> * And similarly letters from friends etc supporting/ verifying the relationship???


This is mandatory. You MUST include these. There is no template, it's just a letter from friends/family/people saying that yes, you are in a life partnership.



> * I have organised my police certificate with ACRO- i hope this is the right company to use??


It doesn't matter who you use, the police/authorities will issue the document. In SA, there is no company that does this.



> * Can i get the medical and x-ray done once im in SA- as they want to charge soooo much here its ridiculous, or does anyone know of somewhere in the UK which isn't as pricey??


There are many threads on this forum about where you can do this in the UK. It doesn't matter where.

Hope this helps.


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## jc25 (Jun 27, 2013)

It does thank you


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## jc25 (Jun 27, 2013)

Hi, Legal man, 
I have another question- your passport and other supporting documents such as birth certificate (if needed) and the police certificate? anything valuable- can you give copies instead of the real thing- do they need to be certified? Thanks


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## Saartjie (Mar 1, 2010)

jc25 said:


> Hi, Legal man,
> I have another question- your passport and other supporting documents such as birth certificate (if needed) and the police certificate? anything valuable- can you give copies instead of the real thing- do they need to be certified? Thanks


Hi, all copies must be certified and you must bring the original so they can see it. Some documents they require to keep the original, usually the police certification, medical etc. Always keep certified copies of the originals that you hand in so that you have evidence if your documents are lost.


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## jc25 (Jun 27, 2013)

can it only be a solicitor who certifies copies or can it be a professional ie a nurse ??


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## Saartjie (Mar 1, 2010)

jc25 said:


> can it only be a solicitor who certifies copies or can it be a professional ie a nurse ??


It should be a solicitor.


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## LegalMan (Dec 26, 2012)

Usually you will show your real passport (which is then given back to you) and the rest will be certified. It sometimes depends on specifics, but that is in general.

ALWAYS make a FULL copy of EVERYTHING in your application. Copy it, get more certified copies, scan it, store it. You never know what Home Affairs will do with it....


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## LegalMan (Dec 26, 2012)

Any Commissioner of Oaths can certify a document. We are lawyers, but most people go to their local police station.


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