SA Migration International

As a South African who has adopted a nomadic work lifestyle alongside my wife, Ingrid Lotze, I’ve been an interested observer of South Africa’s snail-pace digital nomad visa (DNV) development process. Despite the optimism surrounding its introduction, the visa seems to miss several crucial marks for digital nomads like us.... Read more...

EREMY MAGGS: I want to stay with crime now. Individuals with a criminal record may be faced with significant challenges when seeking employment, I think that’s a given. Here in South Africa, employers may legally exclude an applicant from consideration for a position if having a clean criminal record is what is termed an inherent requirement of the job. That phrase, inherent requirement, is important, but what exactly does that mean, and when can an applicant be lawfully excluded for having a criminal record?... Read more...

There are fears that more people will be separated by the introduction of a minimum salary level for those wanting UK family visas. Families living in the UK and abroad have raised concerns about what new rules will mean for them as they try to reunite with foreign spouses. In December, the Home Office, which says migration to the UK is too high, announced a package of measures to reduce net migration, following a spike in arrival numbers.... Read more...

An Ethiopian asylum seeker, who does not speak English, claims he was duped by a senior immigration official into paying an admission of guilt fine when he thought he was paying for bail.Two Western Cape High Court judges have condemned the official`s `deplorable` behaviour, set aside the fine, and ordered the immigration official be taken off the case. Tsegaye Esyas claims Annelise van Dyk treated him like an animal which led to him attempt suicide while in police cells.... Read more...

An Ethiopian asylum seeker, who does not speak English, claims he was duped by a senior immigration official into paying an admission of guilt fine when he thought he was paying for bail. Two Western Cape High Court judges have condemned the official`s `deplorable` behaviour, set aside the fine, and ordered the immigration official be taken off the case. Tsegaye Esyas claims Annelise van Dyk treated him like an animal which led to him attempt suicide while in police cells.... Read more...

North Korean hackers have been exploiting the updating mechanism of the eScan antivirus to plant backdoors on big corporate networks and deliver cryptocurrency miners through GuptiMiner malware. Researchers describe GuptiMiner as `a highly sophisticated threat` that can perform DNS requests to the attacker`s DNS servers, extract payloads from images, sign its payloads, and perform DLL sideloading. Delivering GuptiMiner via eScan updates In a report released today, cybersecurity company Avast says that the threat actor behind GuptiMiner had an adversary-in-the-middle (AitM) position to hijack the normal virus definition update package and replace it with a malicious one named ‘updll62.dlz.’... Read more...

Airports Company South Africa (ACSA) this week revealed that Cape Town International Airport (CTIA) has achieved a ground-breaking milestone by processing more than 10 million passengers over a single financial year. This is the highest number of regional and international passengers processed since COVID-19... Read more...

DA MP says hours lost continue to result in persons being unable to collect their ID documents due to unmanageable queues The DA has been inundated with complaints that the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) systems are offline, resulting in long queues and delayed processing of documents. Through questions posed to the Minister, the DA can now reveal that the DHA has lost over 77 years’ worth of working hours due to system downtime and load-shedding from 2019 to date. Concerningly, this data only relates to hours lost for the application of smart IDs, meaning decades more of working hours could have been additionally lost in other spheres such as passport or visa applications.... Read more...

Home Affairs’ seemingly endless court battles set the department back more than R110-million between April 2023 and the end of February this year. This was revealed in a written parliamentary response by minister Aaron Motsoaledi. He said the department accumulated a litigation bill of R117 692 996.3, higher than the R72 637 944.51 spent the year before.... Read more...

Due to system downtime and load-shedding, the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) lost nearly 141,000 hours of Smart ID application and production time between the 2019/20 and 2022/23 financial years. Minister Aaron Motsoaledi revealed this figure in a recent response to questions raised in Parliament by Democratic Alliance MP Adrian Roos. Motsoaledi provided a breakdown of smart ID production and application hours lost to technical difficulties and load-shedding per province for each financial year from 2019/2020. These disruptions hit home Affairs offices in the Eastern Cape the hardest, with over 34,000 hours to rotational power cuts and system downtime. Mpumalanga offices lost the next-highest number of hours at 17... Read more...

In recent years, South Africa has seen a significant influx of immigrants from various African countries, as well as other parts of the world. This has raised important questions about the country`s immigration policies and their impact on job creation for both locals and immigrants. The South African immigration system, like many other countries, is a complex and ever-evolving process that aims to balance the country`s economic needs with its social and cultural interests. Let`s take a closer look at how this system intersects with job creation in South Africa. The South African government implemented the Immigration Act of 2002, which outlines the country`s immigration policies and procedures. Under this act, foreigners are required to obtain a visa or permit to enter, work, or study in South Africa. The type of visa or permit required depends on the intended purpose of the individual`s visit and their country of origin.... Read more...

The DA has been inundated with complaints that the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) systems are offline, resulting in long queues and delayed processing of documents. Through questions posed to the Minister, the DA can now reveal that the DHA has lost over 77 years’ worth of working hours due to system downtime and load-shedding from 2019 to date. Concerningly, this data only relates to hours lost for the application of smart IDs, meaning decades more of working hours could have been additionally lost in other spheres such as passport or visa applications. The lost hours are largely due to system downtime, surpassing load-shedding. In the 2022/2023 financial year, where we experienced extensive load-shedding, system downtime was the cause of 41 691 hours lost (17 years), whereas load-shedding caused around 9 322 hours lost (4 years) at DHA civic offices on the production of smart IDs.... Read more...

JOHANNESBURG - Minister of Home Affairs Aaron Motsoaledi said that while the White Paper on Citizenship, Immigration and Refugee Protection had been gazetted, there were amendments that needed to be made to the legislation before it could be passed into law. The White Paper is proposing an overhaul of the country`s migration laws, with the aim of tightening rules around allowing migrants into the country.... Read more...

Highly skilled professionals are leaving South Africa to move to other countries, while the local economy faces a skills shortage. Data from The Outlier revealed that there were just over 900,000 South Africans living abroad in 2020. This number has increased steadily over the past 20 years, from 500,000 in 2000, according to Stats SA’s Migration Profile Report for South Africa 2023. Of these 900,000 people, 7 out of 10 are living in either Europe or Oceania. In particular, Australia and New Zealand have seen a large growth in South African residents. In 2020, around 273,000 South Africans were living in those two countries, more than double the 106,000 who lived there in 2000. The UK remains still the top destination for South Africans who leave the country.... Read more...

Document proposes overhauling the Citizenship Act, the Refugees Act and the Immigration Act and a review of the international treaty on refugee protection Home affairs minister Aaron Motsoaledi says the cabinet has approved a white paper overhauling the country’s immigration laws after “robust engagements” that resulted in “wide support” of the document’s policy positions.... Read more...

Minister Aaron Motsoaledi’s indifference to the plight of those affected by his decisions is appalling In the tumultuous seas of immigration law, where uncertainty looms and families are left adrift in bureaucratic limbo, the department of home affairs has emerged as a sinking ship. As a director of a firm of immigration attorneys I’ve witnessed first-hand the dire consequences of the department’s negligence and incompetence. Today, I raise my voice not just as an attorney but as a concerned citizen, urging for a radical overhaul to salvage what remains of our immigration system. We have tirelessly fought battles in the courtroom against home affairs’ disregard for agreed-upon time frames. Countless cases have landed on our desks, each one a testament to the systemic failures plaguing the department. We’ve seen cases where contempt applications were the only recourse, as the department brazenly ignored court orders.... Read more...

Home Affairs Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi has said the public has shown great support for the final White Paper on citizenship, immigration and refugee protection which appeared in the Government Gazette on Wednesday. Briefing the media, he addressed what he saw as a long-overdue need to replace an outdated Citizenship Act, as well as enact proposed changes to existing legislation.... Read more...

The Department of Home Affairs is going through a torrid time. As The South African reported earlier this year, naturalised South Africans are being refused smart ID cards. This is despite having the same constitutional rights as every other South African citizen. Now, Home Affairs minister Aaron Motsoaledi has decided to clarify the reasons behind lengthy delays for spousal visas.Business Tech reports that some spousal (and relatives) visas are taking up to two years to process. The minister of Home Affairs says this is because documentation and claims need to be verified. Replying to a parliamentary Q&A session, the minister says the issue is being addressed by the Home Affairs ‘Backlog Eradication Plan’.... Read more...

outh Africa seeks highly skilled individuals to live and work in SA. SA Migration Services will provide professional assistance to arrange your work visa for you if you qualify. Work Visas are regulated in terms of Section 19, Regulation 18 and items 18 (1), 19(2), 20, 21 and 22, of Schedule A.... Read more...

Table of Contents * What is generative AI in simple terms? * How does generative AI work? * Examples of generative AI * Types of generative AI models - What is ChatGPT? - What is Google Gemini? • Benefits of generative AI • Use cases of generative AI • Dangers and limitations of generative AI • What is the difference between generative AI and general AI? • What is the difference between generative AI and machine learning? • What is the difference between generative AI and regenerative AI? • How big a role will generative AI play in the future of business?... Read more...

Home affairs minister Aaron Motsoaledi says surveillance drones, speedboats and hand-held biometric devices have been ordered to help manage the country`s porous borders. South Africa`s land borders cover about 4,700km. Insufficient security and the poor state of fencing make the borders insecure, with foreigners entering illegally and allowing other acts of criminality.... Read more...

Home Affairs Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi has blamed visa backlogs on the growth in the number of notarial contracts being instituted by foreign nationals using non-existent spouses. Motsoaledi was speaking at a media briefing in Pretoria, on Tuesday on the amended immigration regulations, over which he said there seemed to be some misunderstanding. He said as a result of the confusion, the department would be withdrawing the gazetted amendments to clear up the misconceptions and would re-gazette them as early as next week. The minister admitted that his department was experiencing a backlog surrounding dependants, spouses and relatives’ visas being sought by foreign nationals who had been approved to come into the country after successfully obtaining employment. He said in most cases while the approvals were easily obtained, they did not include spouses and dependants, which many were decrying as they were not willing to be separated from their families.... Read more...

Home Affairs Minister, Dr Aaron Motsoaledi, has moved to clarify a misunderstanding on the gazetted regulations recommendations on the Critical Skills and General Work Visas. This comes after some media reports had stated that the department had done away with the Critical Skills Visa in favour of a point-based system. Briefing the media on the Second Amendment of the Immigration Regulation 2014 on Tuesday, Motsoaledi pointed out that section 19(4) of the Immigration Act states that a Critical Skills Work Visa may be issued by the Director-General to an individual possessing such skills or qualifications determined to be critical for the Republic from time to time by the Minister by notice in the gazette.... Read more...

The Department of Home Affairs (DHA) has backtracked on its new Immigration Regulations but still has several new initiatives in the pipeline for South Africa. Minister of Home Affairs Aaron Motsoaledi said that he would withdraw the recently gazetted Immigration Regulation Amendments. The regulations replaced the highly-contested critical skills list with a new points-based system. The regulations were received positively by businesses in South Africa, with the Consumer Goods Council of South Africa saying that they should ease the administrative burden that international companies with businesses in South Africa face when hiring skilled foreigners.... Read more...

The Department of Home Affairs says it has lost close to 38 000 working hours over the past five financial years due to the impact of load shedding. The Eastern Cape has the highest amount of working hours lost at more than 7 900. Mpumalanga lost 5 990 hours, while Gauteng lost 4 621 working hours. This was revealed by the Minister of Home Affairs, Dr Aaron Motsoaledi, replying to a Democratic Alliance (DA) parliamentary question on the total hours lost in each province due to load shedding. DA MP, Christopher Roos, who posed the question, says this is an alarming number of working hours lost, and is a concern for service delivery.... Read more...

Industry injected an estimated R1.2bn into the Western Cape economy in the last financial year, with around 90 000 passengers and 38 000 crew members expected to step ashore in the current year. For the first time in history, Friday (11 April) saw two of the world’s most famous cruise liners the Queen Mary 2 and the Queen Victoria dock in the Port of Cape Town at the same time.... Read more...

Border Management Authority SA commissioner Mike Masiapato on Sunday revealed that over a 10-day period during Easter nearly 4,000 people were intercepted attempting to enter the country illegally.Addressing a media briefing, Masiapato said 2,403 of those intercepted did not have any documents at all. Another 1,019 individuals were refused entry for being undesirable and 419 were found inadmissible to enter the country due to various reasons.“The majority of those arrested without documents were intercepted at the vulnerable segments of the borderline. They were processed, declared undesirable for five years, and were deported. Most of the inadmissible individuals were found with invalid passports, fraudulent visas or just failed to produce relevant documents such as valid yellow fever certificates, especially those travelling from yellow fever endemic countries,” Masiapato said.... Read more...

A lack of critical skills is holding back the South African economy but the problem is not being solved fast enough. The private sector is willing to help government with the visa backlog to ensure that people with critical skills can start working in the country to help grow the economy. Busi Mavuso, CEO of Business Leadership South Africa (BLSA), says in her weekly newsletter the Department of Home Affairs has a backlog of 74 000 applications for all kinds of visas according to an official quoted by Bloomberg last month. Many of those are in the scarce skills category and the backlog exists despite concerted efforts by government led by the Operation Vulindlela programme to drive implementation of policy that will substantially improve access to scarce skills visas.... Read more...

International Tourism Association’s Fred Duma said the visa backlog was now sitting at more than 95 000 applications. Tourist arrivals in South Africa hit a positive trend, with improvements in the number of visitors spanning 2021 to 2023 - despite the department of home affairs chasing away visitors who have not received visa renewals by 23 February. In a directive issued by home affairs on 21 December, tourists were advised to leave the country by the end of this month, despite admitting a backlog and long turnaround time for visas. International Tourism Association’s Fred Duma said the backlog was now sitting at more than 95 000 applications, “which clearly means no-one will get their visa by the time the minister Aaron Motsoaledi has set”.... Read more...

Motsoaledi was speaking at a media briefing in Hatfield, Pretoria, yesterday on the amended immigration regulations, over which he said there seemed to be some misunderstanding.He said as a result of the confusion, the department would be withdrawing the gazetted amendments to clear up the misconceptions and re-gazette them as early as next week.The minister admitted that his department was experiencing a backlog surrounding dependants, spouses and relatives’ visas being sought by foreign nationals who had been approved to come into the country after successfully obtaining employment.... Read more...

In the past, prior to the amendments to the Immigration Act, it was possible for an illegal foreigner to “legalise” or “regularise” him/herself from within South Africa by making payment of the requisite fine. This is no longer the case and we are constantly encountering foreigners who find themselves illegally in South Africa with little hope of rectifying their situation. The current dilemma In many cases, these illegal foreigners elect to depart South Africa and contest any ban issued to them from outside of the country. This involves the submission of an overstay appeal to the Department of Home Affairs (“DHA”). A number of foreigners, however, simply have too much invested in South Africa and are unwilling to depart the country for fear of incurring a ban that may or may not be overturned.... Read more...

By its own admission, the department loses most of its court cases- the costs of which are borne by the taxpayer. Dzmitry Dzenisiuk was deployed to SA in 2014, with his wife joining him under a spousal visa. Both applied for visa extensions in February 2021. Image: Moneyweb The Department of Home Affairs (DHA) has been blocked by the Pretoria High Court from deporting a foreign worker and his wife, both of whom had been refused visa extensions, based on its failure to properly consider the documents supplied in their visa applications. This is the latest in a string of court losses notched up by Home Affairs. In the latest ruling, the high court ruled that the decision not to renew the visa of two foreign nationals must be set aside and returned to Home Affairs for reconsideration.... Read more...

The Trusted Employer Scheme allows employers to more easily get visas Home affairs minister Aaron Motsoaledi says the remote work visa is for people who are employed in other countries but want to perform that work remotely while staying in South Africa. File photo. Image: Trevor Samson Amendments to immigration regulations are important to make it easier for foreigners to obtain visas for tourism, business and work, and this will in turn promote investment in South Africa, said home affairs minister Aaron Motsoaledi on Tuesday. He made this remark during a media briefing in which he outlined proposed amendments to the regulations.... Read more...

The home affairs minister says he will regazette the regulations next week and change some clauses that have caused concern Home affairs minister Aaron Motsoaledi will withdraw the new work visa regulations he gazetted on March 28, saying he was “ill-advised” to gazette them the day before the deadline for public comments on the draft version. This comes after a meeting at Nedlac last week in which questions were raised about the process and demands were made that the regulations be withdrawn... Read more...

Home Affairs Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi also discussed how small businesses can now make use of the new start-up visas for staff. Home Affairs Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi has highlighted a need to look at reworking spousal visa protocols after they contributed to a backlog at the department more so than any other visa category. Speaking to media on amended immigration regulations on Tuesday, Motsoaledi and other officials also spent time explaining how businesses particularly small businesses can benefit from new visa schemes.... Read more...

The industry is ‘dominated by very small companies’ that cannot afford expensive tax consulting or accounting systems needed to cope with the complexities. Uncertainty around the value-added tax (Vat) treatment on services offered to foreign tour operators or foreign travellers continues to plague the local tourism industry. Inconsistencies in the approach adopted by the South African Revenue Service (Sars) and an onerous administrative burden on particularly smaller companies are making South Africa uncompetitive compared to the rest of the world.The South African Tourism Services Association (Satsa) unpacked the practical consequences of the Vat complexities for inbound operators and the implications of a tax court decision in the so-called Ken case during a recent webinar.... Read more...

There has been another positive stride forward for policy reform in the implementation of new visa regulations that will fundamentally alter the way work visas are provided in South Africa. The digital nomad visa allows foreigners to come and work remotely from South Africa if they earn more than R1 million, and the legal framework has now been put in place for a point-based system to replace the critical skills list. The criteria for the points system are due to be published by the end of April. Other changes include easing the requirements for police clearance certificates and other documents.... Read more...

A Pretoria man, who didn’t want his 13-year-old daughter to travel with her mother and new husband, was informed that his consent was not necessary for the daughter to travel to America. The mother wished to travel to America with her daughter from March 18, to April 7. Going on the trip means the daughter will miss five days of school, a school netball tournament, and the North Gauteng netball trials. In addition, she will also miss extra-mural activities like netball, tennis and horse-riding lessons. Her father said he was concerned that their daughter will miss all these activities, especially the netball tournament. He refused to sign a consent form that would allow her to travel to the US, adding that he was acting in the best interest of the child.... Read more...

The Immigration Amendment Bill gives effect to a 2017 judgment of the Constitutional Court The department of home affairs has tabled the Immigration Amendment Bill to give effect to two Constitutional Court judgments related to the rights of illegal foreigners. One of the judgments dates back to 2017 and in the meantime the department of home affairs having failed to amend the principal act within the two years given by the court has been implementing the remedies laid down in the judgment. With parliament nearing the end of its term, there is no time for the bill to be processed before then, so it will have to be held over for the next parliament to deal with. The bill provides that an arrested foreigner must be informed of their rights in a language they understand on arrest or immediately thereafter. These rights include the right to be notified in writing of the deportation decision, the right to appeal such a decision and the right to make representations to a court.... Read more...

Four foreign nationals succeed in case against Department of Transport regulation and Road Accident Fund management directive. The minister and the fund exercised powers they don’t have, making it unnecessary for judges to deal with the ‘constitutionality arguments’ related to the case. Image: AdobeStock A Department of Transport regulation and Road Accident Fund (RAF) management directive that attempted to exclude foreigners who are illegally in South Africa from submitting claims against the RAF has been declared invalid by the High Court in Pretoria. Judge Norman Davis, with acting judges BF Mnyovu and A Kok concurring, reviewed and set aside the provisions of the substituted RAF 1 claim form issued by former minister of transport Fikile Mbalula in terms of the RAF Act and prescribed by a notice published in the Government Gazette on 4 July 2022.... Read more...

In 2020 the Auditor General raised alarm bells when they indicated that the asylum appeal backlog would take the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) 68 years to clear. In 2021 the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) provided the DHA with R147 million to deal with the 153 391 asylum decisions appeal backlog. The funding provided for this backlog project, like with most initiatives taken by the DHA, was wasted. Both the UNHCR and the DHA stated that the project would eliminate the backlog within 4 years. Yet, after a question posed to the Minister, the DA exposed that the DHA is failing miserably at dealing with the asylum appeal backlog and has wasted the UNHCR’s funding.... Read more...

Stats SA`s first migration report shows SA has lost almost a million citizens to emigration since 2000. The data also suggests claims about a ‘brain regain’ in SA are overly optimistic. Grey skies, geopolitical uncertainty, the high cost of living and the exorbitant price of biltong abroad appear not to be strong enough pull factors for South Africa. Despite cheery anecdotal claims by estate agencies, tax practitioners and international moving companies that South Africans were returning to the country of their birth in droves, Stats SA’s evidence shows that far fewer Saffas are doing so. In fact, the rising numbers of South Africans emigrating to the UK, Australia, and the US long favoured destinations for South African émigrés have helped boost those country’s populations by significant percentages.... Read more...

Years after Tebogo Khoza was refused an identity document, a high court judgment has restored his rights and offered hope to millions of other undocumented South Africans. As a gamekeeper in Limpopo, Tebogo Khoza’s knowledge of the land and its wildlife is key to his livelihood and safety. Tending to buffalo and impala on the reserve where he lives at the foot of the Ysterberg, Khoza feels a sense of belonging that has been denied to him for most of his life. Last year, at the age of 25, Khoza was finally issued with a birth certificate by the department of home affairs, marking the end of a 10-year battle to be recognised as a South African citizen.... Read more...

Tourism in the Western Cape continues to grow and strengthen. I am thrilled to confirm that, according to Statistics South Africa, total international air arrivals to Cape Town International Airport between January and February 2024 surpassed the 200,000 mark and exceeded the 2019 figure of 194,058 for the same period, breaking all previous records in the last five years. And at key attractions in regions across the province, visitor numbers are up 20% year on year. This is yet more excellent news for the sector because we know that more tourist means more jobs across the province,” said Provincial Minister of Finance and Economic Opportunities, Mireille Wenger. This is according to the monthly tourism report for February 2024, compiled by the Western Cape Government’s (WCG) tourism, trade, and investment promotion agency, Wesgro... Read more...

Legal Aid South Africa has revised their means test to grant more people access to legal services. The Legal Aid South Africa (Legal Aid SA) Means Test, used to determine if applicants qualify for legal aid, has been revised upwards to cater for increases in the Consumer Price Index. This will enable access to legal services to a wider group of people, Legal Aid SA said in a statement on Monday. The changes come into effect on 1 April 2024. Below is a summary of the new Means Test thresholds. Legal Aid SA considers what applicants earn, after tax, and own:... Read more...

With the government determined to scrap the Zimbabwe Exemption Permit (ZEP), permit holders were told they must apply for waivers and seek alternative visas if they wish to remain in South Africa legally. A waiver allows ZEP holders, many of whom have been employed for years in South Africa, to continue in their jobs without having to go through an immigration process from scratch with the Department of Labour, for instance proving that the job was advertised and no South African applicant applied or was qualified for the position. Successful waiver applicants then apply for a general work visa.... Read more...

The Department of Home Affairs says that some spousal or relative visa applications take up to two years to process because of the documentation and claims that need to be verified. Responding to a written parliamentary Q&A this past week, Home Affairs minister Aaron Motsoaledi said that this is the current challenge being addressed by the department’s ‘Backlog Eradication Plan’, where 117 additional officials have been pulled in from the provinces to work through applications. The department is also looking for partners in the private sector to improve and speed up the verification processes.... Read more...

Home affairs offices will open on Saturdays for five hours from April 6 to May 25 for ID collection services, facilitation of new applications and issuing of temporary identity certificates.“We invite people who have applied for their IDs, particularly young people who are first applicants, to come to our offices to collect their documents. This initiative gives people more options to collect their enabling documents,” said deputy minister Njabulo Nzuza.... Read more...

The Zimbabwe dollar traded at 22 476 against the greenback, taking its losses this year to 73%, the world’s second-worst performance only after the Lebanese pound. Zimbabwe’s currency plunged to yet another record low as citizens rushed to the safety of the US dollar amid speculation an announcement from the central bank on the fate of the local unit is imminent. The Zimbabwe dollar traded at 22 476 against the greenback, taking its losses this year to 73%, the world’s second-worst performance only after the Lebanese pound. A sense of urgency has gripped the nation after authorities brought forward the start date of the new governor, John Mushayavanhu, by a month. The local media reported the move was made to announce a new currency plan that may include embracing the gold standard.... Read more...

Dzmitry Dzenisiuk was deployed to SA in 2014, with his wife joining him under a spousal visa. Both applied for visa extensions in February 2021. Image: Moneyweb The Department of Home Affairs (DHA) has been blocked by the Pretoria High Court from deporting a foreign worker and his wife, both of whom had been refused visa extensions, based on its failure to properly consider the documents supplied in their visa applications. This is the latest in a string of court losses notched up by Home Affairs. In the latest ruling, the high court ruled that the decision not to renew the visa of two foreign nationals must be set aside and returned to Home Affairs for reconsideration.... Read more...

Damelin, CityVarsity, Icesa City Campus and Lyceum College are reportedly being shut down after failing to submit their financial statements for 2021 and 2022. • The department of higher education has cancelled the registrations of Damelin, CityVarsity, Icesa City Campus and Lyceum College. • The announcement was made in the Government Gazette on Friday. • The department`s action follows the failure by the owner of the colleges, Educor, to submit audited financial statements for the 2021 and 2022 annual reports. The fate of hundreds of thousands of students registered with Damelin, CityVarsity, Icesa City Campus and Lyceum College hang in the balance after the institutions` registrations were cancelled by the department of higher education.... Read more...

The Department of Home Affairs (DHA) initiative to hire 10,000 young graduates has created almost 3,700 jobs for unemployed youths since it kicked off in August 2022, with more than 260 leaving for better opportunities. This is according to Minister Aaron Motsoaledi, who also revealed that the department had digitised nearly 31.5 million images as of 29 February 2024 in response to parliamentary questions from Democratic Alliance MP Adrian Roos. “The advert for the first 1st 2,000 cohort of unemployed graduates was published in the 2022/23 financial year, leading to the initial employment of 1,405 graduates,” said Motsoaledi. “This number has been decreasing due to youth finding better opportunities elsewhere. As of 31 January 2024, a total of 1,142 youth were still in the employ of the department.” According to the DHA’s first job advert, this is precisely what the initiative aimed to achieve.... Read more...

The Department of Home Affairs says it plans to extend its live-capture system for Smart IDs and Passports to five new front offices in 2024, while also adding more countries to the growing list that can apply for e-Visas. In the department’s annual performance plan for 2024/25, it noted the success of its push to modernise and boost the efficiency of Home Affairs offices in the country.... Read more...

Some success for Home Affairs hiring 10,000 unemployed graduates Myles Illidge1 April 2024 Some success for Home Affairs hiring 10,000 unemployed graduates. The Department of Home Affairs (DHA) initiative to hire 10,000 young graduates has created almost 3,700 jobs for unemployed youths since it kicked off in August 2022, with more than 260 leaving for better opportunities.... Read more...

The government is deporting foreign nationals whom it says are coming into the country illegally. Part of those deported so far include hundreds of Chinese and Malawi nationals whom the authorities say are entering the country for employment. This week, Respect Gono, the chief director at the Department of Immigration, revealed that investigations have unveiled a pattern: Chinese migrants using mega projects to circumvent authorities and settle in Zimbabwe illegally. Chinese nationals were reportedly disappearing almost immediately after receiving clearance from immigration.... Read more...

By Diplomatic Correspondent, The Australian government has set forth stringent proposals to bolster its immigration laws, potentially spelling dire consequences for Zimbabwe and several other nations facing the spectre of a complete visa embargo. As reported by Australia’s Herald Sun, among the countries under scrutiny for the visa ban are Iraq, Iran, South Sudan, and Russia. This initiative coincides with a provision for a possible five-year incarceration term for asylum seekers who resist deportation following the exhaustion of all legal avenues. The bill was tabled mere weeks before the High Court was scheduled to deliberate on a case involving an Iranian individual, identified as ASF17, who adamantly refuses repatriation to his homeland due to fears of persecution based on his sexual orientation. The proposed legislation takes direct aim at nations deemed uncooperative in facilitating the return of their citizens who have been denied asylum in Australia.... Read more...

Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi outlined the customer satisfaction statistics in his response to a recent parliamentary question from Cope president Mosiuoa Lekota regarding the progress made in resolving the myriad issues faced by clients. While a 2022/2023 Home Affairs survey showed generally high satisfaction scores from clients for the service they received at the department’s offices, opposition parties have said the statistics are misleading. Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi outlined the customer satisfaction statistics in his response to a recent parliamentary question from Cope president Mosiuoa Lekota regarding the progress made in resolving the myriad issues faced by clients. “Customer satisfaction score for each service channel was generally high with scores above 70%. However, harbours and airports had the highest satisfaction score of over 90% whereas refugee centres had the lowest score of 73%,” the minister said.... Read more...

Recently unsealed court documents have revealed how Meta Platforms used a man-in-the-middle attack to spy on Snapchat’s encrypted analytics web traffic. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg told three of Meta’s top executives that given how quickly Snapchat was growing, it was important to find “reliable analytics about them” in an email titled “Snapchat analytics”. Javier Olivan, now Facebook’s COO, replied that he fully agreed with the need for these analytics. He had looked into this with the Onavo team, a web analytics company owned by Meta. However, gaining insight into Snapchat’s encrypted analytics would require legal approval. Olivan forwarded the email to Guy Rosen, Onavo’s founder, who replied, “We are going to figure out a plan for a lockdown effort during June to bring a step change to our Snapchat visibility. This is an opportunity for our team to shine.”... Read more...

U.S. authorities ordered Google to reveal personal information about the viewers of selected YouTube videos due to an unidentified individual’s engagement with the content, reports Forbes. Undercover agents were in conversation with someone using the online pseudonym “elonmuskwhm”. Authorities were investigating the person for unlicensed money transmitting and selling Bitcoin for cash. After sending “elonmuskwhm” YouTube tutorials about mapping via drones and augmented reality software, the agents asked Google for the personal information of everyone who had watched the videos between 1 and 8 January 2023.... Read more...

Financial technology is developing quickly as it continues to bring change to the financial industry. Learn what it means in this summary. The popularity of financial technology (fintech) is growing rapidly as it continues to revolutionize the financial industry. Fintech is a fast-changing landscape that constantly introduces cutting-edge ideas and developments. Some of the advancements include core banking systems, digital assets and tokenization.... Read more...

Employment and Labour Minister, Thulas Nxesi has warned South African companies against hiring undocumented foreigners. Minister Thulas Nxesi of Employment and Labour (DEL) has strongly warned South African companies against hiring undocumented foreigners. THINGS TOUGHEN UP FOR UNDOCUMENTED FOREIGNERS DEL has given a stern warning to all South African companies should they employ foreigners who are undocumented they shall be fined. This comes after a Zimbabwean nation Kudakwashe Mpofu, who was working as the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) in the North West Development Cooperation while illegally in the country, appeared in the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday. According to IOL Nxesi’s statement follows Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi’s call for stricter penalties on employers who knowingly employ undocumented foreigners, just a month ago.... Read more...

The Border Management Authority wants Zimbabwean children entering South Africa by themselves to carry their passports. A South African National Defence Force (SANDF) soldier walks along the border fence that separates South Africa and Zimbabwe, near the Beitbridge border post, near Musina, on January 8, 2021. Picture: Guillem Sartorio/AFP JOHANNESBURG - The Department of Social Development and the Border Management Authority (BMA) say they will crack down on the influx of unaccompanied children entering the country through the Beitbridge and Grobler`s Bridge borders. This follows a meeting with Zimbabwean authorities who discussed how operations would be intensified to put a stop to the practice during the Easter long weekend. Border management said Zimbabwean children entering South Africa by themselves must carry their passports.... Read more...

The department of Home Affairs has deported thousands of undocumented foreign nationals after a daring escape that took place at the Lindela Repatriation Centre in Krugersdorp last week. The department confirmed last week that it would also be investigating an escape of 69 undocumented foreigners, and look into a nearly R60 million contract it pays annually to the security company that was on duty when the escape took place.... Read more...

Human error is South Africa`s most prevalent cyber security vulnerability and the cause of 40% of cyber breaches in the country. This is according Mimecast’s 2024 “The State of Email and Collaboration Security” (SOECS) report, its eighth edition, based on a global survey of 1100 IT and cyber security professionals. According to Mimecast researchers, “the year ahead will be fraught with cybercrime and incidents anticipated ahead of the busy election year, where over 50 countries head to the polls, including South Africa.”... Read more...

Spain introduced its digital nomad visa last year. Here`s how it`s going so far. A year after Spain launched a special digital nomad visa to encourage foreign business talent to move to the country, it has met with muted success. Some 300 foreign nationals were granted the visa up until 31 December 2023, the Spanish Foreign Ministry said, but it did not disclose their nationalities. The relatively small number may relate to the problems encountered by some applicants keen to make a new life under the Iberian sun. Some said it was hard to fulfil all the visa’s demands like proving they pay social security in their own country. Others complained of the endless paperwork involved in the process. Euronews Travel spoke to visa experts, applicants and locals to find out more. How easy is it to get a digital nomad visa in Spain?... Read more...

The Department of Home Affairs plans to introduce new amendments to South Africa’s immigration laws missing a Constitutional Court deadline by five years. In 2017, Lawyers for Human Rights took the Minister of Home Affairs and others to court over the treatment of detained foreign nationals. The Constitutional Court ruled that sections 34(1)(b) and (d) of the Immigration Act of 2002 were invalid and unconstitutional.... Read more...

The high levels of crime, unemployment, and poor public healthcare in South Africa are not caused by immigrants, but by the government’s poor governance and corruption. The blaming and scapegoating of immigrants for South Africa’s socio-economic problems arises primarily because of the failure of government policy. Also blamed is implementation, mismanagement, and corruption. This in all the education, health, and housing provisions.... Read more...

Home Affairs Minister says his department is “generally praised for its effectiveness”, and the data collected by the department is evidence of this. In a recent parliamentary Q&A, the Minister of Home Affairs, Aaron Motsoaledi, was asked whether his department had solved the problem of long queues and denial of service on reaching the counter after a long time in the queue. The question also included an inquiry into his findings on citizen satisfaction with the service provided by his department. In response, Motsoaledi said customer satisfaction and waiting times are constantly monitored across all DHA branches and noted the average waiting time inside an office is reasonably quick, albeit with some caveats.... Read more...

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The hospitality industry association says Home Affairs fails to recognise the importance of tourism in job creation and economic growth, which is why it keeps scoring own goals by actively discouraging tourists, especially from the world’s two biggest and fastest growing outbound markets India and China our original BRICS partners. The Department of Home Affairs needs to recognise the importance of tourism in job creation and economic growth and how the uproar about the short-term visa renewal, which it caused, has undermined South Africa’s economy, says Rosemary Anderson, the national chair of the hospitality industry body Fedhasa.... Read more...

The ability to facilitate convenient and efficient visa processing for international visitors is critical to growing South Africa`s tourism economy and industry associations are urgently calling for structured engagement between the tourism industry and the Department of Home Affairs. “Such a dialogue would enable us to convey the on-the-ground frustrations faced by our international visitors and explore the ongoing and planned improvements to the eVisa technology that the Minister (of Home Affairs, Aaron Motsoaledi) mentioned,” said David Frost, CEO of the inbound industry association, SATSA.... Read more...

Canada is planning to set limits on the number of temporary residents it lets in for the first time in its history. Immigration minister Marc Miller said on Thursday that the number will be reduced over the next three years, with the first cap to be set in September. It will apply to international students, as well as foreign workers and asylum claimants. The minister has previously spoken about revising immigration targets due to an affordability and housing crisis. In his announcement, Mr Miller said that Canada plans to reduce the number of temporary residents to 5% of the population, down from the current 6.2%.... Read more...

Home Affairs Aaron Motsoaledi has called on tourists who have been declared “undesirable” for overstaying their 90-day visit despite applying for an extension, to come forward for assistance. Minister of Home Affairs Aaron Motsoaledi has called on tourists who have been declared “undesirable” for overstaying their 90-day visit despite applying for an extension, to come forward for assistance. Motsoaledi said if a tourist has applied for a 90-day extension and not yet received a response, the receipt issued served as an extension. The minister was speaking at a briefing on Sunday to clarify a “leaked” internal circular sent to the Border Management Authority (BMA) which called on seasonal visitors who have overstayed their visit to return to their countries.... Read more...

Creating a more flexible and welcoming visa environment, especially for tourists from countries with a strong track record of compliance and economic contribution, could be transformative for the sector says FEDHASA. JOHANNESBURG FEDHASA acknowledges Home Affairs Minister AaronMotsoaledi‘s statement regarding the internal circular issued on 21 December 2023. While the Minister regards the ensuing media storm and the distress among the tourism sector as unintended consequences of an internal document, the reality presents a starkly different picture. The experiences shared globally by “Swallows” tourists who migrate seasonally in search of warmer climates attest to a more distressing outcome. These narratives, far from being isolated, have reverberated through international communities, painting South Africa as a destination fraught with visa challenges.... Read more...

Minister of Home Affairs vows to investigate flaws allowing crocodiles into the country with fraudulent documents Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi says the days of “crocodiles” lingering in the country with fraudulent documents are numbered as his department vows to work hand in hand with specialist investigative authorities. The minister made the comments during a briefing in Pretoria earlier today, where he clarified reports of the negative impact on the tourism sector following the leak of an internal communication circular released by his department last year.... Read more...

Digital nomads are a growing number of the working population. Their type of work allows them to be anywhere in the world and constantly on the go thanks to technology. A nomad is seldom sitting for too long in one place. Their job takes them on adventures around the world, looking for chic accommodation and a great lifestyle to enjoy. While digital nomads tend to be millennials, their age can range from Generation Z to Baby Boomers who have adopted the on-the-go lifestyle. Due to their profile, nomads are customarily well-rounded, respectful people with an eagerness to explore the world and live in different places. That is why they make the perfect tenants.... Read more...

For the twelfth year in a row, the U.S. has the highest cost of a data breach at $5.09 million, according to IBM. Can you break into the world of cybersecurity without experience? It’s a question that’s been searched countless times according to Google Trends - even peaking in recent years. Ultimately, it’s doable, at least to a certain extent, according to Tia Hopkins, Field CTO and Chief Cyber Risk Strategist at eSentire. “Yes, you can get into cybersecurity if you have no experience, but not if you stay in a place of no experience. Do things to build your understanding and capabilities continuously�`you can’t be a locksmith if you never learn anything about locks.” STEM-designated. Tar Heel ROI. No compromises.... Read more...

Two Congolese nationals who assumed the identities of South African citizens are due to be sentenced in the Durban Magistrate`s Court on Friday. They were found guilty of identity fraud and contravening immigration laws. Tausi and John Kahwere were part of a group of foreign nationals arrested by the Hawks. Two men from Bangladesh, Morshed Alam and Saiful Sujon, and South African Oliver Hurriparsad will be sentenced in May.... Read more...

A person purporting to be a Home Affairs official asked for a bribe from an applicant seeking to add an `a` on his permanent residency permit. • Ibrahim Sissoko hired a private immigration consultant to help him with an application to rectify a basic mistake on his permanent residency permit. • After the consultant sent emails to senior Department of Home Affairs officials about the incident, Sissoko received text messages from a person purporting to be an official. • The alleged official demanded a bribe to help him with his application. Ibrahim Sissoko`s eight-year battle to get the Department of Home Affairs to give him an extra `a` in his middle name resulted in a person purporting to be a department official demanding a bribe of R4 000.... Read more...

A couple from the Democratic Republic of Congo are no longer listed as “prohibited persons” after they were victorious in their bid at the Western Cape High Court. A couple from the Democratic Republic of Congo are no longer listed as “prohibited persons” after they were victorious in their bid at the Western Cape High Court. The couple were accused of having obtained visas fraudulently after applying for temporary asylum seeker and work permits in 2016. That year in April, the wife had applied for the permit which authorised her to work in South Africa. She then obtained employment and thereafter obtained a work visa through an agent recommended by work colleagues.... Read more...

Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi says the only remaining backlog in visa applications in South Africa is the one relating to spousal and relative visas and the numbers have reduced significantly. Responding to a parliamentary Q&A this past week, the minister said the backlog is now just over 40,000, which is around half of the backlog numbers reported at the end of last year. Despite the apparent improvement, however, there are still concerns over visa turnaround times, which can still take eight months to process.... Read more...

Mzansi’s youth population is growing rapidly and soon all 16-year olds must possess a South African smart ID card. According to Worldometer, South Africa is home to just over 60-million people (as of June 2023). Roughly 20 million of these are younger than 16-years of age and will need a South African smart ID card. Mzansi’s youth population is growing rapidly and soon all 16-year olds must possess a South African smart ID card. According to Worldometer, South Africa is home to just over 60-million people (as of June 2023). Roughly 20 million of these are younger than 16-years of age and will need a South African smart ID card.... Read more...

The Department of Home Affairs (DHA) has lost another battle over blocking South African IDs arbitrarily after the South Gauteng High Court ordered the department to unblock the identity numbers belonging to a man residing in Eikenhoff, south of Johannesburg. The 42-year-old said it had affected his life as the banks suspended his accounts into which his salary was deposited. The blocking of IDs began in May 2012 when the department started a campaign to address the issue of duplicate IDs on the National Population Register.... Read more...

The Helen Suzman Foundation (HSF) has gone to court to oppose a bid by Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi to appeal against a ruling that he may not terminate the Zimbabwean Exemption Permit (ZEP) programme. The Foundation has filed papers in the Constitutional Court opposing an application by the Minister for leave to appeal against a Pretoria high court ruling which found his decision to be unlawful and unconstitutional. The Foundation says the unlawfulness of Motsoaledi’s decision to stop the ZEP had been determined on undisputed “common cause” facts which simply cannot be appealed.... Read more...

Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi says claims that tourists were being chased away from South Africa due to expired visa documents are misleading. Motsoaledi on Sunday held a media briefing in Pretoria regarding immigration related matters. In particular, the minister spoke on the circular that was issued by his department in December 2023. The circular sparked public outrage, with the Department of Home Affairs being accused of risking the collapse the tourism industry.... Read more...

The 5-year multiple-entry Schengen visa, obtainable from India, allows travel to any Schengen country. Eligibility extends to individuals who have previously held and lawfully utilised a multiple-entry visa valid for at least two A Schengen visa serves as a travel permit enabling holders to freely visit and traverse the Schengen Area, comprising 27 European countries where internal border controls have been abolished. This visa facilitates entry, exit, and movement between member states without the need for passport checks at their shared borders. Simplifying travel across the Schengen Area, it encompasses renowned destinations like France, Germany, Italy, Spain, among others.... Read more...

The US visa application process requires attention to detail. Any mistakes or omissions in the application form can lead to delays or complete rejection. It’s important to go through the visa form carefully, understand each question. Seeking a visa for entry into the United States marks a substantial stride in achieving personal, professional, or educational goals. While it`s widely understood that the US visa application procedure is lengthy, it`s crucial to emphasise the necessity for meticulous attention to detail and strict adherence to outlined criteria. These measures are essential for securing a favourable result.... Read more...

Damage to at least three subsea cables off the west coast of Africa is disrupting internet services across the continent. The West Africa Cable System, MainOne and ACE sea cables arteries for telecommunications data were all affected on Thursday (14 March), triggering outages and connectivity issues for mobile operators and internet service providers, according to data from internet analysis firms, including NetBlocks, Kentik and Cloudflare. The precise cause of the cable faults has not yet been determined... Read more...

A massive internet outage hit South Africa on Thursday, with internet users throughout the country reporting slow speeds or unresponsive pages. A Vodacom spokesperson told News24 that multiple subsea cable failures between South Africa and Europe were impacting network providers, including Vodacom. `This means that certain customers are currently experiencing intermittent connectivity issues,` the spokesperson said. Network monitoring site Downdetector showed a huge increase in outage reports across many of the biggest network platforms in the country, starting from around 12:30.... Read more...

Damage to at least three subsea cables off the west coast of Africa is disrupting internet services across the continent. The West Africa Cable System, MainOne and ACE sea cables arteries for telecommunications data were all affected on Thursday (14 March), triggering outages and connectivity issues for mobile operators and internet service providers, according to data from internet analysis firms, including NetBlocks, Kentik and Cloudflare. The precise cause of the cable faults has not yet been determined... Read more...

Thousands of people cannot access healthcare or education after Home Affairs decided in 2012 to block their ‘suspicious’ identity documents. In 2012, the Department of Home Affairs embarked on a mass drive to block South African identity documents in a bid to address fraud and misrepresentation, which had resulted in duplicate IDs on the National Population Register. What initially started as 29,000 IDs having markers placed against them quickly escalated to more than one million by 2020. It resulted in people like Khanyi Mkhwanazi having their dignity and citizenship stripped from them, propelling them into statelessness. “What is happening is so unfair. My father was a South African and I am married to a South African, but now Home Affairs is telling me that I am an illegal immigrant,” Mkhwanazi said in an emotional interview.... Read more...

Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi said the visa corruption was sophisticated. • According to Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi, sophisticated officials are behind visa corruption. • Several irregularities were uncovered with the issuing of visas to Chinese nationals. • So far, 28 matters have been referred to the Hawks for further investigation and 94 matters are being considered for possible referral. Investigations into violations of visa regulations has found that more than 3 000 Chinese nationals applied for South African visas and permits from a `nodal point`, and nearly 500 came from applicants who used the same address. On top of this, another 477 applications came from Chinese nationals who applied for visas using addresses that were vacant (vacant erven), and 75 came from those who listed addresses that did not exist.... Read more...

In January, the court declared that the placing of markers by the Department of Home Affairs against identity numbers or identity documents resulting in the blocking of identity numbers in the absence of fair administrative process as unjust and irregular administrative action that is inconsistent with the Constitution and invalid. The department was taken to court by Phindile Mazibuko and two Lawyers for Human Rights and LegalWise South Africa with the Children’s Institute as an amicus curiae.... Read more...

Motsoaledi said when his department encountered fraudulent documents, those involved in fraudulent activities tried to fight back. “They claim they are not the ones who committed fraud and would claim to have been helped by an immigration agent and say they were not aware the agent practised fraud, so we are forced to investigate,” he said. Motsoaledi said he wished he could just freeze the affected visas.... Read more...

This comes after the ministerial review committee found a host of irregularities in the issuance of permanent residence permits, business visas, corporate visas, critical skills visas, study visas, retired persons visas and citizenship by naturalisation between October 2004 and December 2020. Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi said the multidisciplinary task team would consist of experienced senior counsels, forensic investigators, data analysts and other related skills.... Read more...

The Home Affairs Department is now preparing to hand over at least 94 individuals for investigation by the Hawks, on top of 28 others already handed over to the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigations.CAPE TOWN, The Home Affairs Department says it has identified more than 300,000 cases related to the fraudulent issuing of visas and permits. It is now preparing to hand over at least 94 individuals for investigation by the Hawks, on top of 28 others already handed over to the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigations. Home Affairs has been on a year-long audit of its files following an independent investigation of visa corruption in the department dating back 20 years, now known as the Lubisi Report.The department was before Parliament on Tuesday to provide a status update.The number of irregular visa and permit transactions picked up by the Home Affairs Department in the past year is 307,178.... Read more...

The Western Cape’s minister of finance and economic opportunities, Mireille Wenger, wrote to Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi two weeks ago requesting an official position on visa extensions. This was after immigration officers began banning tourists and even medical professionals from SA. It’s been two weeks since the Western Cape’s department of finance and economic opportunities wrote to Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi about tourist bannings, and there’s been no response to provincial minister Mireille Wenger’s urgent request for an updated directive on short-term visa extensions.... Read more...

Google`s March 2024 Core Update has deindexed hundreds of websites in its early stages, targeting low-quality content and AI-generated spam. Deindexed sites face significant consequences, losing organic search traffic and advertising revenue. The update aligns with a study by Originality.ai, which found a high prevalence of AI-generated content among the affected websites.... Read more...

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• a law that offers citizenship to immigrants from selected countries, as long as they are not Muslim. • Some Indian Muslims fear the law is a precursor to denying them citizenship. • India says Muslim immigrants don`t need protection. India`s interior ministry said Monday it was enacting a citizenship law that critics say discriminates against Muslims, just weeks before the world`s most populous country heads into a general election. While the law was passed in December 2019, its implementation was delayed after widespread protests and deadly violence erupted in which more than 100 people were reported to have been killed.... Read more...

Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi said his department was implementing the court order that found its practice of “ID blocking” without following a fair procedure was unconstitutional and invalid. In January, the court declared that the placing of markers by the Department of Home Affairs against identity numbers or identity documents resulting in the blocking of identity numbers in the absence of fair administrative process as unjust and irregular administrative action that is inconsistent with the Constitution and invalid. The department was taken to court by Phindile Mazibuko and two Lawyers for Human Rights and LegalWise South Africa with the Children’s Institute as an amicus curiae. DA MP Angel Khanyile wrote to Motsoaledi asking whether his department had put a timeline in place to comply with the judgment.... Read more...

Planning to study abroad but uncertain about the steps to take? Then ensure you answer these questions to gain clarity on the demands of your journey before you begin. In recent times, there has been a surge in the number of people who desire to go abroad first to study, and then to relocate. However, making impulsive decisions without being properly informed can be catastrophic as many have encountered different difficulties. Hence, the importance of properly planning before you begin your study abroad journey. We’ve outlined and explained a list of important questions you shouldn’t ignore before planning your study abroad journey in this article. Vital Questions to ask before starting your study abroad journey.... Read more...

Student accommodation is one important thing to consider while planning to study abroad. Just as it is important to focus on visa, admission, and travel expenses, ample consideration should also be given to accommodation. Accommodation availability will vary from country to country depending on your study destination, however, there are important things to note and useful tips to apply to make the journey easier. How to choose the right study abroad destination Before you start thinking of and planning for accommodation, it is important to first choose a study abroad destination as this will in turn influence your accommodation choices. In some countries, the cost of living is on the high side. Additionally, the cost of living in various parts of the country will also differ and this will in turn affect the cost of accommodation. So, to properly plan for your accommodation as an aspiring international student, you must choose the right study abroad destination that fits you and your budget.... Read more...

During a vibrant media launch, the Cape Town Carnival provided a sneak peek into the upcoming festivities scheduled to commence on March 16, 2024, along the iconic Green Point Fan Walk. The Cape Town Carnival, a registered social impact initiative under the leadership of Professor Rachel Jafta from Stellenbosch University, showcased the diverse and creative contributions from over 1,000 performers across the province. The media launch featured enthusiastic dancers portraying fantastical worlds, including a deep sea with mythical creatures, a landscape made of sweets, and vibrant scenes of feathers and fynbos. The theme for this year`s carnival, revealed by Jay Douwes, CEO of Cape Town Carnival, is `Lekker,` reflecting the light, fun, and diverse essence of Cape Town and South Africa.... Read more...

The realities for anyone who applies for a South African work visa outside the “TES” scheme remains that they should expect a frustrating process. There are certain Embassy applications which are remarkably quick and efficient, but these remain the exception. It persists the better strategy to expect a challenging process and here are some pointers - 1. Submit as soon as possible, so you do not have a position where the application becomes late and there is a “self-created urgency”. You must ensure a first-time correct submission. 2. Each application category has very specific requirements in law and Regulations, however, this is the minimum requirement. There is also an additional layer of requirements based on internal adjudication protocols as well as Embassy specific requirements. It is very important that all bases are covered to ensure a first-time correct application.... Read more...

Uganda, too, is keen on attracting foreign investment and is in the process of planning a citizenship-by-investment program to enhance FDI and provide opportunities for economic growth Until recently, foreigners seeking Namibian residency through the country’s residency-for-investment scheme famously had to purchase real estate at President’s Links Estate. Thanks to increased demand, units in that estate will now set buyers back around US$365,000, The luxury estate, on the Bay of Whales, advertises attractions that are now being touted by similar schemes across Africa: access to a pristine coastal area famous for its high-quality seafood and stunning vistas as well as eco-friendly modern homes, villas, and world-class amenities. A new, special concession for retirees aged over 60, however, has seen Namibia’s entry point for foreigners lowered to US$300,000.... Read more...

As South Africa draws closer to the general elections on May 29th, an interesting development that has been noted by real estate and tax professionals in this country and was noted by The Times of London on 18 February, is the returning of expats to South Africa from Britain and mainland Europe. This is, as the article notes, despite the multiple challenges of loadshedding, high crime and a severely underperforming economy.... Read more...

Legal grievances against the South African Department of Home Affairs, including contempt of court cases, are depressingly common. Too frequently the minister has to apologise to a court, or to ask for more time, on behalf of the department.Most of the court cases involve the operations of the department regarding visas and permits for foreign visitors, immigrants and prospective refugees.... Read more...

