Pretoria - South Africa’s department of home affairs has said more
African countries are set to benefit from its visa waiving programme.
The development was announced by the Minister of Home Affairs Malusi
Gigaba in Pretoria last week.
Gigaba told the media that there will be some changes in the visa
architecture aimed at boosting tourism and easing business travel.
He said the reforms will include amendments to regulations applying to
foreign minors travelling to South Africa, visa waivers and relaxation
of visa requirements for certain countries.
Minister Gigaba said his department will be reviewing the visa regime
for most African countries in line with the African free movement agenda.
“South Africa already waives visas to a number of countries. In line
with our Africa-centred foreign and immigration policies, ordinary
passport holders of 15 of the 16 SADC countries do not require visas
to visit South Africa, with the exception of the Democratic Republic
of Congo.
“As called for by the 2017 White Paper on International Migration, we
are reviewing our visa regime for other African countries in line with
the African free movement agenda. Where we are unable to waive visas
for objective risks, we will implement other measures to ease travel,”
said Gigaba.
The home affairs department also announced that more countries will be
included in the Visa waiving programme for the benefit of the tourism
industry.
The department is finalising Visa Waiver Agreements for ordinary
passport holders with several countries, including Algeria, Egypt,
Morocco, Sao Tome & Principe, Tunisia, Saharawi-Arab Democratic
Republic and Ghana.
In the Middle East are Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Qatar,
State of Palestine, Iran, Lebanon, Bahrain, Oman and Kuwait. In
Eastern Europe are Belarus and Georgia as well as Cuba in the Caribbean.
The department is also simplifying visa requirements for countries
such as China and India saying it will make provision for taking
biometrics on arrival in South Africa, allowing visa applications via
courier and issuing five-year multiple entry visas.
“We will consider easing, similarly, travel restrictions for certain
categories of visitors for other countries, including Nigeria, Kenya
and Uganda,” Minister Gigaba added.
Long-term multiple entry visas have also been implanted in order to
further ease the movement of travellers, for purposes of tourism,
business meetings and academic exchange, we have implemented long-term
multiple entry visas for frequent travellers.
These, include a three-year multiple entry visa for frequent trusted
travellers to South Africa, and a ten-year long-term multiple entry
visa for business people and academics from

Africa.
According to the amendments, business people from BRICS countries who
require visas, China and India will be issued a 10-year multiple entry
visa within five days of application.
The minister also said the requirements for travelling with minors
would be reviewed for the convenience of travellers.
“Home Affairs requires that minors travelling in or out of the
Republic do so with the consent of both parents as required by Section
18 (3) (c) of the Children’s Act.
As indicated by the President, we are simplifying the rules on
travelling minors who are foreign nationals to minimise disruption to
legitimate travellers without compromising the safety of minors and
the rights of their parents.
To this end, we will issue an international travel advisory before the
end of October 2018, after consultation with the Immigration Advisory
Board.
The key changes will be that rather than requiring all foreign
national travelling minors to carry documentation proving parental
consent for the travelling minor to travel, we will rather strongly
recommend that travellers carry this documentation,” said minister
Gigaba.
The minister added that his department will put in place other options
to assist travellers who might fail to present the required
documentation instead of denying them entry.
“Rather than denying entry where documentation is absent, travellers
will be given an opportunity to prove parental consent. South African
minors will still be required to prove parental consent when leaving
our borders,” he added.
He said the changes will be implemented in good time before the
festive season for the convenience of travellers with children.
Consultations are also being finalised with other government
departments, academics, business and organised labour, to implement a
reviewed critical skills list by April 2019.
The minister said this will help in attracting and retaining critical
skilled labour best to enhance economic development and advance our
country’s new path of growth, employment and transformation.
“In order to retain critical skills, foreign students who graduate at
South African institutions of higher learning within critical skills
categories, are offered an opportunity to apply for permanent
residence upon graduation. Those who do not opt for permanent
residence are issued with critical skills visas,” he added.
The changes are expected to contribute to the stimulus and recovery
plan that was announced by President Cyril Ramaphosa on the 21
September 2018. V.2521

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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