# Cheapest and best way to get a business visa



## happydunk (Dec 14, 2010)

Dear All, My first post so hi to all and thanks in advance.


After visiting South Africa again I have decided to move out to the Western Cape. I am hoping some of you have been through all or part of what I am trying to sort in my head.

I have a business idea I want to start in the area and I understand the rules of showing amounts of money etc to gain the business visa. Has anybody done this through the London embassy? I will need to ask for dispensation due to not having the R2.5million required but as my business is in the IT and Tourism sectors this should hold no problems. Has anybody dealt first hand with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) for the waiver? Or do most people go through a visa agent which I have been quoted E2250 for. How long does it take for the visa to come through?

Secondly I want to take my partner and baby daughter with me, my partner doesn’t need to work for the first 2 years due to our savings, but is there a visa that would be applicable in this situation or do people just keep applying for tourist visas? If so how long can this work for?

Thanks again


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## Stevan (Jun 30, 2009)

happydunk said:


> Dear All, My first post so hi to all and thanks in advance.
> 
> 
> After visiting South Africa again I have decided to move out to the Western Cape. I am hoping some of you have been through all or part of what I am trying to sort in my head.
> ...


hi 

I originaly applied for a buissness visa it took a while for me because they changed the law twice whilst i was getting it together. eventualy used an agent thier head office is in cape town but they have reps in the uk. In the end we went out to cape town on there recomendation as the embassy in uk were hopless. once there it took a couple of days to get approval and about six weeks to get the stamp. We got the waiver on funds no problem. infact because we used an agent they never realy looked at our buissness plan, we also jumped all the ques in home affairs. it may be worth including your wife in the buisness as this will get her a visa and your children will get a dependants or study visa dependent on there age. as it happened we didnt need the visa as my permenant residence was approved in another catogary. my recomendation is use an agent (it isnt soo much what they know its who they know).

steve


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## happydunk (Dec 14, 2010)

Stevan said:


> hi
> 
> I originaly applied for a buissness visa it took a while for me because they changed the law twice whilst i was getting it together. eventualy used an agent thier head office is in cape town but they have reps in the uk. In the end we went out to cape town on there recomendation as the embassy in uk were hopless. once there it took a couple of days to get approval and about six weeks to get the stamp. We got the waiver on funds no problem. infact because we used an agent they never realy looked at our buissness plan, we also jumped all the ques in home affairs. it may be worth including your wife in the buisness as this will get her a visa and your children will get a dependants or study visa dependent on there age. as it happened we didnt need the visa as my permenant residence was approved in another catogary. my recomendation is use an agent (it isnt soo much what they know its who they know).
> 
> steve


Thanks Steve a couple of questions

What agent did you use? Or did anyone use to get some price comparisons
How do I include my girlfriend in the business plan - isn’t that 2 separate visas at E2250 each.
Child is a couple of months but I believe they are covered by one of the parents??????

Thanks for info


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## Stevan (Jun 30, 2009)

happydunk said:


> Thanks Steve a couple of questions
> 
> What agent did you use? Or did anyone use to get some price comparisons
> How do I include my girlfriend in the business plan - isn’t that 2 separate visas at E2250 each.
> ...


Hi i used a company called south african migration international there offices are right alongside home affairs in capetown South Africa Migration International (PTY) - Immigration, Visas, Permits, Relocation. if you included your girlfriend she will have a visa in her own right and be able to work within the business. if not she will need a dependants visa(spouse). It would be two seperate visas wh9ich ever way you do it. or she comes on a tourist visa and would need to leave every 6 months.


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## happydunk (Dec 14, 2010)

Hi Steve

I have met the man Rod Maxwell, seems very on the ball. Do you know if her leaving and re-entering every 6 months is a problem? Does it mean just going up to Namibia or does she have to return to Spain. I am asking Rod how much a dependants visa would cost.

Did you apply for the waiver? If so how did you do it, cant find any forms on the DTI website.

Thanks for the info again, its starting to become clear


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## Stevan (Jun 30, 2009)

happydunk said:


> Hi Steve
> 
> I have met the man Rod Maxwell, seems very on the ball. Do you know if her leaving and re-entering every 6 months is a problem? Does it mean just going up to Namibia or does she have to return to Spain. I am asking Rod how much a dependants visa would cost.
> 
> ...


Hi
it was rod we dealt with in the first instance he points you in the right direction then hands the form filling on to one of his staff. There is no specific form to be filled for the waiver. It will be done by letter to DTI and in your buissness plan. i drafted my plan then rod reworded it for home affairs and dti. he also arranged the chartered accountant to sign off on my funds. it went realy smoothly in the end. Leaving and re entering every six months wouldnt be a problem in the short term just a pain in the backside. lesotho is an option for you as well. I do know some one that used that route. went and stayed for three days and came back. as it happened the person that took them up who still had time on there visa got a fresh stamp when crossing back 2 hours later, so dosnt look like you even have to stay. it was a few years ago when we applied but i seem to think that it all came to about 5000 pounds or so. (2 x temporary buissness visa 2 x study permits 4 permenant residence permits). if you are going to go over then x ray and medical is a lot cheaper than in uk. We got all our stuff sorted in a week actualy started monday morning was finished thursday afternoon. then took about 6 weeks for temorary visas. as it happened wwe never used them as about a month later our PR came through (in a different catogory). 

steve


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## Stevan (Jun 30, 2009)

just a word of caution you will get dispensation on funds but never on the number of south africans you must employ.


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## Daxk (Jan 20, 2008)

stevan, would you mind amplifying that?
how many SA's are you expected to employ?
not a funny ?, really want to know?
I'm setting up a partnership deal on a manufacturing plant in CT and that has not come up.


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## Stevan (Jun 30, 2009)

Daxk said:


> stevan, would you mind amplifying that?
> how many SA's are you expected to employ?
> not a funny ?, really want to know?
> I'm setting up a partnership deal on a manufacturing plant in CT and that has not come up.[/QUOT
> ...


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