How much does a South African visa extension cost in 2026?
Extending a South African visa costs far less than most people fear. The government’s own fee is just R580. Everything above that is the price of help with the paperwork — which ranges from nothing, if you do it yourself, to R30,000 if you hire a lawyer.
The short answer
There are two separate costs to keep apart in your head. First, the government fee you pay to VFS Global — this is fixed at R580 and everyone pays it. Second, the cost of preparing the application, which is entirely up to you: do it yourself for free, use a preparation service for around R3,500, or hire an immigration lawyer for R18,000 or more.
The work involved is the same in every case. What changes is who does it, and how much certainty you’re buying.
The government fees (R580)
These are charged by VFS Global, who collect applications on behalf of the Department of Home Affairs. They are not optional, and no preparation service should ever include them in their own price — you pay them directly at your appointment.
| Fee | Amount | Paid to |
|---|---|---|
| VFS application fee | R425 | VFS, at appointment |
| VFS service fee | R155 | VFS, at appointment |
| Total government cost | R580 | — |
What immigration lawyers charge
For a routine visitor’s visa extension, immigration lawyers in South Africa typically quote between R18,000 and R30,000. That is not because the application is legally complex — it usually isn’t — but because you’re paying professional rates for someone to gather your documents, complete the forms, and reassure you it’s correct.
For genuinely complicated cases — an overstay, a prior refusal, an appeal — that fee is money well spent. For a clean extension, it’s a lot to pay for careful paperwork. We cover this in detail in do I need a lawyer to extend my visa?
The real comparison
Here’s the same routine extension priced three ways. The government fee is identical in every column.
| Lawyer | Fully DIY | VisaExtension.co.za | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Preparation | R18,000–R30,000 | R0 | R3,500 |
| Government fee | R580 | R580 | R580 |
| Total | R18,580–R30,580 | R580 | R4,080 |
Fully DIY is the cheapest, and plenty of people do it successfully. The risk is the cost of an avoidable rejection when your visa is close to expiry. A preparation service is the middle path: near-DIY cost, with the documents checked and the forms completed properly.
Skip the R20,000. Keep the certainty.
We prepare your full VFS application for R3,500 — you review it and apply in person.
Frequently asked questions
What is the government fee for a South African visa extension?
R580 in total — a R425 application fee plus a R155 VFS service fee — paid directly to VFS Global at your appointment.
Are there any hidden fees with VisaExtension.co.za?
No. Our R3,500 is the all-in price for preparing your application. The only other cost is the R580 government fee, which you pay directly to VFS.
Does each family member pay separately?
Yes. Each applicant has their own R580 government fee and their own preparation fee, although we prepare families together in one account.