Over half of e-visa applications are rejected, because they were not processed in time
The poor performance of the department of home affairs in the issuance of e-visas is of great concern to Western Cape finance & economic opportunities minister Mireille Wenger, who says this hampers tourism recovery in the country.
She noted on Wednesday that according to a presentation made by the department in the National Council of Provinces, 58% (3,697) of failed e-visa applications totalling 6,329 were rejected because the date of travel had already passed.
“They simply weren’t got to in time,” Wenger said.
“This follows an earlier revelation by the same department that, at that time, only 48.7% of all e-visa applications received had been processed. It was further revealed that of those that had been processed, only 3.2% of the total received had been granted.”
Wenger said e-visas were intended to provide a convenient option for visitors to make their applications online, instead of having to visit an SA mission abroad. Fourteen countries are eligible for e-visa applications: Cameroon, China, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Egypt, Ethiopia, Kenya, India, Iran, Mexico, Nigeria, the Philippines, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Uganda.
‘Deeply concerning’
“It is deeply concerning that inefficiencies in our e-visa regime continue to add a barrier to our tourism recovery, and our drive to increase connectivity within the African continent and attract more African tourists to our destination. This should be fully enabled by our visa regime, and not restricted, as is currently the case,” Wenger said.
“While the recent commitments from President Cyril Ramaphosa to address the serious issues with the visa system are welcomed, words no longer count. Decisive action is required along with timelines to address the well-known challenges,” she said.
According to another statement, the department said in a presentation to the provincial standing committee on finance, economic opportunities & tourism on Wednesday that it would finalise implementation of the remote working visa next month, and that the state law adviser approval process was under way.
Decisive action is required along with timelines

to address the well-known challenges.
Mireille Wenger, Western Cape finance and economic opportunities minister
A remote working visa was a no-brainer, DA Western Cape MPP and tourism spokesperson Cayla Murray said. “The Vulindlela report on visa reform ... [received only this week], despite already writing to the president in February, confirms as much, and recommends the implementation of a remote working visa with suitable requirements such as proof of employment, a minimum level of income, and health insurance.
“I am hopeful that home affairs will stick to its commitment, as this will help to boost job creation in our province. It must be noted, however, that such commitments from ANC-led national government departments often aren’t worth all that much,” Murray said.
The DA says it will make sure that this shortcut to economic growth is implemented as soon as possible, and will use every mechanism available to hold DHA to account should they not live up to their commitment.
In March the department granted relief to applicants for long-term visas or waivers who were awaiting the outcomes of their applications by extending the blanket concession to December 31. This was due to a backlog in processing waiver and visa applications by foreign nationals. The backlog, which runs into the tens of thousands and extends back to 2016, is due to a lack of personnel in the department and the lengthy procedures involved in processing an application.
The department said in March it only expected to clear the backlog in 15 months’ time.
The total backlog for permanent residence permits in the system amounted to 49,529, with 40,340 of those at end-May 2022 outstanding for more than eight months. Of these, 3,524 date back to 2016; 5,187 to 2017; 7,303 to 2018; 10,621 to 2019; 2,968 to 2020; three to 2021 (when the world was in the grip of the Covid-19 pandemic) and 10,759 to 2022.
With regard to temporary residence permits, the backlog of applications totals 75,814, with 23,988 having been received within eight weeks by March 1.

www.samigration.com V.4814

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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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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