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    Visa Guide · 🇿🇦 South Africa

    South Africa Retired-Person Visa from Bangladesh

    Long Term Visa for financially eligible applicants intending to retire in South Africa.

    Last Updated: 30 August 2026

    The South Africa Retired-Person Visa is a Long Term Visa for Bangladeshi nationals and eligible residents who intend to retire in South Africa and can demonstrate the prescribed financial means. Current official guidance requires at least R37,000 per month from a pension fund, irrevocable retirement annuity or retirement account, or from a net worth or combination of assets that generates the required monthly income.

    A Retired-Person Visa may be issued for up to four years at a time and may be renewed, subject to the applicable requirements and visa decision. Applications from Bangladesh are handled by the South African High Commission in New Delhi and must be submitted through VFS Global New Delhi. 

    Document Checklist

    1. Passport (Original): Original passport valid for at least 30 days after the intended date of departure from South Africa, with at least two unused/blank visa pages. Submit the current passport together with the required copies.
    2. Previous Passport(s) & Travel History: Full clear copies of previous passports, including relevant visa and immigration pages, where available. Travel history should be disclosed consistently with the application and supporting records.
    3. Photograph (South Africa Visa Format): Provide 2 recent colour passport photographs, 35mm x 45mm, taken within the last 30 days against a plain white background and meeting the current South Africa VFS photo specifications.
    4. DHA-1738 Visa Application Form: Fully completed Form DHA-1738 in black ink and block letters, signed by the applicant with details consistent with the passport and supporting documents.
    5. Cover Letter: Applicant’s signed letter explaining the intention to retire in South Africa, intended period of stay, accommodation or residence arrangements, financial basis and relevant supporting circumstances. It should clearly state the applicant’s home address and contact details.
    6. Personal Bank Statements: Recently bank-certified personal bank statements for the last 6 months showing the applicant’s available funds and supporting the declared retirement-income or asset arrangements.
    7. Pension / Retirement Annuity Evidence: Where relying on a pension fund, irrevocable retirement annuity or retirement account, provide official statements or letters confirming the source and the recurring amount payable to the applicant.
    8. Net Worth / Income-Producing Asset Evidence: Where relying on net worth or a combination of assets, provide credible evidence showing that the assets generate the required recurring monthly income, such as investment, rental, dividend or interest records where applicable.
    9. Retired-Person Financial Threshold: Evidence should demonstrate the current prescribed benchmark of at least R37,000 per month from the qualifying retirement-income source or income generated by the applicant’s net worth or combination of assets.
    10. Proof of Medical Cover: Provide evidence of medical cover for the intended period in South Africa in accordance with the current Retired-Person Visa requirement and applicable policy.
    11. Police Clearance Certificate: Applicants aged 18 or over should provide police clearance certificates for the countries required under the current Relative Visa requirements, including countries where the applicant has resided for 12 months or longer since turning 18.
    12. Marriage / Relationship Evidence: Provide the marriage certificate or other legally recognised relationship evidence where relevant to the applicant’s family circumstances or accompanying spouse.
    13. Other Civil Status Documents: Provide divorce decrees, death certificates, legal separation orders, parental-responsibility or custody orders, and other civil-status records where these are relevant to the application.
    14. Dependent Spouse / Children Documents: Where a spouse or dependent child will accompany the Retired-Person Visa holder, provide the relevant relationship and supporting records for the appropriate visa application applicable to that family member.
    15. Proof of Legal Residence in Bangladesh (where applicable): Applicants who are not Bangladeshi nationals should provide evidence of lawful residence in Bangladesh.
    16. Medical Report: Submit the prescribed medical report in original. The medical report should reflect the applicant’s general state of health and meet the current validity requirements. 

    Process Roadmap

    Step 1

    Choose the Financial Qualification Basis

    Confirm whether the application will rely on pension or retirement income, an irrevocable annuity or retirement account, or income generated by qualifying net worth and assets.

    Step 2

    Complete DHA-1738 Consistently

    Complete DHA-1738 in black ink and make sure the intended stay, personal details, financial information and family circumstances match the supporting records.

    Step 3

    Build the R37,000 Monthly Income Evidence

    Collect the official pension, annuity, retirement-account, investment, rental, dividend or other records needed to demonstrate the prescribed recurring monthly income.

    Step 4

    Prepare Long-Term Supporting Records

    Arrange the bank statements, medical-cover evidence, police clearances, civil-status documents and residence records relevant to the applicant.

    Step 5

    Organise the New Delhi Submission

    Prepare the originals, copies and category-specific documents for lodging through VFS Global New Delhi under the South African High Commission.

    Step 6

    Lodge the Application & Pay Charges

    A prior appointment is currently not required. Submit the complete file at VFS New Delhi and pay the applicable visa and VFS charges through the prescribed process.

    Step 7

    Track the Case & Review Visa Conditions

    Follow available VFS updates and, after passport return, check the approved validity, entries and conditions before finalising long-term relocation arrangements.

    Common Rejection Pitfalls

    The R37,000 monthly threshold is not clearly demonstrated

    How UnivEase helps

    We help identify the pension, annuity, retirement-account or asset-income evidence needed to support the prescribed financial requirement.

    Assets are shown but recurring income is unclear

    How UnivEase helps

    We help organise the supporting records so the income generated by investments, rentals or other assets is presented clearly and consistently.

    Financial records do not align

    How UnivEase helps

    We help cross-check bank statements, pension letters and supporting income records so the declared financial position is coherent across the file.

    Long-term supporting records are incomplete

    How UnivEase helps

    We provide checklist-based guidance on DHA-1738, medical cover, police clearance, civil-status documents and New Delhi submission requirements.

    VFS & Embassy

    Embassy

    South African High Commission, New Delhi
    Address: B-18 Vasant Marg, Vasant Vihar, New Delhi 110057, India.
    Telephone: +91-11-2614 9411-14
    Immigration Queries: Infoza.india@vfshelpline.com
    Website: Click Here
    Working Hours: Monday to Thursday, 08:30-17:00; Friday, 08:30-14:15.
    Consular & Immigration Section: Monday to Friday, 08:30-12:30. 

    Visa Application Centre

    South Africa Visa Application Centre, New Delhi
    Address: Shivaji Stadium Metro Station, Mezzanine Level, Baba Kharak Singh Marg, Connaught Place, New Delhi 110001, India.
    Helpline: 02267866066 (Monday to Friday, 08:00-17:00)
    Website: Click Here
    Submission Hours: Monday to Friday, 09:00-16:00. 

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Plan your South Africa Retired-Person Visa around a sustainable and clearly evidenced financial basis.

    Get clear guidance on DHA-1738, retirement-income evidence, the R37,000 monthly requirement, supporting documents, fees, VFS New Delhi submission and passport-return steps before you apply.

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