Minister of Home Affairs Aaron Motsoaledi has turned to the Constitutional Court in his bid to appeal against a Pretoria High Court judgment that found the process he used to end the Zimbabwean Exemption Permit programme was neither fair nor lawful. The high court ruled against the minister and he failed in his appeal to the Supreme Court of Appeal. Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi is continuing with his court battles to scrap the Zimbabwean Exemption Permit (ZEP) programme. In June 2023, the Pretoria high court ruled that the termination of the ZEP had been unlawful and unconstitutional.... Read more...

Parliament has been urged to be patient as into visa and permit fraud at the Department of Home Affairs unfold. Officials from the department appeared before Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs on Tuesday to provide an update about the progress made on the Lubisi report’s recommendations.... Read more...

Mauritius is one of the top 10 African countries with the most millionaires. • There are 52 African-born billionaires globally, and only 23 of them still live on the continent, according to the Henley & Partners Africa Wealth Report for 2023. • There are 138 000 American dollar millionaires, 23 billionaires, and 328 people worth more than a hundred million in Africa. • South Africa, Egypt, Nigeria, Kenya, and Morocco account for 56% of Africa`s high-net-worth individuals. African billionaires are migrating, affecting the ability of countries on the continent to create employment, according to the Henley & Partners Africa Wealth Report for 2023. The report noted that there were 52 African-born billionaires on the globe and that only 23 of them still lived on African soil, but not necessarily in their home countries... Read more...

The Johannesburg high court has revoked a “fraudulently obtained” divorce decree granted 13 years ago because the husband never served his wife with divorce summons. The husband could also not provide a copy of the divorce summons and details of the lawyers he used. The application for rescission was brought after the husband attempted to evict his wife from their matrimonial home. The couple, from Meadowlands in Soweto, were married in community of property in 1981. The wife alleged that her husband abused her in the 1990s and she had to get a protection order against him which he violated in 2010.... Read more...

A British couple living in South Africa applied for the renewal of their retirement visas and 10 days later they were allegedly asked for a R60 000 bribe. (Fani Mahuntsi/Gallo Images) • A British couple living in South Africa applied for the renewal of their retirement visas in December 2022. • After waiting for months for a response to their application, they emailed a private secretary in the minister`s office whose address they found on the Department of Home Affairs website. • Twelve minutes later, they received an email from another home affairs official and 10 days later they were allegedly asked for a R60 000 bribe.... Read more...

Senior counsel Mike Hellens and Dawie Joubert who routinely act for the Gupta family were arrested by Namibian authorities for alleged immigration violations in November 2019 and pleaded guilty hours after they were detained. • They later took their arrest and conviction on review in the Namibian High Court in Windhoek, which found the immigration official who detained them to have done so based on a `very serious and dangerous misreading of the law`. • The Namibian government has now successfully appealed that ruling, after the Namibian Supreme Court dismissed a separate application by Hellens and Joubert to appeal their convictions. Senior counsel Mike Hellens has slammed a Namibian Supreme Court ruling that dismissed his and his colleague Dawie Joubert`s claims they were unlawfully coerced into pleading guilty to immigration fraud as `a shocking failure of justice`.... Read more...

The latest Knight Frank Wealth Report 2024 shows that South Africa has lost 11 ultra-high-net-worth individuals in the last year while thousands more millionaires have been lost over the last decade. The 2024 instalment of the report is based on responses provided during December 2023 by more than 600 private bankers, wealth advisors, intermediaries and family offices who, between them, manage over $3 trillion (R57 trillion) of wealth for Ultra-high-net-worth individual (UHNWI) clients.... Read more...

The rand may have lost value against foreign currencies, but this makes South Africa an attractive tourist destination It`s probably not the prospect of cheap cappuccino in South Africa that attracts foreign tourists here, but it`s obviously welcome if your foreign currency gets you further. Mary Curtis, a strategist, and Andrea Masia, a senior economist, both associated with RMB Morgan Stanley. said: Consumers can easily drink three cappuccinos in South Africa for the price of one in America. You can also spend four nights in a Cape Town hotel for the same price as one night in London `In the bigger picture, the low relative prices of goods and services in South Africa are just another example of the value in South African assets.`... Read more...

The Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg has ruled in favor of Home Affairs Minister Dr. Aaron Motsoaledi in response to an application by a group of illegal immigrants. The immigrants claimed that their detention at the Modderbee Correctional Services Centre in Benoni was unlawful and violated immigration and refugee acts.... Read more...

People going to any Refugee Reception Centre in Cape Town , Gqeberha ( Port Elizabeth ) Marabastad Pretoria & Mesina know this if you never reported to border post to get an asylum transit visa when you go for the first interview for asylum you will be arrested if you don’t have this and you will be brought before a magistrate to explain why you never got it . If you cannot convince magistrate you will be deported Gauteng High Court rules in favour of Motsoaledi on detention of illegal immigrants... Read more...

Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi has suffered a blow in his bid to appeal the judgment of the High Court Pretoria. The court had invalidated his December 2021 decision to terminate the Zimbabwean Exemption Permit (ZEP) and an interim interdict, which stopped government from detaining or deporting any holder of the permit. Motsoaledi turned to the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) in Bloemfontein in November last year to appeal the judgments, which he argued had set a dangerous precedent.... Read more...

Disky stands out as the premier choice for South Africans seeking a hassle-free vehicle licence disc renewal, and its outstanding online reviews speak volumes. Click here to renew your vehicle licence disc with Disky. Customers on the renowned review platform HelloPeter have awarded Disky an impressive rating of 4.03/5 from over 250 reviews. This rating is particularly noteworthy, considering HelloPeter users` reputation for being discerning and critical of businesses on the platform. Disky has garnered love from HelloPeter users due to its simplicity and efficiency. The renewal application is completed over WhatsApp and typically takes less than seven minutes. What`s more, this service is available across all nine provinces in South Africa, and users are not required to create an account.... Read more...

Lawyers for Human Rights say the white paper on citizenship violates SA’s own constitution and other international human rights laws We all knew foreigners, most with degrees, who worked in SA for a decade or so helping build our new democracy. Who found local partners sometimes people of colour when that was still a novelty and threw the most banging and diverse dinner parties. Then they were suddenly, inexplicably, forced to return to their countries of origin, leaving their families and spirits broken and our economy and society the poorer for their absence. It is sobering to consider that 30 years into our once-celebrated democracy a minuscule 0.2% of the 62-million people living here have achieved citizenship by naturalisation.... Read more...

The Zimbabwean Exemption Permit programme will not end any time soon, following a Supreme Court of Appeal dismissal of the Minister of Home Affairs` request for leave to appeal. The Zimbabwean Exemption Permit programme will not end any time soon, following a Supreme Court of Appeal dismissal of the Minister of Home Affairs` request for leave to appeal. The Supreme Court of Appeal has dismissed a bid by the Minister of Home Affairs to appeal a ruling that the termination of the ZEP programme was unlawful, unconstitutional and invalid. The court ruled there were no reasonable prospects of success. Last year, the Gauteng High Court in Pretoria ordered Minister Aaron Motsoaledi to reconsider the termination of the programme following a fair, consultative process that complied with the relevant laws.... Read more...

Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi advocates for stricter measures against business owners knowingly employing undocumented foreigners. Motsoaledi, in collaboration with Eastern Cape Premier Oscar Mabuyane, addressed stakeholders in Gqeberha during a service delivery monitoring session. Following a request from the provincial government, Home Affairs deployed mobile trucks to assist citizens in obtaining documents. Motsoaledi calls for sanctions against employers of undocumented foreigners, proposing by-laws to prevent them from operating businesses. He emphasizes the importance of parents registering their children to prevent cases like that of Thabo Bester.... Read more...

Disky stands out as the premier choice for South Africans seeking a hassle-free vehicle licence disc renewal, and its outstanding online reviews speak volumes. Click here to renew your vehicle licence disc with Disky. Customers on the renowned review platform HelloPeter have awarded Disky an impressive rating of 4.03/5 from over 250 reviews. This rating is particularly noteworthy, considering HelloPeter users` reputation for being discerning and critical of businesses on the platform. Disky has garnered love from HelloPeter users due to its simplicity and efficiency. The renewal application is completed over WhatsApp and typically takes less than seven minutes. What`s more, this service is available across all nine provinces in South Africa, and users are not required to create an account.... Read more...

Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi has advocated for stricter measures against business owners knowingly employing undocumented foreigners. During a stakeholder engagement and service delivery monitoring session in Gqeberha, Motsoaledi, along with Eastern Cape Premier Oscar Mabuyane, called for sanctions such as imprisonment or fines for guilty employers. The department had dispatched mobile Home Affairs trucks to assist citizens in obtaining their documents, responding to requests from the provincial government. Motsoaledi suggested implementing by-laws to prevent businesses operated by those who employ undocumented foreigners. He also urged parents to register their children to avoid situations like that of Thabo Bester.... Read more...

One of the world`s largest criminal hacking gangs, Lockbit, woke up on Tuesday to an unexpected turn of events. Law enforcement, having taken control of their main website on Monday, now threatened to expose personal details and data about their cybercrime organization. Lockbit, notorious for using ransomware to extort victims, had relied on underground marketing campaigns to boost its profile. At one point, they offered a reward of US$1,000 to anyone tattooing their logo on themselves.... Read more...

This particular mess was triggered by Aaron Motsoaledi’s failure to amend an unconstitutional law that allowed for the detention of irregular migrants for 120 days. Legal grievances against the South African department of home affairs, including contempt of court cases, are depressingly common. Too frequently, the minister has to apologise to a court or ask for more time on behalf of the department. Most of the court cases involve the operations of the department regarding visas, and permits for foreign visitors, immigrants and prospective refugees.... Read more...

Legal grievances against the South African Department of Home Affairs, including contempt of court cases, are depressingly common. Too frequently the minister has to apologise to a court, or to ask for more time on behalf of the department. Most of the court cases involve the operations of the department regarding visas and permits for foreign visitors, immigrants and prospective refugees. Just a few months ago, Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi said in legal papers: “I would like to take this opportunity to extend my sincere apology to the Chief Justice, all judges of the high court and Constitutional Court, the President of South Africa, Minister of Finance, Lawyers for Human Rights and its legal representatives and the people of South Africa for the mess created by officials of the Department of Home Affairs... Read more...

Canada has extended its ban on foreigners buying residential property, but South Africans living in the North American country should not worry. In 2022, the Canadian government passed the Prohibition on the Purchase of Residential Property by the Non-Canadians Act to stop foreign investors from buying residential property in Canada. This was intended to ensure that Canadian citizens were not priced out of the housing market. Chrystia Freeland, the Canadian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, said that the government now intends to extend the ban by an additional two years. The ban on foreign ownership of Canadian housing will thus be extended from January 1, 2025 to January 1, 2027.... Read more...

Forget the ‘green mamba’ and say ‘howzit’ to expediting your South African smart ID card application online. A South African smart ID card application in 2024 has never been easier since the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) embraced digital technologies. If you need to expedite a smart ID card application, here’s what you need to do before wandering into a DHA branch and wasting everyone’s time. There are plenty of reasons you’ll want to speed up a smart ID card application. You may just be moeg of the ‘green mamba’ or perhaps your ID has been stolen or cloned and you need a new one. Whatever the case may be, you can speed up the smart ID card application process by going online first. Here’s what to do and how much it costs... Read more...

A law that strips South Africans of their citizenship is expected to be removed by the South African government. As per section 6(1) of the Citizenship Act, South Africans automatically lose their citizenship if they voluntarily obtain citizenship with another country. This is a continuation of an apartheid-era law. This law exists despite the Constitution stating that no South African may be stripped of their South African citizenship. Removing the right to citizenship also violates other rights enshrined in the Constitution, including the right to vote, the right to reside in South Africa, the right to stand for public office and the right to choose any occupation. Those who would like to retain their South African citizenship under the standing laws would need to apply to the Minster of Home Affairs to do so.... Read more...

Due to the backlog and long turnaround time for visas processed by the Department of Home Affairs (DHA), some tourists have been advised to leave the country by the end of February. The DHA issued a directive on 21 December 2023 that will require tourists who wish to extend their stay in South Africa to leave the country by 29 February 2024. According the Democratic Alliance, this will do incredible damage to the country’s tourism industry, as any visitors who wished to extend their stay over a busy holiday season would now be denied �` all because of the department’s backlog. “Tourists, when entering South Africa, can be issued with a 90-day visa and subsequently apply for a 90-day extension if they wish to stay longer. “South Africa stands to lose millions in lost revenue by not allowing them to extend their visas during the busiest season,” said DA MP Angel Khanyile.... Read more...

KEY TAKEAWAYS • The Immigration Minister Marc Miller has introduced restrictive measures to reduce the increasing number of international students, which include capping the number of study permits issued annually. • The government aims to bring down the number of study permits approved to 360,000, marking a significant 35% decrease from 2023. • The new caps on approved study permits will be effective for two years, starting January 2024, with an assessment being scheduled for 2025. In response to concerns about the surge in international student numbers, the Canadian government, led by Minister Marc Miller, has announced caps on the number of approved study permits, which will be effective for two years, entering force as of January 2024. According to a press release by the authority, the new measure is expected to bring the number of study permits approved to 360,000 �` 35 per cent less than in 2023. Provinces will have caps based on their populations, excluding r... Read more...

Researcher Sébastien Lechevalier reports on how the causes of declining fertility among Korean women vary from generation to generation. Falling birth rates affect most of the developed countries of East Asia and Europe, resulting in accelerated aging of the population. However, the scale of the phenomenon is greatest in South Korea. In 2021, the country`s total fertility rate (total amount of children per woman of childbearing age) was 0.81, compared with 1.16 in China, 1.19 in Spain, 1.25 in Italy, 1.3 in Japan, 1.58 in Germany and 1.8 in France. Most importantly, it`s a long-term situation: The fertility rate has been below 1.3 for two decades... Read more...

Tourist arrivals in South Africa have increased in recent years, but they are still far off pre-pandemic levels. According to Stats SA, in December 2023, 3.5 million travellers were recorded at South African ports of entry/exit, beating the 2.9 million seen in December 2022. The United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) said that there were an estimated 1.3 billion international tourist arrivals in 2023, which is 88% of pre-pandemic levels. With worldwide tourism rebounding, South Africa is experiencing a similar trend. In 2021, the number of international tourist arrivals was 77.9% lower than the pre-pandemic levels of 2019, dropping from 10.23 million tourists in 2019 to 2.26 million in 2021. In 2022, this figure improved to approximately 5.70 million �` 44.3% lower than pre-pandemic levels. In 2023, tourist numbers stood at 8.48 million tourists in 2023 �` 17.1% below the pre-pandemic levels.... Read more...

The Department of Home Affairs has published the draft second amendment of the Immigration Regulations, which deals with two key categories of visas �` the remote working and critical skills visa �` and ancillary matters for public comment. The new regulations come after extensive lobbying by the Western Cape Government since 2021 for the introduction of a digital nomad visa and reforms to the visa regime to enable South Africa to attract skilled individuals to South Africa, to help develop and grow the economy. “To boost tourism, facilitate foreign investment, and allow digital nomads to work in South Africa, while spending their earnings here, we need to make it as easy as possible for them to access South Africa,” said WC MEC Mireille Wenger.... Read more...

Zimbabweans say they paid large sums to Gloriavd Health Care but got far less work than expected and were squalidly housed A care company serving NHS patients has been charging migrant workers from Africa thousands of pounds to work in the UK when the cost of a visa is only a few hundred pounds, the Guardian has learned. Care workers from Zimbabwe were told to pay the sums to Gloriavd Health Care Ltd in return for arranging social care jobs in and around Leeds and Bath. They also claimed they were given far less paid work than they had been led to expect, were housed in overcrowded rooms and faced a threat that their conduct could be reported to the Home Office, leading them to fear deportation if they complained. One woman alleged she sold her home in rural South Africa to pay £6,500 in fees to the company operated by Gloria Van Dunem only to find she and her colleagues had so little work they had to rely on food banks.... Read more...

The widespread adoption of artificial intelligence (AI), particularly generative AI (GenAI), has revolutionized organizational landscapes and transformed both the cyber threat landscape and cybersecurity. AI as a powerful cybersecurity tool As organizations handle increasing amounts of data daily, AI offers advanced capabilities that would be harder to achieve with traditional methods. According to the “best practices” report recently published by Spain’s National Cryptology Centre (NCC), when applied to cybersecurity, AI can: • Advance threat detection and response • Use historical data to anticipate threats and vulnerabilities • Reduce the risk of unauthorized access by accurately authenticating individuals with advanced biometrics, user behavior, etc.... Read more...

• In a recent survey by cybersecurity firm Kaspersky, only one in five South Africans correctly identified an image generated using artificial intelligence. • This comes amid a 1 200% growth in the frequency of deepfakes in South Africa between 2022 and 2023, according to an identification company. • Prominent South Africans, including Elon Musk, Cyril Ramaphosa and Glynnis Breytenbach, were targeted by deepfakes last year. Images and videos made using sophisticated artificial intelligence tools are proliferating online and South Africans are struggling to spot them.... Read more...

Bank of America expects South Africa’s economic growth to triple to 1.5% in 2024 from a paltry 0.5% in 2023. Sub-Saharan Africa economist at Bank of America, Tatonga Rusike, told CNBC Africa that this growth rate is nothing special and not good enough for the country. Rusike said 2024 will be a very tumultuous year for South Africa, with national elections, interest cuts expected in the second half, and deteriorating public finances.... Read more...

As we start the new year, more than two million South Africans are still awaiting Home Affairs to unblock their identity documents and thus “unblock their lives”. The Gauteng High Court, Pretoria, in September reserved judgment in an application by Lawyers for Human Rights and several other civic organisations in which it challenged the conduct of Home Affairs to block certain people’s IDs, leaving them in the cold.... Read more...

Cape Town Air Access (CTAA) announced on Monday that December had seen a monthly record number of two-way international passengers passing through Cape Town International Airport (CTIA). These passengers numbered 317 000. The previous record, set in January 2020, had been 290 000. It was estimated that these 317 000 travellers had boosted the Western Cape economy by almost R1.9-billion in direct tourism spending. This helped economic growth and preserved jobs.... Read more...

More and more Berlin VCs and founders are flocking to the sunny South African city. But what’s taking them there? On any given week wandering along Torstraße, a long street in Berlin’s Mitte neighbourhood, you’re bound to run into a VC or founderor three. In January, however, the streets are conspicuously quiet. That’s because many startup Berliners fly south for the winter to Cape Town. It’s evolved into something of an annual outpost. German VCs, founders and creators are now to be found there every winter: kitesurfing, sunbathing, networking and working on their startup ideas.... Read more...

Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis said it was exciting to see that people across the globe still rated the Mother City as one of the top global destinations to visit. CAPE TOWN - Cape Town has been ranked the second-best city to visit in 2024 amid a list of 50 cities globally. New York tops the list of rankings stemming from an extensive survey of 20,000 global travellers. Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis said it was exciting to see that people across the globe still rated the Mother City as one of the top global destinations to visit. He said that the ranking would elevate Cape Town`s tourism record. `This is wonderful news for Cape Town`s tourism economy, which has just seen record numbers of visitors from overseas visiting our city. Two point nine million in 2023 and 317,000 overseas visitors just in December 2023.`... Read more...

The number of chartered accountant candidates in South Africa is decreasing, while others are choosing to pursue opportunities in first-world countries �` contributing to the ongoing talent and skills shortage within the industry in the country. The Department of Home Affairs periodically releases a Critical Skills list to attract foreign professionals with locally scarce skills into South Africa to resolve economic bottlenecks resulting from skill shortages. Three updates have been made to the Critical Skills list over the last two years: February 2022, August 2022, and �` most recently �` October 2023. In the latest edition of the Critical Skills list, Accountancy, specifically auditing and financial analysis, is in high demand in South Africa. Speaking to eNCA, the education and training manager at the South African Institute of Professional Accountants (SAIPA), Karl Smith, said that one of the reasons for this decline in qualified accountants is the negative perception of the profession.... Read more...

SA is unable to handle the volume of applications that much smaller countries process in far less time and with far fewer resources. A Home Affairs directive issued in December tells short-term visitors planning to extend their 90-day visas they may have to leave by 29 February. South Africa, and the Western Cape in particular, stands to lose billions of rands in investment and tourism revenue because of visa backlogs at the Department of Home Affairs (DHA). A DHA directive in December warns that the visa department is so backlogged with applications that visitors on 90-day visas planning to extend them for another 90 days will have to leave the country by 29 February unless they receive their visa renewals by 23 February. This means a potentially foreshortened stay for the so-called ‘swallows’, many of them property and business investors in SA, who migrate to SA to escape the northern hemisphere winter.... Read more...

Beyond addressing the backlog, home affairs needs to engage more with stakeholders As we step into 2024 it is necessary to cast a retrospective eye on the intricate tapestry of SA immigration and citizenship law that has been woven over the past few years. The seismic waves of the Covid-19 pandemic have not only disrupted lives and businesses but also intensified challenges within our immigration system, resulting in formidable backlogs.... Read more...

South Africa is a popular tourist destination for many tourists and many opt-ins to permanently move to South Africa to work or retire here. Our beautiful country has many popular destinations to see such as our landscape and wonderful games reserves and not to forget our world-class wines. Tourists who travel from visa exempt countries for South Africa will receive a visa at the port of entry for 30 or 90 days. A tourist has the option to extend their visa for a further 30 or 90 days and must apply 60 days before their visa expires at VFS. A visa overstay is something you must avoid at all and exit the country before your visa expires.... Read more...

VFS Global has revealed that it has been awarded the global contract for processing all UK Visa applications starting in 2024. Applications in Africa for UK visas will be exclusively processed via VFS Global soon. Image: Canva VFS GLOBAL GETS NEW CONTRACT If you’re planning a trip to the United Kingdom this year, applying for a UK visa might look a little different.... Read more...

The new law aims to deport an additional 600 migrants per year, while the country contends with 1,000 new asylum seekers every day. Migrants need to wait during a German Federal Police (Bundespolizei) check near Forst, eastern Germany... Read more...

One source is aware of some 300 truck drivers who have moved to Poland ‘where they are welcomed’. Where the entry level wage is around R34 000 a month. Zimbabwean truckers are being denied the ability to renew their South African driver’s licences as the Zimbabwe Exemption Permit (ZEP) system winds down, with a little less than two years to run before it is terminated. These truck drivers have complained of rising xenophobia in SA, with more than 400 killed by local vigilantes since 2019, according to the Zimbabwe Truckers Association of SA.... Read more...

The German parliament has passed a law that will make it easier for foreigners to acquire citizenship, as Berlin looks to immigration to solve a dire shortage of skilled workers. Under the law, passed by 382 votes to 234, people will be able to apply for citizenship after living in Germany for five years, rather than eight as at present. Those who have made a particular effort to integrate for example by becoming proficient in German or doing voluntary work... Read more...

Michael Tomlinson, the minister for countering illegal migration (left) said there were 5,598 rejected asylum seekers still in the UK - Stefan Rousseau/Reuters Nearly 6,000 asylum seekers have gone missing after having their applications withdrawn, the Home Office has admitted. In a letter to the Commons home affairs committee, ministers Michael Tomlinson and Tom Pursglove said there were 5,598 rejected asylum seekers still in the UK and that the Home Office was “taking steps to urgently re-establish contact with them”.... Read more...

You`ve got this flood, you`ve got a deluge,` says immigration lawyer There are millions of people already in Canada on a temporary basis, and many are likely gearing up for their permanent residency applications. (Pierre Fournier/CBC) For three years, Jyoti has been trying to immigrate to Calgary from her home in the city of Gurgaon, just outside New Delhi, India. Her brother once went to school in Canada and she has family, her mom`s cousin, in Calgary. `It looks beautiful, it`s serene, the life is good, you get good jobs,` Jyoti said. `There`s not a lot of hassle about everything. So that`s been an image in my mind as well.`... Read more...

Google has announced the shutdown of websites created using Google Business Profiles. As of March, these websites will be deactivated, and visitors attempting to access them will be automatically redirected to the respective Business Profiles until June 10. After this date, visitors will encounter a `page not found` error.... Read more...

Business Process Outsourcing is growing from strength to strength, with 7 900 new jobs bringing in R2.7-billion in foreign revenue in the past financial year. THE Western Cape Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) sector now contributes as much as tourism to the region’s economy. The BPO sector employs 70 000 catering to the offshore market in the province. This sees it contributing R24-billion to the Western Cape economy, meaning that it makes as large a contribution as the tourism sector in terms of economic impact. The scale of the contribution was revealed at a presentation to the Western Cape Parliament by the province’s Department of Economic Development and Tourism (DEDAT) in November.... Read more...

The German parliament has passed a law that will make it easier for foreigners to acquire citizenship, as Berlin looks to immigration to solve a dire shortage of skilled workers. Under the law, passed by 382 votes to 234, people will be able to apply for citizenship after living in Germany for five years, rather than eight as at present. Those who have made a particular effort to integrate �` for example by becoming proficient in German or doing voluntary work �` can apply after three years. It also lifts a ban on dual nationality for people from non-EU countries.... Read more...

The Gauteng High Court handed down a landmark judgement on Tuesday, 16 January, declaring the Department of Home Affairs’ practice of blocking IDs unjust and inconsistent with the South African constitution. The Department of Home Affairs is no longer allowed to block South African IDs arbitrarily, cutting citizens and residents off from essential services, following a landmark judgment from the Gauteng high court. Lawyers for Human Rights has welcome the ruling.... Read more...

The Gauteng High Court handed down a landmark judgement on Tuesday, 16 January, declaring the Department of Home Affairs’ practice of blocking IDs unjust and inconsistent with the South African constitution. The Department of Home Affairs is no longer allowed to block South African IDs arbitrarily, cutting citizens and residents off from essential services, following a landmark judgment from the Gauteng high court. Lawyers for Human Rights has welcome the ruling. In a landmark judgment that has been years in the making, the Gauteng high court in Pretoria has declared that the Department of Home Affairs’ (DHA) practice of blocking South African IDs is an unjust and irregular administrative action... Read more...

It’s the daily pilgrimage for thousands of Zimbabweans: the hunt for the elusive national identity document (ID). AN icy wind whips through the deserted streets, stinging the faces of the figures huddled together outside the Registrar-General’s office. They clutch worn backpacks and thermoses, a makeshift breakfast in the battle against the cold and frustration.... Read more...

Subject: Extension of Temporary Travel Concession for Foreign Nationals wishing to leave South Africa without incurring an Overstay Ban or being declared Undesirable upon leaving South Africa I trust this letter finds you well. I am writing to bring to your attention the recent developments announced by the Department of Home Affairs regarding the extension of temporary concessions concerning foreign nationals and their respective visa applications. In light of the ongoing backlog in processing outcomes on waiver applications, visa applications, and appeal applications, the Department of Home Affairs has approved a series of temporary measures to mitigate the impact on affected individuals. In accordance with Circular: Extension Of Temporary Concession In Respect Of Foreign Nationals In Light Of A Continued Backlog In Processing Outcomes On Waiver Applications, Visa Applications And Appeal Applications - Dated 21 December �` Issued by Director General we summarise the main points affecting you .... Read more...

At the beginning of his first term in office in 2019, Congolese President Félix Tshisekedi vowed to make his country `the Germany of Africa`. He promised to grow the economy and create jobs for the people, in a country with massive resources but whose population was living in poverty. In his first four years in power, he did not achieve his ambitious goal of transforming such a vast country, but now he has a second chance after he was declared the winner of a chaotic election. He is due to be sworn in for a second term on 20 January.... Read more...

A foreign national and father of two’s honesty has caused him ongoing problems and legal fees. For four years, he worked in the country with a fraudulent work visa, but the moment he reported the fraud to Home Affairs, rather than assisting him, he faced deportation. The man, only identified as TC in a judgment delivered shortly before Christmas, told the Western Cape High Court that he had no idea that he was issued with a fraudulent visa. Being honest, he immediately reported it to the department. This was the start of his uphill battle in a bid to obtain his work permit in a legal manner.... Read more...

The Minister of Home Affairs, Dr Aaron Motsoaledi has announced the extension of the closing date for the submission of public comments on the White Paper on Citizenship, Immigration and Refugee Protection from 19 January 2024 to 31 January 2024. The announcement is contained in Gazette No 49976, published on 08 January 2024. The Department has received substantial public comments. The extension of the closing date follows requests received from various organisations and individuals for additional time due to December holidays... Read more...

The following argument in the department of home affairs’ white paper on immigration just about sums it up: “South Africa is today a great place to live in and many people in the world aspire to live in, work in or be citizens of South Africa. In the result, many foreign nationals come to South Africa and stay in the country illegally. No one can account for all undocumented migrants. The department of home affairs has no idea as to how many illegal immigrants are in South Africa.... Read more...

What are the Work visa requirements for South African immigration What is the background to Work Visa for South African Immigration South Africa offers a number of options for those who are seeking a Work Visa for the purposes of South African immigration. Similar to other countries the Work Visa legislation focuses on two main areas: 1. The protection of employment opportunities for South Africans 2. The ability to recruit skilled foreign workers into skill shortage areas or fulfil corporate requirements.... Read more...

The ‘deemed abandonment’ provisions after visa nonrenewals are unconstitutional, ruling finds In a unanimous decision, the Constitutional Court has struck down provisions in the Refugees Act that asylum seekers who have not renewed their visas within a month of expiry are considered to have abandoned their applications. Acting judge Ashton Schippers, writing for the court, said the provisions and a linked regulation violate several constitutional rights in that the “deemed abandonment” provisions caused asylum seekers to be cut off from essential services such as access to banking, education and healthcare.... Read more...

Sakhumzi Maqubela, owner of the renowned Sakhumzi restaurant in Vilakazi Street, Soweto, has underscored the pressing issues of porous borders and ongoing loadshedding, emphasizing their adverse effects on the country`s economy. In an exclusive interview with Sunday World on January 8, 2024, Maqubela articulated the urgent need for government intervention to tackle these challenges head-on.... Read more...

In recent times, underground tech forums have witnessed the emergence of a new AI-powered program named WormGPT. Unlike the user-friendly ChatGPT, WormGPT serves as a tool for cybercriminals to automate the creation of personalized phishing emails.... Read more...

Abandoned Asylum Seeker Status �` What does it mean and what can I do Home Affairs implemented the Refugees Act and certain provisions of new regulations (both implemented on 1 January 2020), which sought to return asylum seekers back to their home country, simply for being a month late in renewing a visa where they could face detention without trial, rape, torture or death, This had the effect that if you did not renew your asylum in 30 days under the new Act you could no longer pay a fine for being illegal and simply continue with your asylum . This is a huge problem so for example if you expired during lockdown you could in theory be deported as there was no provision for a fine .... Read more...

A leaked memo seen by the Sunday Times from the state attorney’s office to the Department of Home Affairs has raised questions about the latter’s growing visa backlog, which is reportedly now sitting at over 95,000 applications. According to the paper, the state attorney’s office has warned of massive fallout from the backlog, including the thwarting of immigration processes, national security risks from the DHA trying to rush through applications, and an overall impediment to economic growth from skills being blocked from entering the country.... Read more...

The president said that `it shall no longer be necessary for any person from any corner of the globe to carry the burden of applying for a visa.` As anyone who has traveled internationally will know, the passport one has will make it significantly easier or more difficult to visit certain countries. In 2023, Japan was taken over by Singapore for the status of the most powerful passport in the world. Citizens of the city-state can visit 192 of the world`s 227 countries and travel destinations without a visa while Germany, Italy and Spain tied for second place. The U.S., which was in first place in 2014, is curre.... Read more...

Artificial Intelligence rates Cape Town the MOST BEAUTIFUL CITY in the World and here’s the story told by Kabous le Roux of Kfm 94.5. “It’s the 28th of December, and the most skeletal of skeleton staff is holding the fort here at HQ in De Waterkant. So, we had a brainwave! Just for the heck of it (it’s REALLY quiet and boring at work right now), we’re going to tell ChatGPT, ‘Rank the world’s cities by beauty then simply publish that as an article, whatever it spits out. Prompt: Rank the world’s cities by beauty.... Read more...

Cardo, Dr MJ to ask the Minister of Home Affairs `What are the relevant details that his department has for all eVisas (a) applied for and (b) issued for each country eligible for the eVisa regime for the period 1 January to 30 October 2023?`... Read more...

CEO Message �` SA Migration �` Happy New Year 2024 Dear Valued Clients and Followers, A Thousand Stories, One Trusted Partner At Samigration.com, Facebook , SA Migration �` Visas , every visa approved, every family reunited, and every new visitor, permanent resident, citizen welcomed is more than just a success statistic - it`s a personal story. Here`s why over a thousand clients have placed their trust in us: As 2023 draws to a close, we at Samigration.com are thrilled to celebrate a landmark achievement. This year, we`ve had the privilege of assisting over ,1000 clients this year with more than 10,000 clients since the year 2000 in navigating the complex world of visas, immigration, and citizenship. 🎉... Read more...

An immigration law expert says that the number of visa applications blocked due to inefficiencies at Home Affairs is likely worse than the department lets on and added it has little intention of addressing the issue because of bureaucratic attitudes towards foreigners. Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi noted in a recent parliamentary Q&A that the backlog in temporary residency visas remained at over 74,309 unchanged from the department’s last report at the end of October 2023 adding that an additional backlog of 43,944 in permanent residency permits also remains.... Read more...

In a surprising move, the Nigerian government is urging other nations to permit Nigerian citizens with expired passports, who have overstayed their visits, to return home for the upcoming holidays. This unconventional request stems from the government`s recognition of the challenges many Nigerians abroad face, especially amid the ongoing global uncertainties.... Read more...

The Border Management Authority says it has recorded the highest number of people processed in a day this festive season at the Lebombo border post- going into Mozambique. It says that its operations were in full swing to facilitate and manage the movement of people and goods across 72 ports of entry nationwide. Commissioner of the Border Management Authority Dr Michael Masiapato, “At Lebombo border post into Mozambique, we actually logged the highest number of people that we had to administrate in a day and that was 28 000. So, all i... Read more...

But it is not a ‘happy picture’ of seamless integration The number of foreign nationals living in Portugal in 2022 was 800,000 �` double the figure of 10 years ago �` with one in three living at risk of poverty and half a million having been granted Portuguese nationality in the last 15 years, according to the statistical database of the Francisco Manuel dos Santos Foundation. In a portrait of the “foreign population and migratory flows in Portugal” on the occasion of International Migration Day today, the database, dubbed Pordata, has sought to assess the number and living conditions of immigrants and developm... Read more...

• Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi faces being held in contempt of court after failing to comply with a court order. • In October, the court ordered Motsoaledi to decide on a foreign national`s declaration of non-prohibition. • In 2023, Motsoaledi often found himself on the wrong side of court rulings and watched more than one deadline pass by without the required action from his side. Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi yet again failed to comply with a court order, and will be held in contempt if he misses a new deadline set by the court.... Read more...

Leaksmas: On Christmas Eve, multiple threat actors released substantial data leaks, Resecurity experts reported. On Christmas Eve, Resecurity protecting Fortune 100 and government agencies globally, observed multiple actors on the Dark Web releasing substantial data leaks. Over 50 million records containing PII of consumers from around the world have been leaked. The actual damage resulting from this activity could potentially amount to millions of dollars. Mitigating this damage is particularly challenging due to the intricate interconnection between personal data and digital identity.... Read more...

Google has unveiled its latest AI model, Google Gemini, and it promises to revolutionize the way we interact with technology. While currently available in limited capacities, Gemini is set to transform various Google services and products, making them more intelligent and intuitive. Gemini comes in three versions: Pro, Nano, and Ultra. The Pro version powers Google’s chatbot, Bard, while the Nano version is integrated into the new Pixel 8 Pro smartphone. Google plans to introduce Gemini Pro and Ultra to other tools like Google Duet, Google Search, and Google Ads in the future.... Read more...

Australia has left SA behind in its ease of access for travellers. Visas can be done in different languages and take no time at all. Say cheese. An SA-Australia matrix study conducted by the South African Tourism Services Association has revealed in 2019, Australia recorded a surge to 10.3 million Chinese tourists, compared to South Africa’s one million. South Africa is losing out on a potential tourism bonanza from visitors from China because visa red tape and inefficiency at the department of home affairs is strangling this virtually untapped market. The same is true of other countries in Asia, says an expert. The Chinese market is huge, even in global terms �` and is growing.... Read more...

Notable security breaches have bypassed MFA to compromise taxi broker Uber, games company EA, and authentication business Okta, according to SE Labs. CISOs must bolster MFA protections SE Labs advised CISOs to step-up their efforts against attacks on systems protected by MFA in response to increased attacker activity to exploit failure points. As is often the case when compromising systems, attackers have not reinvented the wheel to circumvent MFA, or 2FA (two-factor authentication), as it is also known. The old school methods of social engineering, malware, and phishing are working just fine. The good news is that many attacks can be defended with strong policy enforcement, robust end-point protection, and user education. Unfortunately, with many corporate and home users believing that MFA is virtually unbreakable, they are potentially the weakest link in a company’s defenses.... Read more...

Teaching English in East Asia can be a rewarding and life-changing experience. It’s about finding the fit that aligns best with you. Teach English in East Asia: The four key locations to consider: Image: Supplied As the demand for English proficiency grows around the world, teaching English abroad has become an increasingly popular career choice for many language enthusiasts and travel-savvy educators. The East Asian nations of China, South Korea, Japan, and Taiwan are among the most sought-after destinations due to their vibrant cultures, intriguing histories, and burgeoning economies. In this article, we aim to take a look... Read more...

In a bid to address the persistent backlog in visa processing, the South African government extends visa concessions for foreign nationals with pending applications until June 2024. Details of the extension include permission to travel, exemption from being declared undesirable, and the ability to continue activities such as work, study, and business engagements.... Read more...

South Africa’s home affairs minister signed planned changes to work permit regulations aimed at fixing a bureaucratic morass that’s frustrating the country’s biggest investors and exacerbating a skills crisis, people familiar with the situation said. Now that the changes have been signed by Aaron Motsoaledi, they’ll be gazetted in the coming days and released for public comment, the people said, asking not to be identified as the decision hasn’t been made public. The changes may include a range of measures suggested by a government study, including the creation of a remote worker visa category.... Read more...

The Department of Employment and Labour listed the critical professions affected the most by skills shortages in South Africa and, therefore, benefitting the most from skilled foreigners. This was revealed in a recent parliamentary Q&A, in which the Minister of Employment and Labour �` Thulas Nxesi �` was asked whether there are any critical skills that he has identified as skills the Republic seeks to benefit from migrants. In response, the minister said that the Republic of South Africa, like all other countries worldwide, experiences scarce and critical skills in those job types where employers cannot find suitably qualified or experienced employees.... Read more...

Demand for property in Cape Town is booming as tourists return, foreigners buy local property, and South Africans emigrate from the country’s northern regions. This is feedback from Pam Golding CEO, Dr Andrew Golding, who said they are seeing a significant increase in demand from tourists and South Africans wanting to semigrate to the Cape. Aside from increased demand for tourism, Cape Town is also benefiting from a surge in semigration from various regions, generally to the north of the country.... Read more...

The Department of Home Affairs (DHA) has granted an additional concession to foreign nationals whose applications for waivers, long-term visas, and appeals are still pending as of November 30, 2023, due to the ongoing backlog of applications. Specifically, the DHA will now allow individuals applying for these items and those who seek to abandon their applications to depart and re-enter South Africa, whereas normally they would not be readmitted for having overstayed in the country.... Read more...

Knowing how emerging technology will impact jobs is information that can help professionals stay relevant and competitive in an AI-driven world. The potential of artificial intelligence (AI) systems to take over people`s jobs is one of the most common fears surrounding the technology. It`s partly why many people hesitate to try tools like text and image generators, and why there`s such a strong demand for stronger AI regulation... Read more...

It`s tricky, but not impossible, to figure out if something wasn`t written by a human. Generative artificial intelligence is everywhere you look these days, including on the web: advanced predictive text bots such as ChatGPT can now spew out endless reams of text on every topic imaginable and make all this written content natural enough that it could plausibly have been written by a human being. So, how can you make sure the articles and features you’re reading online have been thought up and typed out by an actual human being? While there isn’t any foolproof, 100 percent guaranteed way of doing this, there are a variety of clues you can look out for to spot what’s AI-generated and what isn’t.... Read more...

Canada prohibits travellers from bringing many things �` including endangered species, foods, plants and animals that may pose a risk to Canadians �` into the country. “To avoid the possibility of penalties, including fines, seizure or prosecution, make sure you have the information you need before attempting to import items into Canada,” cautions the Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA). Even for goods which travellers are allowed to bring with them to Canada, there is often a requirement to have written authorization or a permit.... Read more...

Google became the world’s most profitable Internet company on the back of search advertising. Now, it’s turning another popular Web service into a major cash machine. Google Maps is an indispensable part of life for more than a billion people, who use it to commute, explore new cities or find a hot new restaurant. The service has been mostly free, and free from ads, since it launched 14 years ago.... Read more...

Google is changing its Maps tool so that the company no longer has access to users` individual location histories. Google is changing its Maps tool so that the company no longer has access to users’ individual location histories, cutting off its ability to respond to law enforcement warrants that ask for data on everyone who was in the vicinity of a crime.... Read more...

Here are some exciting destinations SA passport holders can travel to without needing entry visas in advance. South African travellers can visit some great visa-free destinations with their SA passports. As many South Africans are now enjoying time off work, with their annual bonuses at hand, here are some destinations to consider �` for those who are planning future trips.... Read more...

A woman alleged to be part of a human trafficking ring will spend the holidays behind bars. Nontobeko Mathunjwa, 34, appeared in the George Magistrate’s Court in the Western Cape on Monday on charges of trafficking in persons. She was arrested on Saturday, December 16 by members of the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigations (known as the Hawks) after she was linked to a case of human trafficking.... Read more...

But it is not a ‘happy picture’ of seamless integration The number of foreign nationals living in Portugal in 2022 was 800,000 double the figure of 10 years ago with one in three living at risk of poverty and half a million having been granted Portuguese nationality in the last 15 years, according to the statistical database of the Francisco Manuel dos Santos Foundation. In a portrait of the “foreign population and migratory flows in Portugal” on the occasion of International Migration Day today, the database, dubbed Pordata, has sought to assess the number and living conditions of immigrants and developments in the granting of nationality and residence permits.... Read more...

After years of delays, the EU`s Entry-Exit System is set to start in October 2024. Over the last 10 years, the countries making up the European Union have been working to revamp how travelers outside of Europe pass through its borders. For those whose passports do not require them to obtain a tourist visa, the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) is meant to serve as a quick online application that screens the traveler for security for a nominal fee of seven euros every three years. The U.S. has had its own Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) for visitors from the EU and other visa-exempt countries in place since 2008... Read more...

A total of 469 752 visitors from abroad entered the country during the third quarter of 2023, with a small fraction coming for education purposes. LATEST data from the Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency (ZimStats) shows that foreigners no longer prefer to study in the country. A total of 469 752 visitors from abroad entered the country during the third quarter of 2023, with a small fraction coming for education purposes. “The visitors visited the country for various purposes, which were categorised into in-transit, business, educational, holiday and shopping,” read ZimStats’s 2023 third quarter international migration report.... Read more...

ACSA has defended the procurement process followed when appointing Idemia to provide biometric technology at a host of South African airports. Carl Court/Getty Images • Idemia has been awarded a contract to establish biometric technology in South African airports. • The company has been at the forefront of a botched project to establish a new ID registration system for the home affairs department. • Airports Company South Africa defended the procurement process that has been followed.... Read more...

Africa is one of the top two regions in the world for social media use by the younger generations, says ad agency Aleph Social media networks have become so ingrained in our daily lives that we tend to forget that the phenomenon is only 15 years old in terms of mainstream use. We also tend to forget that, for almost all of the most popular social networks, as... Read more...

South Africa`s home affairs minister approved planned revisions to work permit restrictions aimed at resolving a bureaucratic mess. South Africa’s home affairs minister approved planned revisions to work permit restrictions aimed at resolving a bureaucratic mess that’s frustating the nation’s largest investors and aggravating a skills shortage. It is stated that the revisions, which Aaron Motsoaledi has now signed, will be gazetted and made available for public comment in the coming days. Here’s more about the planned changes. South Africa Plans Changes In Work Permit Regulations The Home Affairs Minister of South Africa has approved some changes and adjustments. Government research recommended a number of adjustments, one of which might be the introduction of a new visa category for remote workers.... Read more...

JOHANNESBURG, (CAJ News) THE scrapping of passport requirements to travel between Botswana and Zimbabwe is a giant step towards regional integration and aligns with the free movement advocated for under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). The new arrangement will culminate in citizens of both neighbouring countries visiting the respective countries without the need of a passport, permit or visa, which have for years been bemoaned as expensive. An identification document (ID) would be enough to cross the borders. Citizens of both countries can live in Botswana or Zimbabwe for a maximum of 90 days without any visa, permit or passport.... Read more...

Chief Justice Raymond Zondo handed down a unanimous judgment where the court upheld the applicants’ contention that parts of the Immigration Act infringed on their human dignity as foreign nationals. The Constitutional Court has ruled that the Immigration Act was inconsistent with the Constitution and that it infringed on a foreign national’s right to human dignity.... Read more...

This past week, local and global media outlets reported on South Africa’s Border Management Authority (BMA) intercepting buses transporting some 443 unaccompanied children at the Beitbridge crossing on the border with Zimbabwe. South Africa’s borders have become notorious for being open and unprotected.... Read more...

SYDNEY, Dec 11 (Reuters) - Australia on Monday said it would tighten visa rules for international students and low-skilled workers that could halve its migrant intake over the next two years as the government looks to overhaul what it said was a `broken` migration system. Under the new policies, international students would need to secure higher ratings on English tests and there would be more scrutiny on a student`s second visa application that would prolong their stay. `Our strategy will bring migration numbers back to normal,` Home Affairs Minister Clare O`Neil said during a media briefing.... Read more...

The centre was the applicant in the case which took aim at sections of the Act, which provided that an asylum seeker was automatically deemed to have abandoned their asylum application if they did not renew their visa within one month of its expiry. In the unanimous ruling handed down on Tuesday, the Constitutional Court categorised refugees as an `especially vulnerable group`, adding that `their plight calls for compassion`.... Read more...

This week, the Global Immigration team at Smith Stone Walters would like to highlight the following recent updates from Australia, Denmark, Hong Kong, Israel, the Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland and the United States. Australia: Start date set for permanent residence changes The Department of Home Affairs has set a start date of 25 November 2023 (subject to the approval of regulation changes) for its previously announced changes to the employer-sponsored permanent residence programme. From that date, all Temporary Skill Shortage (TSS) (subclass 482) visa holders will be able to access permanent residence via the Temporary Residence Transition (TRT) stream of the Employer Nominated Scheme (ENS) (subclass 186) visa.... Read more...

42 buses from Zimbabwe were stopped and searched at the Beitbridge border post. • On Saturday evening, 42 buses from Zimbabwe were stopped and searched at the Beitbridge border post. • According to home affairs, 443 unaccompanied minor children were found on the buses. • It is alleged that the children were being trafficked into South Africa. The Border Management Authority (BMA) at the Beitbridge border post has stopped more than 40 buses carrying about 440 unaccompanied children, who were allegedly being trafficked into South Africa.... Read more...

As we enter what is meant to be a jolly and peaceful season, during which we should focus on giving and being forgiving, I will try not to spoil it for everyone, including myself, by dedicating my festive season columns to the ill informed, pig-headed, arrogant know-it-alls whose job descriptions include the words “addressing homelessness”, at City and provincial level.... Read more...

As a relatively more industrialised country, South Africa was supposed to be a beacon of hope for the dismantling of colonial political borders that compartmentalised African societies. Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi recently proposed a revision of South Africa’s legislation on citizenship, immigration and refugee protection. Regarding the refugee protection laws and policies, the Department of Home Affairs proposes a withdrawal from the United Nations and African Union conventions and protocols relating to the protection of refugees, of which South Africa is a signatory.... Read more...

The Minister of Home Affairs, Dr Aaron Motsoaledi, welcomes the arrest of an Indian and a Bangladeshi national who were found in possession of fraudulent visas during a law enforcement operation in the Western Cape. The pair was arrested at the Eersterivier Shopping Complex, in Eersterivier, in the Western Cape, on Thursday morning, 07 December 2023, during an operation conducted by Home Affairs Counter Corruption Branch and the Inspectorate. They are detained at the Kleinvlei Police Station and are scheduled to appear in the Kleinvlei Magistrate Court on Monday.... Read more...

Each year, Canada attracts numerous international students who enter the country by obtaining study visas and permits. These students are required to adhere to specific conditions throughout their academic journey. One crucial aspect that international students often consider is Canada’s rental cost. One major issue affecting international students’ entire experience in Canada is the expense of renting. It is crucial that they comprehend and budget for the costs related to housing while they are studying in the nation. Furthermore, international students looking for accommodation in Canada may make better decisions if they are aware of the rental circumstances and market trends.... Read more...

London (AFP) Britain`s embattled Conservative government unveiled a raft of measures Monday aimed at cracking down on record levels of migration a key battleground in a general election expected next year. Home Secretary James Cleverly unveiled proposals to cut regular migration. The UK announced it would raise the minimum salary threshold for a skilled worker visa and prevent overseas health and social care staff from bringing family dependents to Britain.... Read more...

The Constitutional Court has ruled that parts of the Immigration Act are unconstitutional. • The Constitutional Court has declared sections of the Immigration Act invalid and unconstitutional as they discriminate against foreign divorced and separated parents. • According to the act, a foreigner on a spousal visa must leave the country when their relationship with a South African ends, even if they have children together. • The court gave Parliament 24 months to make the necessary amendments to the act, so it is consistent with the Constitution.... Read more...

Scientists Josie and Joan Ferrer Obiol says their dream of returning to the UK has been turned upside down Couples planning a new life in the UK have been left heartbroken by changes restricting who can apply to live here. From April 2024, British citizens or people already settled in the UK will need to show they earn £38,700 before their overseas partner can live here with them - a sharp jump from the current threshold of £18,600. They also still need to show they are in a marriage or civil partnership when they apply for a family visa, intend to be within six months, or that they have been living together for at least two years.... Read more...

Representatives of various civil society organisations criticised the White Paper on Citizenship, Immigration and Refugee Protection at a Lawyers for Human Rights roundtable on Monday, describing the draft policy as ‘vague’ and ‘poorly drafted’. Civil society representatives have slammed the recently published White Paper on Citizenship, Immigration and Refugee Protection as being flawed and poorly drafted. Concerns have been raised about the draft policy’s alleged attempts to “scapegoat” the migrant community in the lead-up to South Africa’s 2024 general elections.... Read more...

Three people, one of them being a pastor, have been found guilty of credit card fraud in which Absa Bank suffered a loss of R1 million. The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) said the trio were convicted in the Eastern Cape High Court on various charges. The accused are 30-year-old Pakistani national, Muhammad Afzal Yaseen, 46-year-old pastor, Khaya Honeman Nocanda, and former Absa manager of the Middelburg branch, Mandisa Mirriam Ndletyana, 33.... Read more...

Tourist arrivals to the country doubled in the first nine months of the year compared to the same period last year, according to Tourism Minister, Patricia de Lille. “Between January and September this year, South Africa saw a significant influx of tourists, with over 6.1 million visitors arriving in the country, more than 58.4% when compared to the 3.8million arrivals to South Africa during the same period in 2022.... Read more...

A Saudi man checks the flight timings at the King Khalid International Airport, after Saudi authorities lifted the travel ban on its citizens after fourteen months due to coronavirus disease (COVID-19) restrictions, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, May 16, 2021. South Africa has become the first African country that Saudi Arabia has added to its e-visa system. This simplifies the process for South Africans seeking e-visas for travel to Saudi Arabia.... Read more...

GOVERNMENT has extended operating hours at the Civil Registry Department after its offices were flooded with desperate Zimbabweans applying for passports. Snaking queues have emerged at the Civil Registry Department offices countrywide after Finance minister Mthuli Ncube proposed an increase in passport fees beginning next month. Ncube said he would increase fees for an ordinary passport from US$120 to US$200, while an emergency travel document will be priced at US$300 up from US$200.... Read more...

Asylum seekers face huge obstacles trying to reach a country that can offer them refuge. One of their greatest challenges is the risk of detention on arrival because their entry to the country is unauthorised. Now a landmark judgment reinforces protection of asylum seekers and respect for their right to seek and enjoy asylum even if they are in the country unlawfully, while the state’s responsibility in cases of statelessness, another major problem for refugees, is considered in a second decision. Asylum seekers face numerous obstacles as they strive to reach a country that can offer them refuge. One of the greatest challenges they encounter is the risk of detention upon their arrival. This is because they often enter countries through unauthorized means like using false documentation, entering without proper authorization, and relying on smugglers to assist them.... Read more...

42 buses from Zimbabwe were stopped and searched at the Beitbridge border post. • On Saturday evening, 42 buses from Zimbabwe were stopped and searched at the Beitbridge border post. • According to home affairs, 443 unaccompanied minor children were found on the buses. • It is alleged that the children were being trafficked into South Africa.... Read more...

