Lesotho special permit

Overview

The special dispensation is for Lesotho nationals who are working, studying or running businesses in The Republic of South Africa and have been in the country in such capacity before 30 September 2015

The Lesotho Special Permit (LSP) is a permit issued by the Department of Home Affairs, South Africa.

Lesotho Citizens that would like to remain in South Africa can apply for the newly introduced Lesotho Special Permit (LSP). The LSP will only be issued to those Lesotho Citizens who currently are registered in the National Population Register of Lesotho..

The LSP will be valid till 31 December 2019

Those applicants who may have fraudulently obtained South African documents need to surrender them to the designated DHA office and obtain an amnesty letter. The amnesty is until 31 December 2016.

Below is the List of DHA offices where documents can be surrendered:

  1. Limpopo: Polokwane
  2. North West: Rustenburg and Klerksdorp
  3. Western Cape: Cape Town large office
  4. Mpumalanga: Nelspruit
  5. Gauteng: Johannesburg Large office and Pretoria (Tirro)
  6. Eastern Cape: Mthata and East London
  7. Free State: Bloemfontein, Maseru border post Ficksburg border post, Welkom and Bethlehem
  8. KwaZulu Natal: Ethekhwini, New Castle and Kokstad
  9. Northern Cape: Kimberley

Fees

The fees are mentioned below

A fixed service fee of R900 for every applicant

A biometric clearance fee of R70 (Applicable to all who are 18 years and above)

  • All adults (18years and over) will pay a total of R970
  • All minors (below 18years of age) will pay a total of R900

Fees are non-refundable once the application is received by VFS Global and Department of Home Affairs.

Please click here to read the terms and conditions of payment

Documents Required

  • Applicants are requested to get original documents for verification while submitting photocopies for the permit
  • If you have completed the online form and taken an appointment through the website then you need to carry the duly completed and signed online form with you to the center. Handwritten forms will not be accepted by Department of Home Affairs.
  • Copy of valid Lesotho passport *Original Lesotho Passport is required while submitting the application for verification. If applicant does not have a Lesotho Passport at the time of submission then applicant must submit the Lesotho Passport before 31 March 2017. If the Lesotho Passport is not submitted then the Lesotho Special Permit application will not be processed
  • A copy of the Lesotho Birth Certificate or the Lesotho ID Card. (All applicants need to be registered on the National Population Register of Leostho before applying for the Lesotho Special Permit) If applicant does not have a Lesotho ID at the time of submission then applicant must complete the Lesotho ID Process before 31 March 2017. If the Lesotho ID Process is not completed then the Lesotho Special Permit application will not be processed
  • Print out of Online Payment Reciept or Original Bank payment receipt for each applicant (if a cash deposit prepayment is done in our Standard Bank account)
  • Letter of your Appointment to submit at the VFS centre
  • As per the permit category you apply for below documents will be required
LSP PERMIT CATEGORY APPLYING FOR REQUIREMENTS
Work Letter of employment from employer on their company letterhead (if applicable) and certified true by a Commissioner of Oaths (Police Station, Bank, Post Office)
Own Business Copy of Business Registration Document
Study Copy of Institution of Learning Admission Letter on their letterhead and stamp

  • * It is recommended that the passport be valid for a period of more than four years. If the validity period of the passport or the travel document is less than four years, the holder will bear the cost of the replacement of both the passport and the LSP into the new passport
  • Those applicants who may have fraudulently obtained South African documents need to surrender them to the designated DHA office and obtain an amnesty letter. The amnesty is until 31 December 2016.

Below is the List of DHA offices where documents can be surrendered:

  1. Limpopo: Polokwane
  2. North West: Rustenburg and Klerksdorp
  3. Western Cape: Cape Town large office
  4. Mpumalanga: Nelspruit
  5. Gauteng: Johannesburg Large office and Pretoria (Tirro)
  6. Eastern Cape: Mthata and East London
  7. Free State: Bloemfontein, Maseru border post Ficksburg border post, Welkom and Bethlehem
  8. KwaZulu Natal: Ethekhwini, New Castle and Kokstad
  9. Northern Cape: Kimberley

Processing Time

All applications accepted at the Application Centre will have an average processing time of 8 weeks (approximate timeline) for the decision to be returned from Department of Home Affairs. You can track your application online on VFS Global website to determine status of your application.

ONLINE Forms

Please click here to proceed with the online process if you are applying for the first time.

If you have already registered previously and have your login details please click here.