In Summary
• The Africa Visa Openness Index Report 2018 ranked Rwanda
third most visa-open country on the continent
• The 2018 Visa Openness Index shows that Africans require
visas to travel to over half the countries on the continent
Millions of travellers within Africa continue to face challenges
due the continent`s inability to implement conducive and common
visa regimes, a conference heard.
The African Economic Conference, hosted by UNDP in Kigali, noted
that despite leaders’ commitments to ease movement, little had
been achieved in building road or air routes linking cities, while
many Africans were still denied entry to a country because of
visas.
The problem, the experts said, was curtailing the free movement of
people protocol, viewed as a key pillar to regional integration
and the African Continental Free Trade Area.
`The commitments to ease movement that have been made must be
realised and jobs have to be created at an unprecedented level,`
Paul Coullier, a professor of Economics and Public Policy at the
University of Oxford, said.
`The barriers imposed in Africa serve in the interest of more
developed countries. The task over the next decade is to build
more connectivity among cities and remove barriers that infringe
growth on the continent.`
The African Development Bank (AfDB) will on Tuesday discuss its
third edition of the Visa Openness Index, which indicates the
countries that were making improvements on free movement across
Africa.
Policy reforms
The Africa Visa Openness Index Report 2018, launched in Addis
Ababa last week, ranked Rwanda third most visa open country on the
continent.
“The Index has helped raise awareness and drive visa policy

reforms across the continent to ease movement of people, unlocking
opportunities for intra-African tourism, trade and investment. In
so doing, the Bank is directly contributing to the objectives of
the AU initiative for a Single African passport,” Mr Gabriel
Negatu, the AfDB Director General for East Africa Regional
Development said.
Rwanda`s Economic Planning minister Claudine Uwera said that
Kigali had shown political will to push for a visa-free Africa for
the continent`s citizens.
“Rwanda announced early this year a visa on arrival platform for
travellers from all African countries. Development and prosperity
will simply not be possible if we do not integrate,” she said.
“Governance will determine the development path for our countries.
Equally important is the role of political will and commitment
from African leaders. Important pages of our continent’s
development history are being written. Let’s take this opportunity
to move the continent ahead.”
Their score
The 2018 Visa Openness Index shows that Africans require visas to
travel to over half the countries on the continent.
It shows that the top 20 visa-open countries continue to improve
their liberal regimes, while 43 countries improved or maintained
their score.
Benin made the highest jump by opening up its borders to African
travellers, which enabled it to move from 27th in 2017 to 1st
place in 2018.
The West African state, alongside Seychelles â€` which is ranked
second ahead of Rwanda - were the only two on the continent that
did not charge Africans visa fees. V.2684

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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