The Constitutional Court (CC) recently handed down an important judgment which speaks to the right to apply for asylum in South Africa. Over the past several years, we have seen more and more anti-foreign national rhetoric in the public domain, with even high-ranking government officials contributing to the narrative that foreign nationals are the cause of many of South Africa’s issues. This has resulted in a continuingly shrinking safe space for foreign nationals who intend on seeking refuge in the country. Given our current socio-political climate, this judgment comes at a critical time where the rights of vulnerable people must be protected, in line with our international and domestic obligations. At a glance.... Read more...

42 buses from Zimbabwe were stopped and searched at the Beitbridge border post. • On Saturday evening, 42 buses from Zimbabwe were stopped and searched at the Beitbridge border post. • According to home affairs, 443 unaccompanied minor children were found on the buses. • It is alleged that the children were being trafficked into South Africa. The Border Management Authority (BMA) at the Beitbridge border post has stopped more than 40 buses carrying about 440 unaccompanied children, who were allegedly being trafficked into South Africa.... Read more...

Mike Pezzullo has been sacked as head of the home affairs department after a code of conduct breach finding. Mr Pezzullo was stood down after leaked messages revealed the secretary repeatedly inserted himself into the political process. The governor-general in council terminated his appointment on Monday. The texts revealed he lobbied for his department and pushed his personal views, in breach of public service standards, across a five-year period. It is not suggested the messages show corrupt or illegal conduct. Home Affairs Minister Clare O`Neil referred the matter to the Australian Public Service Commissioner after concerns were raised following media reporting of the messages.... Read more...

Mike Pezzullo has been sacked as head of the home affairs department after a code of conduct breach finding. Mr Pezzullo was stood down after leaked messages revealed the secretary repeatedly inserted himself into the political process. The governor-general in council terminated his appointment on Monday. The texts revealed he lobbied for his department and pushed his personal views, in breach of public service standards, across a five-year period. It is not suggested the messages show corrupt or illegal conduct.... Read more...

• Staff at South Africa’s embassy in Berlin, Germany are issuing handwritten visas due to faulty printers. • Officials also have to use private wifi routers to connect to the internet. • In June, the Portfolio Committee on International Relations and Cooperation conducted a fact-finding oversight visit to embassies in Germany and Portugal. Diplomatic staff at South Africa’s mission in Germany, the country`s third largest trading partner, are issuing handwritten visas because printers are faulty, telephones lines are not working, and officials use private routers to connect to wifi. In June, the Portfolio Committee on International Relations and Cooperation conducted a fact-finding oversight visit on the status of the vacant state-owned properties under the management of South Africa’s embassies in Germany and Portugal.... Read more...

FOR JUST R300 a month, and if you are connected to a woman by the name of Priscilla, you can easily get yourself a foreign national husband. A recent SABC report revealed that a woman identified as Rebone Shabir accused Priscilla of being involved in setting up Limpopo women with Pakistanis as husbands. The SABC reported that several women from Limpopo also stepped forward following their expose of the pre-arranged marriages with spaza shop owners and other foreigners.... Read more...

Department of International Relations and Cooperation head of public diplomacy Clayson Monyela said the embassy in Germany had a functional visa system, email, telephone, and printers. • South Africa`s embassies across the world are struggling with bandwidth and other ICT challenges. • The Department of International Relations and Cooperation has upgraded several systems, but in some cases, challenges still need to be solved. • The department`s Clayson Monyela says visas are issued manually when systems are down.... Read more...

Home Affairs minister Aaron Motsoaledi caused some confusion this week by claiming that his department was not exacerbating South Africa’s skills crisis because there was no backlog of visas. This comment came just a few weeks after the minister told parliament that the department was sitting with a backlog of over 74,000 visa applications that would only be cleared up by mid-2024.... Read more...

A wave of ribbon-cutting ceremonies is sweeping the Saudi capital as multinationals face a January deadline to open regional headquarters in the Gulf kingdom or lose out on government contracts. In what has become a common scene, executives in suits and Saudi officials in white robes gather to inaugurate the new offices, sipping Arabic coffee in a haze of incense smoke while singing the praises of last year`s fastest-growing G20 economy.... Read more...

Migration may be an increasingly contentious issue in South Africa, but that does not justify taking an axe to refugee rights and chipping away at the country’s commitments under the United Nations’ 1951 Refugee Convention, as the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) recently proposed alongside other immigration reforms.... Read more...

Although South Africa has one of the most progressive asylum laws and exceptional refugee protection frameworks in the world, the disunion between law and practice has allowed the blatant disregard of the law to thrive. The safety and security of the refugees who come to South Africa in the hopes of escaping the injustices of their homeland is internationally regulated by The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (“UDHR, 1948”) which is the foundation of international human rights, and, more directly, by the 1951 Refugee Convention (1951 convention) and its 1967 Protocol.... Read more...

Although many wealthy South Africans are packing their bags for the UK, new migration data shows that the inverse is also true. The latest Wealth Migration Report 2023 from Henley & Partners and New World Wealth shows that around 400 High Net-Worth Individuals (HNWIs) those with a net worth of over US$1 million (roughly R18 million) emigrated out of South Africa in 2022 with a further 500 leaving the country in 2023. The UK is an emigration hotspot for South Africans with the 2021 UK census noting that over 215,000 South Africans live on the island.... Read more...

India, a country renowned for its diverse landscapes and rich cultural heritage, is pleased to announce that citizens of South Africa, New Zealand, Switzerland, and Bulgaria can now enter the nation without a visa. This progressive step demonstrates India`s commitment to forging international connections, boosting tourism, and expediting the visa application process for travelers from these nations. Indian history, culture, and scenic landscape have long drawn travelers from all over the world. Travelers from these countries are invited to experience India`s famous sites, varied customs, and stunning scenery thanks to the increased visa access.... Read more...

relocate to Dubai with her children where they will be living with her American fiancé. The woman was married and got divorced from the father of her children in January 2016. The children were eight and three when their parents divorced. At the time of the divorce, both parties lived in Durban. In March 2019, the woman relocated with the children to Cape Town. The father would visit the children and sometimes they would visit him. In 2020, she started dating GJ, an American citizen. She said for almost two years, they have been living together with GJ as a family.... Read more...

The NPA is waitng on Interpol results on Kingsley Chele`s identity verification. More than 370 fraudulent documents issued by public servants An investigation into the two identity documents belonging to bogus doctor Kingsley Leeto Chele led to police cracking an alleged syndicate involving home affairs officials who are accused of selling documents to illegal immigrants. A source close to the investigations has revealed how the syndicate had issued over 370 fraudulent documents and had been charging more than R2,000 per applicant.... Read more...

The visa application process in South Africa includes a load of paperwork, appointments made way in advance and a heavy fee. Getty Images • South Africa has one of the world`s `weakest` passports. • This means we often need to buy pricey visas to visit foreign countries. • Here`s how much you`ll pay for several popular tourist visas and how long they take to process.... Read more...

A wave of ribbon-cutting ceremonies is sweeping the Saudi capital as multinationals face a January deadline to open regional headquarters in the Gulf kingdom or lose out on government contracts. In what has become a common scene, executives in suits and Saudi officials in white robes gather to inaugurate the new offices, sipping Arabic coffee in a haze of incense smoke while singing the praises of last year`s fastest-growing G20 economy.... Read more...

Currently there are 35,000 Spouse Visas stuck in DHA system for many reasons The reasons for the delays are causing people many problems Relative visas (any category) and Sec 11(6) my experience is that DHA taking anything from 18-24 months to process these applications. The delay is creating the following challenges to people : - with Sec 11(6) employers do not want foreigner to commence work without valid visas and cannot wait so long. Often this results in offer / contract revoked. This delay therefore affects SA companies as well.... Read more...

SpaceX has unveiled a new standard kit for residential users of its Starlink satellite service, including a simplified non-motorised dish with a more robust design and faster Wi-Fi router. The new dish is also rectangular but is installed with an attachable kickstand rather than a cylindrical pipe stem slotted into a large four-leg base. It uses software-assisted manual positioning rather than motorised automatic orientation to align itself to communicate with Starlink’s satellite fleet. The current Standard Actuated dish boasts motors that can change the dish’s orientation automatically based on a scan of the sky. However, in MyBroadband’s tests of the antenna, it only does this once �` at initial setup.... Read more...

In recent years, the global workforce has shifted towards remote work, and South African businesses are no exception to this transformative trend. While remote work offers unprecedented flexibility, it presents unique challenges in South Africa. It’s facing a multifaceted impact of remote working on businesses in South Africa, with concerns such as connectivity issues, cybersecurity threats, and the indispensable need for reliable business laptops. Connectivity woes: Bridging the digital divide One of the fundamental challenges facing remote workers in South Africa is the digital divide, marked by uneven access to high-speed internet. Urban areas might enjoy relatively robust connectivity, but rural and underserved regions often have limited or unstable internet access. ASUS recognises this disparity and has integrated cutting-edge solutions into their business laptops to optimise connectivity.... Read more...

The world we live in is experiencing a time of intensifying disruption as the pace of technological innovation accelerates. Digital solutions are replacing the old way of doing things and already, technology is enabling complex processes to happen in nanoseconds. The result is that leaders will need to find better ways to harness disruptive technologies to deliver new experiences for their customers and their teams. The alternative is to simply become overwhelmed and fall into a tech paralysis, losing brand equity and eventually market relevance. While a more widespread adoption is still required in South Africa, contactless payments are fast gaining ground. It’s now possible to go shopping with nothing more than a mobile phone, were it not for the need to carry a wallet to store one’s drivers licence. As soon as South Africans can store their IDs on their phones, they will become our primary means of engaging with our world �` especially as wearables gain more traction.... Read more...

Vodacom used the sidelines of Africa Tech Festival to engage local media on its series of satellite partnerships aimed at developing the world`s first space-based mobile network to help bridge the digital divide, This network will connect directly to 4G and 5G smartphones in remote areas without the need for specialised hardware. Earlier this year, Vodacom, in collaboration with Vodafone and AST SpaceMobile, successfully trialled the direct-to-device project in Kenya with Safaricom. AST SpaceMobile, in turn, used its Q3 earnings call earlier this week, as an opportunity to reveal that it has reached 40mbps in these tests and will be launching the first five of its BlueBird satellites in early next year.... Read more...

Minister Khumbudzo Ntshavheni says the government is concerned about the rise in food poisoning incidents. • The government wants to audit how many foreign-owned shops are operational in the country. • It wants to allow traditional leaders to keep a register of foreign nationals present in communities. • Lawyers for Human Rights warned the proposal was dangerous because it could fuel xenophobia.... Read more...

About 26,000 people have applied for a so-called 888 `golden visa` that grants residency to those investing between $5 and $15 million into Australia For the agency charged with securing our frontiers and safeguarding social harmony, it`s an annus horribilis like no other. Australia`s controversial Department of Home Affairs is in crisis.... Read more...

Business has a clear incentive to find a solution, writes BLSA CEO. A lack of critical skills is holding back the South African economy, and we are not solving the problem as fast as we should be. There is a backlog of 74 000 applications for all kinds of visas at the Department of Home Affairs according to an official quoted by Bloomberg last month, many of those in the scarce skills category. This despite concerted efforts by government, led by the Operation Vulindlela programme, to drive implementation of policy that will substantially improve access to scarce skills visas.... Read more...

CITIZENSHIP WHITE PAPER Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi announced the publication of the White Paper on Citizenship, Immigration and Refugee Protection for public comment on Sunday. He called for South Africa to ‘press the reset button’ when it came to international agreements on refugee protection. When Minister of Home Affairs Aaron Motsoaledi announced the publication of the White Paper on Citizenship, Immigration and Refugee Protection for public comment on Sunday, he called for a complete overhaul of the migration system in South Africa. He further advocated for the country’s temporary withdrawal from international agreements on refugee protection.... Read more...

Turkey has emerged as a prominent tourist destination in recent years due to its diverse range of landscapes, vistas, and activities that ensure a memorable stay. As a result, an increasing number of Canadians are considering trips to Turkey. The implementation of the e-Visa system in 2013 has significantly simplified the visa application process for visitors from Canada. The requirements for obtaining a Turkey e-Visa for Canadian citizens are straightforward. Canada is among the countries whose citizens are eligible to apply for a Turkish electronic visa, commonly referred to as an e-Visa... Read more...

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How much better is GPT-4 compared to previous models? Learn about cost and capabilities. GPT-4 is an artificial intelligence large language model system that can mimic human-like speech and reasoning. It does so by training on a vast library of existing human communication, from classic works of literature to large swaths of the internet. Artificial intelligence of this type builds on its training to predict what letter, number or other character is likely to come in sequence. This cheat sheet explores GPT-4 from a high level: how to access GPT-4 for either consumer or business use, who made it and how it works. Jump to:... Read more...

The Department of Home Affairs has published South Africa’s new draft white paper on citizenship, immigration, and refugee protection for public comment, proposing a complete overhaul of the country’s migration system. Among the many changes in the lineup, the whitepaper briefly makes mention of South Africa’s critical skills list and justifies amendments made to the list in 2022, which trimmed down the number of positions advertised as critical. The critical skills list was updated for the first time since 2014 in February 2022, sparking controversy in the medical field as most of the jobs cut from the list came from that sector.... Read more...

he Criminal Procedure Act grants civilians the power to effect arrests, and private security personnel are categorised as civilians. However, such actions must strictly adhere to the law to avoid crossing into the realm of kidnapping. Protests are spiking across the country as political campaigns start mobilising votes for the 2024 general elections. Activists are continuing the fight against complicity in human rights violations, whether perpetrated by public or private institutions. In this context, a grey line has emerged between lawful arrests and what amounts to illegal kidnappings of activists on the ground.... Read more...

Says his department is a scapegoat. South Africa’s minister of Home Affairs dismissed criticism that his department is causing a skills crisis in the country by failing to process work-permit applications and said it’s becoming a “scapegoat” for the failures of business. Aaron Motsoaledi said there’s no backlog of critical-skills applications and said his department is working expeditiously to process requests in the pipeline. A report published earlier this year, commissioned by the South African presidency, said the lengthy delays in processing work visas are hampering growth and deterring investment. It said a lack of skills is the second-biggest threat to the economy after an energy crisis that sees the imposition of power cuts on an almost daily basis.... Read more...

Direct investment liabilities in the country’s balance of payments have been slowing in the last two years. China is struggling in its attempt to lure foreigners back as data shows more direct investment flowing out of the country than coming in, suggesting companies may be diversifying their supply chains to reduce risks. Direct investment liabilities in the country’s balance of payments have been slowing in the last two years. After hitting a near-peak value of more than $101 billion in the first quarter of 2022, the gauge has weakened nearly every quarter since. It fell $11.8 billion in the July-to-September period, marking the first contraction since records started in 1998.... Read more...

The human rights advocacy group has called for the protection and proper integration of foreign nationals in South African communities. This follows the fatal shooting of two Somali nationals in Philippi earlier in the week. CAPE TOWN - Human rights advocacy group, Africa Unite has called for the protection and proper integration of foreign nationals in South African communities. This follows the fatal shooting of two Somali nationals in Philippi earlier in the week. Africa Unite spokesperson Lelethu Nogwavu strongly condemned the targeting of foreign nationals, particularly small business owners.... Read more...

Although getting a green card may be a huge positive for South African emigrants, bad planning could put them in an unwanted tax position. According to Investec, in most cases, a green card means that the holder is a US tax resident (for US federal income tax purposes), meaning they must pay tax in the US on all their worldwide income and gains. However, suppose the emigrant does not end their SA tax resident status by changing their “ordinarily resident” status or meeting the physical presence test. In that case, they will also be held liable for tax on a worldwide basis in South Africa.... Read more...

Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi is leading the ANC`s push to restrict the employment of foreign nationals in the province. Melinda Stuurman • The Gauteng premier is leading the ANC`s push to restrict the employment of foreign nationals in the province as the youth unemployment crisis seems to have defeated the ANC. • Panyaza Lesufi and ANC provincial secretary TK Nciza said the time had come for local citizens to be given priority in employment by private businesses. • Immigration experts have warned against this political rhetoric, saying it was dangerous and was only used as an excuse to mask the failures of the ANC governance.... Read more...

South Africa’s Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi has told delegates of the National Council of Provinces (NCOP), the country’s upper chamber of parliament, of the reforms his department his championing to simplify how citizens apply for and obtain ID credentials such as biometric national ID cards and passports. In a recent question-and-answer session with special delegates of the Peace and Security Cluster 1C of the NCOP, Motsoaledi said digital self-service kiosks installed at some Home Affairs offices to facilitate ID issuance were indeed helping to reduce wait time, according to information published on the parliament website.... Read more...

Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi has laid out his department’s plan to tackle the massive visa backlog, saying that it should be cleared by the middle of next year. At last reporting, the department’s backlog of visa applications waiting to be processed was sitting above 70,000, with alarm bells blaring from businesses and other sectors over the monumental damage these delays were causing the country.... Read more...

The Minister of Home Affairs, Aaron Motsoaledi, and Director-General, Livhuwani Makhode, have agreed to pay part of the legal costs for Lawyers for Human Rights from their own pockets.This comes after the Constitutional Court on Monday slapped both Motsoaledi and Makhode with personal cost orders in the case involving the rights of undocumented immigrants.The decision follows Motsoaledi and his department’s failure to revise the Immigration Act in the past six years.... Read more...

The Western Cape High Court declared sections of the Refugees Act unconstitutional. Masixole Feni • Western Cape High Court Deputy Judge President Patricia Goliath has declared sections of the Refugees Act unconstitutional. • According to the act, asylum seekers who do not renew their visas within one month of the date of expiry are considered to have abandoned their asylum applications. • The judge said that the essence of the minister of home affairs’ argument was that most asylum seekers are not genuine and use the process to “avoid meeting the requirements of immigration laws”.... Read more...

The High Court in Johannesburg has interdicted the Home Affairs Department from deporting th November 2023e mother (“TRS”), who is illegally in South Africa after her spousal visa from a previous marriage expired . A mother’s bid to permanently relocate to Israel with her two children, with whom she shares joint custody with their father, has been put on hold while a court battle ensues around her looming deportation. The High Court in Johannesburg has interdicted the Home Affairs Department from deporting the mother (“TRS”), who is illegally in South Africa after her spousal visa from a previous marriage expired .... Read more...

Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi has laid out his department’s plan to tackle the massive visa backlog, saying that it should be cleared by the middle of next year. At last reporting, the department’s backlog of visa applications waiting to be processed was sitting above 70,000, with alarm bells blaring from businesses and other sectors over the monumental damage these delays were causing the country. South Africa is sitting with a major skills shortage, and businesses have been beside themselves trying to draw much-needed skills to the country, with efforts blocked and upended by the failures at Home... Read more...

Between April and August this year the state recorded 7,351 cases in which the accused were convicted for contraventions of the Immigration Act. Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni says the home affairs department is building capacity to address the deportation of illegal immigrants. “Home affairs has acquired 10 buses to do the deportations, especially for those from neighbouring countries, but the limitation has been enabling legislation that empowers home affairs to do that,” she said. Ntshavheni spoke at a briefing by ministers in the justice, crime prevention and security (JCPS) cluster on Friday.... Read more...

• In SA, a shortage of skilled workers is restraining growth, limiting job creation and pushing some foreign investors to think about moving their money elsewhere. • One business organisation have warned that delays in SA visa applications threaten expansion plans, investment and job in the country. • Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi said in September that his department was understaffed and the visa regime was overly complicated. He also acknowledged that 74 000 people were waiting for residence permits of some kind.... Read more...

Finally, the Constitutional Court has awoken from its slumbers and dealt properly with legal representatives who abuse the court process and are deserving of an adverse costs ruling against them. Affairs and others v Lawyers for Human Rights the Constitutional Court, it was held that the Director-General of Home Affairs pay 25% of applicable costs in his personal capacity and that the fees of the minister’s former legal representatives should be disallowed. Leave aside the extraordinary behaviour of the DG who appears to have kept his own minister in the dark. This column is about lawyers.... Read more...

• Election experts from Mali, France, Spain and Switzerland are now in the DRC. • There are reports of intimidation against opposition politicians ahead of elections due in December. • Official campaigning is due to start on 19 November. A five-person core team of experts from France, Mali, Spain and Switzerland is now in Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), as the advance party for The Carter Center`s Election Observer Mission.... Read more...

• A large public sector wage hike, disappointing tax revenue and rocketing borrowing costs have hit government finances. • This will necessitate large budget cuts and shrinking the state, Treasury said in its latest Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement. • South Africans can also expect a R15 billion tax increase in February next year.... Read more...

• Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi and his director-general incurred personal costs for failing to amend parts of the Immigration Act. • The court issued the first order in 2017 which it suspended for two years to allow Parliament time to make the necessary corrections, to no avail. • The court also slammed the MPs, who blamed the delays on Covid-19, elections and the Parliament fire.... Read more...

• The International Crisis Group says more than a million people will fail to vote in the DRC because of conflict in the east. • The Independent National Electoral Commission`s credibility is in question. • The African Union and international actors were urged to work closely to help the DRC hold credible elections. More than a million people have been disenfranchised in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) some two months before the general elections, the International Crisis Group (ICG) claims. This was due to fighting mostly in the eastern part of the country, in North Kivu and surrounding areas, where rebel groups are concentrated, the rights group said.... Read more...

• Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi and his director-general incurred personal costs for failing to amend parts of the Immigration Act. • The court issued the first order in 2017 which it suspended for two years to allow Parliament time to make the necessary corrections, to no avail. • The court also slammed the MPs, who blamed the delays on Covid-19, elections and the Parliament fire. The Constitutional Court slammed MPs, the Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi, and the department`s director-general (DG) Livhuwani Makhode for failing to amend sections of the Immigration Act, six years after a court ordered it. The apex court ruled on the matter between the DG, the minister and Lawyers for Human Rights (LHR) on Monday.... Read more...

nflation-stoking collapse in naira reaches new extremes Inflation in Nigeria last month soared to 26.7 per cent, the highest level in two decades Nigeria’s currency has tumbled to record lows against the US dollar, putting further pressure on new president Bola Tinubu as he tries to reform Africa’s largest economy. Tinubu took the reins in May, pledging to break with the policies of his predecessors and attract foreign investment to Nigeria. Allowing the naira to float more freely against the dollar was part of that agenda.... Read more...

Home Affairs Minister Doctor Aaron Motsoaledi has been slapped with a 10% personal cost order after the Constitutional Court gave Parliament 12 months to remedy the defects in parts of the Immigration Act to the extent that it did not allow migrants detained for the purposes of deportation access to the courts for a period up to 30 days.... Read more...

-The International Crisis Group says more than a million people will fail to vote in the DRC because of conflict in the east. -The Independent National Electoral Commission`s credibility is in question. -The African Union and international actors were urged to work closely to help the DRC hold credible elections.... Read more...

-Tourism Minister Patricia de Lille wants visa requirements for Chinese and Indian nationals to be eased or waived -The government has identified the development of the tourism industry as key to reducing SA`s unemployment rate. -De Lille is also working to on plans to ensure visitors remain safe following a series of high-profile attacks.... Read more...

• Home Affairs departments were non-operational for more 36 000 hours in the first half of 2023. • South Africans are not informed when the system is down, which means people travel long distances to get to branches only to be turned away empty handed. • The State Information Technology Agency has invested R400 million to modernise and upgrade the networks. Offline systems are bringing the Department of Home Affairs to its knees as offices across the country lost more than 36 000 hours of work in the first half of 2023, primarily due to system downtime. Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi revealed this in his response to two sets of parliamentary questions from the DA`s home affairs spokesperson, Adrian Roos. He said his department`s offices were not operational for a collective 36 772 hours from January to May this year.... Read more...

Municipalities across the country are being urged to carry out audits on spaza shops owned by foreign nationals. Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi has made the call. There are renewed concerns over the safety of goods sold at such outlets after the recent deaths of several children in Gauteng and the Free State. The children fell sick after allegedly consuming products bought from their local spaza shops. Last month, a shop owner was arrested in eThekwini for selling expired goods. In Clare Estate, two spaza shops were closed down, and others were fined for improper use of premises.... Read more...

According to recent data from the South African Minister of Tourism, Patricia de Lille, more than 5.8 million people visited the country last year and more are expected in the coming years. Travel has rebounded healthily from the pandemic and is expected to keep growing by an estimated 7.6% annually. Growth like this has been fuelled, in part by the combination of South Africa’s weak currency, when compared with many countries in the global north, and the ease that online payments give travellers. The convenience of online payments has not only simplified the booking process but has also instilled new-found confidence in travellers as they embark on their adventures.... Read more...

Visas and air access were among the key areas up for discussion at the BRICS Tourism Ministers’ Meeting held in Cape Town this week, with direct flights between South Africa and its BRICS partners at various stages of implementation. Briefing the media after the meeting, Tourism Minister Patricia de Lille said: We need to work together as BRICS nations to increase air access and ease visa regimes to ensure seamless travel between our countries.” The post-meeting communiqué issued by all participants also highlighted “the need to raise awareness among BRICS countries to the importance of developing routes for better tourism mobility and connectivity amongst the member countries”. Arrivals to South Africa from Brazil, India and China have still not reached pre-pandemic levels but they have shown significant growth over the past year. Russia has recorded growth from pre-pandemic levels.... Read more...

I was intrigued to read the piece in Tourism Update reporting the views of Marcus Lee, and the subsequent comments by readers. The headline was Change is needed for SA to attract more Chinese visitors but it is just as relevant to other Southern African countries. A topic dear to my heart, for two reasons. Firstly, I help out at Self Drive Tours Botswana at busy times. My wife is one of the directors. Chinese travellers tend to be well educated, engaging, and intensely interested in all manner of things. We would love to have more of them.... Read more...

In a ruling by the Constitutional Court that came into effect recently, children born to foreign parents can qualify for SA citizenship. Children born to FOREIGN parents can qualify for SA citizenship.. Broadly speaking, there are three ways someone can qualify for SA citizenship. They are by birth, descent and naturalisation. This is according to the amended South African Citizenship that came into operation on 1 April 2003. Now, latest findings by the Constitutional Court have ruled that children born in SA to foreign parents are eligible to apply and qualify for SA citizenship. If you were unaware of this, it follows the ruling in favor of Ali, Salih, Nkoloko, Masuki and Nganga. Each were born in SA to foreign parents and now qualify for SA citizenship when they are no longer minors.... Read more...

When do you qualify for permanent residence in South Africa? Provided certain requirements are met, here’s who can live permanently in SA. Who qualifies for permanent residence in South Africa? Picture: File. Since our story on applying for a Smart ID card, we’ve received plenty of requests for information on permanent residence in South Africa. So, we consulted experts from to gain more insight. The key to living permanently in South Africa is being able to prove you can contribute towards the country’s economic base. XPatWeb says it’s vital to understand the nuances of the procedure before applying for permanent residence in South Africa.... Read more...

The hostage was rescued by the provincial kidnapping task team. Western Cape police arrested four Bangladeshi men for allegedly kidnapping a fellow countryman for ransom. The 19-year-old man was abducted in Touws River on Monday. Provincial police spokesperson Brig Novela Potelwa said he was rescued on Wednesday. “Following the kidnapping of a 19-year-old Bangladeshi on Monday in Touws River where, after a ransom was demanded, members of the Western Cape multidisciplinary kidnapping task team sprang into action in pursuit of vital information and descended on a location in the area where they rescued the hostage on Wednesday ,” said Potelwa.... Read more...

System downtime contributes more lost operating hours at Home Affairs offices than load-shedding. This is according to home affairs minister Aaron Motsoaledi, who was responding to parliamentary questions from Democratic Alliance MP Adrian Roos. DHA’s offices could not operate for 15,289 hours during the first quarter of the 2023/24 financial year April to June 2023. Of this, 8,672 hours (57%) were lost to system downtime, while DHA offices could not operate for 6,242 hours (41%) due to load-shedding. Over the same period, protest action contributed 46 lost hours (0.3%), and offices had to shut down for 329 hours (2%) due to water outages. Motsoaledi also provided uptime figures for the DHA’s civic services system.... Read more...

According to a Statista survey last year, about 14% of South Africa’s working population of 15.6 million, or just more than two million people, indicated they were seriously considering emigrating. The relocation costs alone are high, which means it is well worth taking the time to vet your choice of relocation specialists. Ian Pettey, managing director Africa at Crown Relocations, says that to relocate the contents of a two-bedroom house you would need a 20-foot container. “The relocation costs to the UK would be about R120,000, and that goes up to R200,000 to go to Australia. A three-bedroom house would equate to a 40-foot container, with a relocation cost of R180,000 to the UK and R320,000 to Australia,” he says. Pettey suggests asking the international removal company the following before you sign a contract:... Read more...

A KwaZulu-Natal woman based in Krugersdorp, Elizabeth Boikanyo (54) has been battling to apply for a passport with the Department of Home Affairs for over a year now. Boikanyo who is a first-time applicant and married to a North West farmer based in Krugersdorp, has been left frustrated by the process as she has received no feedback regarding the status of her application. “I have been trying to apply for a passport with the Krugersdorp Home Affairs branch for over a year now. Ever since my application (in 2021), I’ve been told I am being verified,” she said.... Read more...

The JMPD rescued 30 foreign nationals from a house in Edenvale in a suspected human trafficking case. JOHANNESBURG - Police investigations are underway to determine how 30 Ethiopian men were trafficked into the country without detection. On Sunday, the Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD) rescued 27 human trafficking victims who were kept in a house in Edenvale. The JMPD’s spokesperson, Xolani Fihla, said three of the men ran away when police raided the house. Fihla said it was still unclear who smuggled the men into the country and for what purpose.... Read more...

Home affairs minister Aaron Motsoaledi will challenge a Pretoria high court ruling that saw him lose an application relating to the Zimbabwe Exemption Permits (ZEPs). The high court ruled on Monday that the department’s application for leave to appeal had no reasonable prospects of success. This after the department’s director-general Tommy Makhode deposed to an affidavit five weeks ago challenging a judgement that had favoured the Helen Suzman Foundation and Consortium for Refugees and Migrants in SA. According to SowetanLIVE’s sister publication TimesLIVE, Motsoaledi was appealing against the judgment that required him to go back to the drawing board on the ZEPs. In a media statement issued on Tuesday evening, Motsoaledi’s spokesperson Thabo Mokgola said the minister was appealing the matter at the Supreme Court of Appeal.... Read more...

Ghana becomes the next country to open up visa-free entry for South African passport holders for periods of 90 days. Ghana opens up to South African nationals. Image: Unsplash Ghana is another country that will open its doors to South African passport holders by allowing visa-free entry. South African passport holders have seen increasing mobility in recent months. This is due to a rising number of countries relaxing entry restrictions, or allowing easier entry for SA nationals, by virtue of e-visas. VISA WAIVER FOR SOUTH AFRICA BBC reports that the governments of Ghana and South Africa have signed a visa waiver agreement.... Read more...

• Department of Employment and Labour director-general Thobile Lamati has resigned. • His resignation follows a R5 billion scandal at the UIF which was stopped in its tracks. • It also follows calls from business and labour for intervention in the UIF`s `chaotic` administration. The director-general of the Department of Labour and Employment, Thobile Lamati, has resigned. His resignation follows reports of backing a controversial project to channel billions from the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) into a private investment company, as part of a job creation scheme. Lamati conveyed the news to his top management in a WhatsApp message earlier today.... Read more...

In an exclusive interview, Anitta Hipper, Spokesperson for the European Commission (home affairs) elaborates upon the reasons for delays, what the European Commission is doing to resolve the issue and the much-awaited digitisation of the Schengen visa Since the resumption of international travel post Covid-19, long wait to get a visa appointment & delay in processing of Schengen visas has irked travellers worldwide Since the resumption of international travel post Covid-19, long wait to get a visa appointment & delay in processing of Schengen visas has irked travellers worldwide. In an exclusive interview, Anitta Hipper, Spokesperson for the European Commission (home affairs) elaborates upon the reasons for delays, what the European Commission is doing to resolve the issue and the much-awaited digitisation of the Schengen visa which will be issued in digital format, as a 2D barcode, cryptographically signed.... Read more...

1. The Minister of Home Affairs (“Minister”) has considered the Full Court judgment (Gauteng Division, Pretoria) on the application for leave to appeal in the Helen Suzman Foundation (“HSF”) v Minister of Home Affairs (“Minister”) and Another (ZEP matter) dismissing the application for leave to appeal lodged by him. 2. The Minister has also taken legal advice on the judgment. The Minister has decided to exhaust the legal remedies available to him. To this end, he has already instructed his legal representatives to lodge an application for leave to appeal to the Supreme Court of Appeal (“SCA”) without any delay. 3. The Minister believes that the matter is of such great public importance to deserve the attention of a higher court.... Read more...

South Africa is set to briefly overtake Nigeria and Egypt as the continent’s largest economy next year, International Monetary Fund forecasts show. The IMF’s World Economic Outlook envisions South Africa’s gross domestic product reaching $401 billion based on current prices in 2024, compared with Nigeria’s $395 billion and Egypt’s $358 billion. South Africa is expected to only hold the top spot for a year before it once again lags Nigeria, and then fall to third place behind Egypt in 2026, according to the report, which was released last week.... Read more...

• State Information Technology Agency employees, as part of the Public Servants` Association of South Africa, are planning a nationwide shutdown on 18 October after salary negotiations reached a deadlock. • The shutdown is aimed to create `inconvenience` for government departments, which will be without technical support, and impact government services, including hospitals and grant payments. • The PSA said workers will not return to work unless their demands of above-inflation salary increases are met. Government services, including hospitals, Home Affairs and grant payments across the country could be without technical support on Wednesday as thousands of State Information Technology Agency (SITA) employees down tools.... Read more...

The Gauteng High Court in Pretoria has dismissed Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi`s application for leave to appeal a ruling on his decision to terminate Zimbabwean Exemption Permits. The Gauteng High Court in Pretoria dismissed Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi`s application for leave to appeal its ZEP ruling. • The court ruled in June that Motsoaledi`s failure to consult with ZEP holders, interested NGOs and the public was `unlawful, unconstitutional, and invalid`. • The court dismissed his application with costs. The Gauteng High Court in Pretoria has dismissed Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi`s application for leave to appeal against a ruling on his decision to terminate Zimbabwean Exemption Permits (ZEPs).... Read more...

This development signifies a strengthening of ties and a new phase of diplomatic relations between both African countries. South Africa has decided to grant Ghanaian passport holders 90-day visa exemption starting from November 1, effectively allowing them free entry to the country. This decision, announced by the South African High Commission in Ghana on Friday, follows an agreement between the governments of South Africa and Ghana, signifying a strengthening of ties and a new phase of diplomatic relations between both countries.... Read more...

• South Africans are migrants by nature. • There are times each year when the amount of people travelling between provinces increases. • Here are the most popular routes - and the average cost for private rides along these routes. South Africa`s population is used to migrating across provinces - for several reasons. The pursuit of economic and job prospects tops the list of reasons, followed by visits to family who have remained in the cities, towns and rural areas they originally came from. Each year, inDrive South Africa sees an increase in intercity car trips with its `city to city` service.... Read more...

Namibia is the latest of four African countries to offer digital nomad visas to remote workers. Mauritius, Cape Verde and the Seychelles also all have visa programmes targeting digital nomads, yet South Africa still lags behind. A digital nomad visa allows someone to live in a country that is not their homeland while working remotely for a company based outside the one they live in. Governments that issue digital nomad visas never refer to them as such, choosing to call them residence permits or devising a special name for them. The permit generally expires after 12 months and the option to renew varies from country to country.... Read more...

WhatsApp is testing what could be one of its biggest feature updates in several years �` the ability to message users on other apps. WABetaInfo reports that a “Third-party chats” section has appeared in the WhatsApp beta for Android 2.23.19.8 update. This feature will presumably allow WhatsApp users to chat with users on other messaging apps �` like Signal, Telegram, and Viber. However, because it is not yet functional �` with no option to start a chat with users on other apps �` the precise technicalities behind how it will function and which third-party apps will be supported are currently unknown. The capability is supposedly being integrated into WhatsApp so that its parent company Meta Platforms can comply with the European Union’s Digital Markets Act (DMA). Due to its large user base in the region, the European Commission recently declared that WhatsApp was regarded as a “gatekeeper” service under the DMA. That means it is r... Read more...

In an era where digital communication reigns supreme, the importance of privacy and security cannot be overstated. WhatsApp, one of the most popular messaging apps, offers a feature known as hidden conversations, allowing users to archive chats and keep them out of the main chat list. However, it`s crucial to understand that archiving chats doesn`t provide an absolute guarantee of security. This comprehensive guide will walk you through the intricacies of hidden conversations, ensuring your messages, photos, and videos remain safe and protected. Understanding WhatsApp Hidden Conversations WhatsApp`s hidden conversations feature is a powerful tool that lets you archive chats, effectively hiding them from your main chat list. While this might sound like a straightforward solution to maintaining privacy, it`s essential to grasp the nuances involved. Why You Should Care... Read more...

Basotho visiting South Africa may be able to stay longer than the current 30 days per visit which is currently the South African law. This was announced by Lesotho Prime Minister Sam Matekane following a Bi-National Commission between the two countries in Pretoria. Matekane welcomed discussions aimed at putting in place a South Africa-Lesotho-specific immigration model.... Read more...

Home Affairs Minister Clare O’Neil is announcing big changes to the visa system, but that won’t do much to deter surging net immigration numbers. Anthony Albanese says his government inherited a migration system that was “not fit for purpose”. That’s true. Just how Labor expects to fix the biggest issues in migration is still not clear after the release of its response to visa fraud and exploitation on Wednesday. According to Home Affairs Minister Clare O’Neil, she is getting on with the job of cleaning up the mess left by one particular ministerial predecessor Peter Dutton who she claims presided over a failing migration system that facilitated “some of the worst crimes in our society”.... Read more...

Angola has announced the immediate visa-free entry for passport holders of ninety-eight countries. See them here. Angola opens up visa-free access for THESE nations. Image: Pexels Last week Angola passed a resolution to allow visa-free entry for 90-day stays to nationals from over 90 countries. The new resolution is contained in Presidential Decree Number 189/23 of 29 September 2023. ANGOLA VISAS Securing Angolan visas has often involved high costs and much patience since the process incurred much red tape. However, there has been a sudden change. Angola has now opened its borders to visitors from a large number of countries.... Read more...

Most South African university students want to leave the country because of crime, corruption, lack of job opportunities, failing infrastructure, and the rising cost of living. This was revealed in the annual 2022/23 Professional Provident Society (PPS) Student Confidence Index. The survey involved 2,400 undergraduates and postgraduates studying towards a profession-specific degree at public and private universities. The students studied valuable skills, including engineering, medicine, law, accounting, business management, and psychology. The survey found that 90% of the university students desired to work and live abroad to gain experience.... Read more...

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South African corporations could soon have some respite as the Department of Home Affairs has taken a massive step in its attempt to make hiring foreigners easier. In the 2022 State of the Nation Address, President Cyril Ramaphosa said that South Africa would review its visa application system, which would make it easier for foreigners to travel to and work in the country, with the President’s task team Operation Vulindlela looking at ways to reduce red tape. Businesses have flagged the long delays and the complex application process in getting visas for foreign workers.... Read more...

If you’re seeking a citizenship- or residency-by-investment programme for your family in 2023, you’re spoilt for choice. Even with some programmes ending, there are still options in Europe, the USA, on Caribbean islands and even in sunny Mauritius. In fact, there are nearly too many options. How do you know which programmes will offer the right benefits for your family?... Read more...

The DA welcomes the confirmation that Minister of Home Affairs, Aaron Motsoaledi, has finally acceded to the DA’s repeated calls for South Africans born abroad and Naturalised Citizens to be able to receive Smart IDs. Home Affairs Director General (DG) Tommy Makhode confirmed to the DA In a parliamentary portfolio meeting yesterday that he had been instructed to implement this with ‘immediate effect’. The DG indicated that system modifications were underway to facilitate this and bring a resolution to this matter which the DA has raised, to quote the DG, “over and over and over again”.... Read more...

Interpol are in contact with their 195 member countries as they try to help gardaí to identify an elderly man who has been charged with allegedly using passports in the names of two babies born in the 1950’s who died just months after their birth. Det Garda Padraig Hanley, of the Garda National Bureau of Criminal Investigation, told Cork District Court that investigations are still ongoing in multiple jurisdictions as they attempt to identify the man who has been in custody since last month.... Read more...

A Department of Home Affairs official found guilty of fraud has been sentenced to an effective 10 years behind bars. Nhlanhla Mathebula, 39, was convicted of corruption and contravention of the Immigration Act in the Nelspruit Commercial Crimes Court this week. The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) said the accused was convicted on 12 counts of corruption in Contravention of Section 4(1)(a) of the Prevention and Combating of Corrupt Activities Act 12 of 2004 and 13 counts of Contravention of Section 49(14) of the Immigration Act 13 of 2002.... Read more...

Most South African university students want to leave the country because of crime, corruption, lack of job opportunities, failing infrastructure, and the rising cost of living. This was revealed in the annual 2022/23 Professional Provident Society (PPS) Student Confidence Index. The survey involved 2,400 undergraduates and postgraduates studying towards a profession-specific degree at public and private universities. The students studied valuable skills, including engineering, medicine, law, accounting, business management, and psychology. The survey found that 90% of the university students desired to work and live abroad to gain experience. What was particularly worrying is that the percentage of students, particularly younger black students, who want to leave jumped from 39% to 90% in two years. It shows that the country faces a mass exodus of skills as young, qualified South Africans have an overwhelming desire to live and work abroad.... Read more...

Interpol are in contact with their 195 member countries as they try to help gardaí to identify an elderly man who has been charged with allegedly using passports in the names of two babies born in the 1950’s who died just months after their birth. Det Garda Padraig Hanley, of the Garda National Bureau of Criminal Investigation, told Cork District Court that investigations are still ongoing in multiple jurisdictions as they attempt to identify the man who has been in custody since last month.... Read more...

If you have been in South Africa for 10 years as a Refugee did you know there is a path to permanent residence . Apply Now for Temporary Residence even with EXPIRED LOCKDOWN PERMITS The Constitutional Court handed down a judgement in the Ahmed matter as well as a Court Order opening the door for Asylum Seekers and Refugees to apply to change their status to temporary residence visa . Contact us now before this fantastic opportunity is lost .... Read more...

Foreigners working in Nigeria pay the highest visa fees following an increase from $1000 to $2,000 This increase has been harming the country`s Foreign Direct investment in recent years Nigeria continues to struggle to attract FDI with its current forex crisis and other economic problems Foreign workers in Nigeria pay the highest visa fee of any immigrant worker in major African nations. This follows a 100% increase in work visa cost in 2018 for foreign nationals working in Nigeria who must now pay $2000 yearly (from $1,000) to remain in the country. As a result, BusinessDay reported that this has affected the Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), causing it to worsen over time.... Read more...

Portugal has now closed its golden visa scheme for real estate investors, which helped many foreigners move to the Western European country. Portugal terminates golden visas. Image: Lorne Philpot Portugal has put an end to its sought-after residence permit for real estate investment activities (also known as golden visas). The new law governing this comes into effect today, Saturday 7 October 2023. INVESTMENT SCHEMES... Read more...

he UK has recently implemented significant changes in visa requirements and fees, including the possibility of a substantial increase in the immigration health surcharge (IHS). These changes are part of the efforts of the UK government to ease the burden on its National Health. The Director of Breytenbachs Immigration Consultants, JP Breytenbach, told BizNews that South Africans aspiring to apply for a UK visa should be prepared for higher costs and careful planning. While the changes may appear daunting, various immigration options remain available, especially for skilled workers.... Read more...

Thulas Nxesi, Minister of Labour and Employment, wants action against his director general for UIF investment dalliances. • Dysfunction and corruption are crippling the UIF, say Cosatu and BUSA. • The heads of the UIF and the Department of Labour are now on the chopping block. • A full audit of unlisted investments has been called for. Both business and organised labour on Wednesday called for the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) to be placed under administration and its investments investigated independently as the fund sinks deeper into dysfunction, and suspicion of corruption grows.... Read more...

Italy is trying to deter an influx of migrants with a set of new measures. 10 000 migrants arrived on the shores of Lampedusa island last week, more than doubling the island`s population. Illegal immigrants may soon be detained for up to 18 months while they await repatriation. The Italian government, struggling with a surge in migrant arrivals, will pass measures on Monday to lengthen the time migrants can be held and to ensure more people who have no right to stay are repatriated, officials said... Read more...

Find out the process of applying for a police clearance (SAPS365) and how Sa migration can help you get yours in as little as 7 days. Efficient ways to get your police clearance certificate quickly: Many South Africans know it can take a long time sometimes weeks or even months to get a police clearance certificate from the South African Police Service (SAPS). During the first half of 2022, SAPS had even more delays because their main office was closed. This made it take even longer to process these certificates at the Criminal Records Centre in Pretoria.... Read more...

• Hundreds of homeowners-to-be across Germany have been left in the lurch as builders go out of business. • A jump in interest rates and material costs has seen twice as many developers file for insolvency over the last year than during the previous 12 months. • The German government on Monday offered a new package of measures to help ease the pressure. Valeriy Shevchenko felt like he made the purchase of his lifetime when he beat a queue of prospective buyers to secure a two-bedroom apartment in one of Berlin`s most popular districts. Two years on, the 33-year-old`s housing dreams have come crashing down after the developer of his new home, Project Immobilien, went bankrupt. Hit by a sudden jump in interest rates and raw material costs, twice as many developers have filed for insolvency over the last year than during the previous 12 months.... Read more...

Getting documents from Home Affairs in South Africa can be very time consuming. Let Samigration.com make the process easier for you. The Department of Home Affairs is proposing major changes to ID cards in the country. In South Africa, the Department of Home Affairs is responsible for issuing civic certificates and documents, including marriage, death, and birth certificates. They also issue Letters of No Impediment and divorce decrees to South African citizens, but what is the best and fastest way to obtain these documents from Home Affairs?... Read more...

The immigration act for South Africa allows for the Minister of Home Affairs to waive certain requirements of the act. Once the requirement has been waived, an individual or corporation will be exempt from that requirement in that instance. In layman’s terms that means that the minister has the authority through the immigration act to waive a specific requirement. In order to be granted the waiver, an applicant must have a “good cause” to be granted. Your application for a waiver must be 100% sound and have good reasoning as the good cause must convince the Department of Home Affairs as to why they need to make an exemption for you. The applicant must prove that there is sufficient evidence to waive the requirement or form and then the Department of Home Affairs shall determine to either grant or refuse the waiver.... Read more...

Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi has welcomed the lengthy jail terms meted out to two South Africans and a Pakistani national in separate cases in Durban and Johannesburg, respectively, for passport related crimes. Arfan Ahmed, a Pakistani was arrested in a sting operation involving the Counter Corruption Branch of Home Affairs, the Hawks and the Police Crime Intelligence on 24 March at the Home Affairs office in Krugersdorp... Read more...

Following calls from the Gauteng government for quotas on businesses to hire local workers, legal firm Wright Rose-Innes has outlined the plans the national government is putting in place to do exactly that. This comes in the form of proposed amendments to the Employment Services Act, which, if signed into law, would see the employment and labour minister empowered to set limited on businesses as to the number of foreign workers they can hire. “Most employers will be forgiven if they claim not to have heard of the Employment Services Act 4 of 2014. This legislation is certainly not as well-known as the Labour Relations Act, the Basic Conditions of Employment Act or even the Employment Equity Act,” the firm said. “Yet, with major amendments proposed to the Employment Services Act in particular in respect of the employment of foreign nationals in South Africa, employers that make use of such employment should take note of the proposed amendments.”... Read more...

Foreigners working in Nigeria pay the highest visa fees following an increase from $1000 to $2,000 This increase has been harming the country`s Foreign Direct investment in recent years Nigeria continues to struggle to attract FDI with its current forex crisis and other economic problems Foreign workers in Nigeria pay the highest visa fee of any immigrant worker in major African nations. This follows a 100% increase in work visa cost in 2018 for foreign nationals working in Nigeria who must now pay $2000 yearly (from $1,000) to remain in the country. As a result, BusinessDay reported that this has affected the Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), causing it to worsen over time.... Read more...

Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi is leading the ANC`s push to restrict the employment of foreign nationals in the province. • The Gauteng premier is leading the ANC`s push to restrict the employment of foreign nationals in the province as the youth unemployment crisis seems to have defeated the ANC. • Panyaza Lesufi and ANC provincial secretary TK Nciza said the time had come for local citizens to be given priority in employment by private businesses. • Immigration experts have warned against this political rhetoric, saying it was dangerous and was only used as an excuse to mask the failures of the ANC governance.... Read more...

In a recent meeting attended by SAQA affiliates , Immigration Practitioners & Lawyers , DHA presented a webinar hosted by Phindiwe Mbhele - Director: Corporate Accounts he highlighted the great level of fraud perpetuated by people from fake SAQA certificates , fake qualifications , fake bank statements fake employment contracts and employment letters .... Read more...

A damning forensic investigation conducted by the department of employment and labour has recommended that Minister Thulas Nxesi institute disciplinary proceedings against the UIF commissioner, the department director-general (DG) and other officials for their role in signing a R5 billion lucrative deal between Thuka Capital Fund and the UIF. The deal was meant to create thousands of long-term and sustainable jobs and market linkages, and broaden supply chains.... Read more...

Abridged birth and/or marriage certificates merely indicate the most basic details pertaining to the person to whom the document is issued. Obtaining documents from Home Affairs is generally a tedious and somewhat confusing exercise, but perhaps the trickiest part of the whole exercise is figuring out which documents you need to apply for. Do you need an abridged, unabridged, or vault copy of your official South African document? Or perhaps all three? Why are there three versions of each document, and what are the differences between them? Samigration.com, a document concierge service provider, provides some much-needed clarity on the topic…... Read more...

What is a Letter of No Impediment, why is it important? Samigration.com shares with South Africans all about it and how to obtain yours quickly A Letter of No Impediment is of paramount importance for South African citizens when traveling abroad. But what exactly is this document, what purpose does it serve, and what’s the fastest route to obtaining one if you need it? This article delves into the topic and aims to answer all these questions.... Read more...

In the modern world of employment in which South Africa is fast being recognised as a destination of choice for remote workers, foreign employers must take care to align the employment contract to the appropriate system of law, says Bradley Workman-Davies. The Labour Relations Act (LRA), among other important functions, regulates the rights of employees whose contract of employment has been terminated, and affords the employee the right to refer a dispute to the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) upon receipt of such notice. However, the position of an employee who needs to rely on legal protection in terms of labour law within the framework of diplomatic immunity remains... Read more...

Professor Mark Smith is leaving the Stellenbosch Business School. Supplied • Stellenbosch Business School director Professor Mark Smith has had to resign from the position he held since 2020. • News24 understands this development is related to challenges with securing appropriate visas for his family. • The university says it continues to support ongoing discussions with Universities South Africa and the Home Affairs Department to `smooth out visa processes`. Stellenbosch Business School director Professor Mark Smith has resigned from his position, which he has held since 2020. News24 understands this development was a result of his family not being able to secure appropriate visas to reside in South Africa.... Read more...

ChatGPT is often thought of as a tool that will replace human work on tasks such as writing papers for students or professionals. But ChatGPT can also be used to support human work, and research is an excellent example. Whether you`re working on a research paper for school or doing market research for your job, initiating the research process and finding the correct sources can be challenging and time-consuming. ChatGPT and other AI chatbots can help by curtailing the amount of time spent finding sources, allowing you to jump more quickly to the actual reading and research portion of your work. Picking the right chatbot Before we get started, it`s important to understand the limitations of using ChatGPT. Because ChatGPT is not connected to the internet, it will not be able to give you access to information or resources after 2021, and it will also not be able to provide you with a direct link to the source of the information.... Read more...

Visa has announced a new partnership with the crypto world to solve the thorny problem of torpid cross-border settlement to merchants. It is a shot across the bows of the most powerful financial entities on earth �` the legacy banks. Something big happened last week in the card payment industry. So big that the usual quick-off-the-mark social media analysts paused to think about it. That big. Breakdowns and Baguettes Let’s say you are a humble shopkeeper in South Africa. A customer comes in, buys an item and pays with her Visa credit card. Only she is from Armenia. As her credit card is accepted by your point-of-sale (POS) terminal, a long chain of cogs and wheels begins to turn behind the scenes. The first checks whether the buyer has good credit. This takes only a few seconds to hit Visa’s backend systems, and if approved, she will walk out of the store with her item.... Read more...

No ID, no life. This is the fate of many children in South Africa who are victims of their parent’s IDs being “blocked” by the Department of Home Affairs. Their births are never registered or are registered very late; their parents cannot access child support and other grants; they are excluded from or discriminated against at school; they struggle to access health care and immunisation programmes. Without an identity number they are “invisible” to the state. These are the submissions of the Children’s Institute at the University of Cape Town, represented by the Centre for Child Law, admitted as an amicus curiae in a case to be argued this week in the Pretoria High Court.... Read more...

