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The short answer
Do things in the order each step unlocks the next: register a SIM under RICA with your passport, open a bank account with your passport and permit, sign a lease (which can double as proof of address), get your SARS tax number through your employer or eFiling, arrange medical cover if your visa needs it, then set up a regular way to send money home. Keep your permit valid throughout, because banks and networks check it.
The first three months in South Africa are full of small, linked tasks. Most of them ask for the same few documents, and some ask for a document you only get from another step. This checklist puts them in an order that avoids going back and forth, with what each official or company page says you need.
Week 1: phone number and essentials
A local number comes first because banks, landlords and employers will text you. Under RICA, every SIM must be registered before it is activated. Cell C's RICA guide lists what is needed:
- Your passport (foreigners use a passport; the guide says to check its expiry date). Copies are not accepted.
- Proof of residential address, such as a bank statement, municipal or electricity account, lease or insurance policy.
- If you have none yet, a certified address from a school, church, community centre or retail store, or an affidavit.
Prepaid is usually the quickest start. A contract can follow once you have a payslip and a bank account; see getting a phone contract as a foreigner.
Weeks 1 to 3: bank account
Your salary, rent and debit orders all need a South African account. Nedbank says its standard accounts are available to people with a valid work or study permit or permanent residence. Expect to show your passport and permit. Under FICA, proof of address has not been a legal requirement since October 2017, according to MJ Kotze Inc.; each bank sets its own list, so ask what it accepts if you are still in temporary accommodation. Full steps: opening a bank account with a Nigerian passport.
Weeks 2 to 6: somewhere to live
Letting agents usually ask for your passport, permit, proof of income and a credit check. Under the Rental Housing Act, your deposit must be kept in an interest-bearing account, and you should do a joint inspection before you move in. A signed lease is also one of the documents commonly accepted as proof of address. See what Johannesburg landlords ask.
Weeks 2 to 8: tax, payroll and UIF
- Give your employer your bank details and passport so payroll can be set up.
- Get a SARS income tax reference number. The steps are in our guide to a SARS tax number for foreign nationals.
- Check your first payslip for a UIF deduction. The Department of Employment and Labour says workers who work 24 hours or more a month contribute 1%, matched by the employer, and that contributing foreign nationals qualify for benefits.
Weeks 4 to 12: medical cover and a budget
If you are on a study visa, medical cover from a scheme registered under the Medical Schemes Act is part of the visa requirements published by South Africa's embassy in Washington (updated April 2026). Other visa holders should still price cover before the first emergency.
Worked example: first-month cash
Example only, with round figures.
| Item | Example |
|---|---|
| Rental deposit (one month) | R8,500 |
| First month's rent | R8,500 |
| Prepaid SIM and data | R300 |
| Transport for the month | R1,500 |
| Groceries for the month | R3,000 |
| Total | R21,800 |
Medical cover premiums come on top. If the first salary arrives at the end of the month, all of this is paid from savings you bring.
Documents to keep in one folder
- Passport and permit, with a note of the permit expiry date in your calendar three months ahead.
- Signed lease and move-in inspection list.
- Employment contract, first payslips and your SARS reference number.
- Bank letter with your account details, which employers and medical schemes ask for.
- Medical cover certificate, if you have one.
Ongoing: sending money home
Once salary is flowing, decide how much goes home each month and on which date. Compare the transfer fee, the exchange rate against the mid-market rate, speed and payout method for each option on the day you send. Our guide to the rand to naira margin explains how to read the cost.
Mistakes that cost new arrivals
- Paying a deposit before seeing the flat or the lease, which is how rental scams work.
- Letting a permit expire while waiting for an appointment, which can freeze a new bank account.
- Converting all your savings into rand on arrival instead of as you need it.
- Skipping the move-in inspection, which weakens your claim to the deposit later.
Where Pryme fits
A Pryme account can be opened from South Africa and holds NGN, USD, GBP and EUR, so you can keep a naira balance for family and send money to Nigerian accounts. The app shows the rate and the fee before you approve. Savings Boxes and Loans on Spaces are naira products for use in Nigeria.
Questions people ask
What should I do first when I move to South Africa?
Get a SIM registered under RICA with your passport, then open a bank account with your passport and permit.
Do I need proof of address to open a bank account in South Africa?
FICA no longer requires it by law, according to MJ Kotze Inc., but banks set their own lists. Ask what yours accepts.
Can I RICA a SIM with a Nigerian passport?
Yes. Cell C's guide says foreigners use a passport and should check its expiry date.
Does UIF apply to foreigners?
Yes. The Department of Employment and Labour says contributing foreign nationals qualify.
Sources
- Cell C: RICA registration requirements · accessed Oct 2026
- Nedbank: Banking for non-South Africans living in SA · accessed Oct 2026
- MJ Kotze Inc: FICA proof of address (12 Jun 2026) · accessed Oct 2026
- Rental Housing Act 50 of 1999 (gov.za) · accessed Oct 2026
- Department of Employment and Labour: Know your UIF rights and obligations · accessed Oct 2026
- Embassy of South Africa, Washington DC: Study visa requirements (updated 2 Apr 2026) · accessed Oct 2026
This article is general information, not financial, legal or tax advice. Products described are provided under the terms on this site and are subject to regulation and eligibility.