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• Some cafes have banned laptops completely while others charge an hourly rate for the privilege of using them. One of the perks of being a digital nomad is swapping a dreary office for a rotation of trendy cafes in destinations around the world. But in some places in Spain, remote workers and their laptops are becoming undesirable customers. Bars and cafes in Valencia, Santiago and Barcelona are cracking down on digital nomads who overstay their welcome.... Read more...

• Some cafes have banned laptops completely while others charge an hourly rate for the privilege of using them. One of the perks of being a digital nomad is swapping a dreary office for a rotation of trendy cafes in destinations around the world. But in some places in Spain, remote workers and their laptops are becoming undesirable customers. Bars and cafes in Valencia, Santiago and Barcelona are cracking down on digital nomads who overstay their welcome.... Read more...

• Bureaucratic procedures and a whole lot of red tape are the only things standing between Vincent and Emmanuel Tshituka and potential call-ups to the Springboks squad this year. To the average local sports fan, the Tshituka’s are just a set of brothers casually dominating rugby games for the Lions and Sharks, respectively. But there’s way more to their story and in order for them to reach their potential on the rugby field, the South African government in general, and the Department of Home Affairs in particular, need to come to the party.... Read more...

• Foreign companies are leaving South Africa due to a hostile business environment, and the government’s response to recent departures discourages future investment. This is according to Business Leadership South Africa CEO Busi Mavuso, who explained in her most recent newsletter that the more attractive a country is, the more often you can expect investment to be made than withdrawn. “You can expect that foreign investors will come and go from South Africa, depending on many things, including global strategies and our links to the rest of the world,” she said. “But while decisions are inevitably going to happen both ways, the more attractive our country is, the more often you can expect investment to be made than withdrawn.”... Read more...

• Table of Contents 1.What is eHomeAffairs? 2.Step-by-Step Guide to Using eHomeAffairs for Your Smart ID Online Application 3.What Do I Need to Start My Smart ID Online Application? 4.Bank Branches Offering Smart IDs 5.Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) The South African Department of Home Affairs has introduced the eHomeAffairs portal, which is a significant advancement in streamlining the Smart ID online application process. This detailed guide delves into the user-friendly features of the platform, making Smart ID and passport applications convenient and accessible at just a click of a button.... Read more...

• The Constitutional Court recently ruled that children born in South Africa to foreign parents qualify for South African citizenship in terms of Section 2 of the South African Citizenship Act. That is, if you were born in South Africa to foreign parents who have not been admitted as permanent residents, you qualify to apply for South African citizenship upon becoming a major if your birth was registered and if you have lived here all your life, irrespective of the date of your birth and you have not accepted the nationality of another country. The judgment also reduced the term for applying for citizenship by holders of permanent residence from 5 years to 10 years by declaring Regulation 3(2)(a) of the Citizenship Act Regulations unconstitutional.... Read more...

• Capitec and TymeBank customers can temporarily use a low-cost bank account with another major bank to renew their passports or get a Smart ID card from a bank branch. The Department of Home Affairs (DHA) and major banks first rolled out this option via the eHomeAffairs portal and select bank branches in 2016. The facility has expanded to about 30 locations, including branches from Absa, Discovery Bank, FNB, Investec, Nedbank, and Standard Bank.... Read more...

• The Henley Passport Power Index recently showed the significant limitations African citizens face for international travel and economic mobility because of their passports. These limitiations include lengthy visa applications, possible rejections, and long passport control queues. Only Mauritius and Seychelles passports allow holders to access over 50% of global GDP without needing to obtain a visa. This is despite Africa being home to some of the most visa-open nations when welcoming visitors from abroad Henley & Partners’ latest Africa Wealth Report has highlighted how this ‘exclusion’ is denying Africans from international business opportunities.... Read more...

• The City of Cape Town has called on the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) to address the visa system crisis and confusion over remote work visas. James Vos, the City’s Mayco member for economic growth, says the department ‘shot itself in the foot’ with the premature gazetting and withdrawal of regulations. ‘On 28 March, the DHA published the amended immigration regulations. This, however, was a day before the closing date of the public comment period. And then, on 12 April, the minister issued a notice withdrawing the 28 March amendments.’ As reported by BusinessTech, the regulations replaced the critical skills list with a new points-based system and introduced the remote work visa category.... Read more...

• All 30 bank branches offering Smart ID cards and passport renewals Hanno Labuschagne14 May 2024 All 30 bank branches offering Smart ID cards and passport renewals Over half the bank branches that support Smart ID card issuing and passport renewals are in Gauteng. In addition, more than 83% of the branches are in the three most populous provinces in South Africa, while only about 56.3% of the country’s population lives in these provinces. Many people will have to travel far to use one of these branches instead of a regular, problem-ridden Home Affairs office to get a new ID or passport. Thirty bank branches support the eHomeAffairs system introduced by the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) in 2016.... Read more...