• Aaron Motsoaledi says his department will operate more efficiently with a staff contingency of 60%. • The Department of Home Affairs currently operates at 39 to 42% capacity. • Motsoaledi says backlogs may never be solved if the department does not improve its operational capacity. Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi says the Department of Home Affairs needs a staff contingency of 60% to operate optimally - but, currently, it falls short of this target, despite pleas to the National Treasury... Read more...

There are no prospects of success for Home Affairs` appeal application, according to the respondents. The Helen Suzman Foundation has insisted that Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi’s decision to terminate the Zimbabwean Exemption Permit (ZEP) programme without formal consultation was not in line with the law. The full bench of the Gauteng High Court in Pretoria heard the Department of Home Affairs’ leave to appeal application on Monday.... Read more...

Cape Town Air Access, powered by Wesgro, has released updated figures for the estimated economic impact of international passengers travelling to Cape Town and the Western Cape. The figures highlight the remarkable economic contribution of air travel to the local economy, emphasising its role in job creation, direct tourism expenditure, GDP growth, and air cargo transported. Underpinning the indispensable role of aviation in the tourism sector in the province, the arrival of 605 000 foreign passengers injected a whopping R24.3 billion into the Western Cape economy in 2022 alone, supporting 10 600 jobs.... Read more...

A court has said that children born in South Africa to foreign national parents are not automatically entitled to South African citizenship. Pretoria - A court has found that children born in South Africa to foreign national parents do not automatically entitle them to South African citizenship. The court then turned down an application by Zimbabwean parents for their children to be issued with SA birth certificates. The parents had turned to the Polokwane High Court to review and set aside a decision by the department of home affairs, which refused to issue the three children with birth certificates.... Read more...

The Department of Home Affairs is looking to deploy high-technology at six borders to minimise the movement of illicit good at the land ports. So said minister Aaron Motsoaledi yesterday, during a joint press conference to explain the request for proposals for the development of the six busiest land ports of entry. “In our request for proposals, we are expecting the prospective partner companies to come install the latest technologies, such as gamma ray scanners, such that each truck can drive through them.” According to the minister, gamma ray technology can pick up anything from illicit cigarettes, liquor, paper money and human beings.... Read more...

The National Treasury has reported told president Cyril Ramaphosa that South Africa will have to hike value-added tax (VAT) by 1% or 2% if it wants to keep the R350 Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant going. According to the Sunday Times, this message was among many delivered at a top-level meeting called by the president this week, following the release of a Treasury memo to various departments warning of budget cuts. South Africa has effectively hit its budget limit, with revenues not meeting the February budget expectations, while government spending has continued to balloon far beyond what was planned. To avoid financial collapse, sacrifices now have to be made.... Read more...

The National Treasury has reportedly written several proposals to reduce the number of government departments in South Africa. According to the Sunday Times, a secret meeting was held in Stellenbosch, where several key figures discussed these proposals. These include President Cyril Ramaphosa, finance minister Enoch Godongwana, and several top officials from National Treasury and the Reserve Bank. If accepted, these proposals would reportedly save the government about R17 billion in spending but at the cost of lost jobs. Examples of how the proposed cuts would work include: • Closing the Department of Sports, Arts, and Culture and incorporating its duties into the Department of Basic Education. • Closing the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure and requiring departments to manage their own buildings and assets. • Merging the Department of Tourism with the Department of Trade, Industry, and Competition.... Read more...

The Department of Home Affairs is now giving appointments for refugees to apply for asylum only in 2025, even though they are required to present themselves at a Refugee Reception Office within five days of their arrival in the country. The legal team for a Somali family that has been harassed by law enforcement, refused medical assistance and given a date to apply for asylum 18 months down the line, has called on the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to intervene and support their court case against the Department of Home Affairs. “We are legal ghosts,” Abdullahi Osman Shale said in an affidavit explaining the suffering inflicted on his family by the Department of Home Affairs.... Read more...

The government is blocking the potential that foreign workers can bring to South Africa’s stagnant economy. South Africa’s work visa regime is laborious, lengthy and inefficient. The process deters foreign investment, widens the skills gap and throttles productivity, economic growth and development. Between 2015 and 2021, only 16,097 critical skilled-worker permits were approved by the Department of Home Affairs. At an average of just more than 2,200 a year, that amounts to a rejection rate of 52%, for an economy with a sizeable skills deficit. The business visa rejection rate over the same period is even higher, at 68%.... Read more...

• Nigerian distributors say the country suffered a total grid collapse on Thursday. • Much the country remains without power. • Load shedding is implemented in South Africa to guard against grid collapse. Nigeria`s electricity distribution companies reported `a total system collapse` on Thursday, causing widespread blackouts across Africa`s biggest economy. Power generation fell to zero in the early hours and had risen to 273 megawatts (MW) by 10:30 still well below the daily average of 4 100 MW, data from the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) showed. TCN did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Grid power supply is erratic in Nigeria, a major oil and gas pro... Read more...

Australia`s defence minister Richard Marles introduced an amendment to parliament that seeks to introduce a 20-year prison term for providing military training to a foreign military. Pat Hoelscher/AFP • Australia plans to send any resident who trains a foreign military to jail for up to 20 years. • Draft legislation seems to have the Test Flying Academy of South Africa firmly in its crosshairs. • The company says the change will not affect its operations in any way just as US sanctions didn`t. Australia plans to introduce tough new penalties for any resident involved in training a foreign military not closely allied to that country.... Read more...

• Istanbul is still one of the world`s most alluring cities for global travellers. • And for South Africans, it`s one of the cheapest and easiest to visit. • Türkiye issues e-visas immediately at no cost. • And Turkish Airlines, which flies direct to South Africa seven days per week, offers free overnight hotel stays or day tours to those on layovers in Istanbul. • Here`s what to see and do - and how to capitalise on a free extended layover in Istanbul. `If the world were a single country,` Ibrahim says as we gather speed along the western edge of the Bosphorus Strait, `then Istanbul would be its capital`. It`s 16:00 on a Thursday, and the temperature is still hovering somewhere around 30 degrees. The afternoon sunlight reflects off the floor-to-ceiling windows of the waterside stone palaces, their designs influenced by the world`s most powerful empires, and onto the small turquoise waves cresting around us.... Read more...

AI data is polluted by a set of myths from the age of “enlightenment”, including biases that lead to discrimination based on gender and sexual identity. • Bad data does not only produce bad outcomes. It can also help to suppress sections of society, for instance vulnerable women and minorities. • Algorithms generally need to be exposed to data often taken from the internet in order to improve at whatever they do, such as screening job applications, or underwriting mortgages. • But the training data often contains many of the biases that exist in the real world. Bad data does not only produce bad outcomes. It can also help to suppress sections of society, for instance vulnerable women and minorities.... Read more...

• The Department of Home Affairs has told Parliament that their officials irregularly facilitated SA passports for foreigners while the country was in lockdown. • The department is also investigating nearly 300 000 unauthorised cross-border movements which were registered on its central management system. • On Tuesday, MPs were briefed on the department’s effort to root out corruption in the issuance of visas and permits. When the country was in the chokehold of the Covid-19 lockdown, rogue home affairs officials irregularly facilitated South African passports for foreign nationals. On top of this, investigations into nearly 300 000 unauthorised cross-border movements are under way and over 3 000 retirement visas have come under the microscope.... Read more...

The United Kingdom has long been a destination of choice for individuals seeking new opportunities, world-class education, and a high quality of life. For South Africans, the UK offers a range of visas and permits that provide avenues for business investment, expansion, work, and residence. This article will shortly explore the prominent visa routes available, shedding light on the Innovator Visa, Expansion Worker Route, and Skilled Worker Visa. Overview of the UK Immigration Landscape... Read more...

Johannesburg, The Helen Suzman Foundation (HSF) has launched an urgent application against Home Affairs Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi and his department in the High Court to stop the “mass deportation” of illegal immigrants in the country. The move follows the stance pronounced last month by Motsoaledi that officials would be conducting extensive law-enforcement operations to deport individuals living in the country without proper documentation. In a message on the department’s official social media account early last month, Motsoaledi asserted his firm position on illegal immigrants as he tweeted: “We don’t make noise when we conduct law enforcement operations. We move in and deport people.... Read more...

A woman identified as Priscilla in Mogaung village, located just outside Groblersdal in Sekhukhune, Limpopo, has come under scrutiny and faced accusations of orchestrating marriages between Pakistani nationals and multiple women within her community. This revelation has prompted several women to step forward and share their accounts, alleging that Priscilla had arranged marriages between them and Pakistani shop owners.... Read more...

• Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi gazetted new regulations under the South African Citizenship Act. • The regulations create a clear process for people born in South Africa to asylum-seeker and refugee parents to apply for naturalisation. • Applicants will have to prove they have knowledge of any one of the official South African languages. A clear process has been created for people born in South Africa to asylum-seeker or refugee parents, which allows them to apply for naturalisation after they turn 18 - but they will have to prove they know any one of the official South African languages. Earlier in June, Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi gazetted new regulations, under the South African Citizenship Act, which deal with naturalisation application, specifically for applicants born to asylum seekers and refugees. An application form is included in the regulations.... Read more...

AI-driven chatbots make calculations and draw on extensive training, some provided by humans, to make predictions on what to say.. AI chatbots like ChatGPT are based on large language models that are fed a ton of information. They`re also trained by humans who help the system `learn` what`s an appropriate response. Here`s how computer science experts explain how the bots know what words to say next. ChatGPT and other chatbots driven by artificial intelligence can speak in fluent, grammatically sound sentences that may even have a natural rhythm to them. But don`t be lulled into mistaking that well-executed speech for thought, emotion, or even intent, experts say. The way a chatbot works is much more like a machine performing mathematical calculations and statistical analysis to call up the right words and sentences according to the context, experts said. There`s a lot of training on the backend including by human annotators also... Read more...

Its unclear how X will collect the biometric data or how it may be used. X, the social network that used to be known as Twitter, updated its privacy policy to include a new kind of user data it plans to collect: biometric. X, the social network that used to be known as Twitter, updated its privacy policy to include a new kind of user data it plans to collect: biometric. “Based on your consent, we may collect and use your biometric information for safety, security, and identification purposes,” the company said in its new policy. X doesn’t define what it considers biometric, though other companies have used the term to describe data gleaned from a person’s face, eyes and fingerprints. A representative of San Francisco-based X confirmed the new policy change, but didn’t elaborate further.... Read more...

To non-moguls, Elon Musks (perhaps temporary) rebrand of Twitter to X may seem high risk, amateurish, or even capricious. But it is likely doing exactly what he intended: generating enormous global interest. To non-moguls, Elon Musks (perhaps temporary) rebrand of Twitter to X may seem high risk, amateurish, or even capricious. But it is likely doing exactly what he intended: generating enormous global interest, pushing Twitter closer to his other X brands (SpaceX, Tesla Model X, xAI), and clearing the way for a profitable merging of technologies. What happened to the blue bird? Last weekend, Musk began the (reversible) changes by renaming the Twitter platform X on its website and replacing the iconic blue bird logo with a crowdsourced “interim” white “X” on a black background. Later, Musk posted an image of the character projected on the firm’s San Francisco headquarters and tweeted (or is that “X’d”?) that x.com now redirects to twitter.com.... Read more...

In 1995, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates sent a memo calling the internet a tidal wave that would be crucial to every part of the companys business. Nearly two decades later, Microsoft’s current leader, Satya Nadella, said he believes the impact of artificial intelligence will be just as profound. “The Bill memo in 1995, it does feel like that to me,” Nadella said on Bloomberg podcast, The Circuit With Emily Chang. “I think it’s as big.” Central to the latest attempt to transform Microsoft is OpenAI, a startup whose generative AI technology has created so much buzz that it snagged a $13 billion commitment from the software giant. “We have a great relationship,” OpenAI Chief Executive Officer Sam Altman said on The Circuit. “These big, major partnerships between tech companies usually don’t work. This is an example of it working really well. We’re super grateful for it.”... Read more...

AI data is polluted by a set of myths from the age of enlightenment, including biases that lead to discrimination based on gender and sexual identity. • Bad data does not only produce bad outcomes. It can also help to suppress sections of society, for instance vulnerable women and minorities. • Algorithms generally need to be exposed to data �` often taken from the internet �` in order to improve at whatever they do, such as screening job applications, or underwriting mortgages. • But the training data often contains many of the biases that exist in the real world. Bad data does not only produce bad outcomes. It can also help to suppress sections of society, for instance vulnerable women and minorities.... Read more...

These days, cars are computer centres on wheels. Today`s vehicles can contain over 100 computers and millions of lines of software code. These computers are all networked together and can operate all aspects of your vehicle. It`s not surprising, then, that car theft has also become high-tech. The ones and zeros of getting from A to B The computers in a vehicle can be divided into four categories. Many computers are dedicated to operating the vehicle`s drive train, including controlling the fuel, battery or both, monitoring emissions and operating cruise control.... Read more...

There is something in Turkey for everyone. The Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs introduced the eVisa program in 2013. South Africans can now apply online for a Turkish visa. The Turkish government now provides e-Visas to citizens of over 100 countries, including South Africa. As a result, Turkey is becoming a popular South African tourism destination. South African passport holders are no longer required to visit the Turkish embassy. In exchange, you can apply online and get your e-visa faster. Before traveling, South Africans can apply for a visa online. South African citizens must apply for a Turkey e-Visa to enter Turkey for tourist, business, transit, or medical reasons... Read more...

As today’s judgment in the Zimbabwe Exemption Permit (ZEP) matter makes clear, what is at stake are matters both of enormous consequence but also striking ordinariness. The judgment is of huge significance for the approximately 178 000 ZEP holders who have lived in South Africa perfectly legally for almost fifteen years, finding that they are entitled to fair process, due consultation and clear reason, demonstrating good cause, when decisions of calamitous moment are made regarding their lives and livelihoods.... Read more...

Johannesburg - President Cyril Ramaphosa has vowed to act decisively and tighten immigration laws and policies. Ramaphosa, in his weekly newsletter, reflected on last Thursday’s tragedy at Usindiso Shelter, where 77 people died when a fire broke out in the early hours of Thursday morning. On Monday, the president, who has jetted off to Zimbabwe for the inauguration of president-elect Emmerson Mnangagwa, said it has become his priority to deal with regulating illegal immigration as this encourages exploitation of the vulnerable foreigners in the country. “Dealing decisively with illegal immigration is a priority because regularising the immigration status of all those who have the legal right to be in our country helps to protect them from exploitation.... Read more...

A Black Hat 2023 panel discussed the ramifications of generative AI, and included the former Cyber Czar for the Obama administration. Securing AI was also a key theme during a panel at Black Hat a day earlier: Cybersecurity in the Age of AI, hosted by security firm Barracuda. The event detailed several other pressing topics, including how generative AI is reshaping the world and the cyber landscape, the potential benefits and risks associated with the democratization of AI, how the relentless pace of AI development will affect our ability to navigate and regulate tech, and how security players can evolve with generative AI to the advantage of defenders.... Read more...

Cybersecurity expert Kayne McGladrey speaks about why AI cannot do what creative people can, and the important role of generative AI in SOCs. Are we still in the “ad hoc” stage of cybersecurity? Karl Greenberg: Jeff Moss (founder of Black Hat) and Maria Markstedter (Azeria Labs founder and chief executive officer) spoke during the keynote on the increasing demand for security researchers who know how to handle generative AI models. How do you think AI will affect cybersecurity job prospects, especially at tier 1 (entry level)? Kayne McGladrey: For the past three or four or five years now, we’ve been talking about this, so it’s not a new problem. We’re still very much in that hype cycle around optimism of the potential of artificial intelligence.... Read more...

The terrifying tentacles of kidnapping for ransom syndicates have crawled from Mozambique into South Africa over the past few years, with a convicted killer believed to be one of the kingpins pulling the strings from inside a maximum security prison in Maputo. But Nini Satar, serving a 24-year sentence for the 2000 murder of journalist Carlos Cardosa who investigated massive embezzlement at the Commercial Bank of Mozambique, has denied any involvement in kidnappings in South Africa that have shot up by more than 530% over the past three years.... Read more...

Amid visa chaos at the Department of Home Affairs, visa outsourcing and technology service VFS Global says that South Africa is experiencing a surge in demand for services driven by pent-up demand for travel. The department launched a pilot project testing the VFS model through VFS Global in June 2022 in the UK, which was a huge success. VFS Global is an outsourcing and technology services company for governments and diplomatic missions worldwide. It allows for the application of visas and passports through its online platform and physical offices and facilitates the admin and payment, and delivery of the documentation when processed.... Read more...

In 2021, Gartner found that talent shortages were inhibiting technology adoption and development, with 64% of IT executives citing it as a challenge. Fast-forward to 2023, and the market remains complicated with the firm predicting that demand for talent within tech will continue to exceed supply until 2026. It is echoed by S&P Global statistics that highlight how complex the skills situation has become with 51% of respondents saying it has been difficult to hire new people and 44% struggling to find qualified candidates. The S&P analysis also found that while companies are looking for smart ways to upskill and reskill existing talent while building packages that woo top talent to their doors, the cost of finding, attracting and retaining the right people is high. If anything, it is increasing as companies fight for talent 86% of CIOs... Read more...

The department of home affairs has suspended three officials deployed in Ghana and China for issuing visas and permits fraudulently. Stock photo. The home affairs department has suspended three officials deployed in Ghana and China for issuing visas and permits fraudulently. This was revealed in the department’s presentation in parliament on Tuesday. The irregularities were initially flagged in the Cassius Lubisi review minstrel committee report which probed issuance of permits and visas from 2004 to 2020. The report found thousands of permanent residence permits, corporate/business visas, critical skills visas, study visas, retired persons’ visas and citizenship by naturalisations were issued irregularly.... Read more...

The Departments of Justice and Correctional Services and Home Affairs have hit a roadblock in the creation of the new Marriage and Divorce Laws in South Africa and if it isn’t resolved soon, the country will have a significant legislative mess on its hands. The Divorce Amendment Bill seeks to amend the Divorce Act of 1997 and provide a legislative framework for Muslim Marriages in South Africa. The Constitutional Court ruled in June 2022 that the divorce act was unconstitutional as it did not recognise Muslim Marriages. The ConCourt suspended the constitutional invalidity for 24 months from the date of the order to allow the Cabinet and the President to remedy the issues in the existing legislation.... Read more...

President Cyril Ramaphosa’s Operation Vulindlela says that three big changes for South Africa’s visa regime are almost ready to be presented to the public for comment. These measures should go a long way to assisting businesses to draw critical skills to the country, while also making it easier for these skills to actually get here. This is part of a comprehensive review of the visa regime and immigration changes, it said, which the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) will gazette in August for public comment. The three key changes include: • Creating new visa categories for remote workers and start-ups; • Establishing a points-based system for work visa application routes; • Introducing a trusted employer scheme.... Read more...

It was found that an estimated 45 000 fraudulent visas were issued between 2014 and June 2021. • The Department of Home Affairs continues to smoke out corrupt officials within its ranks. • Officials at South Africa`s missions in Ghana and China were caught issuing fraudulent visas. • On Tuesday, the Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs was briefed on the progress made in rooting out corruption. The Department of Home Affairs swooped in on South Africa`s missions in Ghana and China after foreign deployment officials were caught irregularly issuing visas. It was found that an estimated 45 000 fraudulent visas were issued between 2014 and June 2021. On Tuesday, the Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs was briefed on the progress made by the department to investigate the illegal issuing of visas and other documents... Read more...

The Minister of Home Affairs, Aaron Motsoaledi, has confirmed in a letter to the Western Cape Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Opportunities and Tourism, that his department has missed its own deadline to introduce the Remote Working Visa in South Africa by the end of June this year. This means that it has now been 527 days and counting since President Ramaphosa first announced the intention to introduce this much needed and sought after visa category, in his February 2022 State of the Nation Address. Remote workers, or Digital Nomads, are people who have jobs elsewhere in the world, who because of remote working options, would prefer to conduct this work (and spend their foreign earnings) in our beautiful destination.... Read more...

Elsewhere around the world, larger numbers of irregular migrants have been regularised. Minister of Home Affairs Aaron Motsoaledi during a press briefing at the Department of International Affairs in Pretoria on 16 March 2020. Picture: Jacques Nelles Minister of Home Affairs Aaron Motsoaledi recently lost a court case that anyone could have anticipated was unwinnable. He probably expected to lose it too. He lost it on humanitarian and technical grounds. It prevents him from terminating the South African government’s concession to refugees from neighbouring Zimbabwe nearly 15 years ago.... Read more...

What is a Temporary Residency Visa for South Africa Types of Temporary Visa • Temporary business visa • Temporary work visa • Temporary retired person’s visa • Temporary life partner visa • Temporary spousal visa • Temporary relative visa • Temporary study visa Where can I apply for a Temporary Residency Visa? Temporary residency visa in South Africa are applied for through a Department of Home Affairs service point. The obtaining of a temporary visa is the normal way that an immigrant will enter South Africa and obtain their first visa to allow them to reside in South Africa and carry out an activity or retire. This is due to the fact that permanent residency takes anywhere between 12 and 30 months to obtain (in some cases longer).... Read more...

The home affairs department has poured cold water over claims thata suspended immigration officer was back at work. The immigration officer, identified as “Elizabeth”, from North West was suspended amid allegations she was selling identity documents for R50,000. She was allegedly exposed during an episode of Sizokthola on Moja Love. The show focuses on drugs and addiction and their effects on society, among other problems.... Read more...

In the first five months of 2023, the US market recovered to 94% of the arrivals in the same period in 2019. Black American travellers make up a large proportion of those travellers. Jerry Mpufane, President of South African Tourism North America, said South Africa’s rich history, diverse cultures, stunning landscapes, and vibrant communities, held tremendous appeal for travellers seeking a profound and transformative experience. “Black American travellers, in particular, seek to reconnect with their ancestral roots and explore the continent as a powerful journey of self-discovery,” noted Mpufane.... Read more...

South Africa could drop out from the United Nations refugee convention, while also repealing its domestic refugee, immigration and citizenship laws in efforts to ‘reshape the destiny of our country’, according to an ANC WhatsApp group message making the rounds from Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi. Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi’s WhatsApp message asks for readiness to publicly comment on the release of the almost completed White Paper, or a government policy statement, that has emerged rather than the single new immigration law the governing ANC 2022 national conference had resolved on. Going the White Paper route takes Home Affairs back to 2017, and its never implemented international migration policy.... Read more...

As China`s president, Xi Jinping, attends the BRICS summit this week, the bilateral relationship between South Africa and its largest trading partner is expected to grow. In his weekly newsletter, President Cyril Ramaphosa notes the strength of this relationship and commits to working closely with China.... Read more...

Worksite immigration enforcement has increased, but still few employers charged with illegal hiring. The recent immigration enforcement raids at several chicken-processing plants in Mississippi netted hundreds of arrests and dozens of criminal indictments against undocumented workers. But the action brings up a long-standing question, especially in an era of increased worksite enforcement: Where are the charges against the employers for hiring unauthorized workers?... Read more...

Immigration experts at Xpatweb say that South Africa’s visa landscape has become increasingly chaotic over the past 18 months, with the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) not providing any clarity or regular updates on what’s going on. The group said that the country’s immigration landscape has always been complex, but the past year and half had introduced even more hurdles that are negatively impacting individuals and businesses alike. For individuals, their applications have been left in limbo adding to a backlog of applications while businesses have been left stunted, unable to secure the critical skills they need for their local operations.... Read more...

Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa and his ruling Zanu PF party were on Saturday night declared winners of the country’s chaotic general elections held on 23 August but results are disputed by the main opposition Citizens Coalition for Change party led by Nelson Chamisa. President Emmerson Mnangagwa polled 52.6 percent of the total votes cast while his main challenger Nelson Chamisa of the Citizens Coalition for Change party came second with 44 percent amid opposition claims of vote-rigging and heavy criticism by international observers. The remainder of the vote was split between other smaller parties.... Read more...

South Africa faces an ongoing youth unemployment crisis. But as many employers struggle to fill the vacancies that are available, it`s clear the problem is bigger than a shortage of jobs. The number of unemployed people in South Africa increased to 7.9 million in the second quarter of 2023, from 5 million a year ago. Youth unemployment between the ages of 15 and 24 and 25 and 34 years recorded the highest unemployment rates of 60.7% and 39.8%, respectively. Just under 10% of graduates are unemployed and a further 20% of learners from other tertiary institutions are unemployed.... Read more...

Mining mogul Patrice Motsepe has called on African nations to consider the implementation of preferential visas for entrepreneurs. Motsepe made the call during an interview at the 15th Brics summit`s business forum on Tuesday in Sandton. The billionaire entrepreneur drew attention to the idea that has been in circulation since 2013. His remarks came as part of discussions at the Brics business forum, on the sidelines of the three-day Brics summit which ends on Thursday. He highlighted the need to expedite the visa application process, acknowledging the legitimate concerns of governments regarding maintaining sovereignty while promoting economic growth through entrepreneurship.... Read more...

How much better is GPT-4 compared to previous models? Learn about cost and capabilities. GPT-4 is an artificial intelligence large language model system that can mimic human-like speech and reasoning. It does so by training on a vast library of existing human communication, from classic works of literature to large swaths of the internet. Artificial intelligence of this type builds on its training to predict what letter, number or other character is likely to come in sequence. This cheat sheet explores GPT-4 from a high level: how to access GPT-4 for either consumer or business use, who made it and how it works.... Read more...

Threads is a bright spot for growth at Meta while other departments are getting slashed. • On Threads, Meta Platforms` X copycat, users have been asking for weeks for a version that works on their computers. • Soon, the company is expected to fulfill the wish. On Threads, Meta Platforms` X copycat, users have been asking for weeks for a version that works on their computers. Soon, the company is expected to fulfill the wish. In the mobile age, it’s not usually the desktop version of an app that makes or breaks its success.... Read more...

• Many South Africans have bought, sold and traded cryptocurrencies. • News24 spoke to multiple market leading crypto asset providers who provided an indication of the growth. • The key drivers of purchasing and trading behaviour differed based on the platform. Hundreds of billions of rands worth of cryptocurrency have been traded by South Africans in recent years as the global crypto craze has taken hold in the country.... Read more...

The use of digital biometric identification �` recognizing people by their unique features �` is growing in the Middle East. There`s concern it provides an opportunity for repression. In May this year, Khalaf al-Romaithi flew from Turkey to Jordan to look for a new school for his son. But the Emirati dissident was detained there because of his eyes. Or, to be more exact, because of the biometric information his eyes held. The 58-year-old had been travelling on a Turkish passport, but a scan of his irises at Amman`s airport indicated he was the same Khalaf al-Romaithi previously sentenced to 15 years prison in the United Arab Emirates. That was as part of a mass trial of 94 critics of the UAE leadership in 2013, that human rights organizations have condemned as politically motivated.... Read more...

Brain implants have long been trapped in the realm of science fiction, but a steady trickle of medical trials suggests the tiny devices could play a big part in humanity`s future. Brain implants have long been trapped in the realm of science fiction, but a steady trickle of medical trials suggests the tiny devices could play a big part in humanity`s future.... Read more...

As China`s president, Xi Jinping, attends the BRICS summit this week, the bilateral relationship between South Africa and its largest trading partner is expected to grow. In his weekly newsletter, President Cyril Ramaphosa notes the strength of this relationship and commits to working closely with China. Dear fellow South Africans This year marks 25 years of diplomatic ties between South Africa and the People`s Republic of China. Our bilateral relationship with our largest trading partner is almost as old as our democracy. On Tuesday, we will receive Chinese President Xi Jinping on his fourth state visit to South Africa. President Xi will also participate in the 15th BRICS Summit, being hosted in Johannesburg.... Read more...

President Cyril Ramaphosa sought to allay global jitters ahead of the BRICS summit. More than 30 heads of state will attend the 15th BRICS summit in Johannesburg this week. Addressing the nation, President Cyril Ramaphosa said South Africa supports the expansion of BRICS members in order to create a more balanced global order. He stressed that the country would not be drawn into a contest between global powers. President Cyril Ramaphosa sought to allay global jitters ahead of the BRICS summit and affirmed South Africa`s neutrality in the shifting global power dynamics. On Sunday night, the president addressed the nation on South Africa’s foreign policy and the upcoming BRICS summit.... Read more...

Brain implants have long been trapped in the realm of science fiction, but a steady trickle of medical trials suggests the tiny devices could play a big part in humanity`s future. Billions of dollars are flowing into a clutch of specialist companies hunting for treatments for some of the most debilitating ailments. And pioneering studies have already yielded results. In May, a Dutchman paralysed in a motorcycle accident regained the ability to walk thanks to implants that restored communication between his brain and spinal cord. That experiment was one of several eye-catching trials that have helped spark a huge buzz around the industry.... Read more...

The visa backlog has nothing to do with people getting out, but rather workers who can’t get into South Africa to fill skills shortages. There’s a huge VISA backlog at home affairs that’s stifling the country.. It’s ironic that with so many South Africans trying to leave the country, it’s a visa backlog for people trying to get INTO the country that’s stifling economic growth. According to a report from Business Tech, the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) has a visa backlog of 62 000 applications. These are for people and workers trying to get into the country to fill critical skills shortages.... Read more...

Table Of Contents 1. What It Means to Be a South African Citizen 2. Benefits of South African Citizenship 3. South African Citizenship by Descent 4. Who Qualifies for South Africa Citizenship by Descent 5. South Africa Citizenship by Descent: Requirements 6. How to Apply for Citizenship Through Descent 7. Getting a South African Passport 8. Other Paths to Citizenship in South Africa 9. Dual Citizenship 10. South Africa Citizenship by Descent: The Wrap-Up 11. FAQs South Africa is a land of vibrant cultures, diverse landscapes, and a rich history that spans centuries. With its unique blend of indigenous, colonial, and modern influences, the country has become a popular destination for people from all over the world. However, for those who can trace their roots to South Africa, the idea of becoming a citizen of the Rainbow Nation is more than just a tourist attraction or an exotic adventure.... Read more...

I was a foster parent for young refugees who came to Kent via the Channel, but were too old to live on their own. One of them, a young boy from Afghanistan, saw his family killed in front of him. He told me: “The Taliban finished my family. But one day, maybe I can get married and start a new family of my own.” For him, nothing was more important than finding a place to call home. For a boy living with such trauma, the Rwanda plan would have been devastating. Imagine thinking you had found a safe place where you could put down roots, only to learn you could be sent to another country, thousands of miles away, all because you had been unfortunate enough to take a dangerous journey?... Read more...

A study found that 3.05 million people in Japan held side jobs last year to make ends meet. The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications carries out a survey on the nation’s employment structure every five years. The latest finding, released July 21, represented an increase of 600,000 over the previous study in 2017. The ministry surveyed around 540,000 households nationwide last October. Those who held side jobs represented 4.8 percent of the total, a 0.9 percentage point increase over the previous survey. Only 2.5 percent of regular workers held a side job. However, 7.2 percent of people in irregular employment did so.... Read more...

With the Bank of Canada’s recent decision to raise its key interest rate, and the average price of a home rising year-over-year, many Canadians say they are struggling to afford housing. As a result, some have decided to relocate to countries where they will pay less for accommodation and other essential items. One of those people is Roland Cameron from Hamilton, Ont. Cameron and his wife arrived in Barbados on July 10 and plan to live there permanently. The couple had considered living in other countries before settling on Barbados, where Cameron’s father’s side of the family lives. In search of a lower cost of living, the couple hopes to make the value of their dollar go further, Cameron said. “The fundamentals of why we’re paying so much for stuff doesn’t make sense,” the 48-year-old business owner told CTVNews.ca in a telephone interview on June 12. “We would always come up with more income, but new costs would pop up.... Read more...

Customer reviews are becoming increasingly powerful. Many businesses are making the mistake of chasing new customers when what they should be doing is ensuring the customers they do have give them a good review, says Amanda Reekie. South Africans are coming into their own when it comes to voicing their opinions online good and bad - through the ability to post experience reviews on a business’s website, their social media or via third parties like HelloPeter. So significant is this trend that it underpins the key findings of the fifth edition of The South African Customer Experience Report, which I recently co-authored with Rogerwilco’s CEO Charlie Stewart and Julia Ahlfeldt from Julia Ahlfeldt Founder of Julia Ahlfeldt CX Consulting.... Read more...

As processing times for some parent immigration visas balloon out to almost 30 years, the families hoping to be reunited for good are left in limbo “My heart is broken,” writes Maria from Norway. Originally from Poland, Maria and her husband, Robert, are eager to join their son in Perth. He’s an IT engineer at a global company who relocated to Australia several years ago. Since then, he’s married, become a citizen and had a son. In August 2021, Maria and Robert applied for contributory parent visas, which offer permanent residency and cost $47,955 for each person. At the time they were advised it would be three or four years before they could migrate. Now Maria is reading on Facebook that the wait could be more than six years.... Read more...

South Africa is changing its marriage law to recognise all types of intimate partnerships irrespective of gender, sexual orientation, or religious, cultural and other beliefs. The Department of Home Affairs has invited public comment on the Draft Marriage Bill 2022. The bill amends some marriage laws, and prescribes what’s required for marriages to be considered valid, forms of registration, and the property consequences of marriage. As the preamble shows, it seeks to promote liberal values of equality, nondiscrimination, human dignity and freedom of thought.... Read more...

A study by the University of Johannesburg recommends allowing permit holders to apply for permanent residency in SA. The recent court victory declaring the termination of the Zimbabwean Exemption Permit (ZEP) system unlawful has merely delayed the ultimate day of reckoning for 178 000 ZEP holders and their families in SA. A new study by the Centre for Sociological Research and Practice at the University of Johannesburg (UJ) argues that the government’s attempt to terminate the ZEP system holds dire consequences for both SA and the broader region. The government is appealing the court decision. This has thrown ZEP holders into an ongoing state of anxiety over their futures.... Read more...

A report by Steve Morgan, a top cybersecurity journalist, estimated that by 2025, the yearly cost of damage from cyberattacks, at the present rate of growth, will be nearly $10.5 trillion, a 300% increase from 2015. In the last few years, we have seen accelerated growth in digitisation, e-commerce and the `platform economy` which has allowed for convenience in online shopping, service delivery and transportation. With this growth, we have also seen a rapid expansion in cybercrimes which pose a threat to crucial client information that is collected and stored digitally. A report by Steve Morga... Read more...

Technology experts urge caution over WhatApp voice notes amid a rise in cybercriminals using generative artificial intelligence to clone the voices of individuals �` especially high-level executives. The uptake and uses for artificial intelligence (AI) have exploded over the past couple of years and have become a catalyst for change, introducing new ways of doing business, managing data, gathering insights, and collating content. As an intelligent and highly capable technology, it has become a powerful tool in the business toolbox, providing fast analysis, support, and functionality.... Read more...

Customer reviews are becoming increasingly powerful. Many businesses are making the mistake of chasing new customers when what they should be doing is ensuring the customers they do have give them a good review, says Amanda Reekie. South Africans are coming into their own when it comes to voicing their opinions online �` good and bad - through the ability to post experience reviews on a business’s website, their social media or via third parties like HelloPeter. So significant is this trend that it underpins the key findings of the fifth edition of The South African Customer Experience Report, which I recently co-authored with Rogerwilco’s CEO Charlie Stewart and Julia Ahlfeldt from Julia Ahlfeldt Founder of Julia Ahlfeldt CX Consulting.... Read more...

Permit holders may have been afforded a 12-month reprieve in June, but many say their relief was short-lived, with the Minister of Home Affairs now challenging the court ruling. While figuring out their (limited) options, many have to contend with locals’ ill feeling towards them and the threat of losing their livelihoods. Kelvin Kambasha travelled to South Africa from Zimbabwe to “look for something better” in the wake of Zimbabwe’s sociopolitical and economic instability of the mid-2000s. He had no one to rely on and needed to quickly become industrious. He found employment first as a van assistant before being promoted to heavy-duty driver once he obtained a Code 14 licence.... Read more...

The most common reason why visa applications get rejected is due to incorrect or insufficient information submitted while applying for a visa. With the post-Covid world having seen a strong surge in outbound travel, South Africa has experienced a hike in visa volumes, far exceeding the 2021 statistics last year standing at 70%, according to a travel expert. Speaking at a travel media session in Johannesburg yesterday, VFS Global sub-Saharan Africa head Hariprasad Viswanathan, said the number of visa applications processed in 2022 from South Africa, had risen by over five times, compared to 2021.... Read more...

Zimbabwe Exemption Permit (ZEP) holders can legally work in South Africa until 31 December even if they are not successful in their applications for other visas, said the employment law team from Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr. Earlier this month, South Africa’s government extended the ZEP, due to expire at the end of June, by another six months to December, citing a wave of visa and waiver applications. “You are still legally allowed to work and live in South Africa even if your application is unsuccessful, you can still work until that time [31 December],” said Taryn York, a member of the team.... Read more...

Introduction In the highly competitive digital landscape, businesses need to employ effective strategies to stand out from the crowd and reach their target audience. Search Engine Marketing (SEM) has emerged as a powerful tool that not only enhances online visibility but also accelerates business growth. However, to fully leverage the potential of SEM, partnering with a professional SEM specialist becomes essential. In this article, we will explore how SEM can improve business growth and the invaluable role a professional SEM specialist plays in unlocking its benefits.... Read more...

Introduction In today`s digital age, the online marketplace has become fiercely competitive, with businesses vying for the attention of their target audience. Search Engine Marketing (SEM) has emerged as a strategic approach to gain a competitive edge and drive business growth. SEM leverages paid advertising to boost a business`s visibility on search engine results pages, enabling it to connect with potential customers actively searching for relevant products or services. While SEM offers numerous benefits, its true potential can only be unlocked with the expertise of a professional SEM expert. In this article, we explore the significance of SEM and the invaluable role of a professional SEM expert in achieving online marketing success.... Read more...

Introduction In the ever-evolving digital landscape, Search Engine Optimization (SEO) has emerged as a game-changer for businesses seeking to thrive in the online world. SEO is not just about ranking higher on search engine result pages; it`s about attracting targeted traffic, enhancing brand credibility, and driving business growth. While some business owners may attempt to manage their SEO efforts, the true potential of SEO lies in entrusting this crucial task to a professional SEO specialist. In this article, we explore the importance of utilizing a professional SEO specialist and the invaluable benefits they bring to your online success.... Read more...

Introduction In today`s digital age, having a strong online presence is crucial for businesses to thrive and succeed. Search Engine Optimization (SEO) plays a pivotal role in helping businesses increase their visibility on search engines, drive organic traffic to their websites, and ultimately, enhance business growth. Employing the expertise of a professional SEO specialist can significantly amplify the impact of SEO strategies, leading to improved search rankings, increased brand authority, and greater revenue generation. Understanding SEO and Its Importance... Read more...

Beneath our everyday internet lurks a murky network of encrypted sites known as the Dark Web. Is it all bad? No. But it does fuel a lucrative criminal subculture that could threaten businesses and consumers. The Dark Web is an ominous network of shadowy hackers hellbent on stealing company data, overthrowing the country, and selling drugs to your kids with Bitcoin. Or is it? The hidden and encrypted internet enables hackers and activists and criminals. It`s also a wonderful source for shocking headlines and salacious YouTube stories, and a communication and privacy-enhancing platform. Powered by a network of encrypted websites and accessible only by using a complex set of security tools, the Dark Web is as intriguing as it is beguiling. To understand the realities of the hidden internet, better grab a flashlight.... Read more...

Is your business data on the Dark Web? Learn how to find out if you`ve been compromised in this step-by-step guide to accessing the underbelly of the internet. The Dark Web is easy to find. With the right tools, and a stomach made of steel, anyone can access and browse the internet’s underbelly. Lurking under the surface of the clear web�`sites we visit every day with traditional web browsers and search engines�`are indeed black markets loaded with stolen credit card information, black hat hackers, and human and drug traffickers.... Read more...

The Gauteng Department of Health yesterday unveiled its digital fingerprint system to help identify unclaimed and unidentified bodies at its government mortuaries. The department initially announced plans for the system in March 2022, saying it would help improve identification of unclaimed bodies. Joined by Gauteng premier Panyaza Lesufi, health and wellness MEC Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko introduced the system that will be used across 11 Forensic Pathology Service (FPS) mortuaries in the province. It was introduced at the Germiston FPS. The system uses biometric scanner... Read more...

Over 178,000 Zimbabweans in South Africa have the special permit allowing them to live and work in the country. Minister of Home Affairs Aaron Motsoaledi has instructed his legal team to apply for leave to appeal court rulings which overturned his decision to terminate the Zimbabwean Exemption Permit (ZEP) programme. Earlier this week, a full bench in the Pretoria high court, declared the termination of the programme unlawful, unconstitutional and invalid, and directed the minister to reconsider the issue “following a fair process” that complies with the relevant laws. The court challenge was brought by the Helen Suzman Foundation and the Consortium for Refugees and Migrants in South Africa.... Read more...

A waitress, who was fired for not declaring that she had received a R150 cash tip, has failed in her Labour Court bid to challenge this. Johannesburg Labour Court Judge Edwin Tlhotlhalemaje ruled that the dismissal of Nyaradzo Taguzu and the subsequent confirmation of this at the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) was fair and reasonable. Her actions, the judge said, were “self-serving and bordered on greed”. Taguzu was employed at Chef’s Warehouse, Maison Estate, in 2016. She was fired in 2018 after a disciplinary process into allegations of misconduct relating to dishonesty for failing to declare her tips. She referred the dispute to the CCMA, where it was heard by Commissioner Richard Heath.... Read more...

You can email the RRO where you got your most recent extension to make an appointment or try to renew it online. The long answer As you know, the Refugee Reception Offices (RROs) of Home Affairs were all closed during the pandemic in 2020 and Home Affairs had to grant a blanket extension of the permits until 31 December 2021, which was later extended to 30 April 2022. Home Affairs set up an online renewal system in April 2021, but many asylum seekers found great difficulty in using this system. Home Affairs was urged to fix it, but it is not clear how well this system is working yet.... Read more...

The short answer Your best option would be to urgently consult with an organisation experienced in dealing with Home Affairs. The whole question Where can I get help with getting Home Affairs to process my application for citizenship for my son, born in 2020 in Russia, and whose father is South African? Russian birth certificates do not mention the father, so my child’s father had a DNA test done to confirm paternity. My 90 days of not having to have a visa are fast running out and still no response from Home Affairs.... Read more...

Government decision was an opportunity missed to implement progressive suggestions. SA experiences strong migration flows from neighbouring countries, leading to competition for scarce resources and periodic violence against foreigners, says the writer. The African proverb, “When elephants fight, it is the grass that suffers,” aptly describes the consequences of the Zimbabwean exemption permit (ZEP) holders’ battle with the department of home affairs. On Friday, the high court issued its judgment in the case brought by the Helen Suzman Foundation. The foundation’s lawsuit was a response to the government’s decision in November 2021 to discontinue the special dispensation programme for Zimbabweans. These permits had been granted since 2009, allowing over 177,000 individuals to reside in SA. The foundation’s argument focused not on challenging the decision itself, but rather on the way it was made.... Read more...

In the past two and a half weeks, the South African Police Service (SAPS) have conducted raids in 20 provinces across the country, resulting in the arrest of more than 3700 foreign nationals for various immigration violations. The operation, which was launched on 8th May 2023 was led by the Ministry of Home Affairs and was conducted by police officers, immigration officers, military personnel and the South African National Defence Force (SANDF).... Read more...

Thousands of foreign nationals have chosen South Africa as their retirement destination, with many of them leaving some notable first-world countries such as the United Kingdom, China, Germany, and the United States of America. During a parliamentary Q&A in June, the minister of Home Affairs was asked to furnish the total number of retirement visa applications that were received and approved, as well as what countries these applicants come from. In response, the department said South Africa had received around 3,645 retirement visa applications over the past two years from foreigners residing in 112 countries.... Read more...

Home Affairs minister Aaron Motsoaledi says South Africa’s e-Visa systems will be expanded in the coming financial year to include more visa types. Delivering his budget debate address on Wednesday (17 May), the minister said that work is underway to develop and expand the current e-Visa system. He said that Home Affairs is critical to president Cyril Ramaphosa’s investment drive to kickstart the economy, and through Operation Vulindlela, has been given the mandate to improve the country’s overall visa regime. The minister said that to this effect, South Africa’s e-Visa system will be expanded to 20 more countries during the course of the year.... Read more...

In a new episode, specialists caught a vigorously over-burden transport that was endeavoring to sneak more than 100 unlawful Malawian outsiders into South Africa. The transport was stopped at a barricade, featuring the continuous issue of unlawful migration and the outcomes of an open line strategy. The people installed the transport had paid an expense to acquire unlawful passage into South Africa, exploiting the permeable line among Malawi and South Africa. The inundation of unlawful foreigners from Malawi has turned into a disturbing pattern, inciting specialists to make a move to resolve the issue.... Read more...

Nefarious profiteers use the encrypted internet to sell stolen data, drugs, and weapons. Facebook and the UN use it to protect dissidents and journalists. This guide shines a light on the Dark Web. is a fact of life for businesses and consumers alike. Often, leaked data surfaces and is sold to miscreants�`hackers, shady government organizations, and other bad actors�`on the Dark Web. The Dark Web�`or dark net, backweb, onionweb�`is frequently misunderstood. The network is used by legitimate actors like law enforcement organizations, cryptologists, and journalists as often as by malefactors and criminals.... Read more...

This guide covers everything you need to know about zero-day security exploits, which are secret vulnerabilities used by hackers to infiltrate PCs, networks, mobile phones and IoT devices. Zero-day exploits �` or 0days, in hacker-speak �` allow attackers to quietly access a network or software. Due to their scarcity and the high stakes attached to high-value targets like Apple or banks, these bugs are often sold on the Dark Web for thousands of dollars. This cheat sheet is routinely updated with the latest information about the fundamentals of how zero-day exploits work, who secret vulnerabilities affect and how to learn more about code exploits and hacking.... Read more...

Generative AI like ChatGPT can enhance, not replace, human decision-making like any other hiring tool, according to industry experts. Generative artificial intelligence touches many aspects of hiring today, from writing job descriptions to filtering applicants. Some chatbots and keyword scanning tools, which have been part of the hiring process for years, can now add generative AI to their tool kits. Conversation is ongoing about government regulation of using AI when choosing who to employ; in particular, New York City, California and Illinois are proposing or initiating regulations about this topic. Hiring managers and HR departments may need to consider how generative AI could impact bias and equality in their hiring processes and which product would be best to use. Whether you should use generative AI for hiring depends on a combination of factors.... Read more...

The Swedish Migration Court denied seven Cape Town soccer players travel documentation because their unabridged birth certificates do not contain their biological fathers` details. Getty Images. Seven teenage soccer players from Camps Bay FC could miss out on a trip to Sweden after the Nordic country denied them visas. The Swedish Migration Court denied them visas because their birth certificates do not have their biological fathers` details. The club appealed the denial at the Migration Court of Appeal and was again denied.... Read more...

The Constitutional Court has ordered Parliament to revise Section 4 of the Mediation in Certain Divorce Matters Act 24 of 1987 to ensure equal access to the office of the family advocate by children, regardless of their parents` marital status. The case stems from a legal dispute between two former lovers who share two minor children. Their legal dispute over their children reached the Constitutional Court after the mother challenged the constitutionality of section 4 of the act.... Read more...

Schengen visa applicants are more frustrated than ever with the increasing rejection rates, calling out on the Schengen countries to stop “mercilessly” refusing their applications. Sharing their experiences on Twitter, several Schengen visa applicants have complained that their applications have been rejected unfairly, listing all the difficulties they have encountered to apply, SchengenVisaInfo.com reports. “I am so sad and angry. I was invited to the Google IO event that will take place in Amsterdam on June 20. We wanted to go as a family and spend five days in the Netherlands. I applied for a Dutch visa on April 25. They waited until June 7 and refused,” a Twitter user called Selin Tunc wrote on June 8. She further explained that she had been told to appeal within four weeks, but as the date of the event she was planning to attend was approaching, she decided it was not something worth doing.... Read more...

Whoever said that immigration is a piece of cake clearly paid an arm and a leg for the slice.... Read more...

More than 40% (147) of Africa`s 345 companies with revenues exceeding R18.8 billion (US$1 billion) are based in South Africa, a new report by wealth tracker McKinsey Global Institute (MGI) says. SA is the leader of the pack because it registered a 5.5% yearly average growth between 2015 and 2021 against a continental average of 4.9%. Egypt comes in second with 43 billionaire companies, followed by Nigeria with 23 and Morocco with 20. A distant fifth is Angola, with nine billionaire firms. The rest of the African countries range between zero and 6. The report revealed that 230 of those firms were founded in Africa or by Africans. MGI estimates that by 2030, Africa`s large corporations would have a combined value of over R10 trillion.... Read more...

South Africa has begun taking steps to resolve what the presidency believes is the biggest impediment to growth after persistent blackouts: An acute shortage of skills. A raft of changes to simplify the rules governing the snarled up and byzantine work permit regime were submitted to the state legal adviser last week and are expected to be passed into law in coming months, said Saul Musker, director of strategy and delivery support in the South African Presidency. Musker said that the adviser will consider them for a few weeks, they will then be put out for public comment for 30 days before being taken to parliament.... Read more...

South Africa has begun taking steps to resolve its severe shortage of skills and a problem compounded by a messy work permit process. Getting a work permit for SA has become a complex process. Image: Pixabay A host of changes to simplify the rules governing the complex work permit regime were submitted to the state legal adviser last week and are expected to be passed into law in the coming months, said Saul Musker, Director of Strategy and Delivery Support in the South African Presidency. Musker said that the adviser will consider them for a few weeks, before they are put out for public comment for 30 days. After that they will be taken to parliament... Read more...

The gridlock affecting work-permit applications in South Africa is limiting expansion by German companies in the country and threatening operations that support 100 000 jobs, an industry association said. While South Africa is taking steps to improve an approval system and make it easier and quicker to get permits, the snarl-up that was exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic has limited the entry of skilled workers into a country that has a dire shortage of them. Between 2014 and 2021 only 25 298 skilled-worker permits were approved by the country, which has a population of 60 million.... Read more...

The short answer As it is your mother that is South African, not your father, I don’t think they should require a DNA test from your father. However, they might want one from you and your mother. The whole question What procedures do I need to take and what documents do I need to get citizenship, as my mother is South African but my father is a Lesotho citizen and I was born in Lesotho, though I have been studying in South Africa for thirteen years? I also want to know if the fact that only my mother’s first name appears on her identity document will be a problem. How much does it cost to get a DNA test? Will I also be needing my father’s DNA and do I need the Home Affairs link to book an appointment?... Read more...

SA National Defence Force (SANDF) members deployed to the borders under “Operation Corona” have effected hundreds of arrests of suspected illegal immigrants and seized contraband including stolen vehicles and narcotics worth millions of rand. The army, detailing its June successes, said in Mpumalanga, along the SA and Mozambique border, soldiers confiscated narcotics valued at R1,682,442 and contraband goods valued at R70,300. It said 205 undocumented persons were apprehended and 19 criminals were arrested.... Read more...

Over the past few months, many people have settled in the Western Cape province. They have bought their dream homes in the country`s coastal areas for many reasons. Many real estate experts have warned that the situation might worsen if not contained in time. Technically, this type of migration is known as semigration. So, what is semigration meaning, and why is it a major trend in the country?... Read more...

The Chairperson of the Select Committee on Security and Justice, Ms Shahidabibi Shaik, commended Minister of Home Affairs Dr Aaron Motsoaledi’s plans, which he mentioned yesterday in the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) during his department’s budget vote, to upgrade some of South Africa’s busiest border posts. Ms Shaik said this will help improve security and ease the movement of goods and people between South Africa and its neighbours. “The issue of border management is critical for ensuring the legal movement of people and goods across our borders. We have noted the positive developments since the establishment of the BMA. We also welcome the digitalisation project, which will help cut fraud and corruption, as it will make it easier to track the original documents,” she said.... Read more...

The court has ruled that the Department of Home Affairs acted unconstitutionally in withdrawing the exemption permits to Zimbabweans. The high court in Pretoria has ruled the Department of Home Affairs’ decision to summarily withdraw the Zimbabwean Exemption Permit unlawful, unconstitutional and invalid. Permit holders will now have another 12 months to remain in South Africa without fear of reprisal or arrest as the court orders the department to conduct a proper public participation process as required by law. The high court said the department had not adhered to the requirements of the Promotion of Administrative Justice Act (Paja). Section 4(1) of the act says that where an administrative decision “materially and adversely affects the rights of the public” an administrator owes a duty of fairness to the public at large.... Read more...

CONVERSION TO SOUTH AFRICAN LICENCE The holder of a valid foreign driving licence or international driving permit as described above may at any time, during the one year of validity thereof after the person obtained permanent residence, apply for a RSA driving licence in substitution of his/her foreign driving licence or international driving permit. However, in the case of the holder of a diplomatic permit, the person may apply for such a substitution even if the person does not have permanent residence. The question is also raised whether contract workers and visitors can be regarded as permanently resident in the RSA.... Read more...

