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Moving to South Africa from the UK: The 2026 Guide

By The Expat Club · Updated July 2026

Every year, more Britons move to South Africa — some drawn back by family roots, others simply chasing sunshine, space and a currency that stretches further. Here is what the move actually involves, from visas to shipping to that first stressful week of admin.

Why so many Brits are choosing South Africa right now

The UK has long been one of the largest single sources of foreign nationals relocating to South Africa, and the flow has picked up noticeably over the past few years. Some of this is what locals call "semigration" — South African-born Brits moving back, often with a British passport and a British-raised family in tow. Some of it is British-born professionals drawn by remote work, a lower cost of living, and a lifestyle that a London salary can no longer buy at home.

Cape Town is the clear favourite, particularly the southern suburbs, the Atlantic seaboard and the winelands commuter towns, but Durban's coastal suburbs and parts of Johannesburg and Pretoria attract plenty of UK arrivals too, especially those with jobs already lined up.

Worth knowing: South Africa allows dual citizenship with the UK, but if you hold South African citizenship by birth or descent and plan to take up another nationality, or vice versa, check the retention-of-citizenship rules before you travel — they trip people up more often than the visa process does.

Visa routes from the UK

There is no "UK expat visa" — you apply under the same categories as any other foreign national, through the South African embassy or consulate in the UK, or via VFS Global. The main routes worth knowing about:

• Remote Work Visa (Digital Nomad): for people employed by or contracted to a company outside South Africa, earning at least roughly R650,976 a year (about US$37,500) in foreign income. Valid for up to three years and one of the more accessible options for remote-working professionals.
• Critical Skills Visa: for occupations on South Africa's critical skills list — engineering, IT, finance and several other fields. Requires a relevant qualification and, in most cases, professional body registration.
• General Work Visa: tied to a specific job offer from a South African employer, who typically needs to show the role could not reasonably be filled locally.
• Retired Person's Visa: for those with a guaranteed income (pension, annuity or investment income) of roughly R37,000 a month or more. Popular with British retirees settling on the coast.
• Spousal or Life Partner Visa: for those married to, or in a long-term relationship with, a South African citizen or permanent resident.

Processing times vary a great deal by category and by which VFS office you use, so build in several months of buffer rather than booking a one-way flight against a visa that is still "in process."

What it costs to live there

For anyone earning or holding savings in pounds, South Africa is genuinely affordable. With the rand trading in the region of R23 to the pound, a British income goes a long way — rent, groceries, eating out and domestic help are all a fraction of UK prices, though imported goods, electronics and some insurance products cost more than you might expect. Private healthcare and good schooling are excellent by international standards but not free, so factor medical aid and school fees into your budget from day one rather than treating them as an afterthought.

Housing

Renting before you buy is the standard advice, and good advice — it lets you test a neighbourhood through a full season before committing. Most UK arrivals rent for six to twelve months in Cape Town's southern suburbs or Atlantic seaboard, or Durban's Umhlanga and Ballito areas, before deciding whether to buy.

The practical move: shipping, pets and paperwork

A full household shipment from the UK typically takes six to ten weeks by sea, and most people ship only what they truly want to keep, since furniture and appliances are readily available locally and shipping is not cheap. Pets can travel too, but the process — import permits, microchipping, rabies titre tests and quarantine timing — needs to start two to four months before you fly, not two to four weeks.

Once you land, a handful of admin tasks tend to define the first month: registering for a South African tax number if you'll be earning locally, opening a bank account, getting a RICA-registered SIM card (South African law requires SIM registration with proof of ID and address), applying for a driving licence conversion or at minimum carrying a valid International Driving Permit alongside your UK licence, and — outside the major fibre-connected suburbs — planning for occasional power interruptions, known locally as load-shedding. It has improved substantially in recent years, but most households still keep some form of backup power.

Money and exchange control

South Africa operates exchange controls administered by the South African Reserve Bank (SARB), which mainly affects how you move money in and out of the country long-term. It's worth keeping a clear paper trail of funds you bring in from the UK — the amount, the date and the source — since this record can matter if you ever want to repatriate the money later. For anything beyond routine transfers, a specialist forex provider will usually beat a high-street bank on both rate and guidance.

Driving, schools and settling in

UK licence holders can drive on a valid UK licence for a limited period after arrival, but an International Driving Permit alongside it is strongly recommended, and conversion to a South African licence becomes necessary for permanent residents. Traffic drives on the left, as in the UK, which is one small mercy in an otherwise unfamiliar system.

Schooling is a major draw for UK families — South Africa has a strong network of private and international schools, particularly in Cape Town, and fees are typically well below UK independent school levels for a comparable standard of education. Waiting lists at the most popular schools can still run a year or more, so it pays to start enquiries before you've even booked your flights.

Common early mistake: underestimating how much local knowledge matters for the first six months — which suburb suits your commute, which schools have space, which bank branch will actually process a non-resident account without three trips back. A short scouting visit before the move saves most people far more time than it costs.

Is it the right move?

Moving to South Africa from the UK suits people who want more space, more sun and a materially lower cost of living, and who are comfortable navigating a country with real infrastructure quirks alongside its considerable charms. It is not a decision to make on a two-week holiday impression — the practicalities of visas, safety-conscious neighbourhood choice, and healthcare planning all deserve proper research. Done with a realistic view of both the upside and the friction, it is a move a great many Brits do not regret.

Frequently asked questions

General information only, not immigration/tax/legal/financial advice — confirm current rules and consult a qualified professional.