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Extending your General Work Visa

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A lot of people make the mistake of leaving their general work visa extensions to the last minute. That’s because a lot of us don’t realise that these extensions are essentially a reapplication for the visa, which makes it take just about as much time and work as the original application. Here’s everything you need to know about extending your general work visa.

The main requirement for the General work visa in South Africa is proof from the employer that every effort was made to first recruit a South African citizen or permanent resident. The Department of Labour has to conduct thorough investigations before the application can move on to the Department of Home Affairs. When extending your General Work Visa in South Africa, both the applicant and the employer have to meet the qualifying criteria again.

There are certain risk factors associated with visa extensions in South Africa; one of them being not applying in time for your extension, which may mean that you have to apply abroad. With a break in the consecutive time on a work visa in South Africa, any future applications for permanent residence could be affected negatively. It’s also good to remember that your visa could be turned down, so it’s always good to have a backup plan. Also remember that a successful application for your first visa does not guarantee a successful outcome on the extension.

Here are few tips to take when extending your General Work Visa:

• Make sure to start the preparation process at least 12 months before your visa’s expiry date. It’s always better to start the preparing well in advance before your extension
• Ensure your paperwork is in order to avoid unnecessary delays
• Make sure your passport is valid
• Make use of immigration specialists. It’s always advisable to work with professionals to help you get your renewal right the first time

If you’re looking for help regarding your General Work Visa renewal, make sure to get in touch with one of our consultants today.

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Andrew Wicks

Over the past 11 years, Andrew’s entrepreneurial spirit, as well as his business acumen, has led to the establishment of small to medium enterprises worldwide. Promising opportunities in the fields of IT, mobile distribution and advertising (amongst others) have been converted into successful business units in a variety of global markets. Andrew returned to South Africa after seven years in Europe to found Initiate International. He remains totally hands-on and has expanded the company across three continents.

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