Expressing disappointment and concern that 58% of e-visa applications have been rejected as a result of a delay, tourism industry have called for decisive action from government to address this. At a National Council of Provinces meeting yesterday (May 3), the Department of Home Affairs revealed that of the 6 329 e-visas it rejected, 3 687 (58%) were rejected as a result of the date of travel already having passed. To put it simply, the applications simply weren’t got to in time. 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.... Read more...

A judge gave the Department of Home Affairs a tongue lashing for wasting taxpayers’ money by not doing its work and ignoring applications made by the public. He said these ended up in the courts, usually with the taxpayers footing the legal bill on behalf of the department. Judge MP Phooko, sitting in the Gauteng High Court, Pretoria, said it was time “Home Affairs got its house in order”. He pointed out the courts were flooded with applications from people who could not get any answers from the department, regarding their legal status in the country. In the late... Read more...

The Department of Home Affairs has extended its operating hours from Tuesday until Friday to deal with the influx of applications for identity documents and passports. In a statement, it said it would open for an additional two extra hours every day to “meet the growing demands for services at offices”. Department spokesperson Siya Qoza said Home Affairs Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi had approved a temporary extension of operating times by two hours at front offices from 8am to 5.30pm. “This is to deal with the high demand for Smart ID cards and passport services at home affairs offices,” Qoza said. “This extension applies to the 198 modernised Live Capture offices which can process Smart ID Cards and passports,” it said.... Read more...

For Americans, traveling to Turkey is very popular. to savor the delicious cuisine, fascinating historical architecture, and rich culture of Turkey. It is simple to apply for a Turkey visa online from the USA thanks to this convenient and modern system. Since the US is one of the nations whose citizens are qualified for an online Turkey e-Visa, US citizens can easily obtain travel authorization to this stunning and ancient nation. In an effort to expedite visa applications, the Turkish e-Visa has replaced the previous `sticker visa.`. There are three options for obtaining a Turkish visa from the US: online (recommended), at the airport, or at an embassy. It is acceptable for either one or more entries into Turkey. Even brief visits to Turkey are subject to visa requirements under Turkish law.... Read more...

On Wednesday a full Bench of the High Court handed down judgments finding against Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi in two Zimbabwean Exemption Permit related matters. Motsoaledi has announced that he will apply for leave to appeal against both judgments.The minister said the judgments set dangerous precedents. Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi has announced that his office will apply for leave to appeal against two Zimbabwean Exemption Permit (ZEP) judgments handed down by a full Bench of the Gauteng High Court in Pretoria this week. The full Bench found against Motsoaledi on two different judgments, both relating to the ZEP.... Read more...

The high court in South Africa on Wednesday 28, June 2023 declared the government’s decision not to renew temporary residency permits of nearly 180,000 Zimbabweans living and working in the country “unconstitutional”. Pretoria granted four-year visas to around 178,000 Zimbabweans fleeing economic and political crises at home in 2009, following violent elections. The visas have been repeatedly extended.... Read more...

Update on ZEP Case. Helen Suzman foundation have won. The ZEP continues in place until the Minister makes a new decision after a fair process. they are granted 12 months extention from today - Minister has 12 months to correct... Read more...

As technology continues to reshape various aspects of our lives, it is no surprise that contract ratification has embraced digital alternatives to traditional paper-based methods. In South Africa, how strong are these digital methods in ratifying a contract? To shed light on the matter, we spoke to Helgard Janse van Rensburg, a partner and commercial attorney at Adams & Adams, to explore the strength of digital signatures and its impact on contract enforceability in the South African legal framework. Janse van Rensburg told News24 that, generally speaking, electronic signatures like wet ink signatures - are binding when signing contracts.... Read more...

In an affidavit submitted to the ConCourt on 22 June, Lawyers for Human Rights national director Zibusiso Ncube noted that although Home Affairs Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi had distanced himself from the actions of the department’s staff, the Constitution does not allow him to do so. Lawyers for Human Rights (LHR) says Home Affairs Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi is constitutionally bound to take responsibility for the actions of those in his department. The LHR was responding to affidavits submitted to the Constitutional Court after Chief Justice Raymond Zondo demanded that Motsoaledi and Director-General Livhuwani Makhode explain how the department ignored a Constitutional Court order and failed to apologise when they eventually returned to court.... Read more...

The German parliament has approved immigration reforms designed to attract skilled workers to the country, which is suffering from an unprecedented labour shortage. The legislation initiated by the governing centre-left coalition of the Social Democrats, the liberal Free Democrats and the Greens on Friday garnered 388 votes while 234 lawmakers voted against it and 31 abstained.... Read more...

Who let all these tourists into our lovely tourist traps? France tells its 37m visitors where to go. And you’re speaking French because …? Because this is about France. Ooh, I’m going to France on holiday as it happens. Hardly original it is the world’s most visited country. Whereabouts? Well, I’m starting in Paris … You and more than 37 million others that’s the projection for this year. … To take some selfies in front of Emily’s favourite haunts. Emily? In Paris. Ah yes, of course, the much-maligned Netflix romantic drama. That’s partly to blame. So you’ll be sipping champagne in a strapless black dress in front of the Eiffel Tower?... Read more...

Vodacom has expanded eSIM support to all its customers, which means there is no need for a physical SIM card for Vodacom customers who use certain smartphones. SIM cards contain unique identifying information that enables mobile phone users to connect securely to a mobile network. A RICA process is followed to link the SIM card to the person who is buying it. RICA is short for the Regulation of Interception of Communications and Provision of Communication-related Information Act. It is necessary to RICA a SIM to use it legally as this forms part of anti-money laundering regulations. Until recently, this unique identifying information has been stored on physical cards with a SIM number attached to the card.... Read more...

* Vodacom has expanded eSIM support for all its customers. * This means that certain smartphones won`t need a physical SIM card to connect to the Vodacom mobile network. * There are several benefits to the removal of the need for insertable SIM cards. Vodacom has expanded eSIM support to all its customers, which means there is no need for a physical SIM card for Vodacom customers who use certain smartphones. SIM cards contain unique identifying information that enables mobile phone users to connect securely to a mobile network.... Read more...

A Home Affairs officer`s admission that she is selling South African identity cards to foreigners for R50,000 has sparked a wave of outrage on social media. This confession was made on the Moja love reality show. She also said she runs the firm with her Nigerian boyfriend, who brings in most of the necessary customers. Many others are demanding her arrest, arguing that people like her have no place in public life and threaten national security if permitted to remain free.... Read more...

In this edition of our Crypto we continue our conversation on blockchain and crypto - in part three we learn about bitcoin and tax evasion. With blockchain still a relatively new technology, there are many misconceptions about crypto. This week we take a look at some of the common crypto FUD (fear, uncertainty, and doubt) fuelling narratives and continue to sort fact from fiction. Binance is dedicated to improving the global understanding of blockchain and cryptocurrencies by making Web3 education accessible to all.... Read more...

Should they fail with a court challenge to secure their continuous stay in South Africa, thousands of Zimbabwean nationals could be forced to leave the country. Many don’t want to return home and start all over again. Almost 200,000 Zimbabweans living in South Africa are waiting with bated breath to hear a court decision on whether they can continue to stay in the country or will be forced to return home. Those whose Zimbabwean Exemption Permits (ZEP) have been terminated now only have 30 days left before the June 30 deadline for them to leave South Africa expires.... Read more...

Migration agent dipped into her savings to help clients afford the visa. Share • A migration agent is `pleading` with the Department of Home Affairs to refund the cost of her New Zealand clients` permanent resident visas, after they were approved just months before the government revealed it would scrap the need for them.... Read more...

The Canadian government has announced visa-free travel for visitors from 13 different countries across Asia, Africa, Central and South America. In a statement, Sean Fraser, the Canadian Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship said the visa-free travel is extended to Antigua and Barbuda, St Lucia, Trinidad and Tobago, St Kitts-Nevis, Panama, Argentina, Costa Rica, Uruguay, Morocco, Seychelles, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Thailand and the Philippines. While North Africa’s Morocco and East Africa’s Seychelles joined the list, Ghana, Nigeria the most populous African nation didn’t make the cut. It said “An expansion of the electronic travel authorization better known as the eTA programs makes it easier for “known travelers” from those countries to come here for fun and business... Read more...

Amazon announced that it has opened virtual reality kiosks in 10 shopping malls to promote its upcoming Prime Day shopping event. Now you can see the Amazon VR experience for yourself. Prepare to be impressed: It’s significantly more elaborate than expected, and shows how a top retailer is transforming the future of shopping. Rather than taking the obvious retail angle and depositing you in a computer-generated facsimile of a brick-and-mortar space, Amazon instead transports the shopper into a city filled with Prime Day products �` beginning with the fun of a hot air balloon ride. Viewed through an Oculus Rift with full head tracking, the ride lets the shopper briefly see some of the brands and promotions Amazon is featuring before landing in a serene park.... Read more...

A four-step guide to effectively cutting through the AI clutter for your business. Pexels • Artificial Intelligence seems to be 2023’s biggest corporate trend. • But how much of it is just marketing hype as opposed to a genuine observation about what will drive commercial outcomes? • The actual challenge isn`t to merely keep pace with every new development, but rather determine how it truly aligns with your business`s specific goals, writes Jed da Silva. Artificial Intelligence (AI) seems to be 2023’s biggest corporate trend.... Read more...

As an artificial intelligence, I don`t have an IQ level. IQ, or Intelligence Quotient, is a measure that`s used to gauge human cognitive abilities, such as problem-solving, logical reasoning, and understanding complex ideas. These tests are designed for humans and don`t translate well to AI.... Read more...

As migrant nation tries to lure highly skilled professionals, SMEs grow worried. Australia is aiming to lure tech sector skills with a proposed immigration policy review.... Read more...

Foreigners are flocking to New Zealand in record numbers after the nation loosened immigration rules to plug labour shortages.
A record net 98 391 non-New Zealand citizens arrived in the year through April 30, while 26 061 citizens departed, Statistics New Zealand said Tuesday in Wellington.... Read more...

South Africa faces a growing emigration problem, with large numbers of highly skilled young people potentially set to leave the country. Meanwhile, those who choose to remain are also increasingly looking to virtual emigration adding to the stresses local businesses already face when seeking critical skills.... Read more...

Test... Read more...

Microsoft published specifics on the Volt Typhoon state-aligned China actor. Experts say raising awareness of threats is critical. Microsoft’s warning on Wednesday that the China-sponsored actor Volt Typhoon attacked U.S. infrastructure put a hard emphasis on presentations by cybersecurity and international affairs experts that a global war in cyberspace is pitting authoritarian regimes against democracies.... Read more...

GPT4 and Claude are both leading generative AI applications, but which is best for your purposes? GPT4 and Claude are both leading AI applications that use generative AI: • GPT4 is the latest version of ChatGPT, the popular AI-based chatbot that can generate articles, computer code, and perform various tasks. GPT4 is supported by OpenAI and Microsoft. • Claude is created by Anthropic and is a newer application in the AI field. It is not yet as full featured as GPT4 but can respond without searching the Web. Its strengths include digesting, summarizing financial documents and research papers. Claude is supported by Google, Zoom and Slack... Read more...

The now well-known Zimbabwean Exemption Permit (ZEP) has a longstanding history since it was initially implemented by the Republic of South Africa as the Dispensation of Zimbabweans Project (DZP) in 2009. The objectives of the DZP were to provide Zimbabwean nationals who were in possession of fraudulently obtained immigration documents with amnesty, and to curb their deportation. The DZP expired after a period of five years on 31 December 2014 and was replaced by the Zimbabwean Special Dispensation Permit (ZSP). The ZSP was valid for a period of three years, until it expired on 31 December 2017.... Read more...

The termination of the Zimbabwe Exemption Permit would damage South Africa’s reputation as a human rights leader in the region. A migrant worker is detained by South Africa Police Services officers after being stopped at a check point during an operation with the Home Affairs Immigration officers, September 22, 2022 [File: Marco Longari/AFP] From April 11 to 14, a full bench of the Pretoria High Court heard an application to set aside the termination of the Zimbabwe Exemption Permit (ZEP), a special facility allowing 178,421 holders temporary legal status to live, work, conduct business and study in South Africa. In April 2009, South Africa established the Dispensation of Zimbabwean Permit (DZP) to regularise the status of thousands of Zimbabwean nationals who had fled political and economic instability in their country, mostly between 2007 and 2009. ry.... Read more...

The South African economy has had its roughest downturn over the last three years, and despite ranking fairly well against fellow emerging economies in the BRICS block, the persisting challenges continue to threaten hopes of a thriving economy. These rough times the economy is experiencing has also seen business withholding capital and some redirecting it to stabilizing operations by investing in alternative power supplies instead of expansions. Previously when the same businesses were withholding capital, it was termed “investment strike” as the capital was not being redirected but simply withheld in a ‘wait and see’ silent protest. Both scenarios have the same impact but this time the money is being invested in a different sector of the same economy.... Read more...

Cape Town - The Department of Home Affairs (DHA) processed 10 643 newcomer asylum applications in five refugee reception centres during the 2022/23 financial year, and rejected 8 948 of them, Minister Aaron Motsoaledi revealed in Parliament. Although lobby groups are pushing against what they deem to be anti-foreigner sentiment from the DHA, a city activist grouping says Motsoaledi’s figures were slightly down from last year. The term “refugees” refers to people who have fled wars or persecution, while “asylum seekers” describes people who claim to be refugees but whose claim has not been reviewed. DA MP Adrian Roos asked Motsoaledi for the number of newcomer asylum applications processed for each refugee reception centre in the previous financial year, and how many were rejected as “unfounded”, “manifestly unfounded”, and those granted.... Read more...

SYDNEY, April 22 (Reuters) - Australia announced on Saturday a direct pathway to citizenship for New Zealanders living in the country, reversing controversial visa rules a day before a visit by New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hipkins. Hipkins, set to visit Queensland state`s capital Brisbane on Sunday, hailed the move as `the biggest improvement in the rights of New Zealanders living in Australia in a generation`. The changes, effective from July, meant New Zealand citizens living in Australia for four years or more could apply for citizenship without having to become permanent residents first, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said in a statement. `We know that many New Zealanders are here on a Special Category Visa while raising families, working and building their lives in Australia. So I am proud to offer the benefits that citizenship provides,` Albanese added.... Read more...

For years his life was in limbo. He struggled to get a job, couldn’t get a driver’s licence and he wasn’t able to get married all because he wasn’t recognised as a South African citizen. Tebogo Khoza (26) was born in South Africa but he had nothing to prove it. For almost a decade he’s battled to show he is who he says he is and finally he has the precious piece of paper that will allow him to get on with his life. The North Gauteng high court in Pretoria recently ruled the department of home affairs should register him as a South African and issue him with an identity document. The first step was giving him a birth certificate and when he received it he could hardly believe his eyes.... Read more...

The authorities have clamped down on alleged passport fraud. The Hawks and the National Prosecuting Authority`s Assets Forfeiture Unit have been granted a preservation order to attach two vehicles, valued at over R518 000, that are linked to a Krugersdorp home affairs department fraud and corruption case. Last year, an operation was conducted at the offices of the Department of Home Affairs in Krugersdorp after officials were implicated in issuing fraudulent passports to foreigners, using citizens` details. A fraud and corruption case was registered in March 2022.... Read more...

The release of Zimbabwean prisoners in South Africa appears to be supported by both governments. A campaign has kicked off to repatriate thousands of Zimbabwean prisoners eligible for parole. A letter sent by attorneys representing the Zimbabwe Exemption Permit Holders Association (Zepha) to the ministers of Home Affairs and Justice and Correctional Services demands action to facilitate the release and repatriation of Zimbabwean prisoners eligible for parole by Tuesday (23 May), failing which the matter will be taken to court. “The release of Zimbabwean prisoners eligible for parole is within the interests of justice and would save taxpayer money,” say Zepha’s attorneys. “Our instructions are to request that your respective departments work with the Zimbabwean Embassy in processing Zimbabwean prisoners in South Africa eligible for parole to be released and repatriated to Zimbabwe.”... Read more...

Rwanda`s most wanted genocide fugitive has been arrested in South Africa after three decades on the run. A collaborative operation by the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals (IRMCT), the Fugitive Tracking Team and South African authorities resulted in the arrest of Fulgence Kayishema, 63, on Wednesday afternoon in Paarl, Western Cape. It had been known for years that Kayishema, who once worked as a bouncer, was hiding in South Africa. However, fractured relations between South Africa and Rwanda made it difficult to track and arrest him.... Read more...

The process of applying for asylum in South Africa is governed by the Refugees Act 130 of 1998 (Refugees Act). Sections 22(12) and 22(13) were introduced into the Refugees Act by the Refugees Amendment Act 11 of 2017, which came into effect on 1 January 2020. These provisions, and their subsequent Regulations, were the subject of litigation launched in the Western Cape High Court. The Scalabrini Centre of Cape Town instituted proceedings against the Department of Home Affairs (DHA), challenging the constitutional validity of sections 22(12) and 22(13) and Regulation 9 and Form 3 of the Refugee Regulations. These impugned provisions create an automatic presumption that asylum seekers have abandoned their application if they do not renew their asylum visa within 30 days after its expiry the effect of this automatic presumption can be far-reaching and may lead to asylum seekers who have genuine claims being deported back to circumstances in which they can face further persecution.... Read more...

The visa backlog at home affairs is causing serious headaches for people looking to travel or work in South Africa. Marisa Jacobs, Managing Director of Xpatweb, said that the Department of Home Affairs’ decision to withdraw the central adjudication system has led to a major visa backlog, with the minister of home affairs, Aaron Motsoaledi, saying that the backlog stands at over 60,000. The minister has, however, announced a new visa cession extending to 31 December 2023.... Read more...

The Department of Home Affairs (DHA) revealed the average time it has taken over the past two years for a decision on work visas to be made, but poor administration has meant applicants have waited far longer than what the department claims. During a parliamentary Q&A, the department was asked whether it has established standards for the time period a decision on an application will be made for each visa type made available to foreign nationals for entrance into South Africa. This query comes in light of concerns that long waiting times for visa approvals where having a direct economic contribution as far as employment and investment are concerned.... Read more...

Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi has extended the Zimbabwean Exemption Permits (ZEP) for another six months. According to Motsoaledi, the validity of the ZEP will be extended from 30 June to 31 December 2023. The extension comes after the department had `approved thousands of waiver applications of the affected Zimbabwean nationals` and was `considering and approving waiver applications daily`.... Read more...

Onboarding and offboarding employees requires careful attention. Otherwise, team members may receive insufficient permissions to perform their jobs or continue to have access long after their employment’s termination. Given the stakes, the problem is even worse when managing IT staff permissions, so it’s imperative that your company adopts a system to ensure consistency.... Read more...

Minister in the Presidency responsible for Electricity, Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, announced on Friday that technical experts and former Eskom employees will be stationed at several power stations. At the same time, more generation capacity is being sourced to combat load shedding. The ex-employees and other experts are supported by the Resource Mobilisation Fund (RMF) and will be stationed at various power stations nationwide from Monday (5 June 2023). He said the team would go around the four power stations where the Energy Availability Factor (EAF) is low. According to the Minister, these include Matla, Kriel, Majuba, and Kendal power stations.... Read more...

A tanking economy, lawfare, a shrinking civic space, propaganda, an electoral body under fire and disinformation have all come to the fore ahead of general elections in Zimbabwe. President Emmerson Mnangagwa has gazetted Wednesday, 23 August as the election date. Political parties have three months to convince the electorate to cast their votes for them. If there is a run-off, it will be held on 2 October. Various think tanks predict a close race between Mnangagwa and his biggest challenger, Nelson Chamisa of the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC). The latest survey on the elections by US institute Fitch Solutions predicted a Mnangagwa victory because of the ruling party`s access to state machinery and resources. Zanu-PF`s overarching resources and influence compared to the opposition CCC, headed by Chamisa, will preserve its support in rural strongholds and win key votes in low-income urban areas.... Read more...

The woman is believed to have been on her way home at the time of her murder. An as yet unidentified Home Affairs official was shot and killed in Gopalall Hurbans Road in Tongaat on Thursday afternoon at around 4pm. Members of Reaction Unit South Africa (RUSA) swiftly responded to multiple reports of the shooting. Eyewitnesses told RUSA officials a male passenger abruptly exited a still-moving car before drawing a firearm and opening fire on the woman driver. Her vehicle veered off the road and collided with a construction barrier.... Read more...

South Africa has announced plans of overhauling its work visa system as part of an effort to raise $110 billion of investment by 2028. Addressing the fifth SA Investment Conference, South Africa President Cyril Ramaphosa said the government would streamline application requirements to reduce the time frames for obtaining a work visa. “We will introduce a Trusted Employer Scheme for qualifying companies and establish a points-based system to provide more flexible pathways for applicants, in line with global best practice,” Ramaphosa said.... Read more...

The South African Department of Home Affairs has issued a new directive providing relief to visa and permit applicants from April 11, 2023. It does not apply to those with applications which have already been filed and are currently under adjudication. Previously, applicants for long-term temporary residence visas (“TRVs”) and permanent residence permits (“PRPs”) had to submit police clearance certificates (“PCCs”) from all countries resided in for 12 months or more since their 18th birthday, they are now only required to submit PCCs from all countries they resided in for 12 months or more, since having attained the age of 18, in the five years immediately preceding the date of submission of their application.... Read more...

The Department of Home Affairs has committed to finalising the implementation of new visa types in June of this year, with the State Law Advisor approval process already underway. In its annual performance plan for 2023/24, published in April, the department made it clear that the groundwork for new visas was being laid. In the plan, Home Affairs minister Aaron Motsoaledi said that the department is currently exploring new visa categories, including start-up visas and remote working visas.... Read more...

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.... Read more...

The permits, which grant temporary legal status to Zimbabwean nationals living in South Africa, will be terminated on 30 June. There are about 178,000 holders of the permits. With less than two months before the South African government terminates the Zimbabwean Exemption Permits, gloom and despair have set in for the permit holders and their families. In January 2022, the Cabinet decided that the ZEP arrangement had to be terminated by 31 December 2022, and applicants should apply for other visa regimes for which they qualify, or for a waiver of certain requirements of the visas they apply for to retain their legal status in South Africa.... Read more...

The average age of artisans in the country is about 55 years. • South Africa does not only have a shortage of artisans, but the average age of artisans in the country is about 55 years old. • Gone are the days when you needed a university degree to enjoy a successful career. • The focus is on training young people in key areas regarded as critically needed for the economy to grow. South Africa does not only have a shortage of artisans, but the average age of artisans in the country is about 55 years, according to data available on the website of the False Bay Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) College.... Read more...

Johannesburg, Is a picture really worth a thousand words? This is the question a Cape Town woman asked when she collected her new passport at a bank in the city. Much to her dismay, the woman, who does not want to be identified, found that her curls had been photoshopped by the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) and she was given a straight hairstyle. When asked about the alteration, the bank official told her all her curls could not fit into the passport photo and DHA had to change her hairstyle. In a Facebook post, the woman wrote: “Went to collect my passport at the bank (after a totally pain-free) process. When the guy handed me my passport obviously the first thing I did was turn to the photo page. Anyone who knows me, knows I hate photos, especially posed photos, which this was. I absolutely screeched. The guy looked petrified. Whaaaat? He asked. I told him to look at the photo.... Read more...

The Department of Home Affairs says rolling blackouts are having a negative impact on the registration of newborn babies, within the stipulated 30-day time frame. It says the use of generators during power outages is not without challenges. The department briefed Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on its performance in achieving its targets for the third and fourth quarters of the 2022/2023 financial year.... Read more...

DA MP Angel Khanyile said Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi broke the law when he failed to gazette his declaration of the Bulembu Airport as a national point of entry to allow the Emirati president and his entourage into the country. • Self-admitted legal layperson Motsoaledi previously told the Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs he interpreted the law himself, and didn’t obtain a legal opinion. • Responding to the debate on his portfolio’s budget, Motsoaledi challenged Khanyile to drag him to court or to law enforcement agencies if she believed he broke the law. Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi mockingly challenged the DA to “drag [him] to court or law enforcement agencies” after the party claimed he broke the law to allow the Emirati president and his entourage to enter South Africa at the Bulembu Airport last month.... Read more...

The African People First (APF) opposition party in South Africa has supported Zimbabwe Exemption Permit (ZEP) renewal for people from Matabeleland, citing historical connections. This comes after representatives from the Ndebele King Bulelani Khumalo’s office, from the Mthwakazi Royal Kingdom, raised concerns about Zimbabweans facing deportation when their permits expire next month. The APF also spoke to South African Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi about the issue. In a statement dated May 8, APF secretary-general Julie Pillay Mbuthuma said: We are hereby pleased to give you positive feedback on the meeting held with Motsoaledi on May 8, at his chambers, spearheaded by our president (Muzi) Hlengwa, accompanied by APF deputy president Bishop Dlamini and national chairperson Bee Hlengwa.... Read more...

The BMCS system is replacing the 2010 Movement Control System (eMCS) and enables the capturing of fingerprint and facial biometric data of all travellers who enter or exit South Africa. Cape Town - The Department of Home Affairs report on challenges of the roll-out of the Automated Biometric Identification System (ABIS) and the Biometric Movement Control System (BMCS) left MPS unimpressed and requesting a quarterly update moving forward. The BMCS system is replacing the 2010 Movement Control System (eMCS) and enables the capturing of fingerprint and facial biometric data of all travellers who enter or exit South Africa. According to the department, in the 2022/23 financial year the system was rolled out to 34 Ports of Entry and up to 30% of immigration counters.... Read more...

The report recommended, among others, the introduction of new visa categories to cater for remote workers and start-ups. implementation of the much-talked about and long-awaited Remote Working Visa is within reach after a commitment from the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) to finalise the remaining legal processes by the end of next month. Acting deputy director-general Immigration, Nischal Jaynarayan, told the legislature’s Standing Committee on Finance, Economic Opportunities and Tourism that the state Law Adviser approval process was under way. The committee had invited officials from DHA, the Airports Company South Africa, the provincial Department of Economic Development and Tourism (Dedat), and Wesgro for an update on the introduction of the visa.... Read more...

Visitors stand to benefit from a proposed unified visa which will cover entry to various states in the Gulf region. Single via for Gulf region in the pipelines. The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and its member states are set to implement a single visa for tourists and business visitors from various countries. It was revealed at a panel discussion on The Future of Travel for the GCC, held at the Arabian Travel Market in Dubai, that the Gulf Cooperation Council is planning the introduction of a common visa system for nationals, residents, tourists and business visitors from 35 Arab states and foreign countries.... Read more...

Since 2012, refugee rights groups had been embroiled in legal battles with the Department of Home Affairs to have the Cape Town office re-opened. CAPE TOWN - After a decade of back-and-forth court battles, the Department of Home Affairs finally re-opened its Cape Town Refugee Reception Office. Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi officially opened the doors of the new office in Epping on Tuesday. This means that refugees and asylum seekers in Cape Town will not have to go to Pretoria, Durban, Eastern Cape or Musina to get their papers in order.... Read more...

• Aaron Motsoaledi `interpreted` legislation, without obtaining a legal opinion, to allow the Emirati president and his 680-strong entourage to enter SA. • The Border Management Act required the designation of an entry point to be gazetted, to allow 30 days for public comment. • Motsoaledi applied the Immigration Act instead, which doesn`t have this `onerous` requirement. Home Affairs Minister and self-admitted legal layperson Aaron Motsoaledi `interpreted` legislation, so that the Bulembu Airport could be designated a temporary entry point into South Africa, in time for the visit of the Emirati president, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed al Nahyan, and his 680-strong entourage. Motsoaledi briefed the Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs about the unannounced, private visit by Al Nahyan last month, which raised eyebrows, and drew comparisons with the Gupta family`s infamous landing at the Waterkloof Air Force base in 2013.... Read more...

South Africa has completely fallen under the spell of Russia, China, and their satellites. Once, we were a reliable international partner, respectful of the international rules-based order, but that has now all changed, argues Pieter du Toit. South Africa`s unhinged foreign policy unmoored from logic and reality, that is reached new levels of incomprehension last week during another vote related to Ukraine.... Read more...

Johannesburg, Frustrated with what they call “extreme delays” at the Department of Home Affairs (HA), a South African/Chinese couple took to social media to cast a spotlight on a five-year wait for them to finally live together as a family. However, HA hit back, saying it was only able to resume permanent residence applications in 2022 after Covid-19 travel restrictions eased around the world. But this is of little to no comfort to the couple who were married in South Africa in 2017 and are still living apart.... Read more...

WITH less than two months before the South African government terminates the Zimbabwean Exemption Permits (ZEP), gloom and despair have set in for the permit holders and their families. In January 2022, the South African cabinet decided that the ZEP arrangement had to be terminated by December 31, 2022, and applicants should apply for other visa regimes for which they qualify, or for a waiver of certain requirements of the visas they apply for to retain their legal status in the country. On September 2, 2022, Home Affairs minister Aaron Motsoaledi issued a directive extending the ZEPs for an additional six months, until June 30, 2023.... Read more...

The average age of artisans in the country is about 55 years. • South Africa does not only have a shortage of artisans, but the average age of artisans in the country is about 55 years old. • Gone are the days when you needed a university degree to enjoy a successful career. • The focus is on training young people in key areas regarded as critically needed for the economy to grow. South Africa does not only have a shortage of artisans, but the average age of artisans in the country is about 55 years, according to data available on the website of the False Bay Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) College.... Read more...

Mauritius is rapidly emerging as one of Africa’s big economic success stories, with its growth rate expected to increase by 75% in the coming decade, says Dani van Vuuren, business development consultant at Sovereign Trust. With economic prosperity and job opportunities on the horizon, the island state of Mauritius has become a new place for relocation or startups. One of the main drawing factors for the country is its attractive tax regime and low barriers to entry for both businesses and individuals. The country has lower tax rates than South Africa, a broad network of double taxation avoidance agreements, and tax incentives offered to foreign investors. It has been on a drive to attract major foreign investment, and it is paying off.... Read more...

South African matriculants must qualify as artisans to meet the country’s economic needs for new infrastructure, maintenance and the switch to green energy. According to the latest quarterly publication of Remchannel, a company that, among other things, conducts salary surveys, there is already an acute shortage of young artisans in the country. A poll conducted among 565 participants showed that, among those aged 25 and under, only 0.6% were qualified artisans. In the 25 to 30 age group, the figure was 26.7%, and was 40.7% for those aged between 36 and 55.... Read more...

The government is on track to roll out a remote working visa but the Department of Home Affairs has not given a date for its full implementation. The Department of Home Affairs (DHA) says it will meet a June deadline to specify requirements for remote working visas. The department was briefing the Western Cape legislature on remote visas on Wednesday, 3 May. During the briefing, the department’s Nischal Jaynarayan said a “comprehensive” report on the review of the work visa system had recently been handed over to the Presidency by former DHA director-general Mavuso Msimang, who was tasked in 2022 by President Cyril Ramaphosa to review of the visa system. In his State of the Nation Address (Sona) in February 2022, the president said the review was... Read more...

Life Healthcare has the capacity to train 3,000 a year, but the bureaucrats will simply not listen Nurses hold candles in honour of nurses who died during the Covid-19 pandemic at at the Nursing Council offices in Pretoria in this file photo. Picture: VELI NHLAPO From the rising costs of diesel used to offset load-shedding, to difficult working conditions and the increasing effect of inflation, SA’s healthcare sector is facing a multitude of challenges. But one of the biggest issues is undoubtedly the lack of critical human resources, specifically healthcare workers, who keep hospitals and facilities functioning.... Read more...

The inertia in the face of excellent offers of help is just baffling SA has an unemployment crisis. It also has a skills crisis. This toxic combination is slowly poisoning the economy and raising the risk of a democracy-threatening social explosion. The proportion of South Africans with no hope for a better future and little to lose has probably already reached the tipping point. All of the above is trite, hardly a day goes by without some or other political analyst or business leader warning that we are “on the precipice”. The solutions to the unemployment crisis are no secret either. But they demand political will, and that is evidently in short supply. It is also not a crisis that can be resolved in a hurry, even with all the will in the world.... Read more...

At least 500 000 children, under the age of 18 in South Africa don’t have birth certificates. Wanda Booi, who just turned 19, knows the struggle and the frustration of bureaucratic red tape to get an ID without a birth certificate all too well. Since 2021, Department of Home Affairs and social workers have promised to assist Booi after his mother died, yet nothing has materialised. His sister, Khanyisa Booi, 22, takes care of the teen after their mother died. “My grandmother also tried, since we are using the same surname but still no one can assist us,” she said. She said this whole issue affected different aspects of her brother’s life. “We had to speak to his teacher for admission. However, they still want his birth certificate. Wanda is still doing Grade 10, we can`t do anything without his birth certificate.... Read more...

A gay couple is being forced to live on different continents since the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) has allegedly failed to process a permanent residence permit application submitted two years ago. Francois Oosthuizen, a South African from Cape Town, who is married to Bowen Li from China, said he was heartbroken and frustrated by being separated from his husband and their 4-year-old son born via surrogacy on Valentine’s Day in South Africa. He said it was difficult for him to wake up every morning knowing that his family was thousands of kilometres away.... Read more...

No Zimbabwean citizen has approached their government for assistance in being repatriated back home before their Zimbabwean Exemption Permits (ZEP) expire, the country`s ambassador to South Africa has said.... Read more...

Spain plans to back South Africa`s energy transition with R42 billion. Getty Images • Spain plans to back South Africa`s energy transition and water needs with R42 billion in funding. • The Spanish funding is a mixture of financial instruments, from development finance institutions. • This funding is not part of the Just Energy Transition Partnership in which $8.5 billion was initially pledged. Spain is providing €2.1 billion (R42 billion) to help fund South Africa`s energy transition and water needs, even as some of the world`s richest nations struggle to push forward on a ground-breaking climate-finance initiative with the country.... Read more...

The Helen Suzman Foundation has gone to court to challenge Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi`s decision to terminate the Zimbabwean Exemption Permit. The permit allows around 178 000 Zimbabwean nationals to live and work in South Africa. Arguments were based on whether the decision was administrative or executive and if it was procedurally unfair and irrational. Was the decision not to renew the Zimbabwean Exemption Permit (ZEP) an administrative or executive action or was it irrational, antithetical to the Constitution and procedurally unfair? These are some of the questions that a full bench of the Gauteng High Court in Pretoria will seek to answer before delivering judgment in a case relating to the effective termination of the ZEP.... Read more...

The Palace at Sun City Resort which is owned by Sun International. The company said SA should simplify its visa requirements for foreign travellers to boost tourism. • Sun International says SA should fix its visa regime and make it easier for foreign visitors to come to the country. • The owner of Sun City believes a simplification would result in a surge in tourism and help address the country`s dismal unemployment problem. • There is particularly potential to attract tourists from China, which has about 140 million outbound travellers a year. Sun International says SA is `scoring a couple of own goals` if it does not simplify its visa regime for foreign visitors. Graham Wood, COO of the company, which owns Sun City along with other top hotels and casinos, said on Wednesday if SA allowed visas on entry - instead of forcing potential visitors to have to apply for them in their home countries - there was potential for the `floodgate to open`.... Read more...

A group of refugees camping outside the UN High Commissioner for Refugees` (UNHCR) offices in Pretoria. (Photo by Gallo Images/Luba Lesolle) • Around 100 refugees have been camping outside of the UNHCR offices in Pretoria since May 2022. • The Gauteng High Court in Pretoria has ordered their eviction and relocation, which was meant to be executed on Wednesday. • However, several of the refugees have said they would not leave without a fight. A group of refugees camping outside the UN High Commissioner for Refugees` (UNHCR) offices in Pretoria have signalled their intention to fight against being evicted. The group of around 100 refugees have been living on the pavements, in tents and makeshift structures, outside the offices since May 2022.... Read more...

Italy`s nationalist government approved a bill in the upper house of parliament on Thursday that aims to reduce the number of migrants who can claim some form of asylum and curb integration efforts. Italy‘s nationalist government approved a bill in the upper house of parliament on Thursday that aims to reduce the number of migrants who can claim some form of asylum and curb integration efforts. The bill, which still needs the approval of the lower house to become law, was drawn up after a shipwreck off southern Italy in February that killed more than 90 migrants.... Read more...

DA MP says public are still required to wait in long queues despite confirmation of appointments DA urges Home Affairs to fix branch appointment booking system Last year, the Department of Home Affairs launched the Branch Appointment Booking System (BABS), a new appointment booking system for smart ID cards and passports, that was designed to reduce long queues at various Home Affairs offices across the country. The DA supported the initiative when it was revealed back in September 2021 because it was something we previously proposed to help reduce the long queues at Home Affairs offices.... Read more...

On Tuesday, a South African court will decide if thousands of Zimbabweans can stay back in the country or face possible deportation. Cape Town, South Africa Thousands of Zimbabweans living in South Africa face an uncertain future and possible deportation before a June 2023 expiration of their work permits, following an announcement by the home government last year that there will be no extension. *Matilda Tebogo (not her real name), a 35-year-old shopkeeper, says she is stressed and nervous about what lies ahead for her and her family. The Zimbabwean national has been living and working in Cape Town for more than 10 years under the Zimbabwe Extension Permit (ZEP) scheme.... Read more...

South African human rights organization the Legal Resources Center (LRC) has initiated a legal challenge against the country’s Department of Home Affairs over the what it says are cumbersome requirements for establishing birth certificates for children born in the country. The LRC, acting on behalf of 17 parents, last year, filed an application at the Cape Town High Court challenging the Birth and Death registration Act regulations as anti-constitutional, according to reporting by Mail & Guardian. Home Affairs is opposing the application.... Read more...

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.... Read more...

This week, the Global Immigration team at Smith Stone Walters would like to highlight the following recent updates from Australia, Canada, Denmark, Greece, Malaysia, South Africa and the United States. Australia: Skilled Work Regional Visa Candidates living and/or working in metropolitan Melbourne can now submit a registration of Interest (ROI) for the Skilled Work Regional visa (subclass 491) nomination. The new expanded eligibility criteria opens Victoria’s subclass 491 visa program to skilled migrants living anywhere in Victoria, including previously ineligible metropolitan Melbourne residents who wish to relocate to work and live in a designated regional area of Victoria.... Read more...

Government is free to change the policy The government is free to change the policy on the Zimbabwean Exemption Permit, lawyers for the Minister of Home Affairs have argued in court. • No rights will be taken away when the Zimbabwean Exemption Permit (ZEP) system comes to an end in June, lawyers for the Minister of Home Affairs told the Pretoria High Court on Wednesday. • The court is hearing an application by the Helen Suzman Foundation and the Consortium for Refugees and Migrants in South Africa to have the minister set aside the decision. • Advocate Ismail Jamie said rights that were temporarily conferred in the first place had been allowed to lapse through the passage of time. • He said it would be impractical to expect the government to have consulted 178,000 ZEP holders. The lapsing of the Zimbabwean Exemption Permit (ZEP) system was a political decision by the Minister of Home Affairs, and does not take away the rights of ZEP holders, the government has argued in court.... Read more...

President Cyril Ramaphosa at the investment conference in Johannesburg on Thursday. Photo: SA Investment Conference/Twitter South Africa attracted R1.51 trillion of new investment pledges over the past five years, 26% more than a target set in 2018, president Cyril Ramaphosa said. New commitments made at an investment conference in Johannesburg on Thursday include those from companies including mobile-phone company Vodacom, miner Anglo American and brewer Heineken, Ramaphosa said at a closing ceremony. Key investment pledges on Thursday: Ramaphosa set a target of attracting R2 trillion of new investment in the next five years, as executives pleaded with his government to urgently address the nation’s energy crisis, fix crumbling infrastructure and end rampant crime.... Read more...

This comes after President Cyril Ramaphosa`s announcement about a significant overhaul of the work visa system which is expected to provide a further boost to investment. CAPE TOWN - Western Cape`s Finance and Economic Opportunities MEC, Mireille Wenger said much more speed was needed in overhauling the current visa regime. This follows President Cyril Ramaphosa`s announcement about a significant overhaul of the work visa system, which is expected to provide a further boost to investment. Ramaphosa was speaking at the fifth South Africa Investment Conference in Sandton on Thursday. The process includes introducing new visa categories for remote workers and start-ups and expanding the e-Visa system to include an additional 20 countries over and above the 14 that are currently eligible.... Read more...

• Anglo American CEO Duncan Wanblad says that while SA is not the country it was in 2018, it is still offers value to investors. • But business needs to help and fix it right now. • Top of the agenda are the energy crisis, the logistics crisis and crime and corruption. SA is still investible, and while times are tough, this is not the time to give up, Anglo American CEO Duncan Wanblad said on the eve of President Cyril Ramaphosa`s fifth investment conference. The SA Investment Conference will hear investment pledges by local and international firms towards a new investment target, which will be announced on Thursday.... Read more...

The ZEP allows Zimbabweans to live and work in South Africa and has been in place in various forms since 2009. JOHANNESBURG - Judgment has been reserved in the Helen Suzman Foundation’s challenge against the discontinuation of the Zimbabwean Exemption Permit (ZEP) programme. The ZEP allows Zimbabweans to live and work in South Africa and has been in place in various forms since 2009. But Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi decided to discontinue the ZEP. The decision has been met with widespread backlash and is currently the subject of multiple court challenges.... Read more...

Challenges to SA’s decision to end the Zimbabwean Exemption Permit system are now being heard in court. One of the most important human rights cases of recent decades got underway in the Pretoria High Court on Tuesday, with no fewer than four separate cases challenging Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi’s decision to terminate the Zimbabwean Exemption Permit (ZEP) system. First to the podium was the Helen Suzman Foundation (HSF), represented by Advocate Steven Budlender, which is asking a full bench of three judges to set aside Motsoaledi’s November 2021 decision as unlawful, unconstitutional and invalid.... Read more...

Minister of Home Affairs, Aaron Motsoaledi Photo: Tebogo Letsie • The Helen Suzman Foundation has gone to court to challenge Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi`s decision to terminate the Zimbabwean Exemption Permit. • The permit allows around 178 000 Zimbabwean nationals to live and work in South Africa. • The court heard on Wednesday that Motsoaledi`s decision did not take the rights away from permit holders but conferred them. Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi`s decision not to create a further exemption programme for around 178 000 Zimbabwean nationals living in South Africa does not take away their rights - it confers them. This was one of the arguments by Motsoaledi and the Department of Home Affairs` director-general in a court challenge by the Helen Suzman Foundation which is being heard in the Gauteng High Court in Pretoria.... Read more...

Table of Contents • Introduction: • The importance of avoiding visa pitfalls • Visa Errors frequently made by South African Visa Applicants o Lack of proper documentation o Examples of missing or incomplete documents for South Africa o Providing false information o Examples of providing false information: o Applying for the wrong type of visa • How to avoid errors with your South Africa Visa The purpose of this article is to provide helpful information and tips to individuals who are planning to travel or live in South Africa and need to obtain a visa. Specifically, the article will focus on common visa mistakes that travellers make when applying for a visa to South Africa. There are many South Africa Visa types, so you need to know what you are doing.... Read more...

Helen Suzman Foundation argues holders ‘abided by the law for 14 years and had built lives in SA’ Home affairs minister Aaron Motsoaledi did not consider the harmful effects of his decision to end the Zimbabwe exemption permit (ZEP) regime, the high court in Pretoria heard on Tuesday. On that basis alone his decision was unlawful, said Steven Budlender, counsel for the Helen Suzman Foundation (HSF). The court was hearing three separate applications on the special permits, which had allowed about 178,000 Zimbabweans to lawfully live in SA since 2009. The permits, due to expire at the end of June, were first introduced in response to a political and economic crisis in Zimbabwe that created an exodus to SA. The permit regime was twice extended in 2014 and 2017 but the government says it was always clear that the permits were temporary.... Read more...

A recent case had to determine whether there was a duty of support between life partners after the termination of their relationship. Legal experts Brigitta Mangale and Elgene Roos from Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr said that South Africa’s law has had to adjust to acknowledge non-traditional nuclear families through legal recognition of various different forms of a committed relationship. In February this year, in the case of E.W v V.H the Western Cape High Court was tasked with answering the question as to what legal consequences flow from a life partnership. Facts.... Read more...

As demand for international holiday travel returns to pre-Covid levels, the city of Cape Town was ranked the world’s best-value hotspot thanks to a weaker rand in 2023. This is according to the United Kingdom Post Office Travel Money’s Holiday Travel Report 2023, which ranked over 40 popular destinations based on currency demand, exchange rates, and travel costs. “Demand for holidays abroad is close to pre-pandemic levels, according to tour operators, travel agents and airlines who have reported a boom in bookings,” the report said. Despite the cost of living pressures affecting many countries worldwide, the report noted that Britons are prepared to forgo other lifestyle expenditures to afford a holiday abroad, and many will dip into their savings to fund the trip. The first indicator of where these holidaymakers will travel is shown in the UK post office’s sales of holiday currencies, as well as the pound’s strength against the destination countries.... Read more...

From 11 to 14 April 2023, the Pretoria High Court will hear three applications challenging the termination of the Zimbabwean Exemption Permit (ZEP) by the Minister of Home Affairs. One of these cases is called the “Helen Suzman Foundation and Another v Minister of Home Affairs and Another.” 1. What is at issue in this case and when will it be heard? The case is about the Minister of Home Affairs’ decision to end the Zimbabwean Exemption Permit (ZEP) by June 30, 2023. The Pretoria High Court will hear the case from April 11-14, 2023. 2. What is the ZEP?... Read more...

Department dismisses slow progress on visa overhaul with obfuscation and bluster, putting the economy at further risk Despite recent announcements that the department of home affairs has plans in place to correct its poor performance, fears remain that it is on the same slippery slope as many other SA government functions. The general decline in the public sector’s ability to actually deliver public services is hitting citizens, investors, tourists, and the economy as a whole. Worse, a failure of key departments such as home affairs along with national utilities and other services signals to the world that SA is on track to become a failed state.... Read more...

Despite South Africa’s political turmoil and energy crisis, there is still significant interest from international property buyers who are drawn by the country’s inimitable lifestyle and the fact that that they can get considerably more bang for their buck here than in comparable areas abroad. The favourable value of the Rand compared to major foreign currencies also makes residential real estate in South Africa a very attractive investment option, says Grahame Diedericks, Midrand manager principal for Lew Geffen Sotheby’s International Realty. “In South Africa, foreign investors are spoilt for choice with a wide variety of lifestyle options, from luxury beachfront living to mountainous retreats which include numerous internationally acclaimed and award-winning destinations.”... Read more...

Business Leadership South Africa believes our country’s visa application systems need a major overhaul in order to attract investment. Cape Town - Business Leadership South Africa (BLSA) has issued a warning that the current visa application systems in the country could stifle the economy. This comes after BLSA CEO Busi Mavuso said they had been working hard with government to fix South Africa’s current visa regime. Mavuso said they felt like they are making very little progress, because some 56 000 foreigners working or intending to work in South Africa were facing having their visas cancelled at the end of March, purely because Home Affairs has been unable to process their applications.... Read more...

Islamic State on Saturday claimed responsibility for an attack on a village in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo that authorities said killed around 20 people. Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack in a statement on its Telegram channel. The attack, which took place on Friday in Musandaba, a village on the outskirts of Beni, is part of a wave of violence against civilians that the army and local authorities blame on the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), a Ugandan group based in eastern Congo that has pledged allegiance to Islamic State.... Read more...

1. What is at issue in this case and when will it be heard? At issue in this case is Minister of Home Affairs, Aaron Motsoaledi’s (Minister) decision to terminate the Zimbabwean Exemption Permit (ZEP). If the Minister’s decision is upheld, the ZEP will terminate on 30 June 2023. The case will be heard between 11 and 14 April 2023 by a full bench of the Pretoria High Court. 2. What is the ZEP? The ZEP is a special permit issued in terms of the Immigration Act that allows its approximately 178 000 holders, and their children, temporary legal status to live, work and study in South Africa. It is the third iteration of a permit that began back in 2009 as the ‘Dispensation for Zimbabweans Project’ (DZP), which the South African government introduced to cope with an influx of undocumented Zimbabweans fleeing political violence around 2008. The DZP was renewed as the Zimbabwe Special Permit.... Read more...

The United States and Canada have reportedly reached an agreement that will allow border officials to turn back asylum seekers heading north across their shared border without considering their petitions for sanctuary, sparking outcry from immigrant groups. US and Canadian media outlets reported the tentative agreement on Thursday, as US President Joe Biden visits the Canadian capital of Ottawa for his first official visit to the country since taking office in early 2021.... Read more...

The Ministry of Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety and Security has made further progress in improving service delivery when it launched online applications for passports and short-term employment permits yesterday. Over the past few years, the ministry has introduced e-passports in 2018, visa-on-arrival, the inauguration of the state-of-the-art headquarters and the national migration policy. Less than a month ago, the usage of ID-cards as travel documents between Namibia and Botswana was added. Minister Albert Kawana announced that the ministry will continue to expand its digital services, including online visa applications for tourists, by the end of the year to keep up with the fast-growing digital world as well as attract more tourists to the country.... Read more...

The Department of Home Affairs has yet again issued a last-minute reprieve, extending a blanket concession for long-term visa or waiver applicants awaiting decisions on their applications. The holders of the long-term visas can now legally remain in South Africa until 31 December 2023, although the lateness of the decision 48-hours before these visa holders technically expire has drawn sharp criticism. The directive was issued this morning to the Home Affairs head office and the Department of International Relations and Cooperation’s Consular Services and Visa Facilitation Centres (VFS) to communicate this decision.... Read more...

Business has identified three clear priority areas and initiatives to get things off the ground. These areas are energy, railways, ports, roads and corruption and crime. Adrian Gore writes that he has a deep belief in the potential of our country and it is clear to him that this is not a time for pessimism, despair and inaction. He argues that, on the contrary, we are in desperate need of optimism, hope and action. Right now, times are tough for every South African. Every person I speak to is concerned and despairing; there is a deep sense of futility.... Read more...

Home Affairs’ cyber systems are vulnerable to hacking and frontline officers are not properly trained, according to a damning internal report that says chronic underfunding has undermined the department’s ability to keep Australia safe. The leaked confidential review into the mega department responsible for national security, cyber defence and foreign interference among other areas revealed the department lost 600 employees in a year and more than $2 billion in cost-cutting has stopped it from hiring enough staff. The probe into the agency’s budget, conducted by consulting and legal firm Proximity between December 2021 and February 2022, interviewed dozens of top brass including the agency’s secretary Mike Pezullo, who has run the department since its inception.... Read more...

SA has significant deficits in areas like technical skills. A major overhaul of South Africa`s visa regime is needed, and during his upcoming investment conference, President Cyril Ramaphosa should address the issue, according to Business Leadership SA (BLSA). `The president could use the opportunity to announce a credible intervention to fix the visa mess. That would go far to addressing one of the major sources of a lack of confidence in South Africa`s investment case,` the BLSA says in its latest newsletter.... Read more...

The Department of Home Affairs says it has started laying the groundwork for new visa types to be introduced in South Africa, in a bid to draw in skilled workers. The department has published its 2023/24 annual performance plan, which includes its intentions and targets for the current financial year. In the plan, Home Affairs minister Aaron Motsoaledi said that the department is currently exploring new visa categories, including start-up visas and remote working visas.... Read more...

Spain is providing €2.1 billion (R42 billion) to help fund South Africa`s energy transition and water needs, even as some of the world`s richest nations struggle to push forward on a ground-breaking climate-finance initiative with the country. The Spanish funding is being provided through a mixture of financial instruments, with the country`s government working with its development finance institution, Cofides, and South Africa`s Industrial Development Corporation, said Ambassador Raimundo Robredo Rubio.... Read more...

Shuihau Chen, 50, appeared in the Kempton Park District Court on Tuesday. A man arrested for illegally dealing rhino horns has been sentenced to a R500 000 fine or five years` imprisonment and ordered to be deported to China after serving his sentence.... Read more...

South Korea will temporarily exempt people from 22 visa-waiver nations from mandatory online travel permits and transit visa requirements as part of efforts to attract more foreign tourists and boost domestic demand, the Finance Ministry said on Wednesday. These are a set of measures aimed at attracting 10 million foreign tourists this year, a goal that could help spur private spending and revitalize the economy amid an economic slowdown, Yonhap News Agency quoted the Ministry as saying. The number of foreign visitors to South Korea hit a record high of 17.5 million in 2019, generating tourism revenue of $20.7-billion, according to data compiled by the Korea Tourism Organisation.... Read more...

A leaked report from a private consulting firm paints a dire picture of the IT operations of the Department of Home Affairs. The report, by Proximity Consultants, was written between December 2021 and February 2022. The details of the report were first shared at an audit committee hearing on Friday, 31 March. “The financial underpinnings to support the resolution of critical policy and operational issues have not been available,” the report read, as reported by the SMH. “Functions and priorities were never right-sized or funded appropriately from the outset.”... Read more...

