We’re going to come out and say it, this isn’t the most original choice for relocation for South Africans. According to the UK’s office for national statistics in June 2020, 255,000 South African-born citizens resided in the home of afternoon tea, Black Taxis, and the royal family.
South Africans are well known in the UK for working as bartenders, waiters, and in the general hospitality industry. To be fair, there are many reasons for moving to the UK, like you can purchase Hellmann’s mayonnaise off the shelf.
Another drawcard is that the UK is central for international travel, has exposure to global events, football, and when you’ve become a citizen, the national health service (NHS).
Now that we’ve done the introduction, let’s talk a bit more about moving to the UK.
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is colloquially called the UK or Britain.
This United Kingdom comprises of England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. The kingdom's total area is roughly 242,495 square kilometres, and as of 2020, the population is more than 67 million people.
Economically, the UK is central to all trade, the fourth most traded currency in the foreign exchange market. It’s also worth noting that the UK is the world’s fifth-largest economy in the world. And when it was a part of the European Union, it was the second-largest in the union after Germany.
Resources are limited in the UK, and the country relies heavily on expertise and commerce. The country is still a major engine manufacturing centre for motorsports and the aerospace industry.
Agriculture in the country has been heavily mechanised, making it incredibly efficient when comparing production costs.
The UK has also been at the forefront of scientific research, and its educational institutions are the best in the world.
Regarding transportation, the UK boosts an extensive network of roads and railway networks, fantastic airports, and more.
And language-wise, it’s English, as it originated in England, which might surprise some when meeting some locals…
There is so much to see and do in the UK as it is a central source of all modern Western Culture.
But be warned that the weather is not significant in the UK, which could be why so many from the island nation decided to leave and “discover new lands”. We’re just going to skip over colonialism…
So, if this seems appealing to you, here are some visa options for South Africans.
Before reviewing all your potential visa options, ensure your South African Green Mamba, aka your passport, is valid.
The UK government cannot issue anyone a valid visa if their passport has expired. Make sure there are at least a few months left on the passport.
Also, if you plan on moving to the UK for more than six months and currently reside in South Africa, Lesotho, or Eswatini (Swaziland), you must have a test for tuberculosis (TB).
This isn’t a unique requirement for residents of the Southern African region but also for inhabitants of Ghana, Kenya, Bangladesh, Zimbabwe, and Nigeria.
But generally speaking, with some expectations, all overseas nationals must apply for a visa to enter the UK if they want to stay longer than 90 days. And visitors not a part of the EU or from an EEA country will also need to apply for visas if they plan on staying less than 90 days.
There are loads of UK visas you can apply for, many of which can be used as a stepping stone to remaining in the country and working your way to getting British citizenship.
The UK government site is a fantastic resource for information, and most visa applications can be made via the website.
Here are your visa options:
To qualify for a skilled worker visa, you must have received and accepted a job offer from a UK employer. The employer will have to get approval from the Home Office so you can get a hold of a Certificate of Sponsorship, which will detail your role at the company.
Application fees can range between £610 to £1,408. This fee is to contribute to cover potential costs incurred by visiting the NHS and proof you can support yourself when you land in the country. In some situations, you might be eligible for a lower application fee if your job is on the shortlist.
Another requirement for a skilled worker visa is that the applicant earns more than £25,600 per year.
But what if you’re moving to the UK temporarily?
Limited to 12 months, this visa allows international workers in certain professional fields to work in the UK.
These professions include:
The certificate of sponsorship is not a certificate but rather a reference number with all your information.
And in your banking account, you must prove that you have at least £1,270 for 28 days.
You will also need to take a Genuine Migrant Test before this visa is issued, which tests whether you understand your role, have previous experience and can explain how you were recruited for the role.
If you are younger, you can apply for a Youth Mobility Visa, which will allow people between the ages of 18-20 years to access the country but is only available in participating territories.
South Africa is not on this list.
If your partner is moving to the UK, you can apply for the abovementioned visas. Your partner must earn around £18,600 per year to sponsor you.
If you are unmarried or have a fiancé, you must start planning to get officially married within 6 months.
Also, your partner must provide suitable accommodation for everyone they are sponsoring.
And finally, you will need to provide a valid English language test certificate. The last requirement is that both partners are older than 18 years of age.
To qualify for this visa, you must prove that your grandparents were born in the UK. Also, you need to reside in a Commonwealth country.
An Ancestry Visa lasts for five years. After this expires, you can apply for an Indefinite Leave to Remain.
To apply for an Innovator Visa, you must be at least 18. You also need to prove your intention of setting up and running a business in the UK and have £50,000 funds available to invest in your company.
Other requirements are that you can speak English, not intending to work for anyone else in the UK and have at least £945 to support yourself.
Documents required include bank statements, business accounts, and a signed declaration underlining that you do, in fact, own the company.
Another related visa route to this would be the Start-up Visa. Still, you will need to prove that you have several endorsements from either a business or a British higher education institution.
For the extremely wealthy, the Investor Visa has been closed, which required applicants to invest at least £2 million in the UK.
Now that we’ve reviewed all the visa options available to South Africans let’s go through the checklist for leaving the country.
While the UK is on a similar timeline as South Africa, trying to organise anything across international borders can be a pain. It’s best to sort them out before leaving the country.
Now, what should you do before leaving:
We all gather numerous contractual agreements. From cell phones to medical aid, it’s time to start cancelling them. Be aware that many of these contracts will have fines attached to them being cancelled early, like your cellphone.
Make sure to give yourself a month or two to ensure that you have cancelled these contracts, as issues can compound and draw out the entire process.
In some regards, we all love our possessions, but the fact is you will need to leave some items behind.
Make a list of items that need to be moved with you to the UK, and sell off items you’re planning on leaving behind or gift them to a charity.
Getting a company to move your possessions across borders is going to be tricky. Also, if you need to store your items you need to find a mover with storage.
Luckily, this is one of the easier tasks on this checklist .
It’s often the last thing on the to-do list, but where will you be staying on arrival? Make sure that either you or your new employer has organised accommodation.
When booking your accommodation, also ensure that you take out travel insurance for your first 90 days, just in case you are involved in a medical emergency.
As you’d expect, you need to gather several documents to start applying for a new driving licence and prescription. Make sure you have copies as well just in case.
You may be required to start saving for your new adventure. As you can tell, this isn’t a cheap experience.
Make sure you save up and create a moving fund.
If you're not quite ready to leave the sunshine, friendly faces and good food - consider moving somewhere else inside our borders. As they say - change is like a holiday!
When you're ready to move, Wise Move is here to help. We make it easy to find the best local moving companies so that you can stress less and enjoy your new home more!
Check out some of the best places to call home in South Africa - a little bit of inspiration might be all you need!
It's free and easy to create a request on Wise Move.
Describe, add photos and the dimensions of your shipment in your listing — anything that you think will make a difference, will make a difference.
Our platform will reach out to moving companies and movers relevant to your delivery specification in your area.
Movers may ask you a few more details about your delivery before giving you a quote.
Compare prices and get to know movers before accepting their quote by reading previous customer reviews on our platform.
Pick your preferred mover and arrange collection and delivery.
Prepare your package for collection or if you are moving home, get ready for moving day.
Meet and greet your chosen movers on your collection day.
Sit back and relax while your movers takes care of your booking.
Please notify us of any violations. This information will be kept confidential and shared only with Wise Move.
