According to Chilala Mayanda Habasimbi, Zambia Ministry of Tourism
Acting Principle Tourism and Development Research Officer, the univisa
between Zimbabwe and Zambia will soon be implemented.


The univisa between Zimbabwe and Zambia, successfully piloted between
2014 and 2015, will soon be fully implemented, according to Chilala
Mayanda Habasimbi, Zambia Ministry of Tourism Acting Principle Tourism
and Development Research Officer.


"We are hoping soon. I can`t give you an exact date because Zambia is
going into elections but I`m hoping everything moves quicker, despite
the elections," said Mayanda Habasimbi. "The memorandum of
understanding is almost cleared." He said there was a need to see how
the project could continue forward following the ending of the pilot
project on December 31, 2015.


Francis Ngwenya, President Zimbabwe Council of Tourism, said he hoped
it would be implemented quite urgently. "But unfortunately it is
something that has to be signed off on both sides of the Zambezi
River, and it`s not just the ministries of tourism but also for the
immigration counterparts to sign off.


"The last time we followed up, there was an agreement but it`s now a
matter of getting the paperwork and the signatures."


Thomas Dhliwayo, Operations Manager – Jenman Zimbabwe Safaris,

said
operators were told that the univisa project had been resumed at a
tourism meeting two weeks ago. "Immigration officials are now just
waiting for the visa stamps and, once started, we will be
updated."


Zambian Minister of Tourism and Arts Jean Kapata said last year that
the initial univisa project between Zimbabwe and Zambia had been very
successful and it would be extended <
http://www.tourismupdate.co.za/article/49783/Univisa-to-be-extended-to-Namibia-Botswana-and-Mozambique>
to other SADC countries including Namibia, Botswana and
Mozambique.


However, it`s unclear when Botswana will be added to the univisa.
"When the initial univisa was launched in Zambia and Zimbabwe, we were
under the impression that, within six months or less, Botswana would
be the first of the SADC countries to join and also become part of
that," said Ngwenya. Mayanda Habasimbi said the univisa between
Zimbabwe, Zambia and Botswana would depend on the authorisation of all
three countries and was unable to say when talks with Botswana would
begin.


"We would love to have Botswana, and we believe there`s also interest
shared by Angola to be included, but we haven`t had any information
that there`s an agreement to that," said Ngwenya. V.1671

One of the highlighted topics: Critical Skills Visa.

- Key Insight: Is your profession on the Critical Skills List? This visa is your fast track to working in South Afr...
- This matter relates to critical skills visa and its broader implications.
- Individuals are advised to seek professional guidance.

Is your profession on the Critical Skills List? This visa is your fast trac V.6139
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One of the applicants, Phindile Mazibuko, became a victim of identity theft in 2012 when fraudulent transactions occurred, using her personal details.

-The Pretoria High Court found that the department of home affairs had violated constitutional rights without due process.
-Only half of Lawyers for Human Rights` test group has been unblocked, while 385 000 identities remain blocked nationwide.
-LHR appeals extension, urges affected people to seek help now.

Lawyers for Human Rights (LHR) are intensifying pressure on the department of home affairs over the national ID-blocking crisis, accusing the state of acting too slowly to unblock qualifying individuals despite a landmark court ruling.

In January last year, the Pretoria High Court found that the department`s practice of blocking IDs without due process was unlawful and unconstitutional. One of the applicants, Phindile Mazibuko, a Swati citizen and South African permanent resident since 1998, fell victim to identity theft in 2012 when fraudsters used her personal details.

 V.6133
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The Border Management Authority (BMA) has doubled its staff at Airports in South Africa , including immigration officers.

What does this mean for travelers? V.6128
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The Border Management Authority (BMA) has doubled its staff at Airports in South Africa , including immigration officers.

What does this mean for travelers? V.6129
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A Washington state mother and her 6-year-old son have been released after spending more than three weeks in US immigration detention due to a brief trip to Canada and a small paperwork mistake, her attorney told CNN on Saturday.

Sarah Shaw, a New Zealand citizen who has lived legally in the US since she arrived in 2021, was detained at the Blaine, Washington, Customs and Border Protection checkpoint when returning home after dropping her two oldest children off at the Vancouver airport for a flight to visit their grandparents in New Zealand. Shaw, 33, chose the flight out of Vancouver because it was direct and she didn`t want her children to have to navigate a layover alone, her attorney Minda Thorward, told CNN.

 V.6130
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On 22 July 2025, the Gauteng High Court dismissed Sitrusrand Boerdery`s review of the Department of Employment and Labour`s refusal to issue a Working Conditions and Salary Benchmarking Certificate, an essential precondition for obtaining corporate visas under the Immigration Act.

Acting Judge Kekana AJ held that the Department`s decision was lawful, rational and procedurally fair. This judgment illustrates how businesses can - and must - structure their corporate visa applications to meet statutory requirements, and how legal practitioners should prepare robust review challenges when administrative authorities decline to recommend foreign-work permits.

 V.6131
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The United States could forfeit an estimated 9.4 billion dollars in visitor spending over the next three years following the introduction of a new 250 dollars `visa integrity fee,` according to industry groups, who warn the policy risks undermining tourism and costing thousands of jobs.
The United States’ decision to introduce a 250 dollars `visa integrity fee` on international visitors has triggered sharp criticism from the global tourism industry, with officials warning that the measure could deter millions of travellers and cost the U.S. economy billions.
The 250dollar `visa integrity fee,` part of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act signed on July 4, 2025, will take effect later this year. According to immigration law firm Envoy Global, it applies to all nonimmigrant visa holders which include students, tourists, temporary workers, and business visitors particularly from African countries. V.6132
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The Border Management Authority (BMA) has doubled its staff at Airports in South Africa , including immigration officers.

What does this mean for travelers? V.6127
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1. Right to Legal Representation•You have the right to consult with a legal representative.•Contact an immigration practitioner, legal aid clinic, or attorney urgently.•Do not sign any documents without understanding them fully. 2. Section 34 of the Immigration Act•You must be brought to court with 48 hours to confirm arrest but you can remain locked up very long as courts figure out what to do with you •If you`re found to be illegally in South Africa, you may be detained for up to 30 days (extendable by a magistrate) pending deportation.•BUT this cannot happen arbitrarily. You must be informed of your rights, and Home Affairs must follow due process.- becomes a nightmare , you could lose your job , business , place to stay V.6121
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Driving for Bolt, Uber, Mr D, or Checkers Sixty60?If you`re undocumented, you`re risking more than just your income.The Risks if You`re Not Legal: - Vehicle impoundment - Heavy fines - Arrest & deportation - Permanent bans from working in SA V.6122
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