Officials reported that they were working on backlogs, but didn`t elaborate on how. Waking at 3am just to secure a spot somewhere in the front of the queue at one of South Africa’s Home Affairs offices will soon be a thing of the past, according to the Department of Home Affairs. The department said it is working to eliminate the terrible experience that many citizens have had to endure throughout the years. But, it has yet to reveal a detailed strategy on how it plans to do this.... Read more...

Market depends on skilled labour with universal exposure. Along with the many other issues hampering foreign investment and development in South Africa, the country is facing a visa crisis. Visa chaos at Home Affairs Skilled labour, students and visitors on business, as well as tourists, are being held up by a failing administration and bureaucracy. Businesses are struggling and losing out on not only critical skills injections, but also on broader interactions with overseas partners in terms of internships, mentorships and short-term exchanges of staff.... Read more...

The 2023 Wealth Report said when it came to price growth, luxury apartments have been the best-performing residential property segment in the country over the past decade. ZambeziShark • The 2023 Wealth Report says apartment living is on the rise for the wealthy in South Africa. • Johannesburg and Cape Town have the top luxury apartments in the country, but Umhlanga, Plettenberg Bay and Hermanus are also on their way up. South Africa is home to almost twice as many high-net-worth individuals as any other country on the African continent, according to a new wealth report, and there is an interesting trend on the rise where they are increasingly investing in luxury apartments.... Read more...

The Department of Home Affairs (DHA) says it will submit the updated Marriage Bill to Cabinet this year, with the goal of obtaining approval to table the proposed laws in Parliament in 2024. The DHA has presented its latest annual performance plan for 2023/24, which outlines the department’s plans for the year. Over the next 12 months, the draft laws are expected to be approved for submission to the minister by the end of June, with various clusters and committees giving recommendations by the end of the year. By March 2024 the department hopes to have the necessary cabinet approval to table the draft bill to Parliament.... Read more...

SA’s visa administration problems are well recognised as a serious impediment to our economy, says BLSA CEO. BLSA has been working hard with government to fix our visa regime. But last week, I felt like we were making very little progress at all. Some 56 000 foreigners working or intending to work in South Africa were facing having their visas cancelled at the end of March, purely because Home Affairs has been unable to process their applications. They were given a last-minute reprieve two days before the deadline extending the validity of their existing status until the end of the year. This is appalling. People’s lives are thrown into turmoil, unable to know whether they would be allowed to stay in the country many consider home. More to the point, it presents an impossible situation for business.... Read more...

People willing and wanting to work in South Africa are being held back by failing visa services which is having damaging knock-on effects on business and economic growth in the country, says Busi Mavuso, the CEO of Business Leadership South Africa (BLSA) In her weekly letter, Mavuso said that roughly 56,000 foreigners were facing having their visas cancelled at the end of March because the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) could not process their applications.... Read more...

Alberton Home Affairs weighs in on how to apply for a first-time ID book as a naturalised citizen and permanent residence permit holder. Alberton Home Affairs has confirmed that those born outside the country are issued with green bar-coded identity books and should go to specific home affairs offices for assistance. South African citizens are issued smart ID cards when they apply for an identity document. Should you lose, damage or have your ID book stolen, you can request a Temporary Identification Certificate (TIC).... Read more...

The removal of Jacob Zuma gave the country and critical state institutions a fighting chance to recover. The fight is not over and not all enablers have left, but the country is undeniably better off than it was five years ago, argues JP Landman. A young friend expressed her dismay about what she had seen and read in the media since the release of the final part of the Zondo Commission`s report. With the recent avalanche of bad news about rising food, petrol prices, and interest rate costs, the commission had given her some hope. However, the responses she had heard and read in our media made her feel that hope was in vain, or even naïve.... Read more...

South Africa has officially welcomed its first large group of leisure tourists from China post-COVID, setting the ball rolling on the industry’s goal of reaching one million annual arrivals from the Asian powerhouse by 2030. The group of 13 tourists, along with their tour guide, flew from the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen on Air China flight CA867, touching down to a jubilant welcome at OR Tambo International Airport at 07h47 on Wednesday. The high-end tourists clients of Chinese travel agency GZL International Travel were greeted by dignitaries from, amongst others, South African Tourism, the Chinese consulate and the Gauteng Tourism Authority, and South African and Chinese media.... Read more...

More than 12,000 asylum seekers have been allowed to work in Ireland since new changes in EU legislation were introduced in 2018. Authorities in Ireland opted into European Union legislation of 2018 permitting persons who seek international protection in this country to have access to the Labour market after the Supreme court ruled that it was unconstitutional to stop them from working, SchengenVisaInfo.com report. When it comes to this legislation, Ireland was the last European Union country to accept this decision.... Read more...

Many South Africans wonder why so many of us Zimbabweans came to be settled in their country, and wonder why we do not simply return to our homeland. This is my story about my rural homestead in Zimbabwe that I felt forced to leave. I would like to go back and spend the rest of my life there, but it isn’t that simple. From the early 1960s, I lived in Buhera District in Manicaland Province. I have a deep bond with this place, even though the soil is today very poor for farming. In 1987 I got married. My uncle allocated me three hectares to build a family homestead. I was earning a salary that allowed me to immediately build a three-bedroomed house and also a small rondavel. Though my wish was to build a better home, I had limited resources.... Read more...

Airports and bus and train stations across Germany were at a standstill on Monday morning, causing disruption for millions at the start of the working week during one of the largest walkouts in decades as Europe`s biggest economy reels from inflation. The 24-hour strikes called by the Verdi trade union and railway and transport union EVG were the latest in months of industrial action which has hit major European economies as higher food and energy prices dent living standards. Two of Germany`s largest airports, Munich and Frankfurt, suspended flights, while long-distance rail services were cancelled by rail operator Deutsche Bahn. Striking workers wearing red high-visibility jackets blew horns and whistles through an empty Munich train station.... Read more...

The Department of Home Affairs (DHA) is struggling with generators and UPSes that break down frequently during load shedding at offices dotted across the nine provinces, MPs heard. A total of 80 UPSes and 69 generators all bought by the department and to be serviced by a sole contractor broke down at DHA offices across the country, causing clients more inconvenience, DHA Minister Aaron Motsoaledi told MPs. DA MP Adrian Roos had requested, in writing, a list of Home Affairs offices with faulty and/or broken UPS units and no functioning generator; and had asked by what date the UPS units would be repaired and emergency power supply systems installed in each of the specified offices. Motsoaledi admitted the alternative systems’ breakdowns and listed affected offices as of February 17.... Read more...

Minister of Finance Enoch Godongwana has placed Habib Overseas Bank under curatorship with immediate effect to deal with `governance, compliance and operational failures` and protect the bank`s depositors. The minister took the decision based on a recommendation by the SA Reserve Bank`s (SARB) Prudential Authority (PA). In a statement on Monday morning, the SARB said the PA had identified weaknesses in the bank`s governance process and its internal control environment over the past four years.... Read more...

KAMPALA, March 21 (Reuters) Uganda`s parliament passed a law on Tuesday making it a crime to identify as LGBTQ, handing authorities broad powers to target gay Ugandans who already face legal discrimination and mob violence. More than 30 African countries, including Uganda, already ban same-sex relations. The new law appears to be the first to outlaw merely identifying as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ), according to rights group Human Rights Watch. Supporters of the new law say it is needed to punish a broader array of LGBTQ activities, which they say threaten traditional values in the conservative and religious East African nation.... Read more...

DHA official presents higher visa backlog than Motsoaledi initially reported due to corruption 20 March 2023 Published Mar 15, 2023 Cape Town - Some of the backlogs in visa applications were caused by corruption and suspensions at the Department of Home Affairs (DHA), MPs were told by a department official, who presented higher figures than initially reported. DHA acting deputy director-general for immigration services, Yusuf Simons, told the Home Affairs portfolio committee members that corruption in the department played a role in the backlog.... Read more...

A mother of three had her ID blocked by Home Affairs leaving her in anguish, and unable to live a normal life. Expensively obtained affidavits, letters and a DNA test left officials unmoved about the lack of progress for years. Many South Africans have never considered what it would take to prove they are citizens of this land. For Thulisile Gumede, it took several trips from Gauteng to KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), collecting affidavits from former teachers, a letter from her village chief and a DNA test. It also took four years of her life. Gumede, a mother of three married to a Zimbabwean man, thought her ordeal was over when in 2022, Home Affairs confirmed it had unblocked her identity document. Earlier, in 2017, when applying for her son’s identity document (ID), she found out that her ID had been blocked. Blocked identity... Read more...

Activists have launched an immigration detention hotline to deal with an increasing number of calls from persons and family of people who have been detained. Lawyers for Human Rights has been inundated with calls for help from mostly immigrants who have been detained and cannot afford legal representation. Nearly a month ago, the organisation launched its immigration detention hotline. The head of penal reform at the organisation, Nabeelah Mia, says they deal with an average of about 10 to 15 calls per day.... Read more...

Tax tips for wealthy South Africans emigrating to the US BusinessTech | 20 March 2023 There are three areas of concern that high net-worth individuals looking to emigrate to the United States must consider to ensure that their wealth is secure. America is a popular destination for South African emigrants, with data from Statista showing that over 100,000 South Africans lived in the US in 2020 trailing only the United Kingdom and Australia in the number of South African ex-pats.... Read more...

The Hawks arrested suspects running bogus schools File Pic A gang of 10 suspected foreign nationals were hauled before Randburg Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday, slapped with fraud charges for tricking the community into two bogus schools. Their arrests follow a dramatic raid on Monday by a multidisciplinary team headed by the Hawks’ Serious Organised Crime Investigation along with Department of Education and the Department of Home Affairs. The two bogus schools, Hillcrest International School and Academy of Science, located on Harley Street in Randburg, northwest of Johannesburg, became the center of an illegal operation.... Read more...

It’s ‘inexcusable’ that SA still doesn’t offer this when the average work-from-destination traveller could be spending ‘at least’ R50 000 here each month. Digital nomads are rushing to beautiful locations all over the world but can’t come to South Africa. Image: Bloomberg It’s been a year since President Cyril Ramaphosa said in his 2022 State of the Nation address (Sona) that a comprehensive review of the work visa system was “currently underway”. Led by a former director-general of Home Affairs, the review was “exploring the possibility of new visa categories that could enable economic growth”, including “a remote working visa”.... Read more...

The long wait for a Cape Town Refugee Reception Office will finally come to an end on Monday. A new office on Grenville Avenue in Epping is expected to open its doors officially for asylum and refugee services on 20 March. This comes after more than ten years of court battles since the Department of Home Affairs closed its Cape Town refugee office. In October last year, GroundUp reported that the new centre had finally started to take shape in Epping. According to the UCT Refugee Rights Clinic Facebook page, all new asylum and refugee matters will be heard at the Epping offices. “If anyone has any matters that still need to be dealt with before the 20th, you may still be required to attend their old office at Foreshore where the remaining Home Affairs staff will assist you,” the clinic advises.... Read more...

A Department of Home Affairs official based in Windhoek has been fired after being caught allegedly fraudulently issuing visas to Pakistani and Bangladeshi citizens. Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi said the department had revoked the visas after the secretary for civics and immigration services based at South Africa`s mission in Windhoek was busted for allegedly selling them to non-qualifying citizens.... Read more...

How much it costs to buy a bar or pub franchise like Tiger`s Milk, News Cafe, Cubaña, or Bossa 20 March 2023 | News24 South Africa`s bar and pub scene has changed significantly in recent years - particularly when it comes to national franchises. What was once a market dominated by a handful of traditional pubs and bars has seen the line blurred between bar, pub, and restaurant - to create a safer jack-of-all-trades model. Many South African bars now tend to look more like restaurants - doing quieter trade during daylight and ramping up with live music, DJs, and drinks specials in the evenings. They also tend to serve simple meals like burgers and pizzas throughout the day and late into the evening - a move that likely increases the appeal and potential revenue versus the days of grabbing a few evening pints at the bar.... Read more...

Why asylum seekers are choosing Canada in record numbers Last year, nearly 40,000 migrants crossed into Canada at an unofficial border at the end of a remote rural road in upstate New York - a record number - to seek asylum. Many are driven by the belief that the country is more welcoming than the US. But can Canada handle the influx? 20 March 2023 | BBC News On a snowy winter day, Roxham Road is cold and quiet. The silence is interrupted by the sound of wheels approaching the end of the path, or the crunching of footsteps on snow. Around 150 migrants are dropped off here each day, determined to step foot into Canada. Many began their journey as far away as Brazil, with this road in New York state as their finish line. Roxham Road is not an official border point. There are no border agents at the end of it, only police officers who arrest those who cross.... Read more...

The emotional impact of emigration, through the eyes of an artist 20 March 2023 | Daily Maverick As an emigration therapist, I have the privilege to explore the world of emigration through the eyes of my clients. Everyone’s experience is unique. Emigrants venture into a new, unknown world: they leave the familiar to start afresh amid new cultures and environments. Some recall a profound sense of being emotionally uprooted, others fully embrace the opportunities presented and continue to thrive. Yet, some experience both.... Read more...

Refugees Good News !! If you have been in South Africa for 10 years as a Refugee did you know there is a path to permanent residence . Apply Now for Temporary Residence even with EXPIRED LOCKDOWN PERMITS The Constitutional Court handed down a judgement in the Ahmed matter as well as a Court Order opening the door for Asylum Seekers and Refugees to apply to change their status to temporary residence visa . Contact us now before this fantastic opportunity is lost .... Read more...

Port Elizabeth TVET College agrees not to retrench them Three immigrant lecturers whose contracts at the Port Elizabeth TVET College were terminated in January have won their case in the Labour Court. Graphic: Lisa Nelson Three lecturers from Zimbabwe and Rwanda whose contracts were terminated in January by the Port Elizabeth TVET College have withdrawn their case today after the College agreed in the Port Elizabeth Labour Court that it will not retrench them. A fourth lecturer who was also dismissed, who is Zimbabwean, has not been appearing in court because he has another case pending with the college. The four have been lecturing in engineering for several years. The college management wrote letters on 12 January informing them that their services would be terminated on 1 February.... Read more...

Development of Cape Town Gateway Precinct, linking the Foreshore to the Bo-Kaap, De Waterkant and the V&A Waterfront, can now begin as land along lower Buitengracht Street has been released to the City by the provincial government. Development has been held back for 40 years because of a road reserve along Buitengracht Street kept by the provincial government for the unfinished Foreshore freeway. The 11,254m2 of land released to the City of Cape Town on 20 January was announced by the City on 14 February. The land is made up of vacant plots and parking lots along Buitengracht Street, held in line with a 1970s’ plan to create a ring road linking the Foreshore freeway nicknamed “Solly’s Folly” after city engineer Solly Morris to Buitengracht Street between Walter Sisulu Avenue and Wale Street.... Read more...

The department of home affairs is giving attention to clearing the backlog of applications for permanent and temporary residence permits that date back to 2016, and which cause immense frustration to people wanting to settle in the country. But it only expects to have cleared the backlog in 15 months’ time. Acting director of immigration services Yusuf Simons told members of parliament’s home affairs committee on Tuesday that measures to address the backlogs included bringing in more adjudicators, the use of overtime and reducing the number of layers of adjudication that an application has to go through before being considered by the director-general.... Read more...

Fallout Of Silicon Valley Bank Collapse Explained On Monday morning, trading in the shares of a number of banks was halted as panic spread following the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank. The Nasdaq Trader website published a list of bank shares that were placed under a temporary regulatory halt. Newsweek has listed them below. Each bank share had been hit with a volatility trading pause, a kind of circuit-breaker that automatically halts trading for a short time when a share`s price swings too rapidly. At the time of writing, some of these shares had plunged by more than 60%. The New York Stock Exchange on March 13, 2023 in New York City. A number of bank shares this morning have been placed under temporary trading halts following the shutdown of the Silicon Valley Bank last week.... Read more...

Thank you, as ever, to everyone who shared such great questions for my Ask Richard Newsletter this month. I chose this question from Karen Morgan, as I have a lot of thoughts on the matter. I also paraphrased her question a little bit to fit into a headline, but I wanted to share it in full: How do you feel about hiring someone without a degree, but with 20+ years of experience? Do you think that someone straight out of school with a degree is more suited to a position than someone with years of experience and a desire to continue learning and growing? I have encountered ‘ageism’ more than ever recently, but in my mind I’m still in my thirties and I know several others who are experiencing similar things!... Read more...

As parts of business and labour in SA sound the alarm that Chinese fast-fashion retailer Shein could be exploiting tax loopholes to undercut local retailers and manufacturers, the government has confirmed an investigation is underway. Shein meanwhile says it is committed to ethical business and wage practices as well as abiding by the laws and regulations, but there are mounting concerns in some quarters about the rapid gains it is making the South African market. Founded in 2008, Shein is a Chinese online retailer that ships to more than 150 countries. It markets its clothes primarily via social media, and has gained a fast-growing market in South Africa - as was evidenced by long queues outside its local logistics partner`s premises during the past festive season.... Read more...

The Home Affairs Department said it has asked for a legal opinion regarding the matter involving 22 Afghan nationals who were dumped in the country without being vetted. `We are reviewing our options and have asked for a legal opinion in this regard,` said Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi’s spokesperson, Siya Qoza. South Africans expressed concern over a security rush associated with the 22 Afghan nationals who are in the country; some even suspected that they might attack citizens.... Read more...

A 37-year-old man has been found guilty of murdering 23-year-old Shaun Douglas Chabalala, who was thrown out of a seventh-floor window of a block of flats in central Pretoria in 2018. Dumkele “Ekere” Onyeghani appeared in the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court on Monday, where he stood in the dock expressionless as the judgment was read out. Magistrate Thembinkosi Ndwandwe started his judgment by going through the testimony of the State witnesses, followed by the version of the defence. Ndwandwe accepted the version of Chabalala’s business partner, Given Mzamane, who was the only witness to the killing.... Read more...

Suspected Islamist militants killed at least 19 people and burnt a medical facility in a raid on a village in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) early on Sunday morning, said two regional officials and a resident. The attack, which occurred around 1am (23:00 GMT) in the village of Kirindera in North Kivu province, took place just a few kilometres from another attack on a village that killed at least 35 people last week. The army blamed last week’s attack on the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), a Ugandan armed group based in eastern Congo that has pledged allegiance to Islamic State. A resident of a nearby village and a member of local civil society blamed Sunday’s attack on the ADF.... Read more...

Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi said three mobile units allocated to the Western Cape, Eastern Cape and Free State were not fully operational due to mechanical problems. Motsoaledi said the fleet belonged to the old fleet that was procured in the 2005/6 financial year. “Some of the units were previously involved in accidents,” he said. Motsoaledi was responding to parliamentary questions from DA MP Adrian Roos, who asked about the number of the department’s mobile units that were fully operational and also deployed on a day-to-day basis.... Read more...

On Monday, a new payment system will be launched �` which could finally help wean South Africans off cash. Payshap �` which is backed by the SA Reserve Bank and local banks - will allow South Africans to transfer money instantly between their phones, without a bank account. You will be able to send money using vouchers and PIN codes, and recipients won`t have to cash out that money first to perform another transaction. Payshap will allow them to make payments from their new balance to other people, and soon also via apps like WhatsApp.... Read more...

Suspected Islamist militants killed at least 19 people and burnt a medical facility in a raid on a village in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) early on Sunday morning, said two regional officials and a resident. The attack, which occurred around 1am (23:00 GMT) in the village of Kirindera in North Kivu province, took place just a few kilometres from another attack on a village that killed at least 35 people last week. The army blamed last week’s attack on the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), a Ugandan armed group based in eastern Congo that has pledged allegiance to Islamic State. A resident of a nearby village and a member of local civil society blamed Sunday’s attack on the ADF.... Read more...

On Monday, a new payment system will be launched which could finally help wean South Africans off cash. Payshap which is backed by the SA Reserve Bank and local banks - will allow South Africans to transfer money instantly between their phones, without a bank account. You will be able to send money using vouchers and PIN codes, and recipients won`t have to cash out that money first to perform another transaction. Payshap will allow them to make payments from their new balance to other people, and soon also via apps like WhatsApp.... Read more...

At least 10 000 people have fled to Rwanda and Uganda from the eastern parts of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) as fighting between the M23 rebels and the government`s Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (FARDC) aggravates the humanitarian crisis in the region. This was despite a ceasefire facilitated by the Angolan President João Lourenço entered on Tuesday by the two warring parties. Speaking at a press conference on Friday in Geneva, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) spokesperson Matthew Saltmarsh said since January, Rwanda and Uganda have seen an increase in refugees from the DRC.... Read more...

On Monday, a new payment system will be launched, which could finally help wean South Africans off cash. Payshap, which is backed by the SA Reserve Bank and local banks - will allow South Africans to transfer money instantly between their phones, without a bank account. You will be able to send money using vouchers and PIN codes, and recipients won`t have to cash out that money first to perform another transaction. Payshap will allow them to make payments from their new balance to other people, and soon also via apps like WhatsApp.... Read more...

At least 10 000 people have fled to Rwanda and Uganda from the eastern parts of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) as fighting between the M23 rebels and the government`s Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (FARDC) aggravates the humanitarian crisis in the region. This was despite a ceasefire facilitated by the Angolan President João Lourenço entered on Tuesday by the two warring parties. Speaking at a press conference on Friday in Geneva, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) spokesperson Matthew Saltmarsh said since January, Rwanda and Uganda have seen an increase in refugees from the DRC. `More than 5 500 people have crossed the border into neighbouring Rwanda since January, and a further 5 300 into Uganda as insecurity and violence continue to ravage the border regions,` he said.... Read more...

The Gauteng Hawks shut down two private schools in Harley Street, Ferndale on Monday before they arrested several staffers and sent pupils home. Assisted by the SAPS, education department and Home Affairs officials, they swooped in on Hillcrest International School and Academy of Sciences, allegedly for operating without education department registration. Petros Lyson, 54, the director of Hillcrest, was arrested along with his sons, Rawlings, 30, and Rodney, 25. His sons taught at the primary school, according to the Hawks.... Read more...

Many employers often employ illegal foreigners thinking that an illegal worker can be mistreated or underpay them significantly. The thought behind this is that they cannot seek assistance from the government or CCMA. Illegal workers can seek assistance from CCMA to seek recourse.... Read more...

The Zimbabwean government will begin a 20-day physical mapping exercise on March 12 to identify locals who wish to be helped in relocating from neighboring South Africa before their special work permits expire on June 30. About 180,000 holders of the Zimbabwe Exemption Permits (ZEP), which allowed them to work in South Africa under a special dispensation, will have to return home at the expiry of the permits unless they acquire special skills visas that qualify them to stay on. These are part of an estimated 800,000 Zimbabweans staying in South Africa, most of them illegally and surviving on menial jobs where they are often taken advantage of by unscrupulous employers.... Read more...

The employer will be fined anything between R 7000.00 to R 50, 000.00 per illegal worker and as previously mentioned the employer can be arrested for 12 months or more depending on the severity of the case. So how are the amounts determined or how are you sentenced to prison? • An employer would need to prove that he or she was unaware that the applicant in question was an illegal foreigner. You need to prove to the Department of Home Affairs that you thought the immigrant was an ordinary South African citizen. • Assisting an illegal foreigner in one of the following ways would increase the severity of your case: helping them obtain false or forged identification, giving them a place to stay or teaching them a particular skill. • Not telling the truth.... Read more...

o Want to know more about work visas: o Who is defined as an illegal worker? • Can you employ someone without a work permit? o What are the visa options for applicants? • What are the consequences of hiring illegal immigrants in South Africa? • What is the fine for employing illegal workers in South Africa? o So how are the amounts determined or how are you sentenced to prison? • Can I employ a Zimbabwean without a work permit? • Do illegal workers have any rights? o 1. What you need to know about work permit South Africa. 2. Apply for work permit South Africa for Zimbabweans 3. Apply for a work permit South Africa for Malawians Who is defined as an illegal worker?... Read more...

1. A person who has not entered South Africa through one of its official ports and presenting the necessary documents. 2. A person who is not undertaking the same job as endorsed in the visa. 3. A person who is not using a work permit in SA. Can you employ someone without a work permit? No, you are not allowed to employ someone without a South African work visa as this is illegal and the company or person can be fined or face imprisonment. The responsibility falls on the employer when they decide to employ a foreigner and the law does not penalize the foreigner for accepting or working with no visa. It’s not an offence when you do the following:... Read more...

Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi says the South African government cannot rope in the United States (US) to help deal with the Afghanistan nationals seeking asylum in South Africa. Motsoaledi briefed Parliament following the legal battle between the Department of Home Affairs and the Afghan nationals. An American non-government organisation (NGO) took the department to court after the asylum seekers were refused entry at the Beitbridge Border Post in Limpopo on 16 February.... Read more...

Many foreign nationals leave their country to seek a better life in South Africa or immigrate to join their spouse, life partner or family. People who live in Africa leave their homes due to many reasons such as; poverty, fear for their lives and finding a job in a different country to support their families back home. A popular choice for foreign nationals is South Africa and as such seek employment when they have arrived in the country. In most cases, the foreigner in question does not qualify to apply for a South African work visa or any other type of visa and is therefore stuck in the dilemma to work without a work permit to survive.... Read more...

The South African work visa system is currently in the worst shape it has ever been, says Marisa Jacobs and Eden Ben-Attar, experts from work permit and ex-pat solutions firm Xpatweb. The state of the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) and its failure to get foreign internationals their working visas issued correctly and timely has made south Africa a less friendly country for investors, they said. “Other countries get certain visa categories issued at record speed and with high proficiency. The current system places foreign investors in a difficult spot, as they need to be prepared for a frustrating process and a bit of a fight to get their visa,” said Xpatweb.... Read more...

THE South African government says it will not oppose a court application by representatives of children of Zimbabwe Exemption Permit (ZEP) holders who are in school. Some schools in South Africa were preventing the learners from registering due to the uncertain legal status of their parents. Last week, the ZEP Holders Association (ZEPHA) filed an urgent application in the Pretoria High Court claiming that children of ZEP holders, who had grown up and attended school in SA, were being denied registration at a number of schools in SA.... Read more...

There was chaos outside the Home Affairs office in Cape Town CBD yesterday as workers went on strike over a wage dispute. Hundreds of mense coming for applications and collections were left stranded, including a couple who came to get married. Members of the National Education Health and Allied Workers Union (Nehawu) shut down Home Affairs in Barrack Street after their demand for a 10% salary increase was denied. Western Cape Nehawu secretary Baxolise Mali told the Daily Voice they’ve been at loggerheads with the government since last year after the state offered a measly 3% increase.... Read more...

Durban - Nineteen foreign nationals, 14 of which are from Bangladeshi, while five are from Pakistan, appeared in the Nelspruit Magistrate’s Court this week for contravention of the Immigration Act. Another suspect, Juliah Isangs, was also arrested together with the 19 suspects but will appear in a separate case, according to Hawks spokesperson Captain Dineo Segkotodi. Sixteen of the suspects were identified as: Sopnil Sopnil, 22, Arifuzzamans Arifu, 28, Shariu Ilah Shafiulla, 38, Muhammed Bilal, 34, Islen Ferhadul, 24, Mahammed Ali, 34, Bifoy Rayhanul Infaque, 29, Uddio Mohin, 25, Addin Giyas, 44, Morud MD, 27, Islam Saiful, 35, Hossan Saddam, 32, Mohammed Abdullah, 21, Sharaz Ahmed, 34, Shanzol Dulah Hossain, 45 and Mahammed Alfan, 28. The names of the other suspects were not captured by police. It is understood that none of the 19 suspects speak English.... Read more...

South Africa is a popular destination for many foreigners who would like to visit or be employed in the country and thus citizens from Zimbabwe are always seeking employment opportunities in the country. In 2020 Zimbabwean President Lazarus Chakwera requested that the SA government introduce special immigration visas for his citizens that are employed in SA. The process for applying for a work permit in South Africa is a daunting process and foreign applicants are often confused about where they should start. Not all applicants will qualify for a visa to be employed... Read more...

So currently there are two ways that a work visa can be forged and it’s important to understand the differences. Once you understand the different methods of fraudulent ways then you have a starting point to investigate from. 1. A work permit can be forged to look like a real visa, but this has not been printed and entered into the Department of Home Affairs system. So there is no record that it has been issued and details of your particulars.... Read more...

Cape Town, The Department of Home Affairs (DHA) is overwhelmed by a visa backlog crisis of 40 365 applications for permanent and temporary residence. Minister Aaron Motsoaledi revealed these numbers in a parliamentary response to DA MP Adrian Roos. The minister said the delays dated back to 2016 and were exacerbated by Covid-19 travel restrictions and the pandemic-induced state of disaster. Roos had posed a question about the current visa processing backlog and the details of DHA plans to eradicate it.... Read more...

A man has appeared in court after a hostage drama at the Department of Home Affairs’ offices in Elim outside Louis Trichardt. Amukelani Baloyi (26) stormed the Home Affairs offices in Elim and pointed a pistol at a female security officer at the registry desk, forcing her into an office where there were four Home Affairs officials, said district manager Zamba Maluleke. The hostage drama played out over several hours last Friday, with hostage negotiators being called to the scene from Pretoria in the afternoon. “He was frustrated and blamed the department for delaying his birth certificate application,” said Maluleke.... Read more...

The Department of Home Affairs has been given 30 days to register the birth of Tebogo Khoza, a stateless man born in South Africa. The Pretoria high court found that since Khoza first attempted to have his birth and status as a South African citizen recognised in 2013, he had been sent from ‘pillar to post’ by the department a situation that forced him to live in limbo. The Pretoria high court has ordered the Department of Home Affairs to register the birth of a man who has spent the last decade struggling to have his presence in South Africa recognised. In a judgement handed down on Monday 27 February, the court found that the department had failed in its mandate to assist Tebogo Khoza, a stateless orphan, in obtaining South African citizenship.... Read more...

The Western Cape High Court declared sections of the Refugees Act unconstitutional. • Western Cape High Court Deputy Judge President Patricia Goliath has declared sections of the Refugees Act unconstitutional. • According to the act, asylum seekers who do not renew their visas within one month of the date of expiry are considered to have abandoned their asylum applications. • The judge said that the essence of the minister of home affairs’ argument was that most asylum seekers are not genuine and use the process to “avoid meeting the requirements of immigration laws”. The Scalabrini Centre of Cape Town has won a significant victory against the minister of home affairs in the Western Cape High Court, which has declared sections of the Refugees Act unconstitutional. The sections in question provide that asylum seekers who have not renewed their visas within one month of the date of expiry are considered to have abandoned their asylum applications.... Read more...

The short answer It depends. The South African Nursing Council will recognise your qualification if it meets certain criteria. The whole question I am an asylum seeker with a nursing diploma from my country of origin. Does my diploma have any value in South Africa? Can I work here? Can I go to university? The long answer In the first place, asylum seekers do have the right to look for work in South Africa. But as to what value your diploma has in South Africa, that is a question that can only be settled by the South African Nursing Council (SANC).... Read more...

Phindile Mazibuko hasn’t been able to travel, open a bank account or apply for citizenship for more than 10 years after Home Affairs flagged her ID document. Thousands of other people are in the same situation. When Phindile Mazibuko was informed by her bank in 2012 that her identity had been stolen, she had no idea that the incident would still be hanging over her head more than 10 years later. For over a decade, Mazibuko has been fighting for the Department of Home Affairs to unblock her identity document, which was “marked”.... Read more...

Lawyers for Human Rights in legal battle with Home Affairs over 10-year limbo identity document case Phindile Mazibuko hasn’t been able to travel, open a bank account or apply for citizenship for more than 10 years after Home Affairs flagged her ID document. Thousands of other people are in the same situation. When Phindile Mazibuko was informed by her bank in 2012 that her identity had been stolen, she had no idea that the incident would still be hanging over her head more than 10 years later. For over a decade, Mazibuko has been fighting for the Department of Home Affairs to unblock her identity document, which was “marked”.... Read more...

OVER the next four months, around 178 000 Zimbabweans will be coming home from South Africa as their special Zimbabwe Exemption Permits expire with President Mnangagwa, while not underestimating the strains of relocation, seeing this large group as a huge resource to accelerate Zimbabwe`s development. To understand his optimism, we need to think just who these 178 000 are. They range in age from small children to people of retirement age, but most are skilled adults in the midst of their working life who are earning a living legally in South Africa.... Read more...

The South African Revenue Service (SARS) has announced that the new online traveller declaration system that grants a travel pass via email is planned to be implemented at all airports in the country. The new system was successfully trialled from 29 November 2022 as phase 1 of the project at King Shaka International Airport, SARS said.... Read more...

Trevor Noah may call South Africa home, but that hasn`t stopped him from being a tourist in his country of birth. The comedian has been in SA since he surprised the audience during Kevin Hart`s Reality Check stand-up show in Pretoria in mid-February. On Wednesday, Noah shared two videos and a photo of a day well spent in Cape Town, including a trip up Table Mountain and lounging on the beach at the Grand Café. `Every time I think I remember how beautiful Cape Town is, I visit again, and I`m constantly left in awe,` Noah wrote in the caption.... Read more...

Tom Cruise was honoured with the David O. Selznick Achievement Award by the Producers Guild of America on 26 February. Accepting the award, the actor stood up on stage and said: `My whole life, I wanted to make movies. I wanted to travel the world. I wanted adventure.` The actor said he`d worked since he was a child, and he`d use the money he made to go to the movies. `I just got back from filming in South Africa,` he added. `It`s an absolutely stunning country. `And there is a beautiful philosophy it`s Ubuntu.`... Read more...

The issue of illegal immigration in South Africa might never be solved in the next 100 years to come. While hardworking South African citizens are crying out to the government to solve illegal immigration, some greedy South Africans are busy making millions of rands by selling passports to illegal immigrants. According to reports, four Home Affairs officers have been convicted and sentenced by the White River Magistrate’s Court in Mpumalanga for fraud and corruption in connection with the issuing of South African passports to illegal foreign nationals from Bangladesh and Pakistan. These people betrayed their fellow countrymen just for money, without thinking about the consequences of their actions.... Read more...

Department of home affairs says it will abide by the Pretoria high court’s ruling after initially refusing the people entry The department of home affairs said it will abide by a Pretoria high court order granting 22 Afghans fleeing the Taliban access to SA on asylum transit visas. “The DHA [department of home affairs] will abide by the ruling of the court and take all necessary steps to give effect to the ruling,” said spokesperson Siya Qoza. “The decision to abide shows the DHA respects the rule of law. “However, this should not be interpreted as opening floodgates for spurious asylum claims. “The DHA will not hesitate to fight the cases in court, as it has done in this instance.”... Read more...

Home Affairs has again been urged to ensure that the National Health Laboratory Service conducts free DNA tests for indigent South Africans where such a test is required to prove one’s South African citizenship. This follows the Munyai twins’ struggle to be identified as South Africans. Their father struggled for three decades to obtain their birth certificates. Now 31 years old, both Lebo and Lebogang Munyai finally received their birth certificates. Their father raised them after their mother abandoned them in a hospital two weeks after they were born. But for three decades, he’d been tossed around by Home Affairs. They needed him to prove his paternity before he could apply for their birth certificates. After obtaining DNA results from a local GP, Home Affairs still refused to recognise it.... Read more...

OVER the next four months, around 178 000 Zimbabweans will be coming home from South Africa as their special Zimbabwe Exemption Permits expire with President Mnangagwa, while not underestimating the strains of relocation, seeing this large group as a huge resource to accelerate Zimbabwe`s development. To understand his optimism, we need to think just who these 178 000 are. They range in age from small children to people of retirement age, but most are skilled adults in the midst of their working life who are earning a living legally in South Africa.... Read more...

The short answer Possibly. In terms of the 2018 judgement in the Naki case, Home Affairs should accept and consider your application. The whole question I was born in South Africa, although my parents are foreign. I am currently undocumented and cannot further my studies (I have completed matric). I only have a birth clinic card. My father returned to his country and my mother has disappeared. The only family I have left is my father`s younger brother who has a valid South African ID. What can I do to get documented?... Read more...

Why does one do this Obtaining permanent residency is your ticket to securing a full-time residency in South Africa. This alleviates the headache of renewing your visa every few years while still enabling you to enjoy every moment of your stay in South Africa. This is why we call it “Permanent” residency. It is important to make sure that you look after your PR certificate.... Read more...

Home Affairs Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi believes a US Non-Governmental Organisation is trying to use the legal system to undermine and ambush South Africa’s sovereignty. Motsoaledi has reacted to an order by the High Court in Pretoria that government grants asylum to 22 Afghan nationals. The order was issued on Friday after lawyers representing a United States-based NGO approached the court on behalf of the 22 Afghan nationals. The NGO argued that the group might be victimised by the Taliban regime which took power in August 2021.... Read more...

JOHANNESBURG - In South Africa, you may only apply for an identity document when you`re 16 and above but, that`s about to change. Cabinet has approved a new bill that will allow citizens to get their IDs at the age of 10. The National Identification and Registration Bill of 2022 is now open for public comment. The Bill also seeks to lay out an integrated digital national identification system, to keep a record of both SA citizens and foreign nationals.... Read more...

A 40-year-old Zimbabwean man has been sentenced to 15 years behind bars for possession of commercial explosives. The Musina regional court sentenced Luckmore Harunashe on Friday. Hawks spokesperson Capt Matimba Maluleke said Harunashe and Zorodzai Ignatius Mukonzamariro, 31, were arrested on the N1 between Musina and Makhado in September 2022. Maluleke said the Beitbridge police task team was tipped off about a blue Toyota Condor transporting explosives.... Read more...

President Cyril Ramaphosa has again reaffirmed the government’s intention to introduce a remote working visa repeating a promise made a year ago to help solve South Africa’s growing skills crisis. Despite the stated intention, however, the president has given no further details on the plan, nor any timelines associated with it. Meanwhile, repeated comments from the Department of Home Affairs on the matter show that zero progress has been made to make these visas a reality. Responding to several parliamentary Q&As in 2022, Home Affairs minister Aaron Motsoaledi stated plainly that there are no provisions for such a visa in South Africa’s laws as such, there are no plans to launch one.... Read more...

There are numerous legal agreements South African couples can enter into instead of the “traditional” marriage. Which legal agreement a couple wants to enter depends on what suits their relationship. Some may want to get married, but with adjustments to suit their needs. Others may want to live together without getting the government involved. Michael Visser, a legal advisor at Legal&Tax, explored different legal agreements for couples.... Read more...

Though they`re helping reduce government red tape, the task team has limited power, and is working on fixing this, along with defining what red tape is. If you’ve been wondering what President Cyril Ramaphosa’s Red Tape Reduction task team has been doing after the president announced it during last year’s State of the Nation Address, the short answer is: not much. According to the Parliamentary Monitoring Group (PMG), the Red Tape Reduction task team in the Presidency met with the Small Business Development Committee on 16 November for a brief on its progress.... Read more...

The short answer Yes, if they are dependent, aged between 18 and 23, and studying. They`ll need temporary residence first. The whole question I have been living in South Africa since 2007 as a diplomat with my children. They were minors when we moved. Now that they are adults, they want to apply for permanent residency here. What are the conditions for them to achieve this?... Read more...

Some H-1B visa holders may soon be eligible to renew their visas without being obliged to leave the country after the US State Department has announced that it is looking forward to further easing these visa procedures. According to an announcement provided by Mint, all employees working in the United States through the H-1B and L-1 visa programs will soon be eligible to renew their status domestically, following the pilot program that was introduced by the State Department earlier this year, VisaGuide.World reports. However, despite the fact that the new changes will bring significant benefits to their holders, it has still not been confirmed how many renewal applicants the new pilot program is eligible to accommodate.... Read more...

• The Department of Home Affairs launched a new appointment booking system last year. • But citizens in the Western Cape have complained about poor service delivery and communication. • It appears that the website may also have been affected by glitches in the past. Ten months after the Department of Home Affairs launched a new online appointment booking system at select offices across the country, South Africans have described `chaos` and poor service delivery at branches in the Western Cape. The department launched its Branch Appointment Booking System (BABS) in May last year.... Read more...

The immigration officers at CSMIA approached the police and got an offence registered against Mumbai: Man with bogus papers deported from South Africa, booked | representative pic Mumbai: The Sahar police have booked a 29-year-old Gujarat native after he was deported by South African immigration officials as they found that his Permanent Resident Permit Card was forged.... Read more...

President Cyril Ramaphosa has again reaffirmed the government’s intention to introduce a remote working visa repeating a promise made a year ago to help solve South Africa’s growing skills crisis. Despite the stated intention, however, the president has given no further details on the plan, nor any timelines associated with it. Meanwhile, repeated comments from the Department of Home Affairs on the matter show that zero progress has been made to make these visas a reality.... Read more...

China will lose half its population by the end of the century. The population decline is a warning for the US and Europe. (Alyssa Powell/Insider) • China`s National Bureau of Statistics announced that its population shrank in 2022 by roughly 850,000 people. • Strong growth in its working-age population over the past several decades allowed China to become the world`s factory. • Fewer children and fewer immigrants means fewer workers in the long term. The country`s shrinking population is a grim omen for the rest of the world. China`s population is shrinking. While the massive country is still home to 1.4 billion people` nearly one out of every five people on Earth China`s National Bureau of Statistics announced that its population shrank in 2022, falling by roughly 850,000 people.... Read more...

• Statistics SA released data for foreign tourist arrivals, enabling a picture for the whole of 2022. • In December 2022, South Africa only received 69% of the foreign visitors it had in December 2019, before the pandemic. • In 2022, total foreign arrivals were at 70% of 2019 levels, overseas arrivals at only 60% of 2019 levels, and arrivals from other African countries at 73% of 2019 levels. While foreign visitors to South Africa in December 2022 increased significantly since the previous year, the number is still at only 69% of visitors in December 2019 - before the pandemic. This is according to data on arrivals in December 2022 that was released by Statistics SA on Tuesday. Looking at data for the entire year, the only source market that exceeded its 2019 level in 2022 was Russia. Compared to 2019, arrivals from Russia in 2022 jumped to 107%.... Read more...

Many South Africans are being stripped of their South African citizenship when they voluntarily obtain citizenship in a second country. Gary Moore, a Senior Researcher at the Free Market Foundation, said that thousands of South Africans are having their citizenship stripped, with many, if not most, not knowing. Moore looked at a 2021 application made to the Pretoria High Court for an order to declare Section 6(1) of the Citizenship Act constitutionally invalid. Section 6(1) states that South Africans will automatically lose their citizenship if they voluntarily obtain citizenship of another country a continuation of apartheid law. However, the South African Constitution states that no citizen may be deprived of citizenship.... Read more...

Apply for eVisa The South African eVisa for Ethiopians is now live. Ethiopia is one of 14 countries whose citizens can get a visa for South Africa online. The electronic visa was launched in February 2022. The new eVisa makes it easier to travel from Ethiopia to South Africa. Ethiopians can apply for a visa online and receive the approved permit by email. Information about the South Africa eVisa requirements for Ethiopians, and how to apply only, is provided on this page.... Read more...

Are foreign nursing diplomas valid in South Africa? The short answer It depends. The South African Nursing Council will recognize your qualification if it meets certain criteria. The whole question I am an asylum seeker with a nursing diploma from my country of origin. Does my diploma have any value in South Africa? Can I work here? Can I go to university?... Read more...

The Canadian government has updated its Immigration Levels Plan for 2023-2025, showing that the country is desperate to draw skilled workers from other countries to its shores. Canada made an announcement in October 2020 that it would seek to welcome over 400,000 new immigrants per year moving forward, or about 40,000 more per year than its previous targets. The revised outlook for 2022-2024 showed that the country expected to draw 430,000 new immigrants each year. In the 2023-2025 update delivered on Tuesday (1 November), this target has been pushed to 500,000 new immigrants by 2025. It expects to welcome 435,000 immigrants in 2022.... Read more...

The short answer Yes because you do not have to live together. There is no minimum period of marriage either The whole question I am a US citizen, and have just married my South African partner, in South Africa. In one of your previous answers, you said that to apply for a life partner visa you need to live together for two years. My husband and I live in separate countries but I want to emigrate to SA to live with him.... Read more...

This follows a directive by Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi stating that the six-month extension of the Zimbabwean Exemption Permits (ZEP) would be the last extension, bringing the ZEPs to an end come June 30.According to the “Country Report South Africa: Complementary pathways and the Zimbabwean Dispensation Project” authored by UCT associate professor Dr Fatima Khan and UCT’s refugee rights unit, this will impact 178000 holders of the temporary protection permit. The permits were due to expire on December 31, 2022, prior to the extension granted.The ZEPs were the government’s temporary response to the large numbers of Zimbabweans entering the country from 2008 due to economic and political precarity, placing strain on the asylum-seeker system.... Read more...

The short answer Yes, but you should include an affidavit explaining the circumstances of your birth. The whole question When I was born, my mother had to stay in the hospital for a long time. My aunt took care of me and registered my birth using her ID number, rather than my mother`s. Now I am 17 and need to apply for my own ID, but my mother and I are struggling to find my aunt or a copy of her ID. The only supporting document I have is my clinic card. Is there a way for me to apply for my ID without my aunt?... Read more...

A surprising trend is emerging on the South African emigration scene: female entrepreneurs are leading the pack when it comes to business immigration applications. According to Nicholas Avramis, a licensed Canadian immigration from Beaver Immigration, female business owners make up more than half of the applications for Canadian business visas. “In the last two years, we have noticed that more and more inquiries and application filings are coming from South African females. They are leveraging their innovative ideas and talents to immigrate to Canada.” According to Avramis, the only licensed Canadian consultant based in South Africa, Canada’s Start-Up Visa program is the go-to visa program for immigrant entrepreneurs; it is also ideal for female innovators.... Read more...

The short answer When the visa expires, the member can apply to withdraw their provident funds. Claiming UIF might be trickier, unless the courts find a solution. The long answer SARS issued a Tax Directive on 27 July 2022 regarding withdrawing provident or pension fund benefits if “emigrating” in terms of an expired visa (as such a benefit would be taxed):... Read more...

South Africa and Lesotho will convene an inaugural Bi-National Commission (BNC) this year as the two countries work on strengthening ties, while the latter is seeking an extension of the Lesotho Special Permit (LSP) that expires at the end of the year. This came out of the meeting between President Cyril Ramaphosa and Lesotho Prime Minister Sam Matekane in Pretoria on Saturday. This was their first meeting since Matekane came into office in October last year. In 2021, the two countries signed a framework of cooperation and now they want to upgrade it into a fully-fledged BNC.... Read more...

How can you get a late registration of birth certificate and ID if you are an orphan with no family? The short answer You need to find some proof that you were born in South Africa and that at least one of your parents was South African. The whole question My friend does not have a birth certificate, so he cannot get an ID. He has no parents or family to vouch for him, and the school that he went to says all the records got destroyed when they rebuilt. He wants to get married, so what can he do?... Read more...

Can I apply for a work permit even if I am unemployed? The short answer You could apply for a critical skills permit or a general work permit (if you get a job offer). The whole question I lost my job due to the pandemic in 2020 but I am a semi-skilled auto-electrician with a certificate from the Polytechnic Institute Bulawayo, Zimbabwe. I still want to stay in South Africa.... Read more...

How can I adopt my minor relative`s baby? The short answer You should contact the Department of Social Development, but the baby needs a birth certificate first. The whole question My 14-year-old sister-in-law left her baby on my doorstep - she is too young to care for the child. She gave me the clinic card and all the papers she has for the baby. How can I adopt the baby?... Read more...

How can asylum seekers and refugees apply for temporary residence from inside South Africa? The short answer You can get exemption by applying to Home Affairs for a Waiver of Regulation 9(5). The whole question I have been in South Africa as an asylum seeker since 2007. I want to get a residence permit so that I can enjoy the same rights as other permanent residents. I read in one of your previous responses that asylum seekers are allowed to apply for temporary residence from within the country by asking for exemption. How can I do this?... Read more...

The short answer It may be that your mother and children and the separated wife and her children are both entitled to inherit. The whole question My mother, my siblings and I lived with my father in his house although he was married to another woman. There is a lobola letter for my mother. Can we change the title deed to my or my mother`s name?... Read more...

The short answer Legal permission to work in South Africa is accessed by getting a visa. In you case it can be a relatives visa, spousal visa or life partner visa The whole question How I, a Zimbabwean man, can get a visa to be able to stay in South Africa and care for my seven-month-old child and her mother, when my critical skills visa expires in March and I cannot renew it as the skills list was changed this year.... Read more...

As it is now possible for travelers from select countries to obtain a South African eVisa online, it is important to understand the requirements before submitting an application, including whether there are any South Africa visa photo specifications that must be met. Foreign citizens who need to apply for a South Africa tourist visa from an embassy are also advised to familiarize themselves with the expected visa photo size and how many photos are required to submit a completed application.... Read more...

Apply for eVisa Indians can now apply for a South African visa online. The South Africa eVisa for Indians went live in February 2022. Thanks to the South African eVisa, it’s now easier to travel from India to South Africa. The application process is 100% online and travellers receive the approved visa by email. On this page, tourists can find out about the South Africa eVisa requirements for Indians and how to apply. Do Indian passport holders need a visa for South Africa? Yes, Indian passport holders need a visa for South Africa. Only holders of diplomatic, official, and service passports from India can enter South Africa visa-free.... Read more...

Najjemba had approached the court to review and set aside the decision of the Minister of Home Affairs who had deemed her a prohibited person in terms of the Immigration Act. woman’s appeal against being listed on the Visa Entry and Stop List (V-list) has been successful in the Western Cape High Court to be reviewed by the Department of Home Affairs. This comes after Florence Najjemba’s workers and relative visa was allegedly fraudulent after it expired. She had only found out about this when she tried to travel to Botswana.... Read more...

Residents in Durban have to redo their applications at the department of Home Affairs due to lost data because of load shedding. department of Home Affairs’ online system has been experiencing data loss due to load shedding in the past few weeks. CITIZENS HAVE TO REDO APPLICATIONS There are growing concerns that load shedding could be affecting data capturing at the department of Home Affairs. This comes after applications were allegedly deleted. This was discovered by the (Democratic Alliance) DA during a visit to the Bronkhorstspruit Home Affairs office in Pretoria. It has led the DA to look into the matter in KwaZulu-Natal.... Read more...

What does an immigration consultant do? Table of Contents • What does an immigration consultant do? o Does South African Immigration Consultants need to be registered to assist me? o Am I guaranteed a visa through a South African Immigration Agent? o What can a migration agent do for me? o Is it necessary to make use of a South African Immigration Consultant to apply for visas or permits? o I’ve Been Scammed Before and really don’t trust an Immigration Consultant? South African Immigration Agents or South African immigration consultants are individuals who assist you in applying for any South African visa type or permit. You may have used an immigration agency before or choose not to make use of one depending on the budget. The use of an immigration firm means you were assigned an immigration agent or immigration consultant to handle your visa application.... Read more...

The Constitutional Court finalised a seven-year legal battle fought by Lawyers for Human Rights on behalf of four people born to SA parents outside the country. The case centred on the Citizenship Amendment Act of 2010 and how it applied to people born outside of South Africa before January 2013. Justice Sisi Khampepe slammed the Department of Home Affairs, describing its conduct in the matter as `brazenly incompetent`. Children born in other countries are entitled to South African citizenship as long as one parent is South African, the Constitutional Court has ruled.... Read more...

The Western Cape High Court is being asked to develop common law legislation to permit unmarried couples in life partnerships to claim maintenance from one another in the event of a separation. As the law stands, the right is reserved only for heterosexual couples who are legally married. The development sought is aimed at providing a remedy for maintenance upon the termination of a permanent life partnership, in circumstances where the parties had undertaken reciprocal duties to support one another during the existence of the partnership. A woman, whose relationship with her partner and the father of her three children has broken down, is trying to claim maintenance from him.... Read more...

The Covid-19 pandemic has proven to be yet another stick in the spokes for the department of home affairs, further delaying processes that were already slow and inconsistent, and causing despair and disruption for thousands of people and businesses. In addition, an apparent lack of will to rectify the situation is costing the state millions in unnecessary legal fees as unsuccessful applicants head to the courts to appeal.... Read more...

Is this the beginning of the end for personalized creativity? If you spend enough time online, you would have seen the AI-generated pictures of black alternative people at a rave or maybe you’ve even created some fun AI art of your own in the recent past. AI, also called machine intelligence, is defined as a sector within computer science that primarily focuses on elevating, building and managing computerized technology. AI technology is also created with the intention of autonomously making decisions and carrying out actions on behalf of a human.... Read more...

Section 10 of Births and Deaths Registration Act has been declared unconstitutional. Getty Images • The Constitutional Court has declared a section of the Births and Deaths Registration Act unconstitutional. • The section does not allow an unmarried father to register his child`s birth under his surname, unless the mother gives consent or is present. • A ConCourt judge says there is no justification for differentiating between married and unmarried fathers. The Constitutional Court has declared section 10 of the Births and Deaths Registration Act - which does not allow an unmarried father to register his child`s birth under his surname, unless the mother is present or gives consent - unconstitutional.... Read more...

