Tourism Minister Derek Hanekom has met industry leaders over their
concerns that changes to the visa regime, announced by Home Affairs
Minister Malusi Gigaba in September, were vague and unclear.
Hanekom acknowledged there was a `little bit of misunderstanding`
among industry members over amendments to the rule that required
travellers to SA to produce documentation proving parental consent for
travel, `perhaps because of the way it was communicated`.
The policy had been widely criticised by the industry, and Gigaba had
announced that regulations would be relaxed.
Minors who are foreign nationals will no longer require a copy of
their birth certificate and consent from both parents to enter the
country, Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba said.
Gigaba added that proof of parental permission would only be required
in high-risk situations. He said, however, that it was still strongly
recommended to carry these documents in cases where grandparents or
one parent alone were travelling with the child.
This, the tourism industry said, created confusion.
Gigaba’s changes were released days after President Cyril Ramaphosa
unveiled an economic stimulus package, which included a promise to
make SA more attractive to travellers.
Hanekom said that the visa regime amendments, which will be gazetted
before the end of October, would bring SA’s travelling minors policy
in line with

countries such as the UK, who, according to Hanekom, say
`it would be useful` for travelling minors to have proof of parental
consent.
Child trafficking shouldn’t be dismissed
`Combatting child trafficking shouldn’t be dismissed as an unimportant
thing, and at the same time it shouldn’t act as a disincentive [to
tourism],` Hanekom said, speaking on the sidelines of the Jobs Summit
in Midrand on Friday.
The challenge now lies in implementing the changes to the visa regime
and training immigration officials, ahead of the festive season, he added.
In September, Gigaba also announced that visa waivers would be
extended to several countries including Algeria, Egypt, Morocco,
Ghana, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Iran, the State of Palestine,
Belarus, Georgia and Cuba.
Visa requirements for the massive tourism markets of India and China
would also be simplified, he said.
Hanekom stressed the importance of ease of access with an e-visa to SA
being piloted in New Zealand saying that it makes a `very big
difference` to tourism numbers.
According to data from Statistics SA in 2016, tourism contributed 2.9%
directly to gross domestic product. This was higher than the
agricultural sector, with tourism employing one in every 23 people,
and low barriers of entry into the sector. V.2517

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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