If you want to immigrate to India from South Africa, you will need a visa to enter the country, but you will also need a residence permit that will suit your medium/long-term purpose of stay.
Only South African nationals who have an official or diplomatic passport are exempt from the condition to obtain a visa to enter the country (for a 90-day period), based on a bilateral agreement between the two countries.
Our lawyers in India specialize in immigration matters and can give you general visa and residence permit application instructions, as well as in-depth information about the steps you will need to follow according to your specific purpose of relocation.
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A short visa application guide
The process to immigrate to India from South Africa starts with applying for the right type of visa, according to the purpose of the stay. You will first apply for and obtain a visa, followed by a certificate that allows you to obtain temporary residency in India.
Our team presents essential information about Indian visas below:
- visas are issued for different periods, depending on their type; examples include 1 year or more for the employment visa, and up to 5 years for the student visa (subject to conditions and/or depending on the duration of the studies);
- when the applicant will relocate to India from South Africa and the visa has a duration of more than 180 days, the holder is required to register within 14 days of arriving in the country;
- an expected processing time for a visa application can be 3 working days (not including special cases);
- if you want to move to India from South Africa, the employment and study visas will allow multiple entry into the country, and they can be extended; our Indian lawyers can give you more information on the conditions for renewal and/or extension upon request.
All foreigners who obtain a long-term visa (one issued for more than 180 days) for purposes such as study and/or research, employment, etc., when they relocate to India from South Africa will register with the Foreigners Regional Registration Officer. An exemption to this rule is for those who hold a business visa. They will need to register with the Officer when their total stay in the country exceeds 180 days.
The residence permit issued as a result of registering with the authorities, which can be aided by our lawyers in India upon request, is valid for the duration of the visa.
If your goal is to immigrate to India from South Africa for business purposes, our lawyers can give you more details about the business visa, the investment options that are currently available to you, and that can lead to residency, and other details.
Immigration to India
If you want to move to India from South Africa, you will need to reside in the country for a sufficient period in order to make your relocation permanent.
As a South African national, you can obtain citizenship in India through the naturalization process, by descent, or registration. It is common for applicants to do so through the naturalization option, once the applicant has lawfully resided in the country for twelve years. A shorter application period applies in the case of foreigners who are married to an Indian citizen.
Language knowledge, income requirements, and proof of a valid residence permit (showing the minimum needed stay) will be required as part of the naturalization application.
Our Indian law firm offers complete solutions for SA nationals, as well as other foreigners who wish to relocate to the country.
Contact us if you want to immigrate to India from South Africa and need more information about the visa application process, the needed documents, and the registrations you will need to make once you are in the country.