South Africa has extended the temporary concession for foreign nationals who are currently awaiting the outcome of visa, waiver and appeal applications. The temporary concession applies only to foreign nationals who have been legally admitted into South Africa. This concession is only applicable to applicants who have submitted their applications via VFS Global and who can produce a verifiable receipt for such applications against the VFS Global tracking system.
Here are the temporary measures the South African government has introduced with immediate effect for foreign nationals who are currently awaiting the outcome of visa, waiver and appeal applications.
Applicants whose waiver application outcomes are pending
Visa holders who have applied for a waiver and the waiver application is still pending as at June 30, 2024, are granted a further temporary extension until 31 December 2024 to enable the Department to process the applications, for applicants to collect their outcomes, and to submit applications for appropriate visas.
Those who wish to abandon their waiver applications and depart from South Africa, will be allowed to exit at a port of entry before or on 31 December 2024.
Visa holders who need to travel, but are awaiting the outcome of a waiver application, will be allowed to exit and re-enter at a port of entry up to and including 31 December 2024. However, non-visa exempt applicants who travel out of the country with a waiver application receipt are required to apply for a port of entry visa which would allow them re-entry into South Africa.
Applicants whose visa applications are pending
Visa holders who have applied for long-term visas (Visitor Visas, Business Visas, Study Visas, Relative Visas, and Work Visas) and whose applications are still pending as of June 30, 2024, are granted an additional temporary extension of their present visa status until December 31, 2024. Those who decide to abandon their visa applications will be allowed to leave at a port of entry before or on December 31, 2024.
Visa holders who need to travel, but are awaiting the outcome of a long-term visa application, will be allowed to exit and re-enter at a port of entry up to and including 31 December 2024. However, non-visa exempt applicants who travel out of the country with a long-term visa application receipt, are required to apply for a port of entry visa which would allow them re-entry into South Africa.
Applicants whose visa appeal applications are pending
Visa holders who have appealed a negative decision on an application for long-term visa (Visitor’s Visas, Business Visas, Study Visas, Relative’s Visas and Work Visas) are granted a temporary extension until 31 December 2024 of the current visa status. However, those who wish to abandon their visa appeal applications and depart from South Africa, will be allowed to exit at a port of entry before or on 31 December 2024.
Visa appeal applicants who need to travel, but are awaiting the outcome of an appeal application for a long-term visa, will be allowed to exit and re-enter at a port of entry up to and including 31 December 2024.
People applying for appeal must bring a copy of their rejected letter and a receipt for their appeal when they leave and return to South Africa. Those with appeal applications and visas exempt from needing a visa can leave with their receipt but must get a visa to re-enter South Africa.
Short-term visa holders
Short term visa holders issued for 90 days or less, who have applied for a renewal, but have not received their visa renewal outcome, must make the necessary arrangements to depart from South Africa within 90 calendar days from the date of expiry of the principal visa, to avoid being declared undesirable.
South African Government
The extension protects foreign applicants, including those with scarce skills, from adverse consequences or incorrect dismissal while waiting for Department application results. The Department of Home Affairs is working to reduce backlogs in visa and permit categories, causing delays in processing some applications. The South African government has taken measures to protect applicants while the backlog is reduced.
The decision to avert adverse consequences for applicants who seek to obtain lawful visas in order to contribute to South Africa, either through their skills or as tourists, signals the government’s commitment to improving the visa system to make South Africa a more attractive destination for international investment, tourism and job creation.
In an official communication, the Department notes that it is committed to eliminating the backlog and will inform any further concession extension, modification, or amendment in writing before the new expiry date of 31 December 2024.