It took them years but finally the South Africa Digital Nomad Visa is live. You can now apply for this visa.
We’ll give you an overview of the requirements, application process, tax consequences and some other considerations.
South Africa Digital Nomad Visa Overview
- The South Africa Digital Nomad Visa allows foreign nationals to spend a full year in South Africa as a remote worker
- The renewal modalities are still unclear but you should be able to stay for up to three years in total
- You need to have an income of at least ZAR 650.000 (around EUR 35.000) and meet some other conditions
- Make sure to understand the tax consequences of getting the DNV as it might suck you into the South African tax system
Eligibility Requirements for the South African Digital Nomad Visa
As most digital nomad visa, the digital nomad visa South Africa also has an income requirement.
Initially, the digital nomad visa South Africa would require you have an minimum annual income of at least one million South African Rand. However, in the final amendments to the law they lowered the threshold to around 650.000 ZAR. At the current exchange rate this equals around €35.000.
I do recommended to double check at the time of applying as in the past the exchange rate of the Rand has fluctuated a bit.
Apart from the income requirement you’ll need proof of remote work, health insurance, clean criminal record and proof of accommodation.
How to Apply for the Digital Nomad Visa in South Africa
Let’s have a look at the different steps of the application process for the South African digital nomad visa.
Check Eligibility Criteria for the South Africa Digital Nomad Visa
First check if you meet all the criteria to apply for the South Africa digital nomad visa. If not, you’ll just waste time by applying. You can find the eligibility criteria in the the previous sections.
Gather Documents Necessary for South African Nomad Visa Program
Hereby a list of the documents you’ll need to gather for a successful application:
- Application form: fill out the application form (DHA-1738)
- Statement: provide some information about the purpose and intended stay
- Passport: need to be valid for at 30 days after your intended departure date out of South Africa
- Passport pictures: two headshots in passport format
- Proof of residence: proof of residence in the country where you are applying from
- Minimum income: proof you meet the minimum income requirement during the last three months by bank statements
- Proof of remote work: contract or other proof that demonstrates you can work remotely
- Criminal record: criminal record from your country of residency
- Health Insurance: you need health insurance covering you throughout your stay in South Africa
- Accommodation: provide proof of tentative accommodation via a lease contract or hotel booking
- Flight tickets: proof of tentative flight tickets for flying in and out South Africa
- Yellow fever certificate: if you travelled to yellow fever areas
File Application and Await Approval
You need to file your application with the local embassy of consulate in the country where you have your residency. This is a hassle for digital nomads who travel a lot as they will need to return to their home country for the application.
After submitting your application you’ll need to wait for the approval which can take up to a few weeks.
Tax Considerations about the Nomad Visa Program in South Africa
A lot was written about the tax consequences of the digital nomad visa. The reason is that the law introducing the DNV contained some provisions which were not in line with the tax code. It took some time but finally it seems like most issues are taken care off.
We need to distinguish between people who are a tax resident in a country which has a double tax treaty with South Africa and those from countries who don’t.
If you come from a country with a double tax treaty, you won’t become liable to taxes in South Africa if you stay less than 183 during any twelve month period in the country. If you spend more time in South Africa, you’ll become a tax resident of South Africa. Consequently, you’ll have to register yourself with the South African Revenue Service.
If you have your tax residency in a country without a double tax treaty, the situation is less interesting. You’ll have to register with the tax authorities immediately and also tax consequences could kick in quicker as you won’t be protected by any double tax treaty.
Other Types of Visa Available in South Africa
Many people can stay for 90 days in South Africa as a tourist.
In many cases this will even be visa free access due to which you save the hassle of applying for a visa. You can find an updated overview on the website of the Department of Home Affairs of the Republic of South Africa.
This route might be easier if you’re planning to limit your stay in any case in order to avoid any tax consequences. However, in this case you are entering the country as a tourist. Therefore, it’s always questionable if you are allowed to actually work (remotely) from the country.
If you want to look into other – more traditional – visa options for South Africa you can check the website of the South African Embassy in the US.
How is South Africa for Digital Nomads?
South Africa was always a popular tourist destination, even before digital nomads discovered the country. The internationalized city of Cape Town attracts many people, as do the vineyards in the neighboring Stellenbosch. While in the North and East of the country offer great reserves for safaris.
The following list will give you a good indication of why so many nomads like to spend their time in South Africa:
- Cost of Living: South Africa has an affordable cost of living compared to many Western countries. However, rental prices might be higher in popular areas in the high season (European winter).
- Diverse Culture: South Africa is arguably one of the most divers countries in the world. It even has eleven official languages.
- Beautiful Nature: from beaches to mountaintops and stretched game reserves, South Africa offers it all.
- Timezone: due to its geography digital nomads working European hours won’t have any issues timezone wise.
In full transparency, we do also need to share that South Africa has some safety concerns the past years. Therefore, it’s important to check before which places and neighborhoods are the best to stay in.
Conclusion on the South Africa Digital Nomad Visa
The South African digital nomad visa is something many nomads have been looking forward to. If you can benefit from the tax exemption for the first six months, it can be a good option. However, if you would become liable to taxes in South Africa, that will be less enjoyable.
Maybe there are other digital nomads visas which suit you better. In order to assist you, I made a list of all digital nomads visa worldwide.
