After battling for more a year and going to court twice, Wendy Kessman
and Nomfundo Ngidi, a lesbian couple, have finally been granted a visa
â€` but it is the wrong one.
Since Kessman, a United States citizen, and Ngidi, who is South
African, entered into a civil union in January 2017, they have been
trying to get a spousal visa for Kessman. Their attempts were met with
two written rejections and, according to the couple, “a verbally
harassing phone call from a department [of home affairs] official”.
Last month, the high court in Johannesburg instructed the department
to respond within 10 working days to the couple’s appeal against the
department’s earlier refusal. When the department did not respond
within the court-ordered period, Ngidi says the couple were
“disappointed but not surprised”.
On Thursday, August 30 â€` nearly two weeks late â€` the department
informed the couple that their application for a spousal visa had been
approved.
Since Kessman’s tourist visa expired in March 2017, she has been
unable to leave South Africa, legally work or study, open a bank
account and drive.
Although the couple welcomed the news that they have been granted a
spousal visa as “a milestone”, they face another hurdle because the
visa issued does not allow Kessman to work or study in South Africa.
“It’s basically the wrong visa. The one we’ve applied for would allow
Wendy to study and work here,” says

Ngidi.
“We’ve been joking about it, saying that what the department has given
us is a housewife’s visa. Like: ‘You can stay in the country with your
spouse but you can’t really be an active citizen,’” Ngidi adds.
Kessman says that “having to have to go through yet another step [to
be issued with the correct visa] is a little disappointing”.
The couple’s lawyers will apply for a rectification of the visa.
For now, the couple’s first priority is to visit Kessman’s family in
the US.
“Before we start that process, I’m going to go home and see my family
first because I haven’t seen them since 2016,” says Kessman. “We’re
really excited that we can finally go home.”
Kessman says not eventually being issued with the correct visa “is
just not an option for us”.
“We’ve made it this far, so we’ll keep on pushing as far as we need
to. Both of us are pretty determined and persistent, so we’ll find a
way to make it work,” she laughs.
“For now, we are really happy. This a huge load off our shoulders,”
says Ngidi.
The couple told Mamba Online that they believe the response “probably”
would not have come “if it wasn’t for the support we got from the
media, advocacy groups and the department of justice”. V.2435

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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