whalewatcher

Hi there,

Just wondering if anyone has any hard info about when South African permanent residence expires. Home Affairs told me it would lapse if I lived continuously in another country for 7 years. That was in 1996, and was only a verbal explanation.

Someone recently suggested to me that it now lapses after 3 years. I can't find hard info online. Does anyone know?

We've been out of SA for over two years now, and I'll never settle there again. However, I'm about to renew my UK passport so I was wondering whether it would be worth the hassle of getting the residency stamped in it. It could come in handy at some point if there's a few years left to run.

Cheers

Pablo

Funnily enough I was looking at this for a friend recently. I believe the line is that after three years absence it *may* expire, though not if your spouse is a SA citizen. I don't have the link now, but I recall it urged people to get in contact with the Department (presumably of Home Affairs) if they are concerned about it.

As for the stamp in your passport, I think you have to go to one of the Dept offices *in SA* to get that restamped in a new (foreign) passport.

Pablo

Here's the link

http://www.home-affairs.gov.za/immig...policy_doc.asp

See: (vi) SECTION 27(g)

uk_vette

3 years out the country, and you lose it.

'vette

jimmy8

I took off from SA in 1986 and returned in 92 and NO problem using ID book

ededed

I think there have been one or two changes since '92.....

jimmy8

I had no problem opening a bank account using a SA address!----I have lived in Canada since 1988 and am located 2 hours North of Toronto in the country and life is GOOD!

Nooodle

[QUOTE=whalewatcher;8364396] However, I'm about to renew my UK passport so I was wondering whether it would be worth the hassle of getting the residency stamped in it. It could come in handy at some point if there's a few years left to run.

If your actual right to PR has not expired, you should be able to carry your old/expired passport with your new passport when travelling and the stamp should be considered valid.

I have a number of friends, including my partner, with US and British work permits in expired passports that are still accepted by the relevant immigration authorities.

jimmy8

[QUOTE=Nooodle;9100687] All you have to do is keep your ID book with you as your internal passport and enter the country as a tourist on your UK passport,this will enable you to reside as a PR--