Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba
Johannesburg - Travellers from New Zealand will, from January 16, need
a visa to enter South Africa, Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba said
on Tuesday.


The announcement followed that of the New Zealand High Commission that
South Africans would need visas to enter that country.


“We have taken the upcoming festive season into consideration, and so
I have decided to implement visa requirements for New Zealand passport
holders only with effect from January,” he said.


“New Zealand introduced visa requirements for all South African
nationals wishing to travel there with effect from November 21.”



Gigaba said the New Zealand government attributed certain factors
which led to the decision to withdraw the visa waiver
arrangements.


Among them was that South Africans exploited the arrangement and
visited family and friends instead of travelling for tourism or
business.


He said New Zealand authorities also mentioned that a number of
travellers had been refused entry due to counterfeit or fraudulently
obtained South African passports.


South Africa had, for some time now, adopted a visa policy based on
the principle of reciprocity. “Therefore, in view of the
aforementioned, a decision was taken to reciprocate by withdrawing the
visa exemption which New Zealand passport holders enjoy,” Gigaba said.



New Zealand diplomatic, official and ordinary passport holders
arriving at a South

African port of entry without a visa after January
16 would not be allowed entry, Gigaba stressed, saying travellers
should contact the department’s website to apply.


“This will allow them to acquaint themselves with the supporting
documents needed to accompany a visa application before visiting the
South African High Commission in Wellington.”


Gigaba said the fee applicable to an application for a New Zealand
visa was almost four times the amount South Africa required as
payment. “I decided not to reciprocate on that matter.”


He said South Africa’s visa fees were the lowest in the world, and had
for the past 14 years remained at R425 for most of the categories and
R1 520 for permits and work, business and corporate visas.
He said the department would, in due course, increase its fees to
align with inflation.


Gigaba said the country’s policy was never to deter foreign visitors
or to reduce the flow of tourists, businesspeople and other
travellers.


“Immigration, particularly for development, is high on our agenda, and
thus the current endeavour is to comprehensively review our
international migration policy.”


He said to that end, South Africa had improved security systems,
including features on passports issued, and the introduction of
biometric capturing at the four main international airports.
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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.

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-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.

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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.

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

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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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