Life partnership affidavit

Family & estates

Choose the affidavit that fits your situation. The life partners form describes a noncitizen partner and a partner who is permanently and lawfully resident or has a temporary residence permit. The separate MBU 19 is for a surviving partner describing a permanent life partnership with a person who has died.

Prepare your affidavit

No account needed. Your answers are used for this request. Save to your account only when you choose to.

Do not sign before the commissioner of oaths. Review your statement and sign in their presence. This PDF is not signed or certified.

Official downloads

Open the affidavit by life partnersdirco.gov.za Open the surviving partner affidavit or affirmationwww.justice.gov.za 211300www.gov.za 255820www.gov.za

How to use it

Check each partner’s role The form describes the life partner as a person who is not a South African citizen. The other partner must be permanently and lawfully resident in the Republic, or be an alien with a temporary residence permit. Check that both descriptions fit before completing the form.
Describe the relationship The declaration covers an unmarried partnership intended to be permanent and exclusive. It includes cohabitation and mutual emotional support. It also describes financial support when a partner has the means and the other needs help to maintain financial and social standing without public funds.
Remove wording that does not apply The form provides alternative resident descriptions and oath or solemn affirmation wording. Cross out whichever option does not apply in each place, as instructed by delete whichever is not applicable. Read the remaining declaration before signing.
Sign before the commissioner Sign and swear to the affidavit, or solemnly affirm it, before the Commissioner of Oaths.

Document checklist

Life partner and resident Does the life partner meet the form’s noncitizen description, and does the other partner match a resident description?
Relationship description Does the relationship match the form’s description of an unmarried, permanent and exclusive partnership with cohabitation, emotional support and financial support when needed?
Follow-up declaration If you are preparing a follow-up declaration, can the partners confirm that they remain unmarried and that the partnership continues?
Surviving partner declaration Are you preparing a declaration as a surviving partner about a deceased partner’s permanent life partnership?
Supporting documents Can you attach supporting documents with the surviving partner’s account of mutual support?

Questions & answers

What relationship qualities does the life partners declaration cover?

It describes an unmarried partnership intended to be permanent and exclusive. It includes cohabitation, mutual emotional support and financial support when one partner has the means and the other needs it.

What must the later declaration confirm?

It confirms that the partners remain unmarried and that the partnership continues with the same characteristics. The form gives its timing as within three months after the expiry of a period of two years after the date of this affidavit.

What relationship history should a surviving partner describe?

Cover the relationship length, exclusivity, shared family responsibilities and the partners’ ages. Say whether a ceremony took place and describe its nature and attendees. Include affidavits showing how far friends and family recognized the partners as life partners.

What shared-home details does the surviving partner form cover?

It asks whether the partners shared a home, whether they owned or leased it jointly, and how they shared living expenses and upkeep. It also asks about financial support from one partner to the other.

Which other arrangements should the surviving partner describe?

The form covers medical, pension and related benefits, any partnership agreement and its contents, and provision in the partners’ wills. It also asks whether they had children and whether they associated in public as an intimate couple.

Should documents accompany the surviving partner’s support account?

Yes. Attach supporting documents with the account of the mutual agreement of support.