I am scottish and want to move to south africa to be with my partner

Hi lynseylou21 and welcome to Expat.com!

I invite you to browse through the articles in our participative guide, it may help.
Here is the link > https://www.expat.com/en/guide/africa/south-africa/.

All the best,
Harmonie.

Hi.
I would recommend you to read through old posts on the forum, we have covered this subject a lot.

Getting a visa can be quite difficult, maybe you should contact the S.A. consulate in Scotland and enquire about your options, if you want the LPP (Life Partner Permit) you and your partner need to show proof that you reside on the same address, that you have shared financial responsibilities and there must be 4 (S.A.) friends/co workers/ neighbours/somebody else that will vouch for your relationship.
Reading your post I think that will be difficult for you to obtain.
Getting a work permit is also very difficult, you must get the permit “sponsored” by a company that must prove that you have unique skills that are needed in the specific job that a S.A. cannot fulfil, the company also needs to prove that they have advertised locally for suitable candidates but found non. Not a lot of companies are willing to go through that whole process. However some call centres are maybe you should see if you can get employment in one of those, check gumtree.co.za
Maybe you should consider applying for a student visa, and then study while here, that is “easier” to get than work permit and LPP or you could consider applying for a volunteer visa, allowing you to work as a volunteer but not earn any money.
BTW you are not allowed to apply for a LPP or work permit if you entered S.A. on a holiday visa, then you will have to go back home and enter S.A. on the work permit or LPP.

I have been through all of this, first time I came to S.A. I was here on a holiday visa, that I extended 3 times. Then I went here on a volunteer visa, then on a 3 year student visa, and I am now waiting for my LPP, (waiting for more than 6 months that is)
A little piece of advise, you must have lots of patience, it does not help to be desperate, I know you miss your partner and it is hard to be apart, but it is a very long, complicated and expensive process, you must have money enough to support yourself and fly back and forward.

Have you been to S.A. before, I am just asking because it is a very different country than Europe, maybe you should come on holiday first and see if you like it before planning to move here.

If you have any questions please do not hesitate to ask them.

Good Luck with everything.
Sarah
     
Ps. Cape Town is the most wonderful city in the world:-)