UK help and services in South Africa

Services if you're visiting, studying, working or living in South Africa. Includes information about trading with and doing business in the UK and South Africa.

Subscriptions

Emergency help for British nationals

Get help if you're the victim of crime, you've been arrested, or are affected by a crisis abroad.

  1. British Consulate-General Cape Town

    The British Consulate-General in Cape Town represents the UK government in South Africa.

  2. British High Commission Pretoria

    The British High Commission in South Africa maintains and develops relations between the UK and South Africa.

  3. Get help if you're a victim of crime abroad

    Contact the nearest British embassy, high commission, consulate or the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office in London to get help if you're the victim of crime abroad

  4. If you’re affected by a crisis abroad

    Advice to British people affected by crises abroad such as large-scale terrorist attacks, natural disasters and political unrest, and how the FCDO can help.

  5. South Africa: information for survivors of rape and sexual assault

    Information for British nationals who are survivors of rape and sexual assault in South Africa.

  6. South Africa: legal and prison systems

    Information on legal and detention systems, in South Africa, for British nationals abroad.

  7. Support for British nationals abroad

    This page lists guidance on how you can help yourself stay safe abroad, and the help the Foreign Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) can provide.

  8. When someone dies in South Africa

    Find out about local procedures, burials and cremations, and returning the body to the UK

Passports and emergency travel documents

Includes how to cancel a lost passport, renew a passport and apply for an emergency travel document.

  1. Apply for or renew a British passport if you're visiting the UK

    You can apply for or renew a British passport while you're visiting the UK - as long as you expect to be in the UK for long enough

  2. Cancel a lost or stolen passport

    What you need to do if your passport has been lost or stolen and you need to travel urgently.

  3. Overseas British passport applications

    Renew, replace or apply for an adult or child British passport if you’re living abroad or working overseas - forms, prices, how long it takes

  4. Travel urgently from abroad without your UK passport

    Apply for an emergency travel document if you're outside the UK and have not got a valid British passport - apply online, how to apply, fee, timings

Travelling to South Africa

Includes travel advice and how to get married abroad.

  1. Getting married abroad

    Requirements, paperwork and processes for weddings and civil partnerships overseas - registration, restrictions, fees

  2. Reduce your risk from terrorism while abroad

    How to minimise your risk, and what to do if there's a terrorist attack.

  3. South Africa travel advice

    Latest FCDO travel advice for South Africa including on entry requirements, safety and security and local laws and customs

Coming to the UK

Get a visa to study, work or visit the UK.

  1. Check if you need a UK visa

    You may need a visa to come to the UK to visit, study or work.

  2. Contact UK Visas and Immigration for help

    How to contact UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) for help with your application or immigration account, from inside and outside the UK.

  3. Get your visa, immigration or citizenship documents back

    Get your documents returned if you've made a UK visa, immigration or citizenship application but need them back urgently

  4. South Africa: tuberculosis test clinics for a UK visa

    Where to get tested for tuberculosis (TB) in South Africa for your UK visa application.

Living in South Africa

How to access healthcare, get a document legalised, lists of lawyers and how to vote abroad.

  1. Get your document legalised

    Use the online service to get a UK document legalised.

  2. Living in South Africa

    Information for British citizens moving to or living in South Africa, including guidance on residency, healthcare and driving.

  3. Professional services if you are abroad

    Find English-speaking lawyers, doctors and medical providers, interpreters and translators, and funeral directors overseas.

  4. South Africa travel advice

    Latest FCDO travel advice for South Africa including on entry requirements, safety and security and local laws and customs

  5. South Africa: doctors

    List of medical facilities and practitioners in South Africa.

  6. South Africa: translators

    List of translators and interpreters for British nationals in South Africa.

  7. UK benefits if you’re going or living abroad

    Find out what benefits you might be able to receive while you’re abroad and how to export them from the UK or claim them while abroad

  8. Voting if you move or live abroad

    How to vote if you move or live abroad, including eligibility and registration

Tax, benefits, pensions and working abroad

Includes how to pay tax, claim State Pension and get tax credits abroad.

  1. Claiming benefits if you live, move or travel abroad

    Benefits you can claim if you go abroad and countries with social security arrangements with the UK

  2. Moving or retiring abroad

    What you need to know if you move or retire abroad - tax, pensions, voting and contacting your local council

  3. National Insurance if you work abroad

    Find out if you need to pay National Insurance in the UK or in the country you are visiting when you work abroad

  4. State Pension if you retire abroad

    How to claim State Pension if you're overseas - payment, tax, change of circumstances - contact the International Pension Centre

  5. Tax credits if you leave or move to the UK

    Tax credits if you live abroad, go travelling, are a cross-border worker or subject to immigration control

  6. Tax on foreign income

    Find out whether you need to pay UK tax on foreign income - residence and ‘non-dom’ status, tax returns, claiming relief if you’re taxed twice (including certificates of residence)

  7. Tax on your UK income if you live abroad

    Find out whether you need to pay tax on your UK income while you're living abroad - non-resident landlord scheme, tax returns, claiming relief if you’re taxed twice, personal allowance of tax-free income, form R43

Birth, death and marriage abroad

Includes how to get married, list of funeral directors and how to register a birth abroad.

  1. Getting married abroad

    Requirements, paperwork and processes for weddings and civil partnerships overseas - registration, restrictions, fees

  2. Register a birth abroad

    Parents must register the birth in the country where the child was born - find out if you can also register the birth in the UK.

  3. Surrogacy overseas

    Information for British nationals who are considering entering into surrogacy arrangements in foreign countries.

  4. What to do when someone dies: step by step

    Check what to do after a death - how to register the death, notify government departments and deal with the estate.

  5. When someone dies in South Africa

    Find out about local procedures, burials and cremations, and returning the body to the UK

News and events

Find out about the UK government's diplomatic, security and development work in South Africa.

  1. South Africa and the UK

    Updates, news and events from the UK government in South Africa

Trade and invest

Includes investing and setting up a business in the UK and doing business in South Africa.

  1. Department for Business and Trade South Africa

    DBT provides trade and investment services and practical support. We help UK companies succeed in South Africa, and South African companies set up and invest in the UK.

  2. Overseas business risk for South Africa

    Information on key security and political risks which UK businesses may face when operating in South Africa.

  3. Set up a business

    What you need to do to start a business: choose a legal structure, see if you need licences and insurance, learn about reliefs and benefits

  4. UK Science & Innovation Network in South Africa

  5. UK Science and Innovation Network Country Snapshot – South Africa

    An introductory brief from the UK Science and Innovation Network which covers the local Science and Innovation landscape, UK priorities and successes in South Africa.

British embassy or high commission

Includes contact details, opening hours and consular fees and local services.

  1. British Consulate-General Cape Town

    The British Consulate-General in Cape Town represents the UK government in South Africa.

  2. British High Commission Pretoria

    The British High Commission in South Africa maintains and develops relations between the UK and South Africa.

  3. Notarial and documentary services guide for South Africa

    Information on notarial and documentary services for South Africa, and how to access informative letters relating to these services.

  4. South Africa: consular fees

    List of fees for consular services in South Africa.

  5. Support for British nationals abroad

    This page lists guidance on how you can help yourself stay safe abroad, and the help the Foreign Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) can provide.