Chris Watters Attorneys - Immigration Specialists (Bedfordview)

We specialise in Immigration Law in its various dimensions. The firm does not accept any other instructions. We handle all work, business and other temporary residence pemit applications whether to be lodged in Johannesburg or at any other centre or Embassy.

We also handle all permanent residence applications. We deal with all internal Departmental appeals and disputes around prohibitions, declarations of undesirability and deportations. In addition we accept instructions on disputes around nationality or refugee law and/or extradition issues.  To date we have three reported judgments from the Constitutional Court on immigration and refugee law.

Chris Watters has been practising in the fields of administrative law and human rights since 1985. He is a member of the Immigration and Refugee Law Committees of both the Law Society of the Northern Provinces and of the Law Society of South Africa. He was a member of the Immigration Advisory Board from 2003 until resigning in 2005.

In April 2015, he was recently appointed by the Minister of Home Affairs to sit on a panel of experts to advise the Minister on possible revisions of South Africa's current visa systems and processes.

He regularly does training for attorneys' bodies on immigration and refugee law. He also writes regularly on the subject. Mr. Watters is also a member of the SA law Reform Commission's task team on the revision of South Africa's immigration laws.

Mr. Watters is the only South African attorney who is a member of the international Alliance of Business Immigration Lawyers (www.abil.com) an association of corporate immigration lawyers around the world (based on peer nomination) which gives our clients access to specialist immigration lawyers in all the major destinations for advice on emigration from South Africa and related advice.

Who's Who: Corporate Immigration Law has listed Chris Watters since 2010.  In 2015 that publication listed him as the third most "highly regarded" immigration lawyer in Africa and the Middle East - the first two lawyers being from countries in the Middle East.

Legal Services

Immigration Services
We exclusively practise immigration law, assisting foreign nationals, families, and employers with identifying, assembling, and submitting the correct temporary or permanent residence applications. We also guide foreign companies on South African immigration compliance. While we do not handle matters like tax or corporate registrations, we provide trusted referrals to reputable firms. Additionally, we offer robust defence for clients facing enforcement issues, such as deportation threats or permit disputes with the Department of Home Affairs.

Moving to South Africa
(Note: This overview does not constitute formal legal advice). Relocating to South Africa requires strict adherence to the Department of Home Affairs' regulations, which are currently undergoing legislative changes. Temporary Residence Permits (TRPs) cater to short-term (up to 3 months) and long-term (up to 5 years) stays. Due to severe domestic processing delays, we recommend submitting TRP applications at a South African Embassy abroad. If an application is rejected, an internal appeal process is available. Finally, we strongly advise securing your permit before shipping household goods to avoid costly customs complications.

Emigrating From South Africa
While our primary focus is inward immigration, we also assist clients relocating abroad. Emigrating from South Africa does not require Home Affairs approval—only a SARS tax clearance for transferring blocked funds. Because navigating your destination country's immigration laws can be highly complex, we leverage our unique position as the only South African member of the Association of Business Immigration Lawyers. This allows us to connect emigrating clients with reputable legal experts globally while providing necessary local support.

Refugee Status Services
South Africa offers protection to individuals fleeing persecution under international conventions. Asylum seekers must declare their status upon arrival at a port of entry to receive a transit permit (currently valid for 14 days, but soon reducing to 5). This allows them time to report to a Refugee Reception Office in Pretoria, Cape Town, or Durban to secure an asylum seeker permit. However, prospective applicants should be aware of the challenging current climate; government departments are strained by high application volumes, and xenophobia remains a practical concern.

LPC Firm Number: 2980