The Eastern Cape High Court in Gqeberha has found a regulation that was stopping undocumented fathers from being registered on their children’s birth certificates unconstitutional. The regulation affects the rights of thousands of children simply through the circumstances of their births, Judge Mbulelo Jolwana said. He said it was “irrational” and it had never gone through a parliamentary process. The rights of citizens cannot be subject to the whims or attitudes of officials in government offices, the judge said.... Read more...

The Western Cape High Court is being asked to develop common law legislation to permit unmarried couples in life partnerships to claim maintenance from one another in the event of a separation. As the law stands, the right is reserved only for heterosexual couples who are legally married. The development sought is aimed at providing a remedy for maintenance upon the termination of a permanent life partnership, in circumstances where the parties had undertaken reciprocal duties to support one another during the existence of the partnership.... Read more...

SA passport makes gains on global index News24 | 11 Jan 2023 Global investment migration consultancy Henley & Partners compiles a quarterly passport index. The South African passport has moved up on the index to take 53rd spot after Egypt was added to the visa-free destination. The SA passport offers visa-free access to 106 of 227 destinations measured by the index. The South African passport has moved up on a global index ranking to take the 53rd spot with its visa-free access offered to 47% of the world`s destinations.... Read more...

A couple has won a court battle to have a regulation in the Birth and Deaths Registrations Act declared unconstitutional and invalid. • A South African woman and her Bulgarian partner have won an application to have a regulation in the Birth and Deaths Registrations Act declared unconstitutional. • Judge Mbulelo Jolwana in the Eastern Cape High Court found that it imposed discriminatory conditions for fathers who are unmarried and may be undocumented foreigners. • The home affairs minister and department were ordered to pay the costs of the application.... Read more...

In the past, prior to the amendments to the Immigration Act, it was possible for an illegal foreigner to “legalise” or “regularise” him/herself from within South Africa by making payment of the requisite fine. This is no longer the case and we are constantly encountering foreigners who find themselves illegally in South Africa with little hope of rectifying their situation. The current dilemma In many cases, these illegal foreigners elect to depart South Africa and contest any ban issued to them from outside of the country. This involves the submission of an overstay appeal to the Department of Home Affairs (“DHA”). A number of foreigners, however, simply have too much invested in South Africa and are unwilling to depart the country for fear of incurring a ban that may or may not be overturned... Read more...

BERLIN -- Germany`s socially liberal government is moving ahead with plans to ease the rules for obtaining citizenship in the European Union`s most populous country, a drive that is being assailed by the conservative opposition. Chancellor OIaf Scholz said in a video message Saturday that Germany has long since become “the country of hope” for many, and it`s a good thing when people who have put down roots in the country decide to take citizenship. “Germany needs better rules for the naturalization of all these great women and men,” Scholz said.... Read more...

A regulation preventing the naming of a foreign, unmarried father who is in South Africa illegally on his child’s birth certificate is unconstitutional, the Eastern Cape High Court in Gqeberha has ruled. Judge Mbulelo Jolwana said the regulation, which provides that a foreign father of a child born out of wedlock must submit a copy of his valid passport, visa, permit, permanent residency, ID document or refugee identity document in order to be registered, was not only irrational but was contrary to the best interest of the child. It was also at odds with the Births and Deaths Registration Act which imposed no such rule.... Read more...

New development with respect to spouse / life partner application needs pictures of spouse/ life partner and applicant , the SA spouse must be physically present on day of application. No excuses. This info was sent to vfs today they will action wef 1 Feb 2023 . It will be signposted on website and offices accordingly . As an aside you and I will understand why, the fraudulent SA life partner s who cry foul and say they stole my ID when caught out will be exposed as well as the syndicates... Read more...

A South African-born child aged 13 will next week start school in Croatia after her father won a legal battle against his estranged wife to take his daughter with him while he assists Ukrainian refugees in that country. The child’s mother was shortly before Christmas ordered by the South Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg to allow the child to live with her father abroad. Judge Shanaaz Mia ordered the mother to sign all the necessary documents relating to her daughter’s relocation. If the mother refused to sign the documents, the sheriff of the court was entitled to do so on her behalf, the order read. Not only did the mother lose her battle for her child to remain here, but she was also instructed by the court to foot her husband’s legal bill. Judge Mia made it clear that the interest of a child will always prevail. In this case the child made it clear she wanted to go to Croatia with her father, with whom she had a better relationship.... Read more...

A father of three who lives in Texas in the United States said to have subjected his children to a nomadic life and who is so controlling that he even watches his children’s weight lost his legal bid in a South African court to have his children returned to him.... Read more...

- A father of three who lives in Texas in the United States said to have subjected his children to a nomadic life and who is so controlling that he even watches his children’s weight lost his legal bid in a South African court to have his children returned to him. The father launched proceedings in the Johannesburg High Court in terms of The Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction Act, to have his children returned. The purpose of the Convention is to protect children from the harmful effects of their wrongful removal from the country of their habitual residence to another country, or their wrongful retention in another country.... Read more...

Apply Now for Temporary Residence even with EXPIRED LOCKDOWN PERMITS The Constitutional Court handed down a judgement in the Ahmed matter as well as a Court Order opening the door for Asylum Seekers and Refugees to apply to change their status to temporary residence visa . Contact us now before this fantastic opportunity is lost .... Read more...

How can we help you , please email us to info@samigration.com whatsapp message me on: +27 82 373 8415, where are you now? check our website : www.samigration.com... Read more...

For 12 years, Zimbabwean Martha Muhamba* has had to find a way to ensure that she remains in South Africa because, when she moved to the country in 2010, her mission was to `find work, make money` and send her child `to a decent school`. While Muhamba has been able to find employment since her first year in South Africa, the 42-year-old tells City Press that she has never been in possession of a work permit and the only documentation she has is her Zimbabwean passport, which she has managed to keep valid with border post stamps, even though she has not left South Africa for more than a decade.... Read more...

South Africa is a country that welcomes much-needed foreign investment. Therefore, a section of South African immigration legislation deals specifically with foreign individuals wishing to conduct business in the country or invest in a South African company. If you are trying to start your own business, take over an existing business, or invest in a company in South Africa, you need to apply for a Business Visa. Furthermore, you will need to invest a prescribed financial capital contribution, and at least 60% of your workforce needs to be South African.... Read more...

Family members of a South African citizen or permanent resident can apply for a temporary residence Relative Visa if they fall within the first or second line of kinship. This visa applies to the following: • Spouses • Life partners • Parents • Children • Siblings Life partners (heterosexual or same-sex) of a South African citizen or permanent resident must provide comprehensive and satisfactory evidence that their relationship is at least two years in length to apply for the Relative’s Visa.... Read more...

Anyone traveling to South Africa will need a visa to enter the country; be it for a holiday, visiting family, joining a partner, living, working, or studying. However, some countries are exempt from this rule. When traveling with a child under 18, you should always check the current South African visa requirements and child policy as these sometimes change. From 8 November 2019, for instance, foreign children traveling with their parents no longer need to present parental consent letters or birth certificates. Nonetheless, it can’t hurt to keep a parental consent letter and birth certificate handy just in case.... Read more...

While processing times for visas under this category vary, they typically take up to 60 business days from the date of submission. However, it can take up to 10 days to process the Visitor’s Visa and Holiday Visa. When applying for a Temporary Residence Visa, you must meet the following criteria: • Hold a valid passport with at least two blank pages, which only expires a month after your intended departure date from South Africa • Ensure your temporary residence permit remains valid • Submit the online application and required documentation at any VFS.Global visa facilitation center or at the South African embassy in your country of residence or citizenship... Read more...

We explain how to apply for the correct visa for South Africa based on your situation. South Africa is a beautiful and culturally diverse country that offers unique experiences and exciting opportunities for all. However, many tourists and migrants wanting to cross her rugged shores must first apply for a South African visa if they are planning to visit, live, work, or study in the country; or perhaps join a relative or partner there. Furthermore, your nationality and reasons for coming to South Africa will dictate what type of visa you need. Luckily, this guide is here to explain the conditions of each type of visa for South Africa to help you choose the correct permit. But before we delve into that, it’s important to know that this information serves only as a guideline.... Read more...

Many undocumented children of immigrant parents are struggling to get placements at South African schools. The online school registration placement system requires documentation, and most public schools insist on it. Private schools will accept undocumented children, but the fees are too high for most parents. It is 10:00, and 9-year-old Michael is begging at a set of traffic lights in Johannesburg. Most children his age are back at school after the holidays. But Michael is undocumented. He has not been in school since 2021, when he used to attend a private school. His family could not afford to keep him there, and the school also gave him notice that he should provide some documentation if he wanted to continue classes, GroundUp reported.... Read more...

Newsletters are always the best way to keep our clients informed of the rapid changes in the immigration world and we can update you in this regard by you subscribing to our free newsletter.... Read more...

A couple has won a court battle to have a regulation in the Birth and Deaths Registrations Act declared unconstitutional and invalid. Stock image • A South African woman and her Bulgarian partner have won an application to have a regulation in the Birth and Deaths Registrations Act declared unconstitutional. • Judge Mbulelo Jolwana in the Eastern Cape High Court found that it imposed discriminatory conditions for fathers who are unmarried and may be undocumented foreigners. • The home affairs minister and department were ordered to pay the costs of the application.... Read more...

It is not uncommon for a rental property owner or landlord to decide to put the property up for sale. The question then arises as to what happens to the tenant. While it is usually advisable that landlords or property owners wait until the end of the lease before they sell the property, that is not always possible. According to rental agents from the Seeff Property Group, tenants should be aware of their rights in such a case. There are certain legal rights, but the rental agreement should also make provisions for this as a safeguard. The first aspect is that the property owner is always free to sell at any time, but the lease agreement will remain valid and in full force until its expiry date. The property owner cannot cancel the lease because of the sale. Only a breach on the part of the tenant can result in legal action and cancellation.... Read more...

In a world where your passport dictates where you can live, travel, and work, there`s a semi-frozen haven open to citizens of all countries �` no complicated visa or employment permits required. Svalbard, a Norwegian archipelago 500 miles from the North Pole, is home to the world`s northernmost human settlement. The 2,300 residents of the capital, Longyearbyen, include people of over 40 different nationalities, few of whom are `from` Svalbard, per say. That`s because you`re not allowed to give birth on Svalbard �` one of the many strange rules that govern existence on the remote collection of islands covered by ice.... Read more...

This is how attracting Chinese tourists can help SA industry recover, suggests hospitality expert News24 �` 09 January 2023 China had the world`s largest outbound tourism market before the pandemic. China is about to open its borders for international travel after imposing strict travel bans when the Covid-19 pandemic started. In 2019, the number of outbound Chinese tourists peaked at nearly 155 million, of which just over 93 000 chose SA. The national chair of hospitality industry body, Fedhasa, says the Chinese market can help the SA tourism industry recover.... Read more...

Can I get an ID if I was born in SA to foreign parents but my uncle has a valid South African ID? SA Migration | 10 Jan 2022 The short answer Possibly. In terms of the 2018 judgement in the Naki case, Home Affairs should accept and consider your application. The whole question... Read more...

Temporary Residence Visa South Africa 2022 and 2023 SA Migration | 09 Jan 2023 What Is a Temporary Resident Visa? You might be interested in moving to South Africa and wondering “What is a temporary resident status”? A temporary residence visa allows a foreign national to legally stay in South Africa for longer than 90 days and a maximum of up to five years. Many people choose to emigrate to our beautiful country and make this their new home because we have the perfect climate plus many more things to excite you. The most important thing to consider when emigrating is applying for a temporary visa to settle here.... Read more...

Relatives permit for immigration to South Africa SA Migration | 10 Jan 2023 What is a Relatives permit or visa for immigration to South Africa The South African Immigration Act allows applications for permanent residence from those who have a first kin relationship with either a South African Permanent Resident or Citizen. This category of permit is known as a relatives permit. You can learn more about the relatives permit by viewing the below information, or if you prefer the human touch simply call us on any of the above numbers, request a call back here, or email your enquiry.... Read more...

South African government has presented an open invitation to Nigerian business leaders, and skilled workers to the country. Bobby Moroe, the South African Consul General announced this on Monday, January 9, 2023, at a roundtable with the Lagos business community. According to him, South Africa is ready and open for business and has worked to ease the plight of Nigerians seeking visas to enter the country. Moroe who was represented by Ntakuseni Lambani, head of immigration at the Consulat also disclosed that South Africa will now issue long-term visas of up to ten years to proven Nigerian businessmen.... Read more...

SAPS captain arrested after she allegedly detained foreign nationals, demanded R10 000 for their freedom IOL | 11 Jan 2023 Pretoria �` Three suspects, including a female police captain have been arrested on charges of corruption, defeating the ends of justice, extortion and kidnapping. Police in Mpumalanga have identified the trio as Tshidi Anastacia Mamareko, 56, Santi Madoda Khumalo, 44, and Albert Ramuchu, 41. The suspects, one woman and two men, were nabbed in Witbank on Monday afternoon, after they had received money in a bid to release undocumented foreign nationals they had arrested, according to Mpumalanga police spokesperson Colonel Donald Mdhluli.... Read more...

SUPREME COURT OF APPEAL OF SOUTH AFRICA MEDIA SUMMARY �` JUDGMENT DELIVERED IN THE SUPREME COURT OF APPEAL The Registrar, Supreme Court of Appeal | 25 November 2020 STATUS Immediate The Minister of Home Affairs and Others v Jose and Another (Case no 169/2020) [2020] ZASCA 152 (25 November 2020) Please note that the media summary is intended for the benefit of the media and does not form part of the judgment of the Supreme Court of Appeal. Today the Supreme Court of Appeal (the SCA) dismissed an appeal by the first to fourth appellants, collectively referred to as the Department of Home Affairs (the DHA), against a decision of the Gauteng Division of the High Court, Pretoria (the high court).... Read more...

Court rules on stateless children The Mercury | 10 Jan 2023 As long as we live in a world that is territorially organised into national states, a stateless person is not simply expelled from one country; they are expelled from humanity CHILDREN born to foreign nationals and raised in South Africa are South Africans, the Supreme Court of Appeal has said. In the ground-breaking judgment, the court quoted political theorist and philosopher Hannah Arendt in the opening to the judgment, saying “citizenship is more fundamental than civil rights”.... Read more...

Citizenship is a right, not a concession Mail & Guardian Thought Leader | 10 January 2023 The removal of citizenship, and permanent residence, from South Africa’s statute books is the holy grail of a political conspiracy hatched somewhere in the deep state of the department of home affairs. Its cabal hides behind the façade of the 2017 white paper on international migration, which it authored. The 2017 white paper contains the foundational architecture of a radical ideological transformation of the democratic state as we know it into a tribal fiefdom where constitutional norms and entrenched legislative processes, and legal practitioners, are nothing more than hindrances to the achievement of its objectives.... Read more...

ANC national executive committee (NEC) member David Mahlobo said this was one of resolutions taken by the party’s peace and stability commission during its 55th national elective conference. JOHANNESBURG - The African National Congress (ANC) said the country’s migration laws must be overhauled. ANC national executive committee (NEC) member David Mahlobo said this was one of resolutions taken by the party’s Peace and Stability commission during its 55th national elective conference.... Read more...

Can an adult apply for South African citizenship through their informally adoptive father? SA Migration | 09 Feb 2022 The short answer If her de facto father was assumed to be her biological father, the child would qualify for South African citizenship by descent The whole question Dear Athalie What is the legal status of a child who was born in Zimbabwe to a Zimbabwean mother who then married a South African man living in Zimbabwe at the time? The South African husband gave the baby his name and signed her birth certificate. Can the child apply for South African citizenship through her informally adoptive father, and can the father could legally adopt her, given that she is 22 years of age?... Read more...

Anomalies in the issuing of permits and visas to foreign nationals: Aaron Motsoaledi 09 January 2023 - #SABCNews The Ministerial Committee Reviewing Permits and Visas has found a lot of wrongdoing on the part of the Department of Home Affairs in the issuing of these documents. It has recommended the appointment of a multi-disciplinary task team to conduct a full investigation of fraudulent applications, corrupt activities as well as maladministration that have been picked up. The... Read more...

There would be good cause for pessimism if we were doing much of the right stuff, while still remaining stuck in the current mess. The purpose of this article is to highlight the substantial challenges that we should be addressing, and, in so doing, appreciate and understand the significant opportunities that exist by successfully addressing just some of these.... Read more...

Global immigration news Smith Stone Walters| 3 January 2023 This week, the Global Immigration team at Smith Stone Walters would like to highlight the following recent updates from the European Union, Ireland, Lithuania and New Zealand. European Union: Croatia becomes latest Schengen country The European Council has decided to extend the Schengen Area to Croatia, but not yet to Bulgaria or Romania. From 1 January 2023, checks on persons at internal land and sea borders between Croatia and the other countries in the Schengen area will be lifted. Checks at internal air borders will be lifted from 26 March 2023, given the need for this to coincide with the dates of IATA summer/winter time schedule. From 1 January 2023, Croatia will also start to issue Schengen visas and will be able to make full use of the Schengen Information System.... Read more...

This week, the Global Immigration team at Smith Stone Walters would like to highlight the following recent updates from the European Union, Ireland, Lithuania and New Zealand. European Union: Croatia becomes latest Schengen country. The European Council has decided to extend the Schengen Area to Croatia, but not yet to Bulgaria or Romania. From 1 January 2023, checks on persons at internal land and sea borders between Croatia and the other countries in the Schengen area will be lifted. Checks at internal air borders will be lifted from 26 March 2023, given the need for this to coincide with the dates of IATA summer/winter time schedule. From 1 January 2023, Croatia will also start to issue Schengen visas and will be able to make full use of the Schengen Information System... Read more...

A ban on foreigners buying residential property in Canada took effect on Sunday, aiming to make more homes available to locals facing a housing crunch. Several exceptions in the act allow individuals such as refugees and permanent residents who are not citizens to buy homes. In late December, Ottawa also clarified that the ban would apply only to city dwellings and not to recreational properties such as summer cottages. The temporary two-year measure was proposed by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau during the 2021 election campaign when soaring prices put home ownership beyond the reach of many Canadians.... Read more...

In 2014, the Department of Home Affairs decided to update the immigration regulations and made major changes which affected many foreign nationals. One of the changes was how to apply for a general work visa. Previously candidates or employers had to place an advert in a local newspaper, obtain their SAQA certificate and lastly apply for a salary benchmarking certificate. So after the immigration regulations, employers had to obtain a certificate from the Department of Labour before they could apply for a General Work Visa. If you need information on how to apply for a general work Visa in South Africa, then our blog post has all the information you need.... Read more...

Why does one do this Obtaining permanent residency is your ticket to securing a full-time residency in South Africa. This alleviates the headache of renewing your visa every few years while still enabling you to enjoy every moment of your stay in South Africa. This is why we call it “Permanent” residency. It is important to make sure that you look after your PR certificate. While obtaining your permanent residency is a joyous occasion, it is important to be able to produce a proof of permanent residency (PR) upon request.... Read more...

Hundreds of Nigerians are now exploring other destinations after Dubai in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) slammed a total visa ban on them in October. Daily Trust Saturday reports that before the ban on Nigerian businessmen, Dubai had first tightened visa requirements for applicants from Nigeria. For now, only Nigerians with diplomatic passports and few others have easy access to Dubai. Dubai was hitherto the destination of choice for many Nigerians for many purposes, including business, education, leisure and medical tourism. But following the ban, many Nigerians are now travelling to Egypt, Morocco and other countries.... Read more...

The court has delivered a groundbreaking judgment which opens the door for foreigners working in South Africa who have children born on local soil. Previously, they had to leave the country after breaking up with their spouses. Story continues below Advertisement In terms of sections of the Immigration Act, foreigners’ spouse visas terminated once their relationship with their South African spouses ended. This meant that they either had to leave the country, even if it meant leaving their children behind, or they had to reapply for a visa to remain in the country. However, they could only do so from outside the country. Various applicants, who come from countries such as France, Switzerland, Germany and Zimbabwe, turned to the Western Cape High Court to have the relevant sections of the act declared unconstitutional.... Read more...

With a spotlight on corruption at immigration level, in the form of falsified visas and bribery, this has only made the topic more sensitive.With unemployment figures at an all-time high and South Africa facing numerous economic challenges, the department of home affairs (DHA) and the department of labour are again taking steps to curb the employment of illegal foreign nationals living in the country. With a spotlight on corruption at immigration level, in the form of falsified visas and bribery, this has only made the topic more sensitive. Consequently, the DHA has taken action and established an anti corruption unit comprised of immigration experts, lawyers and forensic investigators, in the hopes that employment practices towards foreign nationals will be put under scrutiny.... Read more...

Chicken franchises are among the most popular - and expensive - takeaway businesses to buy in South Africa. Much of this has to do with demand - South Africans collectively eat around 1.92 million tonnes of poultry, or up to 16 birds each, per year. And several brands, like KFC, Nando`s, and Chicken Licken, have made a good business of getting South Africans to buy even more in ready-to-eat formats. The country`s top takeaway chicken spots pull crowds with familiar branding, strong marketing campaigns, and popular recipes and preparation methods. Many of these branches are franchisee-owned and run - and even the leading brands still have some locations available to buy.... Read more...

A young man left in legal limbo after his parents never registered his birth has appealed to the Gauteng High Court, Pretoria, for help. The Department of Home Affairs had simply ignored his plight over the past nine years to be registered as a South African citizen. Tebogo Khoza said since he turned 16 in 2013, he had tried in vain to be registered as a South African. He said he was born here and has never left the country since birth. While the department said it would assist him, nothing came of it.... Read more...

As an update to the withdrawn centralized processing of long-term visa applications, consular posts are now processing and issuing long-term visa applications that were included in the centralized adjudication process at the Department of Home Affairs between January 12, 2022 and August 31, 2022.... Read more...

Move expected to help clear backlog of about 11,500 applications and could ease process for up to 300,000 Kiwis Australia will lower requirements for New Zealanders to obtain permanent residency. Photograph: Lisa Maree Williams/Getty Images The Australian government has lowered the bar for New Zealanders who have applied for permanent residency. Under changes announced by the home affairs department, New Zealanders who applied on or before 10 December for a subclass 189 visa will no longer face hurdles related to income, period of residence and health conditions.... Read more...

A new report by the recruitment group Michael Page has highlighted a strong demand for specific professional skills in South Africa, noting that global companies are poaching experienced South African staff while local employers are looking for candidates with the same talent. Michael Page Africa, a division of the UK-headquartered PageGroup, recruits managers and senior executives on the African continent. Based on data captured by the group from job advertisements and insights from consultants, it has compiled a new report on the most in-demand skills and experience needed within various sectors of South Africa.... Read more...

Pretoria - A judge was outraged by the conduct of the director-general of Home Affairs, who for years simply turned a blind eye towards an elderly German couple’s desperate plight to retire in South Africa. The couple fully qualify in terms of the law to obtain permanent residency here, yet their application was turned down by the department. Western Cape High Court Judge Vincent Saldanha said he considered holding the official personally liable for the legal costs. He commented that the court noted the egregious conduct of the official for the manner in which he had conducted this litigation and in handling the couple’s application. Jakob Maier, 80 and his wife Maria, 78, dearly want to retire in Cape Town, where they bought a house about 11 years ago.... Read more...

Burundi’s immigration policies for other Africans have improved significantly, with the country’s visa openness ranking rising by 32 places in the year and becoming the second most open country in the East African Community (EAC) bloc. According to a new report by the African Development Bank (AfDB), Burundi’s rise, mostly since 2021, is a result of Bujumbura accepting all travellers from Africa into the country either on visa-free travel (all East Africans) or visas on arrival (all other Africans). Burundi does not have electronic visas yet, but it does not require Africans to apply for entry permits before travelling to its territory. Burundi’s decision to allow all Africans to travel without visa applications helped it rise from position 44 to 12, making it one of the most improved countries on the continent’s visa openness ranking alongside Benin, Nigeria and Ethiopia... Read more...

Pretoria - Come Wednesday when the country’s schools open for the 2020 academic year, no school may turn a pupil away - local or foreign - if they do not have IDs, permits or passports. This is after a judgment delivered on December 12 by the high court in Grahamstown in which it declared the admission policy of the Department of Basic Education unconstitutional where it barred undocumented children - both South African and non-national children - from attending school because they were undocumented. The judge president of that division, Judge Selby Mbenenge, ruled that the department acted unconstitutionally in not permitting children to continue receiving education in public schools, purely because they lacked ID documents.... Read more...

Pretoria - A judge gave the Department of Home Affairs a tongue lashing for wasting taxpayers’ money by not doing its work and ignoring applications made by the public. He said these ended up in the courts, usually with the taxpayers footing the legal bill on behalf of the department. Judge MP Phooko, sitting in the Gauteng High Court, Pretoria, said it was time “Home Affairs got its house in order”. He pointed out the courts were flooded with applications from people who could not get any answers from the department, regarding their legal status in the country. In the latest such application, British citizen Jonathan Firth applied nearly four years ago for permanent residency with the department. After he did not receive any response from the department two years later, he instructed a lawyer to assist him. The lawyer wrote letters to the department requesting information regarding the status of Firth’s application, but there was no response.... Read more...

The timelines for winding up an estate have improved since the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic but are still likely to take longer than before Covid, as pandemic backlogs and other problems persist.A year was a good expectation for an estate where the deceased left a sound will and the estate was dealt with by an experienced executor, Angelique Visser, Fiduciary Institute of Southern Africa (FISA) National Councillor, says.... Read more...

Contractors will be entitled to statutory holiday pay, minimum wage, and vacation pay, Ed Canning writes. It is a given that the pandemic had a dramatic impact on the working world for many people. Among those are people who lost their employment and decided to become consultants. They set themselves up as independent contractors, covering their own taxes and simply invoiced their clients on a fee-for-service basis. More than a few of these consultants decided they liked working from home too much, and when the employer demanded a return to the office, they resigned and set up their own consulting businesses.... Read more...

`Dear valued clients, As we come to the end of another year, we wanted to take a moment to reflect on the past year and express our gratitude for your continued support and partnership. Sa Migration has had a successful year thanks in no small part to your loyalty and trust in our products and services. We are grateful for the opportunity to serve you and to be a part of your success.... Read more...

Pretoria - A Zimbabwean citizen who had been kicked out of South Africa and deported back to Zimbabwe has received an early Christmas gift. The Gauteng High Court, Pretoria has ordered Home Affairs to allow Gibson Tawodzera back into the country At the time, Home Affairs had, out of the blue, 13 years after his South African wife had died, insisted that the marriage was all along a sham.... Read more...

Life Partner visa is issued to someone in a long term relationship. This type of South Africa life partner visa is available to people in either heterosexual or same-sex relationships and can apply for a life partner temporary residence visa or a permanent residence depending on the length of the relationship in question. An application for temporary residence life partner visa requires that the partners are in a proven relationship for 2 years. Foreigners who are life partners of South African citizens or permanent resident holders may apply for permanent residence if they have been together for 5 years or more in terms the Immigration Act.... Read more...

With just six months before the time is up for those in South Africa living under the Zimbabwe Exemption Permit (ZEP), there are mixed feelings among Zimbabweans, with some wishing for a further extension, while others contemplate going abroad. The government announced that it would terminate the ZEP on 30 June 2023, a decision that will affect about 180 000 Zimbabweans residing in South Africa. As early as October, the Zimbabwean government announced that it was prepared for its nationals who were coming home to start a new life and would assist them with transport and other logistics. While there has been no sign of it backing its words with action, there has been an influx of travellers from South Africa into Zimbabwe.... Read more...

The public including school children stand in long queues, even on rainy days. The public is frustrated with poor service at the Department of Home Affairs office in Port Shepstone. Some have done online applications and allocated a date to visit its offices. However, on arrival they are told to go home as it had enough people in the queue for that specific date. According to a Shelly Beach resident who did not wish to be named fearing intimidation, she was sent back three times after standing in a long queue for an entire morning.... Read more...

The Curious Case of the 1997 Exemption Permits 2021 has started on a busy note in terms of the South African immigration landscape. The Border Management Agency began its work having been signed into law by the president in December, a draft critical skills list has been published and now the Minister has vowed to take steps to review and investigate visas and permits irregularly issued over the years and its only February. It has been my expectation that the immigration in the post COVID-19 era would be characterised by a dramatic increase in enforcement activities of DHA.... Read more...

Despite the courts on Monday ruling that the United Kingdom`s intended deportation of illegal immigrants to Rwanda was legal, the policy remains opaque, shrouded in secrecy, a breeding ground for corruption, and has no guarantee of solving the UK`s immigration crisis, says Yvette Cooper, a Labour Party legislator. Speaking uninterrupted for five minutes in the House of Commons on Monday, Cooper made it clear that she did not support the Rwanda deal for which Home Secretary Suella Braverman was lobbying. `The government has failed to stop criminal gangs putting lives at risk and proliferating through our borders. They failed to prosecute or convict the gang members and failed to take basic asylum decisions which are down by 40% in the last six years... Read more...

Two brothers born in South Africa to Angolan refugees still face an uphill battle for citizenship despite a high court order. The matter is now in the Supreme Court of Appeal. 11 November 2020: From left, Cristina Sunda with her sons Joseph ‘Chris’ Jose and Jonathan Jose on the pavement in Yeoville, where they sell vegetables. After failing to keep up with the payment of his tuition fees, Jonathan Jose dropped out of university after six months. He has now joined his mother on the streets of Yeoville in Johannesburg, selling vegetables outside the Shoprite on Raleigh Street every morning.... Read more...

In a satisfying victory for Pro Bono & Human Rights Practice, on Wednesday 25 November, the Supreme Court of Appeal (the SCA) resoundingly dismissed the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) appeal against the judgment of the Gauteng High Court in the matter of the Minister of Home Affairs and Others v Jose and Another (169/2020 [2020] ZASCA 152 (25 November 2020). The High Court had found in the brothers’ favour and ordered the Minister to grant them citizenship within 10 days of its order.... Read more...

We understand that navigating the complex immigration system of South Africa is a daunting process and can cause your anxiety levels to jump through the roof. The process alone is frustrating and being notified that your visa application was rejected will make you panic. There are many reasons why your visa application has been refused and 9/10 times the reason for rejections is because of a document which could have been omitted by you.... Read more...

A successful immigration policy needs to be based on secure borders. We need a practical and sustainable procedure for bringing people to the United Kingdom whose skills are needed or to unite with settled families. We need safe and legal routes to bring people here who are genuinely escaping danger or persecution and have a legitimate claim to a secure haven in the UK rather than another destination. We need an efficient and fair way for processing the claims of applicants and removing those who have not reached the threshold, and an effectively functioning department of government to operate it all with pragmatism and compassion.... Read more...

There are also reports that Operation Dudula is selling jobs held by Zimbabweans to South Africans. The latest court action opens up another front in a legal battle between Zimbabweans facing potential deportation next year and the Department of Home Affairs. Image: AdobeStock The Zimbabwe Exemption Permit Holders Association (Zepha) heads to court next week seeking an urgent interdict to stop banks and schools in South Africa from harassing Zimbabweans who are under threat of deportation once the Zimbabwe Exemption Permit (ZEP) system expires in 2023.... Read more...

New Zealanders pushing for pathways to Australian citizenship will lobby Treasurer Jim Chalmers and Home Affairs Minister Clare O’Neil in Canberra this week, as more than 11,000 Kiwis remain stuck in a years-long visa processing backlog. After Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and his New Zealand counterpart Jacinda Ardern pledged renewed co-operation between the two countries in June ` including progress on citizenship and enhanced voting rights ` campaigners say applicants for the 189 visa stream were left languishing by the former Morrison government.... Read more...

Johannesburg - Birth registration is a fundamental human right as it triggers the ability to access other rights. South Africa’s regulatory framework is premised on the fact that one’s residence status determines whether a child’s birth can be registered or not. The registration of children born to foreign nationals, who are not permanent residents or refugees, is subject to the provision of valid documentation. Senior Associate in the Pro Bono and Human Rights practice at law firm Cliffe Dekker Hoffmeyr, Elgene Roos, said the consequences of not being documented can be far-reaching and result in a child not being able to access basic services that they are entitled to under the Constitution.... Read more...

• South Africa`s Department of Home Affairs is struggling with a major visa backlog. • The backlog includes more than 56,000 applications across all visa categories. • Home Affairs hopes to have cleared these by June 2024. • In the meantime, average turnaround times for visas have grown far beyond what the department`s performance plan dictates. South Africa`s Department of Home Affairs (DHA) is battling its way through a vast backlog of visa applications, which it hopes to have cleared by June 2024. Home Affairs is drowning in outstanding visa applications. This backlog, made worse by the department`s disastrous decision to centralise the adjudication of long-term visas, has led to longer processing times, frustrated foreign applicants, and missed work opportunities.... Read more...

The department of home affairs has reversed a decision to centralise the adjudication of long-term visas. • That plan lasted for only a couple of months, and did not go at all well. • Embassies ` previously accused of sometimes endangering national security or harming the economy ` are now back in charge. As of 1 September, South Africa is no longer centralising the adjudication of long-term visas, the department of home affairs (DHA) confirmed on Tuesday. That brings to an end a fraught six-month period for those who applied for such visas, previously handled by individual South African missions abroad, and makes consular officials responsible again for deciding who is let in to South Africa Visa specialists Xpatweb first noted the reversal on the weekend, saying it expected an announcement from the department on the transitional arrangement for visas already in process.... Read more...

Just 6,000 applications from an estimated 178,000 people had been received by September Only 3% of the estimated 178,000 Zimbabweans living in SA under the special exemption permit had applied for alternative visas by September, home affairs minister Aaron Motsoaledi said on Tuesday.... Read more...

Qatari nationals are now eligible to travel to the European Union’s Schengen Zone countries without being required to apply for a visa at first. Such a decision has been confirmed by the European Parliament, SchengenVisaInfo.com reports. According to the Brussels Morning Newspaper, the European Parliament Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs voted in favour of Qatar, while only 16 Members of the European Parliament voted against it. The new decision has been taken amid the World Cup 2022.... Read more...

(a) What is the current backlog across all visa categories, (b) what has been the average response time for each visa category and (c) by what date does his department envisage to have cleared the current backlog with regard to all visa categories?... Read more...

I am surprised I do not hear of any nominations for the Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi to become the president of the ANC after all the xenophobic workouts that kept him busy and propelled him suddenly into the headlines in the past few months. But then again that is not unexpected regarding the ANC cadre of today. These so-called leaders sleep the term, only to wake up a few months before an election with exaggerated little details of little importance. And if they are not sleeping, they are either shocked or rushing to scenes, and this is the highest standard of service delivery and governance.... Read more...

The ZEPs are expected to expire in June next year following an extension by the home affairs department. The Helen Suzman Foundation’s (HSF) challenge of Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi’s decision to terminate the Zimbabwe exemption permit (ZEP) will reportedly be heard in April 2023, two months before they expire. The director of the foundation Nicole Fritz told TimesLive on Monday that a three-bench panel of judges would hear the matter. “We are disappointed that hearing dates could not be secured earlier in that we are anxious to have the matter heard by the courts and for a just resolution to be determined,” Fritz was quoted as saying.... Read more...

Qatari nationals are now eligible to travel to the European Union’s Schengen Zone countries without being required to apply for a visa at first. Such a decision has been confirmed by the European Parliament, SchengenVisaInfo.com reports. According to the Brussels Morning Newspaper, the European Parliament Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs voted in favour of Qatar, while only 16 Members of the European Parliament voted against it. The new decision has been taken amid the World Cup 2022.... Read more...

Department of Home Affairs has been urged to hasten the processing of the asylum appeal backlogs which the Department says stands at 131 190 cases. The department has opted for an email appointment booking system for new asylum applicants, of which 31 973 still need to be processed. While the department said that the rationale behind the email appointment booking system was to work through the two-year backlog, Adrian Roos, a member of the Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs, said that of the 131 190 applications which remain unfinalised, since 2019 less than 1000 had been finalised.... Read more...

Home Affairs queues are notoriously long with many people getting turned away at the end of the day without getting help or even stepping into the premises. Nathi, a 24-year-old from the south of Durban, has made it his livelihood to make the people’s trip to these offices as convenient and stress-free as possible....at a price. The young man wakes up just after midnight and carries 10 chairs to the nearest Home Affairs branch and waits for individuals he can sell the spots to. “I don’t usually get up at the same time, so occasionally there is a short line when I arrive. I charge R100 for each spot,” he says.... Read more...

Asylum seekers are not getting the required documentation timeously, leaving them vulnerable to deportation. (Archive photo by Ashraf Hendricks, GroundUp) • Refugee and asylum seekers face challenges with the Department of Home Affairs` online system, Lawyers for Human Rights told the Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs. • It means they don`t get the required documentation timeously, leaving them vulnerable to deportation. • Furthermore, there is a reluctance to process children, exposing them to `structural xenophobia`. Refugees and asylum seekers in South Africa have problems with the Department of Home Affairs` online system, leaving them vulnerable to deportation and their children to `structural xenophobia`, Lawyers for Human Rights told Parliament.... Read more...

ChatGPT is a new chatbot that answers questions in a conversational, human-like way. People shared conversations with ChatGPT, showing it writing social media posts and explaining code. It reached over one million users in five days ` but has its limitations. A new artificial intelligence chatbot called ChatGPT is answering questions and taking instructions from users in a conversational, human-like way. OpenAI ` the company that`s also behind AI-art generator Dall-E ` launched an early demo of ChatGPT last week and amassed over 1 million users in five days, according to Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI. ChatGPT is not only conversational, but well-versed in a large range of topics. It can create code, social media posts, and even scripts for television shows.... Read more...

Cape Town - South Africa’s border posts will see a boost in security personnel, including Public Order Police (Pops) who will work overtime to curb threats and risks over the festive season. The major economic and migrant route, Beitbridge, will have an additional capacity of 30 Pops and four Sars-customs security personnel, Lebombo will receive 88 Pops and eight Sars-customs security personnel, the Maserubridge port will get 16 Pops and six Sars-customs security personnel, and Ficksburg 16 pops and four Sars-customs security personnel.... Read more...

Zimbabweans are being subjected to 19 hours of power cuts a day, because there is insufficient water in the Kariba dam to drive the nation’s main hydropower plant. The worst outages since 2019 are wreaking havoc, causing snarl-ups in Harare, the capital, where most traffic lights are no longer working, and interrupting mobile phone services because batteries used to run base stations don’t have time to recharge. Supermarkets, restaurants and some other businesses rely on generators to keep operating, but they are unable to run them perpetually for an extended period.... Read more...

TROIS-RIVIERES, CANADA - Long viewed as a multicultural and inclusive nation, Canada admitted recently that its immigration system is tinged with racism and concern has risen over high rejection rates for African students. `I have met people who have had their visas refused more than five times,` even though they had been accepted by Canadian universities, says Serge Nouemssi, white coat and pipette in hand. Originally from Cameroon, the 33-year-old biology student has been working on his doctorate for more than three years in a laboratory at the University of Quebec at Trois-Rivieres (UQTR).... Read more...

On Friday, the US credit rating agency Fitch maintained its view on South Africa, while S&P boosted its outlook on Eskom from `negative` to `stable`. This is thanks to an expected transfer of some of Eskom`s debt to government. Fitch said South Africa`s finances are constrained by high and still rising government debt, weak growth and high inequality. But it also has a `favourable` government debt structure, which is mostly in rand (not foreign currencies) and with long maturities. In addition, the country has a `credible` monetary policy framework. The agency noted `substantial recent over-performance on fiscal revenues and the government`s strong efforts to control expenditure`, which if successfully continued, could bring about debt stabilisation.... Read more...

VFS Global has introduced the IDP application service at its visa centres in Johannesburg, Pretoria, Cape Town and Durban. Durban - The Automobile Association (AA) said that they have partnered with VFS Global, and overseas travellers will now be able obtain their international driving permits (IDPs) through any one of four VFS Global application centres in South Africa. VFS Global introduced the IDP application service in September at its visa centres in Johannesburg, Pretoria, Cape Town and Durban. The AA said IDP applications will be managed by VFS Global on its behalf as it is the only authorised issuer of IDPs in South Africa. IDPs are regulated by the UN. An IDP allows eligible applicants, with a South African driver’s licence, to drive vehicles in foreign countries. In addition, IDPs are another form of identification and are valid in more than 150 countries.... Read more...

Find out how SA Migration can help you plan your immigration route, should you wish to settle in the UK eventually. Getting married in the UK? South Africans coming to the UK to get married cannot do so while on the UK Visitor Visa. The UK Marriage Visitor Visa is available specifically for persons who want to come to the UK to get married, register a civil partnership in the UK, or give notice of a marriage or a civil partnership in the UK. However, it is important to note that you will not be allowed to stay or settle in the UK after the marriage or civil partnership while still on this visa. We strongly recommend that readers looking to get married in the UK speak to a SA Migration consultant, to help them plan their immigration route, should they wish to settle in the UK eventually. Below we have answered some of the most FAQs on the UK Marriage Visitor Visa.... Read more...

It`s impossible to deport 15 million people; here`s what can be done to make them leave. South Africa`s immigration crisis has reached crisis proportions. The majority of South Africans support returning foreigners to their countries of origin. Many South Africans want illegal immigrants sent home, but some experts say it`s impossible to send back all 15 million of them at once. This was posted on a Twitter account: `Fifteen million illegal immigrants cannot be returned home. The logistics and cost would make it impossible.... Read more...

Before the “new” immigration regulations were introduced in 2014 for South Africa, there were different ways and means that one could follow up on the status of their application online with the Department of Home Affairs. There were four specific ways you could track your application, but before we get into this let’s quickly review how the immigration regulations changed quite a bit.... Read more...

It is incredibly heartbreaking to know that your application for a visa has been rejected by the Department of Home Affairs and not to imagine the anxiety you must be feeling at this point. We understand all the effort you have dedicated towards this and now you need to deal with the rejection. It could feel like your dreams are crushed, but not to worry.... Read more...

You might have obtained your work permit recently and second-guessing whether your visa is valid or not, this is a tricky situation to be in. There are many people out there who pretend to be immigration consultants or immigration lawyers only to scam you and issue you with a fake visa. The worst is being arrested or being detained in South Africa for something that you are not responsible and the Department of Home Affairs is coming down hard on these individuals.... Read more...

We understand that navigating the complex immigration system of South Africa is a daunting process and can cause your anxiety levels to jump through the roof. The process alone is frustrating and being notified that your visa application was rejected will make you panic.... Read more...

We create a tailor-made immigration strategy for you . • We create a tailor-made immigration strategy based on your unique case. • We navigate the complex South African immigration system for you. • We stay with you from beginning to end. • • Immigration Services South Africa • Are you confident in applying for your own South African visa? • We ask this question because we have assisted hundreds of people who were applying for a visa on their own and 90% of their visas were rejected due to a number of issues with their required paperwork. We discovered that many people who were 100% confident that their required documents were correct had major flaws.... Read more...

The Expansion Worker Visa, is the best bet for any business owner outside the UK who wishes to establish a branch or subsidiary in the UK. Expansion Worker Visa brings more possibilities for SA businesses looking to expand in the If you are a business owner outside the UK and wish to send a manager/senior employee (up to a maximum of 5 managers/senior employees) to the UK to establish a branch or subsidiary of the overseas business in the UK, the UK’s Expansion Worker Visa might be the visa for you. It is important that the manager/senior employee is 18 years or older and already working for the overseas business. It’s also important that the UK branch or subsidiary is not already trading in the UK... Read more...

Find out what it would take for your child to get a university qualification from the UK and also stay there. Should you move to the UK? Why sending your child to a UK university may be better: The prospect of immigrating to the UK is very enticing but is it the best investment for your children? We break down how to study abroad in the UK and explain why it may be a better alternative to moving your family overseas. Many South Africans believe that moving to the UK is the best way to give their children a greater chance at success. But there is a way to give your child the brightest future without uprooting the whole family. Firstly, let’s consider a scenario where you move to the UK in the next few years.... Read more...

Care workers who want to work in the UK using the Health and Care Worker Visa have a deadline of 15 February 2023 to apply. Find out how Sa Migration can assist you. Care Workers wanting to work in the UK urged to apply: Image: Adobe stock Care workers wanting to work in the UK must take heed of the deadline of 15 February 2023 to apply for the UK Health and Care Worker Visa In February 2022, the UK Government included care workers in the Health and Care Visa route. The announcement was and is still good news for overseas care workers wanting to work in the UK.... Read more...

• Rwanda president has accused his counterpart of exploiting a violent crisis to delay elections. • Fighting between rebels and government forces in the Congo has heightened tensions with Rwanda. • Talks between the two countries resulted in a ceasefire, that paused the fighting for several days. Rwanda`s President Paul Kagame on Wednesday accused his counterpart in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) of exploiting a violent crisis in his country`s east to delay elections. Fighting in eastern Congo between government forces and M23 rebels has heightened tensions with neighbouring Rwanda, which the DRC accuses of abetting the militia - a charge Kigali denies.... Read more...

The UK is a very popular tourist destination for South Africans. Many South Africans want to visit friends and family in the UK; others want to experience the many tourist attractions the UK offers. South Africans who want to visit the UK have to apply for the UK Visitor Visa. SA Migration assist South Africans who want to visit the UK in applying for their visas. Below we have answered some FAQs on the UK Standard Visitor Visa.... Read more...

Parents who want to apply for British citizenship for their children but cannot afford can now do it for free. Good news to Migrants in the UK with Children: Image: Adobe stock This past month there were two developments that bode good news for migrants in the UK with children. Waiver of British Citizenship Fees for Children Parents who cannot afford the UK Home Office application fee for British citizenship for their children can now apply to get it for free. The fee waiver applications opened on 16 June 2022. The current Home Office application fee for British Citizenship for children is a hefty £1 012. One can apply to get the fee waived if one can prove that the fee is unaffordable. You must prove that paying the fee would compromise the child’s essential living needs. Essential living needs will, among others, include Housing, utilities, food, clothing, non-prescription medication, travel costs etc.... Read more...

Are you looking to make a career move ? Why not consider a career in the UK under the Skilled Worker visa route. UK Skilled Worker Visa Immigration Route The Skilled Worker Immigration Route is one of the most popular immigration routes for South Africans coming to the UK. There are, however, many misconceptions about how the route works in practice. The consultants at SA Migration have subsequently compiled some answers to the most Frequently Asked Questions on the Skilled Worker Visa Route. Do I first need to secure employment before I can apply for the Skilled Worker Visa? Yes. You first need to secure employment in one of the eligible Skilled Worker occupations with a UK registered sponsor employer before you are eligible to apply for it. The sponsor will provide you with a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS). This CoS will enable you to apply for the Skilled Worker visa... Read more...

South Africans who want to travel to the UK as tourists need to apply for a UK Standard Visitor Visa. UK Visitor Visa: All you need to know about the visa. It is also important to note that the processing time of UK Visitor Visas is currently about six weeks. So, it is important to plan and apply for your Visitor Visa in time. SA Migration have answered some of the most Frequently Asked Questions on the UK Standard Visitor Visa below. Will I be allowed to work while in the UK on the UK Visitor Visa? The Home Office is very strict on the rule that you cannot do paid or unpaid work for a UK company or as a self-employed person while on a visitor visa in the UK. However, they allow some business activities, such as attending interviews, meetings, conferences, etc. We recommend that you speak to one of our consultants to ensure that the work you intend to do falls within the allowed business activities. I have a long-term visitor visa for the UK. My daughter is in the UK and having a baby.... Read more...

According to EnjoyTravel.com, FIRE (Financial Independence, Retire Early) has gained real momentum in recent years. People are no longer waiting until their late sixties to retire and are practising extreme saving and investment so they can retire in their forties or even late thirties. This approach requires saving as much of your income as possible, living exceptionally frugally and paying off all your debt. Retiring or early retirement is all about enjoying the fruits of your labour and proper planning, right down to where you will retire to once you’ve managed this... Read more...

Cape Town - Fifteen million people are living without legal identity documents in South Africa, while 10000 local and foreign people are considered stateless, MPs were told. Lawyers for Human Rights (LHR) briefed the Home Affairs portfolio committee on these figures along with problems faced by migrants, the opening of refugee offices and backlogs. Comparatively, there were 3.9 million stateless people around the world, the lawyers said. LHR statelessness project head, Thandeka Chauke, stressed that 10 000 stateless people included South Africans and migrants, and that stateless children for migrants were not assisted by any consulate.... Read more...

South Africa has endless problems when it comes to the issue of illegal foreigners who just come as they please into the country. They buy their way into the country and because of the corrupt officials at the department of home affairs, things are just easy for them. South African officials sell out this country for just a few thousand and they forget that tomorrow it will be their children suffering.... Read more...

Is there any country in the world that is not having problems with Nigerians, from scams, drugs etc, sadly this is not doing the image of the country any good. It`s highest dream of every Nigerian to come to SA, just like Zimbabweans. Nigerians come to south Africa and later they go abroad using our documents claiming to be south Africans, once they are found doing crime in those countries it poses danger to south Africans who travel abroad because of Nigerians.... Read more...

Governmental organisations exist to serve the public, and they are run in line with a set of values that both staff members and residents are required to maintain. It implies that they must be able to offer residents effective services that make them happy every time they interact with a certain government agency, and they must be able to do so without indulging in fraud and corruption. However, it is not typically the case in South Africa. Many citizens frequently criticise the assistance they receive from government agencies, claiming that it is inefficient and that no one is being considerate or humble when assisting them. Not only that, but many also worry about the fact that some employees in these divisions demand a specific salary in order to provide persons with these services; if not, it becomes difficult for members of society to obtain help properly.... Read more...

Mike Abel is a leading marketing and advertising practitioner. He is Founder & Chief Executive of M&Saatchi Abel and M&C Saatchi Group of companies operating in SA. He is former CEO of M&C Saatchi Group, Australia and before that, co-led the Ogilvy South Africa Group as COO and Group Managing Director, Cape Town. Mike has been awarded Advertising Leader by the Financial Mail and Finweek and his company was named Best Agency in SA in 2015.... Read more...

There’s more to living in the UK than lush green countryside and English breakfasts. Prepare yourself for the realities of a move abroad by asking yourself these questions before you go. Questions to consider before you emigrate to the UK: Image: Adobe stock 1. Do you have the correct UK visa or work permit? You will most likely need a visa to live and work in the UK. The UK offers a number of visas so make sure you choose the right one for your needs. The Skilled Worker, Student, Ancestry and Spouse visas are among the most common.... Read more...

Pretoria - Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi told the portfolio committee on Tuesday that the country`s refugee and asylum-seeker system needed a complete overhaul as it failed to provide permits based on economic reasons. Motsoaledi was presenting progress made in addressing the backlog of more than 130 000 appeals against the refusal of refugee permits, which was the major cause of backlogs. He said most appeals were from those who fled their countries due to economic collapse.... Read more...

Cape Town - Fifteen million people are living without legal identity documents in South Africa, while 10000 local and foreign people are considered stateless, MPs were told. Lawyers for Human Rights (LHR) briefed the Home Affairs portfolio committee on these figures along with problems faced by migrants, the opening of refugee offices and backlogs. Comparatively, there were 3.9 million stateless people around the world, the lawyers said. LHR statelessness project head, Thandeka Chauke, stressed that 10 000 stateless people included South Africans and migrants, and that stateless children for migrants were not assisted by any consulate.... Read more...

According to EnjoyTravel.com, FIRE (Financial Independence, Retire Early) has gained real momentum in recent years. People are no longer waiting until their late sixties to retire and are practising extreme saving and investment so they can retire in their forties or even late thirties. This approach requires saving as much of your income as possible, living exceptionally frugally and paying off all your debt. Retiring or early retirement is all about enjoying the fruits of your labour and proper planning, right down to where you will retire to once you’ve managed this.... Read more...

Mass layoffs have left dozens of major tech firms and startups hemorrhaging workers ahead of the holiday season, capping off a year of shrinkage at those companies. That leaves thousands of former employees rushing to find new work in a currently contracting industry`a daunting task for U.S. citizens and a predicament with potentially life-changing consequences for laid-off workers on H-1B visas. The H-1B visa program is a temporary work pathway through which U.S. companies can employ highly skilled foreigners in `specialty occupations.` Per the Department of Labor, the program is meant to serve employers who otherwise aren`t able to `obtain needed business skills and abilities` from the American workforce. Visas are capped at 85,000 per year and are issued for three years, with the possibility of extensions. Once an H-1B worker has lost his job, he can only stay in the U.S. legally for 60 days unless he finds new work or reclassifies to a different visa.... Read more...

Operation Dudula wants to be joined in a court application by the Helen Suzman Foundation seeking a review of the lawfulness of the decision by home affairs minister Aaron Motsoaledi to terminate the Zimbabwe exemption permit (ZEP).... Read more...

