The failure to implement electronic visas will continue to cost
the sector by making it more difficult to attract visitors to
South Africa. Figures provided since the rigorous and ludicrous
visa regulations were introduced is proof of the devastating
impact it has on the South African economy.
Examples:
The total revenue for all air ticketing sales to SA dropped by 40%
for June 2015 compared with June 2014.
The impact of the new visa regulations on the South African
economy in 2014 was a negative R2.6 billion (€153.38 million) and
the loss of more than 5 800 jobs with further rises expected for
this year, according to a report commissioned by the Tourism
Business Council of South Africa.
The report at the time predicted that in 2015, the number of
foreign tourists lost due to changes in the immigration
regulations would likely increase to 100 000, with a loss of 9 300
jobs and the total nett loss to the South African GDP of around
R4.1 billion (€241.86 million).
Our tourism industry is still recovering from the disastrous visa
regulations debacle, which, according to the Southern Africa
Tourism Services Association (Satsa), resulted in an estimated
R7.5 billion (€445.7 million) loss to the tourism economy.
Make no mistake, these regulations, coupled with the superfluous
unabridged birth certificate requirement, will continue to hurt
our tourism industry if we don’t implement measures such as
electronic visas that will make it easier and safer for tourists
to apply, scrap the superfluous unabridged birth certificate
requirement and adopt visa waivers for our key source market
countries.
We need to streamline tourist facilitation to our country to make
it easier for travellers to select South Africa as a country of
choice when it comes to travel and trade.
With the rand at its lowest point in years, South Africa’s tourism
industry should be thriving as a destination for foreign
travellers �` but, in spite of this, the government’s visa
regulations continue to make it difficult for tourists to select
South Africa as a destination due to its cumbersome visa
application processes.
I have submitted several motions in Parliament calling for the
introduction of e-visas, listing the myriad of benefits, whilst
also highlighting the industry`s support for their introduction.
There is no denying that implementing an e-visa system, whether

on
a global or regional basis faces bureaucratic impediments and
would require a substantial investment to begin with �` but the
long-term benefits for the traveller and the country as a whole
mean the end justifies the means. It would seem that the
department is finally starting to see this.
If we implement e-visas, we will promote tourism, grow tourism
spend and develop the economy to create more jobs.
Herewith the benefits of e-visas for visitors to South Africa for
these simple facts: The introduction of electronic visas will not
only provide a real means for protecting jobs in tourism, but
present significant advantages by cutting turnaround times for the
issuing of travel documentation and are, in fact, more secure than
existing permits.
Electronic visas have also proven to be highly effective in
comparable countries such as Turkey, which is widely regarded to
have the best international practice when it comes to visa
applications.
The use of technology in tourism is well established. For example,
where electronic visas have been implemented, they have proved to
be extremely effective, so it makes perfect sense to implement
them here, given the recent visa debacle in South Africa.
Benefits:
With an increase in the demand for international travel worldwide,
it is essential to have effective systems that simplify the visa
application process. Thus, by implementing an e-visa system the SA
government can prevent excessive waiting time at visa centres,
reduce the workload of staff working at airports, embassies and
consulates, and provide easier facilitation for tourists and
business travellers.
The Turkish government implemented an e-visa application system in
2015, and within a short period of implementing the system,
experienced an increase in visa applications, going from a weekly
average of 400 applications to receiving more than 1,500 in just a
few days.
Having due regard to the above, it makes sense to implement e-
visas because it will reduce time and money by cutting the
application and issuing process and, as a result, our country
could see an increase in visa applications as well as the number
of visitors, tourism spend and foreign trade revenue. V.2503

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. V.5358
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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. V.5359
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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.” V.5360
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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. V.5362
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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. V.5355
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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. V.5357
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Turkey Visa for South African Citizens In 2013, the e Visa program was launched by the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, enabling citizens of more than 100 countries, such as South Africa, to request a Turkish visa through the internet. Therefore, South African tourists favor Turkey as a destination. South African citizens are no longer required to visit the Turkish embassy in person as they can now conveniently apply for their e-visa online. V.5348
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The Australian High Court passed a judgement on Friday that dismissed an Iranian asylum seeker’s plea to be released from immigration detention and enter the country. The Iranian asylum seeker, applicant ASF-17, applied to the Federal Court of Australia for a writ of habeas corpus in 2023 on the basis that his continuing detention exceeded the constitutional limitation identified in the orders of NZYQ v Minister for Immigration, Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs released the week prior. The applicant has been refusing to cooperate with the process of being removed from Australia to Iran since 2018, arguing that he would be at risk of persecution for his sexual orientation and religious beliefs. V.5349
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Home Affairs officials are “selling South Africa to foreign nationals” out of greed, says Minister Aaron Motsoaledi. In an exclusive interview with The Witness on Thursday, Motsoaledi said 182 department officials were dismissed for fraud and corruption between 2018 and 2024. Among those dismissed was a chief director who was implicated in assisting a foreign national in getting a permanent residence permit in the country, at a fee. Those who bear the brunt of the corruption are mostly drug addicts, whose personal information is used by Home Affairs officials to create fake IDs and passports for foreigners. V.5350
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Visa waivers for travellers from Kenya and Ghana have catalysed a remarkable 15.4% increase in international tourist numbers to South Africa. File picture: Tracey Adams/ Independent Newspapers South Africa`s tourism sector is experiencing a renaissance fuelled by the recent removal of visa requirements for travellers from select African countries. The latest data from Statistics South Africa showed a remarkable surge in international arrivals, signalling a promising trajectory for the industry. V.5354
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