About us

The inner workings of specialist South African immigration attorneys

• Australian Luc Osstyn missed the birth of his first-born in Cape Town.
• And wife Jade van Ryneveld has missed having her husband at her side for seven weeks.
• But finally their separation nightmare may be over.

Craig Smith & Associates are accomplished high profile South African immigration lawyers and the leading authorities on South African visa and permitting applications and immigration enforcement and court-related matters with an unrelenting commitment and passion towards our local and global clients wishing to immigrate to South Africa and remain without legal sanction.

We are the only immigration law firm in South Africa that offers a full spectrum of immigration services wherein our law firm consult and advise on all visa and permitting acquisition, whilst at the same time, has the skills and proven capabilities to personally appear throughout South Africa in both the Magistrate’s and High Courts, whatever the complexity.

We are the leading authorities on the subject of immigration law

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South African immigration laws, and their enforcement by the Department of Home Affairs, have become more complex than ever, riddled with poor decision-making, inconsistency and unacceptable delays by such Department.

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We set the very highest standards of excellence and authority in advising, consulting, preparing and submitting quality assured applications, both in South Africa, and at the various South African consular offices throughout the world.

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We are often invited by television, radio and print media to comment on the latest developments within the field of South African visas, permanent residence permits and groundbreaking immigration litigation against the Department of Home Affairs in South Africa.

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If ever there was a time to ensure that you are on the right side of the law and your visa or permanent residence applications are successful and issued expeditiously, in your endeavor to relocate to South Africa, it is now.

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Very often, when visa or residency applications are delayed or arbitrarily rejected or queried, we intervene to remedy such matters with technical legal interventions in bringing much needed relief to our clients.

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We continue to the shape the immigration laws, as we know them today in South Africa, having successfully litigated against our Department of Home Affairs at the very highest levels including in our Constitutional Court.

Craig Smith

Craig is an admitted attorney since 1997 and the pre-eminent immigration lawyer in South Africa and has specialised in immigration law for sixteen years. He is an expert in visa and permanent residence acquisition, appeals, waivers and acts for corporate and individuals seeking to relocate to South Africa or remain in South Africa.

Craig is the only immigration lawyer to regularly appear personally for his clients in the Magistrates and High Courts throughout South Africa to protect the interests of his clients from delays in outcomes of applications or poor decision-making by the Department of Home Affairs (‘ the Department’). He also acts in matters before the Refuge Appeals Authority on refugee matters and South African citizenship matters.

Maliza Swart

Maliza is an admitted attorney and a specialist immigration lawyer having acted in the immigration field for many years. She is accomplished in visa and permanent residence acquisition and highly adept in presenting the most complete and legally compliant appeals against refusals.

Maliza is a highly experienced and dexterous litigator and engages with the Department leadership in tandem with tenaciously pursuing court litigation to successfully overcome client delays in the visa and permit outcomes and deficient adjudication and poor outcomes.

Maliza has appeared in the Magistrates Court and is equally skilled in refugee and citizenship matters.

Together, both Maliza and Craig make a highly compatible and formidable team and unmatched in the immigration market place.