# Permanent Residency Visa - processing time?



## tlupke (Apr 19, 2012)

Hello

I really would love to hear from anyone who has recently applied for a Permanent Residency Visa. 

I am a New Zealand citizen and have been married to my South African husband for almost 7 years. We live in New Zealand and would like to move to South Africa in the next 12-18mths.

I have been told by the Embassy here that if I apply for Permanent Residency that it will take over 2 years to process. 

Firstly, has anyone had their application actually take that long?

I have been told that I should apply for a Spouse Visa here in New Zealand and then once in South Africa apply for Permanent Residency. I am very hesitant to do that as I understand that I would then also only be able to work if I get a job offer and then apply for a Work Endorsement. 

Can anyone advise how long the process takes to get a Work Endorsement? I can't imagine an employer would be very keen to hire me having to wait for me to go through the application process etc.

There is also then the issue of medical certificates and police clearences etc. The same documents are required for both a Spouse Visa and then again for the Permanent Residency. That in itself is an expensive and time consuming process to arrange the documents and I would have to get these done twice? 

Ideally I would like to just apply for Permanent Residency from here in New Zealand but I really would love some straight answers as to how long it will actually take. I have asked some immigration lawyers based in South Africa and there response is 8-18mths. Is this accurate?

Any advise is very much appreciated!


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## LegalMan (Dec 26, 2012)

This has been posted and asked and covered numerous times by many people on this forum already. I would suggest that you first go through the threads and read up on other people's experiences.

Firstly, yes, PR will take a long time as these applications go back to SA to Pretoria. Not 2 years though, but more than 6 months and probably not more than 15. You do qualify though.

A "work endorsement" is a type of visa, a Section 11 visa. This should be issued much faster as it will be done in New Zealand. Usually they say "6 to 8 weeks". Denmark's SA mission once did it in 3 days for one of our clients. A "spousal visa" is a Relatives Visa and you cannot work on it, so yes, you'd have to convert.

Lastly, I do not know exact costs for you, but to go once to the doctor/radiologist/police station and get two copies costs roughly the same as going once.

Why not simply apply for both at the same time? This allows you to get the temporary residence up front to enter and start working, while your PR application is in and in the process.


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## tlupke (Apr 19, 2012)

Thanks for your reply. 

Yes I have been through the forum and read other peoples experiences with this. And yes, there are a lot of people applying for Permanent Residency on here but I have found it is all from within South Africa and generally only after living there on a work permit or other such temporary visa. Hence the reason for my post, I'm hoping someone who has applied from their country of residence may be able to offer a more accurate time frame for processing.

It's my understanding that I must have an official offer of employment to be able to get the work endorsement. So I would not be able to apply for that from New Zealand as I would only be looking for work once I arrived in South Africa. 

In regards to your suggestion of applying for both a temporary visa and permanent residency at the same time, I don't believe that I can. If I apply for permanent residency from within New Zealand then I would need to be here to collect it?

Are you able to advise if there are any reasons that they would decline a Permanent Residency application? If all medical reports, police clearance's etc are fine and all correct documents are supplied. It's just that I am not qualified in an 'in need' area of employment and would be classed as an unskilled worker and from what I can read on the Home Affairs website they won't approve the application if you are likely to take a job opportunity away from a South African citizen? Or does this work/employment rules not apply because I am married to a South African citizen?

Thanks for your help, much appreciated.


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## LegalMan (Dec 26, 2012)

tlupke said:


> Or does this work/employment rules not apply because I am married to a South African citizen?


The requirements are waived, yes. You simply need the signed permanent offer of employment.


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## FASHYMAN (Nov 22, 2016)

hi legalman

can i have ur email add please


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