Family, marriage and partnerships

If an unemployed person who is not financially independent wishes to move to South Africa where they have relatives, they must submit an affidavit from said relatives confirming that they will provide for the applicant's livelihood and accommodation (including the cost of the initial journey). The authorities also require a bank guarantee to ensure that any return travel costs will also be covered. Spouses or life partners of permanent residence permit-holders are granted a residence permit provided the marriage or partnership has lasted for at least five years.

Dieser Typus der Aufenthaltsbewilligung wird in der Regel höchstens bis zu 3 Jahren erstattet und die Verlängerung sollte 60 Tage vor dem Ablauf der Bewilligung über die Webseite der Ausländerbehörde beantragt werden. Sollten die anderen Bedingungen, die in der Verordnung Nr. 29656 vom 17.03.2016 aufgeführt sind, erfüllt sein, kann ab dem 8. Jahr des Aufenthalts in der Türkei eine dauerhafte Aufenthaltsbewilligung beantragt werden.

Marriages contracted abroad or registered partnerships under civil law are recognised in Switzerland and must be registered with the Swiss civil status authorities. Swiss nationals who get married abroad are required to register their marriage with the competent Swiss representation abroad. The representation translates and authenticates the marriage certificate and forwards it to the civil status authority in Switzerland free of charge. In exceptional cases, you can also notify your cantonal civil status authority, which will forward the marriage certificate and related documents to the representation abroad for translation and authentication. In this case you will be required to pay a fee.

You are advised to consult the relevant Swiss representation before your marriage regarding the rules you need to comply with so that the marriage can be recognised in Switzerland and entered in the civil status register as soon as possible.

South Africa was the first country to prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation in its constitution. On 1 December 2006, it made history by becoming the fifth country in the world and the first in Africa to allow same-sex partners to marry and to introduce registered partnerships for unmarried same-sex and opposite-sex couples as a legal institution.