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Relocation tools

Free tools for planning a move to South Africa

Each tool here starts from a question people tend to ask early on. You get a first answer straight away, with no sign-up. If you want the fuller version, such as the document checklist, your runner-up suburbs or the cost broken down line by line, you can unlock it with your email.

• South Africa visa checker

  Which visa fits my situation?

  You answer a couple of questions about why you're moving and the checker points you to the route that suits you best, whether that's a work, critical skills, spousal, retirement, remote work or business visa. Unlocking it adds the step-by-step process and a checklist of the documents Home Affairs will ask for.

  Open the visa checker

  Read after

  • How to immigrate to South Africa, every route side by side
  • Documents, apostilles and police clearance, the paperwork that takes longest to gather
  • South Africa Remote Work Visa
  • South Africa Critical Skills Visa
  • Permanent residence in South Africa, for when you're thinking further ahead

• Where to live in South Africa quiz

  Which city and suburb suit the way I want to live?

  The quiz covers Cape Town, Johannesburg and Durban. It asks about your lifestyle, budget and household, then names the neighbourhood that fits best. With your email you also see why it fits, typical rents and two runners-up.

  Take the suburb quiz

  Read after

  • Best areas to live in Cape Town
  • Best areas to live in Johannesburg
  • Best areas to live in Durban
  • Cape Town vs Johannesburg for expats, if you're torn between the two
  • Renting property in South Africa as an expat, once you know where you're looking

• Cost to move to South Africa calculator

  How much will the move itself cost, including the first three months?

  Tell it where you're moving from and to, who's coming, what you're shipping and which visa you expect to use. It returns an estimate in rand that takes in visas, flights, shipping, pets, rental deposits and your first three months. Unlocking it itemises every line.

  Open the calculator

  Read after

  • Shipping your belongings to South Africa
  • Importing a car to South Africa, and when buying locally is simpler
  • Moving money to South Africa
  • Cost of living in South Africa, for the months after the move
  • Your first 30 and 90 days in South Africa

Rather read than click?

Moving from Britain? Our guide to moving to South Africa from the UK pulls visas, money, shipping and schools into one page. From anywhere else, start with the complete guide to moving to South Africa or browse all 80+ guides by topic.

Think a tool has given you an answer that's wrong or out of date? Email [email protected], say which tool and what it told you, and we'll check it.