Free info online
- Cost
- Free
- Structure
- Scattered, often out of date
- Who does the work
- You, unguided
- Written by
- Mixed sources
- Best for
- Background reading
What is tax emigration?
Tax emigration is the process of formally telling SARS that you are no longer a South African tax resident. Since March 2021 it has replaced the old “financial emigration” process administered by the South African Reserve Bank. Once SARS accepts that you’ve stopped being a tax resident, you are generally taxed in South Africa only on South African-sourced income, rather than on your worldwide income.
Curriculum
How to cease tax residency in South Africa, step by step
The course is a sequence of short, practical videos, each one building on the one before, so you always know what comes next, instead of trying to piece it together yourself.
Stage 1
Where you stand
How SARS decides whether you’re a tax resident, when you’re likely to have stopped being one, and whether your affairs are straightforward enough to do this yourself.
Stage 2
Getting ready
The information and documents you’ll need, and getting your SARS eFiling access in order.
Stage 3
Telling SARS
Updating your residency status with SARS (the RAV01 registration details, the SARS form for your taxpayer details) and the declarations involved.
Stage 4
The tax consequences
Your tax return for the year you left, and “exit tax” (deemed disposal) explained in plain terms.
Stage 5
Confirmation
What SARS’s non-resident confirmation looks like, what “done” means, and what to keep on record.
Every acronym is explained as it comes up.
By the end of the course, you’ll:
- understand how SARS decides whether you’re tax resident
- know which steps apply to you, and in what order
- know what information and documents to gather
- understand exit tax in plain terms and how it may apply to you
- recognise if your situation needs professional help
Why a course, rather than free information online?
You can find pieces of this online. But a lot of it is fragmented, out of date or written for someone in a different situation, and with SARS, doing things in the wrong order can end up costing you as much time as getting a number wrong.
The course gives you one structured path to follow, built by a practitioner who works through this exact process for clients every week. Stop guessing, start understanding.
DIY tax emigration or professional help: how they compare
DIYTaxFlix course
- Cost
- £69.99, one-off
- Structure
- Step by step, in order
- Who does the work
- You, with structured guidance
- Written by
- A practising Chartered Accountant
- Best for
- Straightforward affairs
Full professional service
- Cost
- Typically thousands of rand
- Structure
- Done for you
- Who does the work
- A practitioner
- Written by
- Varies by firm
- Best for
- Complex affairs, audits, trusts
Is this course for you?
The course suits South Africans who have emigrated and have straightforward affairs: a salary, a pension, limited investments. If you have complex trusts, several companies, or you’re under a SARS audit, professional support is the better route, and DIYTaxFlix learners have access to SAUK Tax at a preferential rate.
Common questions
Can I really do this myself?
If your affairs are straightforward, yes, and you’d be surprised how many people’s are. The course explains each step and helps you recognise if anything in your situation needs professional input.
How long do I have access?
120 days from purchase, so you can work through it at your own pace.
Is this tax advice?
No. DIYTaxFlix is an educational programme that explains how SARS processes generally work. It isn’t personalised advice for your situation.
More questions? See the full FAQs.