South Africa · 2 rules · 2 calculators
How many days can you spend in South Africa?
It depends on what you’re counting. For tax, the physical presence test makes you resident with more than 91 days in South Africa this tax year and in each of the five before, and more than 915 in total over those five; tax years run from 1 March. Permanent residence can be withdrawn after more than 3 years away.
Tax residency
Tax residency in South Africa: 91 days, 915 in five years
How many days can you spend in South Africa before you’re tax resident? 91 or fewer in any one of the six tax years keeps you clear of the physical presence test — and so do 915 or fewer over the five before. Being ordinarily resident makes you resident whatever the days.
Residence permits
Living in South Africa: 3 years away with permanent residence
Coming back and staying interrupts the absence, and years abroad working for the state or a South African employer don’t count.
Day calculators for South Africa
South Africa: questions and answers.
How many days a year can I stay in South Africa without tax residency?
No single number does it: the physical presence test needs more than 91 days in each of six tax years and more than 915 over the five before. At 91 or fewer in any one year, the test isn’t met.
When does the South African tax year start?
On 1 March: each tax year runs from 1 March to the end of February.
Can I keep South African permanent residence while living abroad?
For up to 3 years absent: past that, Home Affairs may withdraw it. Coming back and staying interrupts the absence.
How many days can you spend in South Africa? FlySee counts them for you.
Track days in every country and know the date you can stay until.
- Logs every day you’re in South Africa and abroad, automatically, and rebuilds past years from your photos
- Shows your days in South Africa for any period — set it to a tax year from 1 March
- Exports your days by country as PDF, Excel or CSV for your tax practitioner
- Free to download
- free trial
- no account
Did we miss a rule for South Africa?
Write to us with the rule you need, and we’ll add it.
Sources
FlySee counts days; it doesn’t give tax advice. Whether you’re resident is for you and your adviser.
FlySee counts days; it doesn’t give immigration advice. Whether you qualify is for you and your adviser.