The Department of Home Affairs has made certain minor changes to the application process for Spousal Visas and Life Partner Visas. The changes are the following:

1. Previously only the foreign applicant was required to attend the visa submission appointment. This has now changed and both the South African spouse as well as the foreign applicant must attend the appointment and be present when the visa application is submitted.
2. A Spousal Declaration Form must now be signed by the VFS Official at the time of the submission of the application. The form attests that both the South African spouse and the foreign applicant were present at the VFS Centre and that both of them signed the form as well at the time of the submission of the application.
3. Both the South African spouse and the foreign application must provide 2 passport sized photos which are attached to the above form.

The applications that are relevant to the above changes are Relatives (Spousal and Life Partner) Visa applications, Section 11 (6) applications and Permanent Residence applications that are based on a Spousal Relationship.