Home Affairs Minister, Dr Leon Schreiber, once again, extended the blanket waiver to applicants who are currently awaiting the outcomes of their submitted long-term visa, appeal or waiver applications.
Applicants who submitted their long-term visa, waiver or appeal applications prior to 18 December 2024, are now covered until 31 March 2025. This means applicants may travel, if required, from South Africa between now until 31 March 2025 on expired visas without being declared undesirable. They will be required, however, to present their original VFS receipts upon their departure from and entry into South Africa. Visa exempt nationals may simply enter South Africa again on their usual 30-90 day visas to collect the outcomes of their visa applications. However, unfortunately for nationals from visa-restricted countries, this is not the case. They must apply for and obtain a port of entry visa in order to be re-admitted into South Africa.
Appeal applicants, if travelling, are required to produce a copy of the rejection letter, together with their original VFS receipt as proof that the appeal application was submitted legally at the VFS office.
Holders of short-term visas (tourist visas) for 90 days or less, since 01 October 2024, are also covered under the blanket extension of 90 days up to and including 31 March 2025 - provided that the cumulative duration of stay from the date of initial entry until the date of leaving South Africa does not exceed 180 days. These tourist visa holders must be allowed to leave South Africa and re-enter up to and including 31 March 2025 without being declared undesirable by immigration or border control.
To reiterate - applicants are not allowed to engage in any activity other than what is stipulated on the current visas.
It is important to note that this blanket waiver ONLY covers applicants who submitted their visa, appeal and waiver applications within South Africa prior to 30 November 2024 and who have been legally admitted into the country.
Please feel free to reach out to us via our contact form on www.movingsouthimmigration.com to discuss. Alternatively, you may contact us on +2773 5357 534 or sue@movingsouthimmigration.com
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