South Africa differentiates between a residence permit for internships and a residence permit for the practicing of voluntary or charity service.

An internship permit can be obtained for 6 months. Before entering South Africa for the performance of an internship, a visitors’ permit can be applied for at the South African embassy in the respective country. Together with a letter of confirmation by the host in the Republic of South Africa, stating the kind of work and the duration of the internship, a valid return flight ticket or a cash deposit, which will be refunded at departure, is required.

Furthermore, there is the option to point out that an internship will be observed in South Africa when entering the country. If this can be stated by the suitable documents, it could be included on the three month visitors’ permit. If the internship should last longer than 3 months, the application for extension has to be submitted at least 30 days before the expiration of the first residence permit at the Department of Home Affairs.

Besides the letter of confirmation by the host, a proof of financial resources is needed to state that the trainee can finance his/her stay.

A visitors’ permit can be submitted to voluntary and communal services for a maximum of three years:
–    academic year (so-called academic sabbatical)
–    volunteers and community services
–    research

Any questions? We assist: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it