# applying for spousal work endorsement abroad



## kaybee1818 (Dec 18, 2014)

South African immigration law is my nightmare. 

I'm a US citizen getting married to a South African in Cape Town in January. I've been living for the last 4 years in Moscow, so Russia is my country of residence. We're planning on living together in SA - he's already moved to Cape Town, and the plan is for me to follow him. 

I understand I need to get a Section 11(6) visitor's visa to be able to work in SA, and that I need a job offer letter to apply. 

Right now I have no SA visa whatsoever (since we haven't gotten married yet). 

My question: technically, it looks to me like the 11(6) visa is a 'change of status' visa and that you have to ALREADY have a relative's visa to apply for it. Is this true?

I have a job offer, and they're willing to wait a few months for my paperwork to be processed, but not forever (obviously).

Ideally I want to get married, come back to Moscow, and apply for the visa and the work endorsement together here. It sounds like that would cut down on processing time, and that I would end up with a visa and the right to work in about 2 months. 

But I'm seeing stuff online that while you can get the VISA abroad, you can only apply for the ENDORSEMENT (the 11(6) visa status change, I guess) in South Africa.

Can you only get the endorsement in South Africa? Would it be better for me, timewise, to just stay in South Africa after the wedding and apply there? And, would I have to apply for the relative's visa first, wait to receive it, then apply for the endorsement? Or can I do them together?

Any and all advice greatly appreciated.


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## noriki (Jul 14, 2014)

hi kaybee1818 
why u dont apply for relative visa from US with work endorsement together from SA embassy 
but remember you need to have 2years of the relation.
and that will take 2 or 3 months.
and as u said u have lived in Moscow you need to apply for PC from Russia


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## LegalMan (Dec 26, 2012)

kaybee1818 said:


> South African immigration law is my nightmare.
> 
> I'm a US citizen getting married to a South African in Cape Town in January. I've been living for the last 4 years in Moscow, so Russia is my country of residence. We're planning on living together in SA - he's already moved to Cape Town, and the plan is for me to follow him.
> 
> ...


Privet Kaylee

I'm sorry, but your message has a number of errors and I can't answer questions that don't make sense. Let me try to help you. I noticed you have set up a question here (http://www.expatforum.com/expats/so...south-africa/628690-legalman-please-help.html) too so I've answered everything there.


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