This is such an astoundingly large number of people who have been caught and connected to illegal criminal activities, and it is unquestionably something that cannot be forgiven easily. On Thursday, the Gauteng police managed to arrest (150) suspects in Hilbrow while conducting operation O kae Molao. According to the reports, the Gauteng police conducted raids in Hilbrow apartments that have been believed to be harboring criminals. At least one hundred fifty suspects were taken into custody by the police after it was discovered that they were in possession of unlicensed firearms and ammunition. At this time, members of the general public are pleading with the authorities to make sure that the suspects are never allowed to be released from custody.... Read more...

Several Members of Parliament want the Department of Home Affairs to answer questions over statelessness, migrants and refugees following a parliamentary committee meeting on Tuesday. The Department of Home Affairs will appear before Parliament to answer questions about statelessness and assistance to refugees, as well as issues concerning DNA testing. This follows the committee chair’s decision that they will have to respond to questions put to them by Lawyers for Human Rights (LHR). This emerged on Tuesday during a meeting of Parliament’s Home Affairs oversight committee, with LHR, on migrant issues.... Read more...

The news that there are now eight billion people on earth raises concerns as the planet can only sustain between nine and 10 billion people, write the authors. In mid-November 2022 the eight billionth person will be born, according to the United Nations. In its analysis of this milestone, the UN makes two key observations. The first is that the global population has been expanding at its slowest rate since 1950. The growth rate dropped below 1% in 2020, a trend that is likely to continue. The second is that the growth in population has been due to the gradual increase in human lifespan owing to improvements in public health, nutrition, personal hygiene and medicine. It’s also the result of high and persistent levels of fertility in some countries. According to the UN, just eight countries are expected to be behind 50% of the population growth over the next 30 years. Five are in Africa: the Democratic Republic of Congo, Egypt, Ethiopia, Nigeria and Tanzania.... Read more...

President Cyril Ramaphosa shakes hands with King Charles III and Camilla, Queen Consort of the UK during his welcome ceremony at Horse Guards. Leon Neal/Getty Images • The UK will support South Africa`s green hydrogen plans with grant-funded technical assistance. • Furthermore, a $5 billion investment in developing a green ammonia plant in South Africa is expected to create local jobs. • President Cyril Ramaphosa is on a state visit to the UK this week. The UK government intends to support South Africa`s plans to develop a green hydrogen sector with grant-funded technical assistance. The announcement was issued on Tuesday morning as President Cyril Ramaphosa embarked on a state visit to the UK this week. The grant funding �` a figure of which has not yet been disclosed �` is part of the UK`s contribution to the Just Energy Transition Partnership.... Read more...

The Karoo has been attracting more buyers from big cities since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic and the remote work trend, with most of these new arrivals coming from Cape Town and Johannesburg, according to Seeff Property Group. The Klein Karoo`s small-town charm and scenic beauty continue to entice those looking for an escape from the big city. But it`s no longer just older couples and retirees moving into the area. Younger families from big cities are heading to the Karoo in search of `a more wholesome family environment`, said Ian Badenhorst, managing director for Seeff Country and Karoo. `Here, children can still play in the streets and ride their bicycles to school.`... Read more...

Netcare frets over nursing shortage as red tape leaves it turning away thousands of trainees News24 �` 23 November 2022 Netcare CEO, Dr Richard Friedland, says the group has been waiting for accreditation to train nurses for about three to four years. Image supplied • Netcare says it has been waiting for accreditation to train nurses for about three to four years. • It used to train about 3 500 nurses a year, and it now takes about 10% of that, turning away thousands of applicants away every year. • Netcare is opening new hospitals and expects more patients to stay in its hospitals post-Covid-19 and will need more nurses when occupancy ramps up.... Read more...

President Cyril Ramaphosa shakes hands with King Charles III and Camilla, Queen Consort of the UK during his welcome ceremony at Horse Guards. Leon Neal/Getty Images • The UK will support South Africa`s green hydrogen plans with grant-funded technical assistance. • Furthermore, a $5 billion investment in developing a green ammonia plant in South Africa is expected to create local jobs. • President Cyril Ramaphosa is on a state visit to the UK this week. The UK government intends to support South Africa`s plans to develop a green hydrogen sector with grant-funded technical assistance. The announcement was issued on Tuesday morning as President Cyril Ramaphosa embarked on a state visit to the UK this week. The grant funding �` a figure of which has not yet been disclosed �` is part of the UK`s contribution to the Just Energy Transition Partnership.... Read more...

Almost all leading estate agencies in South Africa operate off franchise models. This means you can buy a brand-name turnkey property business and benefit from ongoing marketing and head office support. But several companies fiercely compete in this sector, and most don`t disclose total financial commitments until you`ve declared an interest and signed an NDA. Here are some property franchises that do disclose fees, which range between R500,000 and R1.2million. Covid-19 threw a few curveballs into South Africa`s property market but rebounded to experience unprecedented activity levels in 2022. It`s possible to tap into this as an estate agent by earning commissions on sales. But if you have deep pockets and an entrepreneurial spirit, it`s also possible to buy a turnkey real estate franchise from several leading brands.... Read more...

The Department of Home Affairs is slowly rolling out its services to more bank branches in South Africa, with a new office opening up in the Northern Cape, and more on the way. Presenting to the portfolio committee on Home Affairs on Tuesday, the department said that it is in the process of opening a new office at the Kathu Mall in the Northern Cape. The office is currently taking walk-ins as part of its stress testing and will go into full operation soon.... Read more...

South Africa`s e-Visa system, meant to simplify the process for travel to the country, has been marred by delays and technical challenges. Now, the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) is in talks with a private company, already heavily involved with visa admin, to help out. `The decision to introduce the e-Visa was informed by observable benefits of this system. It is reliable, client-friendly, and convenient for visa applicants, airlines, trading partners and Home Affairs officials,` announced Minister Aaron Motsoaledi in December 2019.... Read more...

Refugees and asylum seekers in South Africa have problems with the Department of Home Affairs` online system, leaving them vulnerable to deportation and their children to `structural xenophobia`, Lawyers for Human Rights told Parliament. Lindokuhle Mdabe of Lawyers for Human Rights told the Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs on Tuesday that they had noted several challenges since the department introduced its online system.... Read more...

CAPE TOWN ` Members of Parliament (MPs) said they`re worried about the high cost of DNA tests that prevent migrants from registering the birth of their children. Lawyers for Human Rights told the Home Affairs portfolio committee this week that the digitisation of the registration system and other requirements make it almost impossible for migrants to get documented.... Read more...

CAPE TOWN: “Digital nomads” are people who stay in a location temporarily, while working remotely. Cape Town has immense potential to attract digital nomads to its picturesque shores, and recently struck a deal with Airbnb to lure working travelers to the city. “A new world of travel has emerged in which many workers are untethered to an office,” says Velma Corcoran of Airbnb. “Together with Cape Town Tourism, we want to make it easier for people to enjoy the newfound flexibility to work and travel, and help local communities capture the benefits of tourism.”... Read more...

About 500 refugees are still living in wretched conditions in Cape Town camp Five hundred people are still living at Paint City in Bellville, without proper sanitation. They still want to be resettled in another country, but the UNHCR says there is little prospect of it happening. The home affairs department, which is responsible for the camp, has not replied to our questions. Three years ago in October 2019, refugees started a protest at the offices of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Cape Town and Pretoria. They demanded resettlement in a country other than South Africa.... Read more...

King Charles hosted his first state visit since becoming British monarch on Tuesday, welcoming Cyril Ramaphosa to Buckingham Palace, where the South African president invoked Nelson Mandela as he paid tribute to the close ties between the two countries. Charles, 74, rolled out the traditional pomp and ceremony as Britain sought to bolster its relations with its biggest trading partner in Africa. `South Africa, like the Commonwealth, has always been a part of my life. My mother often recalled her visit in 1947, the year before I was born, when, from Cape Town on her 21st birthday, she pledged her life to the service of the people of the Commonwealth,` Charles said in a speech at the banquet held in the president`s honour.... Read more...

Five hundred people are still living at Paint City in Bellville, without proper sanitation. They still want to be resettled in another country, but the UNHCR says there is little prospect of it happening. The home affairs department, which is responsible for the camp, has not replied to our questions. Three years ago in October 2019, refugees started a protest at the offices of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Cape Town and Pretoria. They demanded resettlement in a country other than South Africa. After protracted protests, relocation to various camps and the Covid-19 pandemic, the UNHCR managed to reintegrate about 800 refugees back into communities and helped 70 with voluntary repatriation.... Read more...

‘A state of disrepair’: Home affairs minister slams immigration system Home Affairs Minister Clare O’Neil has declared Australia’s migration system is broken and is being exploited by overseas criminals, and has flagged an independent inquiry to examine revelations of widespread visa rorting linked to sex trafficking, foreign worker exploitation and drug crime. In her strongest comments yet about the failings in the system, O’Neil blamed her predecessor, Liberal Peter Dutton, and revealed she had received expert advice that “tens of thousands of people” might be unlawfully in Australia, including many who are exploited foreign workers.... Read more...

CAPE TOWN - Operation Dudula is taking aim at Groote Schuur hospital. It accuses the facility of hiring foreign nationals as porters, cooks and cleaners. The organisation says South Africans are being left out and can only get jobs if they pay. The Western Cape Health Department received a memorandum from Operation Dudula and say they will investigate the concerns raised. www.samigration.com... Read more...

• Many Twitter users are jumping ship to social network Mastodon after Elon Musk`s Twitter takeover. • Mastodon`s CEO said that 489,003 new users had signed up to the platform since October 27. Many Twitter users have been jumping ship since Elon Musk took over the social-media platform. Mastodon, a social network founded in 2016, is reaping the benefits of this exodus. Mastodon`s CEO, Eugen Rochko, says the platform has over one million users, with 489,003 new users signing up since October 27 �`the day that Musk closed his $44 billion deal to buy Twitter.... Read more...

Ministry of Home Affairs informed that it will opt for the latest technologies in the next census. The technologies that will be used in the next census include digital data collection, Census Management and Monitoring System, and a Code Directory Geospatial technology. Digital data collection, Census Management and Monitoring System, Code Directory Geospatial technology and other latest technologies will be used for the next Census, said the Ministry of Home Affairs report released on Monday. The MHA Annual report 2021-22 read that Data collection in the forthcoming Census will be done digitally. An enumerator would collect and submit data directly through Mobile App, using her or his smartphone.... Read more...

Foreign parents of South African children should be allowed to remain in the country even if their relationship with their spouse ends The Western Cape High Court has ruled that certain provisions of the Immigration Act and its regulations are unconstitutional. • The Western Cape High Court has found that compelling foreign spouses and caregivers to leave the country if their relationship with their South African spouse ends is unconstitutional. • Judge Mark Sher said the spousal visa rule was in conflict with parental duty and the rights of the child. • Home Affairs opposed the case saying the rules were there to prevent foreigners gaining entry to South Africa through sham marriages. A judgment by the Western Cape High Court means that foreigners who are parents and caregivers of South African children will be allowed to remain in the country after their relationships with their South African spouses come to an end.... Read more...

The Public Servants` Association (PSA) maintains that its strike in the public service will still `definitely` commence on Thursday, while the government said it would have measures in place to mitigate the impact of the industrial action. The union has 235 000 members, and warned that its planned strike would hit Home Affairs, the Department of Transport, and South Africa border controls in particular. This will be the PSA`s first strike since 2010. The union was founded more than a century ago.... Read more...

• The Public Servants` Association maintains that its strike in the public service will `definitely` commence on Thursday. • Public unions affiliated with Cosatu will announce their plans in the deadlocked public service wage talks on Wednesday. • Acting Minister of Public Service and Administration Thulas Nxesi will reply orally to questions about the wage talks in Parliament on Wednesday. The Public Servants` Association (PSA) maintains that its strike in the public service will still `definitely` commence on Thursday, while the government said it would have measures in place to mitigate the impact of the industrial action. The union has 235 000 members, and warned that its planned strike would hit Home Affairs, the Department of Transport, and South Africa border controls in particular. This will be the PSA`s first strike since 2010. The union was founded more than a century ago.... Read more...

South Africa, France and Germany have signed loan agreements for the two European nations to each extend €300 million �` about R10 billion in total �` in concessional financing to South Africa to support the country’s just energy transition. The loans will be provided by the French and German public development banks, Agence Française de Développement (AFD) and Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau (KFW), directly to the National Treasury. “The loans are highly concessional as their terms are substantially more generous than what the government of South Africa would be able to raise in capital markets,” said Treasury.... Read more...

Zimbabwean Exemption Permit (ZEP) holders should take advantage of the six-month extension granted by the South African government to apply for a mainstream visa or exemption. The general but mistaken sentiment among ZEP holders seems to be that it is a pointless exercise because applicants will inevitably not be successful with their applications.... Read more...

The current constraints on power generation in South Africa, which has resulted in extended load shedding by electricity utility Eskom, is overshadowing another potentially more dire crisis: water. “The energy crisis is confronting us first, or maybe it is the most obvious, but for me, the current water shortage in Gauteng is absolutely a worse crisis. While the fundamental issues are the same, it is going to be a much more difficult situation for people to live with on a day-to-day basis,” said Darrin Green, Africa MD at globally trusted infrastructure firm AECOM. Despite the issues being faced in the power sector, Green said that the work coming from it remains cyclical and difficult to secure. This is especially true on the high-voltage transmission and distribution side and even in the renewable energy sector, where despite a renewed focus, there is not a consistent flow of work.... Read more...

Details of how Home Affairs planned to reduce queues were laid out by Minister Aaron Motsoaledi in his budget vote speech, but he largely dodged South Africa’s immigration fiasco, simply saying a complete overhaul was in the offing as the main opposition parties gave him short shrift over our poorly managed, porous borders. In his budget vote speech on Tuesday, Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi outlined a 12-point plan to increase efficiency and reduce the long queues outside the department’s offices �` but chronic staff shortages will remain. Long queues were one of two “elephants in the room”, said Motsoaledi, the other being immigration. But he dealt with immigration in just two short paragraphs, although it received the most heated criticism from the main opposition parties.... Read more...

The Department of Home Affairs (DHA) says that it is changing the way it does its business in South Africa, with a bigger focus on its mobile unit operations. Presenting to the portfolio committee on home affairs on Tuesday (8 November), the department said that it is in the process of rolling out more mobile units to serve remote and rural communities in the country. Over time, it said that this fleet of mobile units will outnumber its static offices and will become the department’s biggest service channel. Currently, there are 110 mobile units across the provinces. These units focus on rural communities that often have to travel far to get access to DHA services. There are 106 units deployed to these areas, while four units are at head offices for special projects and testing new initiatives, it said.... Read more...

Mobile units, online appointments and cable theft were among the issues that cropped up during a Home Affairs briefing in Parliament on Tuesday. people have used the Department of Home Affairs’ online booking system to make appointments since 1 June this year, it emerged in Parliament. A delegation of Home Affairs officials led by Deputy Minister Njabulo Nzuza briefed Parliament’s home affairs oversight committee on its mission to reduce queues and sort out network downtimes. Ironically, many MPs and officials had network connectivity issues during Tuesday’s virtual briefing.... Read more...

Some would-be immigrants have been waiting for seven years for permanent residence permits. The Department of Home Affairs (DHA) and its minister, Aaron Motsoaledi, were given 30 days by the Pretoria High Court on Monday to process permanent residence applications for 182 would-be immigrants, some of whom have been waiting seven years for permanent residence. Papers before the court say the delays are holding up inward investment of at least R15 billion, much of it for business or property investment. The applicants asked the court to compel the DHA and Motsoaledi to either grant or refuse them permanent residence status, arguing the delays in processing the permits were irrational, unlawful and unconstitutional. The other respondents cited in the case were President Cyril Ramaphosa and VFS Global South Africa, which processes permanent residence permits on behalf of Home Affairs.... Read more...

The Department of Home Affairs is the stuff of nightmares, from never-ending queues aggravated as IT systems collapse, to applications disappearing into the bureaucratic netherworld. The Home Affairs disaster cuts right across society, including the learner who needs an identity document to write matric exams, widows left stranded without death certificates to access pension funds or moms cradling newborns who need birth certificates for child care grants.... Read more...

On 20 October 2022, the Star newspaper owned by the Sekunjalo Group of Companies published a prominent article entitled “More ANC graft and sex scandals” in both its print and electronic platforms. The article contained unfounded and what was intended to be damaging allegations of corruption against a hard-working member of the Counter Corruption Branch within the Department of Home of Home Affairs (“DHA”), Mr Eric Nendauni and alleged sexual misconduct by the Minister of Home Affairs (“Minister”) and the Head of the Counter Corruption Branch, Adv Connie Moitse. The allegations are said to emanate from what the journalists claim is “a whistle-blower” but in fact it has been discovered that the lies came from a disgruntled junior administrative clerk in the employ of the DHA.... Read more...

• The Zimbabwean government has set up subcommittees to handle returning citizens. • A majority of Zimbabweans do not qualify for other visas in SA, the government said. • The Gauteng High Court is yet to hear two challenges against the cancellation of the ZEP. The Zimbabwean government says most people living and working in South Africa under the Zimbabwean Exemption Permit (ZEP) system do not qualify for critical skills permits, and it is preparing for an influx of returning citizens.... Read more...

Marumo Eric Phenya was gunned down just three weeks after he reported a conspiracy to commit murder case. The murdered whistleblower flagged tender corruption at the Department of Home Affairs. He uncovered irregularities involving a company that provided IT solutions to the department. Businessman Marumo Eric Phenya was killed in a hail of bullets after receiving death threats when he blew the whistle on a dodgy multimillion-rand tender at the Department of Home Affairs. Last month, Phenya was found dead in the driver`s seat of his bullet-ridden white Land Rover in Roodepoort.... Read more...

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The South African coffee industry was worth as much as R4,9 billion last year, and some project it to reach R7.2 billion in the next four years. One of the ways you can invest in the local coffee industry instead of supporting it with your own caffeine habit, is to buy into an existing franchise brand that offers a turnkey sit-down coffee shop or takeaway business. South Africa has several strong coffee shop franchise brands still considering new franchisee applications. Stalwarts like Vida E Caffè, Mugg and Bean, and Bootleggers take up much of the real estate in this space. They offer solid brands and established business models, and are more expensive than smaller or lesser-known franchises.... Read more...

South Africa’s government will invest the bulk of an $8.5 billion (R152 billion) climate-finance deal being offered by wealthy nations on bolstering its energy supply. An investment plan published Friday envisages 90% of the funds being used to decommission coal-fired power plants in tandem with developing renewable-energy generation, strengthening the transmission grid and modernising the electricity-distribution system. The rest will go toward the development of green-hydrogen and electric-vehicle industries. The funding, pledged by the US, UK, the European Union, Germany and France, was unveiled at last year’s United Nations-led climate talks in Glasgow, Scotland. The investment plan comes the week before world leaders gather at the follow-up summit in Egypt. The so-called Just Energy Transition Partnership is expected to serve as a prototype for similar deals with coal-dependent, developing nations such as Vietnam, Indonesia and India.... Read more...

A wealthy couple from Singapore should finally receive permanent residency in South Africa towards the end of this month, after a three-and-a-half-year fight to take advantage of immigration provisions designed to attract wealthy people and their money. And the department of home affairs (DHA) will have to settle their legal bill. On Friday, the Western Cape High Court gave the director-general of home affairs and its minister 20 days to issue residence permits to Yew Teck Ling and See Hie Chua, a married couple of Singaporean nationals in their early 70s. They have a net worth of at least R49 million, well above the threshold of R12 million used in South Africa to determine if people are rich enough for special treatment.... Read more...

South Africa`s e-Visa system, meant to simplify the process for travel to the country, has been marred by delays and technical challenges. Now, the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) is in talks with a private company, already heavily involved with visa admin, to help out. `The decision to introduce the e-Visa was informed by observable benefits of this system. It is reliable, client-friendly, and convenient for visa applicants, airlines, trading partners and Home Affairs officials,` announced Minister Aaron Motsoaledi in December 2019. The testing phase of South Africa`s e-Visa system, which included Kenya, China, India, and Nigeria, was due to be completed by March 2020. Two years later, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced that the e-Visa system had been officially launched to include 14 countries.... Read more...

JOHANNESBURG - Minister in the Presidency for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities Maite Nkoana-Mashabane said the government will soon be introducing a system that will allow authorities to do fingerprint checks across different databases. Nkoana-Mashabane said this system will help police with identifying alleged perpetrators of crime faster. The minister was speaking during a media briefing on Monday where the government outlined its progress in implementing the national strategic plan on gender-based violence (GBV) and femicide.... Read more...

On average, of each US$100 spent on a vacation tour by a tourist from a developed country, only around $5 actually stays in a developing- country destination`s economy. This was highlighted by Elcia Grandcourt, Director, UNWTO Regional Department for Africa, speaking at the Africa Tourism Leadership Forum (ATLF) 2022 in Gaborone, Botswana, this week. She noted that tourism was one of the fastest-growing and most resilient socio-economic sectors, accounting for 7% of global trade.... Read more...

South African Tourism has weighed in on the country’s latest tourism stats, underlining that the improving numbers show the sector is in a good position heading into the peak summer season. Year-to-date, South Africa has received a total of 3.3 million international arrivals, signalling a 165% increase compared with the same period in 2021. “Our tourism numbers continue to show a steady upward trajectory.... Read more...

The department of home affairs has reversed a decision to centralise the adjudication of long-term visas. • That plan lasted for only a couple of months, and did not go at all well. • Embassies �` previously accused of sometimes endangering national security or harming the economy �` are now back in charge. As of 1 September, South Africa is no longer centralising the adjudication of long-term visas, the department of home affairs (DHA) confirmed on Tuesday.... Read more...

• The tourism and aviation industries have both been hit hard by the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. • Even before the pandemic hit, the implementation of a full e-visa system was used as an example of how it can be made easier for travellers to visit the country. • Although it does not fall directly under her department, Minister of Tourism Lindiwe Sisulu addressed the challenges at the annual general assembly of the Airlines Association of Southern Africa.... Read more...

Government’s approach to prioritising the employment of South Africans has come under fire. Centre for Development and Enterprise executive director Ann Bernstein, says government is tackling the topic of critical skills and employment in the wrong way. Bernstein says South Africa is a country that is desperate for growth, with a shortage of skilled people, entrepreneurs, university lecturers and maths teachers.... Read more...

After 29 years of neoliberal failure in South Africa, foreigners are a convenient scapegoat for an elite that has failed to redistribute wealth. In South Africa there seems to be a seasonal shift: discussions around Zimbabwean and Basotho workers’ permits are being hosted by the cabinet; laws and administration around visa renewal and work permits have been changed in the last few months; members of the governing party, the ANC, are asking for border reinforcement and openly associating foreigners’ activities in the country with insecurity as opposed to economic growth.... Read more...

The South African Revenue Service (SARS) says it will introduce an ‘online traveller declaration system’ that all travellers need to comply with. The new system will simplify passenger movement at South African airports, SARS said, and will come into effect from 1 November 2022. The system aims to collect travel information and, in return, grants a traveller pass via email, said SARS.... Read more...

President Cyril Ramaphosa’s Cabinet has once again been embroiled in alleged corrupt activities and a sex scandal that has seemed to be rife in various government departments in recent years. Department of Home Affairs’ Deputy Director Counter Corruption & Security, Eric Nendauni has been accused of corruption activities. Nendauni is based at the head office of Home Affairs in Pretoria. Various whistle-blowers have approached The Star to expose what they called corruption after they attempted to reach out to Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi and other top officials without success. The Star is in possession of two emails from whistle-blowers attempting to alert Motsoaledi, deputy director-general: counter corruption & security services advocate Connie Moitse, and other senior officials.... Read more...

Minister’s press statement on the media campaign by the independent newspapers ISSUED BY DEPARTMENT OF HOME AFFAIRS - 27 October 2022 1. On 20 October 2022, the Star newspaper owned by the Sekunjalo Group of Companies published a prominent article entitled “More ANC graft and sex scandals” in both its print and electronic platforms. The article contained unfounded and what was intended to be damaging allegations of corruption against a hard-working member of the Counter Corruption Branch within the Department of Home of Home Affairs (“DHA”), Mr Eric Nendauni and alleged sexual misconduct by the Minister of Home Affairs (“Minister”) and the Head of the Counter Corruption Branch, Adv Connie Moitse. The allegations are said to emanate from what the journalists claim is “a whistle-blower” but in fact it has been discovered that the lies came from a disgruntled junior administrative clerk in the employ of the DHA.... Read more...

Home Affairs Minister Motsoaledi and Ramaphosa lied about e-Visa, it collapsed and only started working two months ago, after the department outsourced a private company IOL 27 Oct 2022 The complicated red-tape within Department of Home Affairs (DHA) has negatively affected the country’s investment opportunities, losing millions yearly because investors can’t readily access the country. In 2018 Ramaphosa launched the SA investment summit that was meant to attract foreign investment to the country in order to raise the economy and create business opportunities. However in about 152 investment pledges made since the start of the annual conferences, only 45 projects had been completed, while 57 others were under construction and the rest have failed to get off the ground, resulting in the loss of millions.... Read more...

Hong Kong stocks plunged by more than six percent to a 13-year low Monday as investors were spooked by Chinese President Xi Jinping`s decision to hand key economic posts to loyalists who back his zero-Covid strategy. The Hang Seng Index ended down 6.36 percent, or 1,030.43 points, to 15,180.69, its weakest level since 2009 during the global financial crisis. Market giant Tencent lost 11%, while Alibaba and JD.com were all down around double digits and the Hang Seng tech index was almost 10 percent down.... Read more...

The Department of Home Affairs is the stuff of nightmares, from never-ending queues aggravated as IT systems collapse, to applications disappearing into the bureaucratic netherworld. The Home Affairs disaster cuts right across society, including the learner who needs an identity document to write matric exams, widows left stranded without death certificates to access pension funds or moms cradling newborns who need birth certificates for child care grants. Or a spouse, of say, an entrepreneur or small-scale investor, left vulnerable not knowing if South Africa can be the family home and workplace given the lack of certainty on permanent residency. Or the business executive whose visa to South Africa falls into the investment drive President Cyril Ramaphosa has pursued to boost economic growth. The presidential... Read more...

• Germany has announced a fresh round of development funding co-operation with SA • Most of the funds promised will be in support of climate change initiatives • The announcement doubles Germany`s contribution to SA`s energy transition Germany on Friday announced a fresh round of development funding for SA of €355 million (about R6.2 billion) in a combination of grants and subsidised loans over the next two years, most of which is dedicated to the fight against climate change. The new funding doubles what German will contribute to SA`s energy transition.... Read more...

BEIJING �` China on Sunday opens a twice-a-decade party conference at which leader Xi Jinping is expected to receive a third five-year ter m that breaks with recent precedent and establishes himself as arguably the most powerful Chinese politician since Mao Zedong. Xi is expected to issue a lengthy address at the opening session, but little change is foreseen in his formula of strict one-party rule, intolerance of criticism and a hard-line approach toward COVID-19 including quarantines and travel bans even as other countries have opened up.... Read more...

How South Africans sell their identities to foreigners for just R500 The Citizen �` 12 October 2022 29 suspects were arrested on Thursday for alleged fraud, corruption, contravention of the Immigration Act and possession of suspected fraudulent documents. A multi-disciplinary operation involving the Hawks’ Serious Organised Crime Investigation, cash-in-transit task team, Department of Home Affairs’ Anti-Corruption, and Johannesburg Central Tactical Response Team, has resulted in the arrest of 29 suspects for alleged fraud, corruption, contravention of the Immigration Act and possession of suspected fraudulent documents on Thursday... Read more...

South Africa is experiencing a daily increase in the rate of crime, which is stifling economic, social, and human capital growth. This is because investors are afraid to create standard businesses due to the uncertainty caused by the rising crime rate. This has happened despite the efforts made by the government to address problems associated with insecurity and crimes related to it. You will be persuaded that our nation is in shambles if you take a stroll along any of the major streets in South Africa.... Read more...

Key targets relating to the department`s modernisation projects have not been achieved. The Department of Home Affairs has to address a number of challenges and bolster its Information technology (IT) systems to improve service delivery.... Read more...

The South African Revenue Service (SARS) says it will introduce an ‘online traveller declaration system’ that all travellers need to comply with. The new system will simplify passenger movement at South African airports, SARS said, and will come into effect from 1 November 2022. The system aims to collect travel information and, in return, grants a traveller pass via email, said SARS. It requires that all travellers �` including South African citizens and residents, children and infants �` leaving or entering South Africa by air complete the declaration. SARS said that once completed and submitted, travellers will receive a pass before they board. The new online system will be rolled out in all South African international airports, starting with OR Tambo International Airport from 1 November, and then to others in the first quarter of 2023, the revenue service said.... Read more...

For South African political parties grappling with the idea of coalition politics ahead of 2024, the issue of migrant workers may be the most crucial of all deliberations, says Khaya Sithole. Just over 30 years ago this month during an interview on Larry King Live, Ross Perot decided to put up his hand and run for the US presidency.... Read more...

Tourists from around the world have had to wait in customs on average for at least three hours at OR Tambo International Airport due to the piloting of a new biometric system, according to the DA that says it has been alerted to these delays in tourists being able to reach the public arrivals area.... Read more...

When finance minister, Enoch Godongwana, delivers his Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement (MTBPS) towards the end of the month, he will need to focus on policies that accelerate real economic growth and address the financial future of Eskom, say wealth management specialists at Citadel. Maarten Ackerman, chief economist at Citadel, says all eyes will be on Godongwana to see if he will prioritise pragmatic policies that stimulate real business growth and job creation, instead of bowing to populist pressures that prioritise social spending but have no lasting positive impact on the country.... Read more...

Tourists from around the world have had to wait in customs on average for at least three hours at OR Tambo International Airport due to the piloting of a new biometric system, according to the DA that says it has been alerted to these delays in tourists being able to reach the public arrivals area. The Biometric Movement Control System (BMCS) appears to have been untested, and has effectively gone “live”, instead of being piloted first.... Read more...

29 suspects were arrested on Thursday for alleged fraud, corruption, contravention of the Immigration Act and possession of suspected fraudulent documents. A multi-disciplinary operation involving the Hawks’ Serious Organised Crime Investigation, cash-in-transit task team, Department of Home Affairs’ Anti-Corruption, and Johannesburg Central Tactical Response Team, has resulted in the arrest of 29 suspects for alleged fraud, corruption, contravention of the Immigration Act and possession of suspected fraudulent documents on Thursday.... Read more...

Key targets relating to the department`s modernisation projects have not been achieved. The Department of Home Affairs has to address a number of challenges and bolster its Information technology (IT) systems to improve service delivery. This is according to the Auditor-General’s office. On Tuesday, the office briefed Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs regarding the department’s audit outcomes for the 2021/2022 financial year, which ran from April 2021 to March 2022. Annual performance report... Read more...

South Africa is experiencing a daily increase in the rate of crime, which is stifling economic, social, and human capital growth. This is because investors are afraid to create standard businesses due to the uncertainty caused by the rising crime rate. This has happened despite the efforts made by the government to address problems associated with insecurity and crimes related to it. You will be persuaded that our nation is in shambles if you take a stroll along any of the major streets in South Africa.... Read more...

Home Affairs Official has been arrested and he was working in the Permitting Section, this is a very unfortunate turn of events but it is showing us a glimpse of the corruption which is happening in our state departments and that`s something that should concern a lot of people in the country. This means that the system has been infiltrated by these individuals who have been given that responsibility of keeping those jobs and ensuring that things are going according to plan, not taking advantage of the system in order to make some money on the side.... Read more...

The Department of Home Affairs has identified 500 fraudulent passports in the last three financial years �` with 185 documents blocked in 2022 alone. Responding to a written parliamentary Q&A this week, home affairs minister Aaron Motsoaledi said that his department is escalating its fight against fraudsters and is boosting security measures in place to flag fake documents.... Read more...

Home Affairs Official has been arrested and he was working in the Permitting Section, this is a very unfortunate turn of events but it is showing us a glimpse of the corruption which is happening in our state departments and that`s something that should concern a lot of people in the country. This means that the system has been infiltrated by these individuals who have been given that responsibility of keeping those jobs and ensuring that things are going according to plan, not taking advantage of the system in order to make some money on the side.... Read more...

Sami Newsletter Immigration Laws Confusing , need info on Visas , Thinking of coming to South Africa? Subscribe to our free monthly SAMI NEWSLETTER!... Read more...

My husband and I arrived from Namibia with our six-year-old son and had a copy of his South African unabridged birth certificate. At SAA in Namibia, nobody wanted to see the certificate and when asked, I was told that they only check when both parents are not travelling with the child.... Read more...

A FOREIGN national married to a Zimbabwean woman has languished in remand prison for over eight months as he is failing to produce valid documents to prove his nationality to enable the government to deport him to that country.... Read more...

Under apartheid, most married women in South Africa were regarded in law as minors, under the guardianship of their male relatives or their husbands. New laws since 1994 set out to change that. But are the new laws working? Prof. Chuma Himonga, the National Research Foundation Chair in Customary Law and Elena Moore of the University of Cape Town conducted a study to find out.... Read more...

Rapper Mos Def arrived at the Bellville Magistrates Court on Tuesday morning to face charges related to contravening immigration laws. He was flanked by family and friends as he walked along the corridor to where Home Affairs officials waited near the court room.... Read more...

The Department of Home Affairs announced that it will extend its operating hours at selected ports of entry to cater for the huge number of travellers during the Easter holidays.... Read more...

Cape Town - South Africa has put in place laws and policies to help businesses thrive in the country, President Jacob Zuma told the United Arab Emirates business community on his official visit to the Gulf state.... Read more...

While concessions have been made to South Africa`s stringent immigration requirements, it will take time to regain travellers` trust.... Read more...

Pretoria � The Department of Home Affairs has introduced a new application system at its Marabastad centre in Pretoria, to ease the process for foreign nationals applying for permits and asylum documents. Introduced at the end of January, the newly introduced box system has brought some relief to foreign nationals as they no longer have to stand in long queues to get their documents processed. It has also put a halt on corrupt activities.... Read more...

London/ Johannesburg - Up to 20 families a day are being denied boarding when they turn up at Heathrow for flights to South Africa.... Read more...

Gifts intended for eight-year-old Riley Fernandez and his two-year-old sister Emmie lie unopened under a Christmas tree in Boksburg.... Read more...

Cape Town - Can you imagine spending an entire year booking and planning your family holiday to a dream destination, only to have the excitement squashed as you`re about to board because you did not have a certain version of a birth certificate � despite having original birth certificates and passports for your children?... Read more...

Cape Town � Foreign tourists who have been rejected coming into South African say there is no way for them to acquire the necessary visas for minors, as these documents simply do not exist in their countries.... Read more...

Democratic Alliance (DA) MP and Durban mayoral candidate Haniff Hoosen has called for an investigation into a company with alleged Gupta connections that processes visa applications on behalf of the Department of Home Affairs.... Read more...

Home Affairs minister Malusi Gigaba says his department is on track to replace 38 million ID books with smart ID cards. (Photo: DOC) To change the perception that it is a slow and moribund department, Home Affairs is evolving with the times to be able execute on its mandate.... Read more...

15 suspects including the deputy director of the Department of Home Affairs in Musina, Limpopo have been arrested on Thursday for issuing false documents. Photo: Supplied / Hawks... Read more...

The Zimbabwean government has slammed suppliers which charged it prices based on the street-value of the Zimdollar.

These suppliers are blamed for a free-fall in the local currency, which fuelled inflation.

The government has stopped paying suppliers. The Zimbabwean government has slammed suppliers which charged it US$30 (~R510) for 2kg packs of chicken priced, as well as laptops for as much as US$9 000 (~R160 000) each and 50kg bags of cement priced at US$18 (~R320). ... Read more...

The department has increased the roll-out of biometrics, to cover 65% of its counters, says home affairs minister Malusi Gigaba.... Read more...

Johannesburg - Blockchain - the technology that underlies crypto currencies such as bitcoin - is grabbing the attention of banks, says a prominent local law firm.... Read more...

Cape Town - The EFF says it has received reliable information that whilst Malusi Gigaba was minister of home affairs he unduly granted the Gupta family South African citizenship.... Read more...

� Stateless children can now apply for citizenship after home affairs The Department of Home Affairs on Tuesday withdrew its appeal in the Supreme Court of Appeal concerning the case of an eight-year-old stateless child who was born in South Africa to Cuban parents.... Read more...

Nine Zimbabweans arrested on their way home to Zimbabwe have been held since 21 August in police cells in De Aar as "illegal foreigners".... Read more...

A joint sitting of the Committees on Home Affairs and on Telecommunications and Postal Services were briefed by the Department of Home Affairs and the State Information Technology Agency.... Read more...

What is a waiver? The immigration act for South Africa allows for the Minister of Home Affairs to waive certain requirements of the act. Once the requirement has been waived, an individual or corporation will be exempt from that requirement in that instance. In layman’s terms that means that the minister has the authority through the immigration act to waive a specific requirement. In order to be granted the waiver, an applicant must have a “good cause” to be granted.... Read more...

ZEP Visas Renewal 2022 �` Will not be renewed Expired 30 June 2022 This post has been personalized towards Zimbabwean nationals who are currently using the Zimbabwean Exemption Visa (ZEP) and what options are available to them. The Department of Home Affairs on the 29th of November 2021 issued a directive that they would no longer renew the ZEP visa and applicants currently on the ZEP visa have been granted a grace period up until 30 June 2023.... Read more...

As a foreigner in South Africa, getting married to a South African citizen means that there are certain processes that you need to follow before you decide to tie the knot with your partner. A marriage officer will not be allowed to marry you and your partner and you will not be allowed to register your marriage at the Department of Home Affairs. What are the requirements for a foreigner to marry a South African? • What are the requirements for a foreigner to marry a South African? o The Requirements:  1.Letter of non-impediment  2. Visit Visa  3. Schedule an Appointment with the Department of Home Affairs • What questions do they ask at a marriage interview? The requirements are straightforward and nothing that you need to particularly worry about. There is one particular document that you need to obtain way in advance in your country of residence.... Read more...

Many foreign nationals leave their country to seek a better life in South Africa or immigrate to join their spouse, life partner or family. People who live in Africa leave their homes due to many reasons such as; poverty, fear for their lives and finding a job in a different country to support their families back home. A popular choice for foreign nationals is South Africa and as such seek employment when they have arrived in the country. In most cases, the foreigner in question does not qualify to apply for a South African work visa or any other type of visa and is therefore stuck in the dilemma to work without a work visa to survive.... Read more...

What does an immigration consultant do? Table of Contents • What does an immigration consultant do? o Does South African Immigration Consultants need to be registered to assist me? o Am I guaranteed a visa through a South African Immigration Agent? o What can a migration agent do for me? o Is it necessary to make use of a South African Immigration Consultant to apply for visas or permits? o I’ve Been Scammed Before and really don’t trust an Immigration Consultant?... Read more...

You might have obtained your work visa recently and second-guessing whether your visa is valid or not, this is a tricky situation to be in. There are many people out there who pretend to be immigration consultants or immigration lawyers only to scam you and issue you with a fake visa. The worst is being arrested or being detained in South Africa for something that you are not responsible and the Department of Home Affairs is coming down hard on these individuals. Many who don’t qualify for the critical skills are always looking at applying for the general work visa for South Africa and thus one of the most popular options to forge it because of how difficult it is to obtain it. While this could be true many temporary residence visas are forged throughout South Africa.... Read more...

The department of home affairs has reversed a decision to centralise the adjudication of long-term visas. • That plan lasted for only a couple of months, and did not go at all well. • Embassies �` previously accused of sometimes endangering national security or harming the economy �` are now back in charge. As of 1 September, South Africa is no longer centralising the adjudication of long-term visas, the department of home affairs (DHA) confirmed on Tuesday.... Read more...

• The department of home affairs has reversed a decision to centralise the adjudication of long-term visas. • That plan lasted for only a couple of months, and did not go at all well. • Embassies �` previously accused of sometimes endangering national security or harming the economy �` are now back in charge. As of 1 September, South Africa is no longer centralising the adjudication of long-term visas, the department of home affairs (DHA) confirmed on Tuesday. That brings to an end a fraught six-month period for those who applied for such visas, previously handled by individual South African missions abroad, and makes consular officials responsible again for deciding who is let in to South Africa... Read more...

Billions in foreign investment are at risk as processes in home affairs remain stalled While long overdue, the current efforts to tackle corruption and shortcomings in the department of home affairs are welcome. But as the cleanup is carried out processes within the department remain stalled, affecting thousands of people and putting foreign investment at risk, among other negative fallout. Former director-general of home affairs Mavuso Msimang has been deployed to help deal with issues and review processes in the department, a mammoth task. This is expected to be backed soon by a multidisciplinary team to investigate anomalies in issuing permits and visas issued since 2014.... Read more...

• theory, South Africa welcomes foreigners worth at least R12 million who want to settle locally. • A couple in their seventies from Singapore �` worth R49 million �` found it a little hard to take advantage of that welcome. • First National Bank said, incorrectly, that they had submitted a fraudulent account statement. • Even after that mistake was corrected, the department of home affairs refused to grant them residency, up to fighting them in court. • The DHA has now been ordered to issue their permits, and cover their legal costs.... Read more...

• A report has found that immigrants are less likely to commit crimes than South Africans. • Making up only 6.5% of the population, it is impossible for immigrants to be straining government services such as healthcare, the report has found. • It has cautioned that anti-foreigner sentiment appears to be growing in South Africa. Immigrants are less likely to commit crimes than South Africans, the Institute for Security Studies (ISS) has found in a report.... Read more...

Billions in foreign investment are at risk as processes in home affairs remain stalled While long overdue, the current efforts to tackle corruption and shortcomings in the department of home affairs are welcome. But as the cleanup is carried out processes within the department remain stalled, affecting thousands of people and putting foreign investment at risk, among other negative fallout.... Read more...

Denmark has signed a deal with Rwanda to move the Nordic country closer to setting up an asylum centre outside the EU to reduce the number of people seeking refuge. Picture: Boxer Ngwenya Cape Town - A deal with Rwanda would make Denmark the first EU member to effectively bypass the bloc’s fragmented migration and asylum system, say immigration analysts.... Read more...

The Department of Home Affairs is intensifying its fight against syndicates involved in the sale of the identities of South Africans to foreign nationals. The unrelenting pushback against these schemes continues to yield positive results, following the arrest on Friday of yet another South African national, Nico Ibrahim, at the Home Affairs office in Eldorado Park, south of Johannesburg.... Read more...

There`s wide speculation on why the Zimbabwe Exemption Permit was extended, writes the author. The extension of the ZEP to next year, while potentially holding out some relief to individual ZEP holders cure the fundamental defects in the Minister’s decision to end the permit, and so the court action continues, writes Nicole Fritz. Earlier this month Minister of H... Read more...

Pretoria - Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi told the portfolio committee on Tuesday that the country`s refugee and asylum-seeker system needed a complete overhaul as it failed to provide permits based on economic reasons.... Read more...

Empty recliners are seen on the popular Camps Bay beach in Cape Town as numbers of international tourists decline following Covid-19 travel restrictions. The country is simply not doing enough to cash in on tourism dollars. Photo: Reuters... Read more...

The Australian government announced on Friday it will increase its permanent immigration intake by 35,000 to 195,000 in the current fiscal year. • Home Affairs Minister Clare O’Neil said many of the “best and brightest minds” were choosing to migrate to Canada, Germany and Britain instead of Australia. Home Affairs Minister Clare O’Neil said many of the “best and brightest minds” were choosing to migrate to Canada, Germany and Britain instead of Australia.... Read more...

1) How can a mother with an expired visa register her children? 2) My children birth cannot be registered , I am illegal 3) I have children born here but I am not documented 4) I am a foreigner , my children born here but no papers what to do... Read more...

Nearly 200,000 Zimbabweans are at risk of deportation when the Zimbabwe Exemption Permit (ZEP) scheme ends in December. Lawyers representing the permit holders say they are preparing to haul banks to court to prevent them from closing the accounts of any ZEP holder.... Read more...

Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi made the announcement before Parliament’s portfolio committee on Tuesday while giving an update on the Bushiri investigation. CAPE TOWN - The Home Affairs Department has announced that it will be clamping down on foreign religious workers who are looking to work in South Africa. Malawian evangelist Shepherd Bushiri escaped in 2020 while facing money laundering charges.... Read more...

Limpopo Health MEC Phophi Ramathuba has sparked a storm of controversy after the emergence of a video showing her telling a woman that migrants from Zimbabwe were a `huge strain` on the provincial healthcare system.... Read more...

Home Office data show number of visas handed to workers, students, family relatives and others rose by 83pc in a year View pictures in App save up to 80% data. Migrants walk ashore in Dungeness, Kent, on Thursday after being intercepted by a lifeboat in the Channel Migration has hit a new high as more than one million foreign nationals have been allowed to live in the UK in a year for the first time.... Read more...

• Of the 178 000 Zimbabwe Exemption Permit holders in South Africa, about 6 000 made representations to say why their permits should not be terminated. • The Helen Suzman Foundation has taken the government to court for discontinuing the permits. • The permits expired in December 2021 but were renewed for 12 months.... Read more...

• Of the 178 000 Zimbabwe Exemption Permit holders in South Africa, about 6 000 made representations to say why their permits should not be terminated. • The Helen Suzman Foundation has taken the government to court for discontinuing the permits. • The permits expired in December 2021 but were renewed for 12 months. Less than four percent of Zimbabwe Exemption Permit (ZEP) holders have made representations to the Department of Home Affairs to say why their documents should not be terminated later this year. This emerged in court papers the department filed at the Gauteng High Court in Pretoria.... Read more...

Department heads should understand the consequences of disobeying Home Affairs` directives, as they have been made very plain. The Department of Home Affairs`s former Chief Director of Infrastructure Management for IS was let go for gross incompetence. The department has released a statement saying that Simphiwe Hlophe was in charge of IT (Information Technology) concerns such network failures, system unavailability, and IT capability, all of which have an impact on the agency`s overall performance.... Read more...

Audrey Thomas (75) and Edgar Meyer (76) can`t marry because the Home Affairs database was never updated after the deaths of their loved-ones. An elderly couple who plan to get married next month have discovered that in the red-tape world of Home Affairs, death does not part you. The department’s system shows they are still married to their dead spouses. The invitations have been sent, the dress made and the hall hired for Gqeberha couple Audrey Thomas (75) and Edgar Meyer (76) to tie the knot on 10 September.... Read more...

The apparent collapse of Home Affairs’ ability to manage existing applications for skilled visas affects all businesses that need foreign skills as part of their workforce, says Busi Mavuso, the chief executive officer of Business Leadership South Africa (BLSA). This has led to there being little choice but for international firms to either delay investment into the country or consider relocating elsewhere in Africa, she said.... Read more...

Many South Africans are grasping at the opportunity to work abroad given the lack of employment in the country, work permits, and visas, which are likely mandatory requirements. Employment in South Africa is in a dire state and many citizens have never worked a day in their lives. South Africa is in an employment crisis and the state of the economy has not made it any easier, as many companies cannot afford to employ citizens or keep employees. Unemployment can be especially difficult in a country where you can be fully qualified but struggle to get a job. Circumstances like these have led to many South Africans resorting to seeking opportunities outside of the country, for a better means of life and financial security.... Read more...

Limpopo Health MEC Phophi Ramathuba has made news for admonishing a sick Zimbabwean patient at a government hospital. The incident sparked a mostly vitriolic debate, almost all aspects of which have demonstrated a general state of brokenness from which we will not recover unless we are honest and systematic in our approach. Immigration is a very serious issue, which the ANC government has mishandled for a long time. It is now likely to become a cheap but dangerous vote-catching net for populist demagogues with no lawful, practical solutions. It is also increasingly likely that we are just one incident away from an orgy of violence against foreign nationals, Zimbabweans in particular.... Read more...

Department heads should understand the consequences of disobeying Home Affairs` directives, as they have been made very plain. The Department of Home Affairs`s former Chief Director of Infrastructure Management for IS was let go for gross incompetence. The department has released a statement saying that Simphiwe Hlophe was in charge of IT (Information Technology) concerns such network failures, system unavailability, and IT capability, all of which have an impact on the agency`s overall performance.... Read more...

South Africans have taken to Twitter to voice their concerns about the costs and red tape involved with applying for UK visas. South Africans have taken to Twitter to voice their concerns about the costs and red tape involved with applying for UK visas after VFS Global announced changes to the availability of Priority Services (PV) for new visit visa applications.... Read more...

South Africa needs to increase the number of researchers and technicians it has at its disposal if it wants to remain globally competitive in innovation.... Read more...

South African Citizenship Citizenship Options • South African Citizen by Descent • South African Citizen by Naturalisation: • Automatic loss of Citizenship • Resumption of South African citizenship • Deprivation of Citizenship • South African Citizen by Naturalisation: • Automatic loss of Citizenship • Resumption of South African citizenship • Acquisition of the citizenship or nationality of another country... Read more...

CARIBBEAN Grenada Antigua and Barbuda Dominica St. Lucia St. Kitts and Nevis Program type Citizenship Citizenship Citizenship Citizenship Citizenship Non-refundable donation to the... Read more...

Limpopo Health MEC Phophi Ramathuba has sparked a storm of controversy after the emergence of a video showing her telling a woman that migrants from Zimbabwe were a `huge strain` on the provincial healthcare system. • Data from the Limpopo health department shows it is not foreign nationals who are `killing` the health system, contrary to Health MEC Phophi Ramathuba`s comments.... Read more...

President Cyril Ramaphosa was responding to questions on immigration from members of the National Assembly on Tuesday. He said that the rule of law must be followed as the country grappled with illegal migration. CAPE TOWN - President Cyril Ramaphosa said that the intimidation of foreigners who were in the country legally or illegally can not be tolerated and the rule of law must be followed.... Read more...

The slow pace of visa approvals for foreign experts and CEOs might lead to multinational corporations investing elsewhere, says Jean Claude Lasserre, the chairperson of the French Trade Advisors. Speaking to ENCA, Lasserre said that the slow processes at the Department of Home Affairs, paired with a backlog of unprocessed visas, have left many highly skilled professionals, including process engineers and financial experts from entering the country.... Read more...

Limpopo Health MEC Phophi Ramathuba has made news for admonishing a sick Zimbabwean patient at a government hospital. The incident sparked a mostly vitriolic debate, almost all aspects of which have demonstrated a general state of brokenness from which we will not recover unless we are honest and systematic in our approach. Immigration is a very serious issue, which the ANC government has mishandled for a long time. It is now likely to become a cheap but dangerous vote-catching net for populist demagogues with no lawful, practical solutions. It is also increasingly likely that we are just one incident away from an orgy of violence against foreign nationals, Zimbabweans in particular... Read more...

The Nelspruit Specialised Commercial Crimes Court on Wednesday sentenced a former immigration officer at Home Affairs to four years in jail for corruption. National Prosecuting Authority regional spokesperson Monica Nyuswa said the accused, Robert Reginald Booth, 53, was in cahoots with 35-year-old Barry Victor Welgemoed, who is an ordinary member of the public. Nyuswa said the pair was caught red-handed on CCTV footage selling fraudulent work permits to 11 foreign nationals at R5 500 each. According to Nyuswa, the crime was committed on March 16 2022 at Kingston Valley Farm near Karino in Nelspruit. The duo was concomitantly arrested following a sting operation conducted by the Hawks.... Read more...

Home Office data show number of visas handed to workers, students, family relatives and others rose by 83pc in a year View pictures in App save up to 80% data. Migrants walk ashore in Dungeness, Kent, on Thursday after being intercepted by a lifeboat in the Channel Migration has hit a new high as more than one million foreign nationals have been allowed to live in the UK in a year for the first time.... Read more...

A letter by a group of French businesses, who collectively employ more than 65 000 South Africans, has frustrated Business Leadership South Africa (BLSA) CEO Busi Mavuso with its detailing of significant problems facing the businesses in obtaining vital visas to enable French nationals working in South Africa. “The letter set out the massive problems the companies have had in trying to secure work visas for key personnel �` engineers, business controllers and experts needed to run specialised equipment,” she outlines in her latest weekly newsletter on August 29.... Read more...

On 8 June 2022, the Minister of Home Affairs announced a complete overhaul of South Africa`s immigration system. The first area of change is long-term visa applications by foreign nationals wishing to stay for over three months in South Africa. However, these changes have already caused a backlog in processing visa applications. Visa submissions by this group previously went through Visa and Permit Facilitation Centres (VFS Centres) or through South African Missions. Then, one of the two centres would process applications and send the outcomes directly to the foreign national.... Read more...

According to the Department of Home Affairs, fewer than 4% (6000 out of 178 000) of Zimbabwe Exemption Permit holders have made representations to the Department of Home Affairs to say why their documents should not be terminated in December. Fewer than 4% (6,000 out of 178,000) of Zimbabwean Exemption Permit (ZEP) holders have made representations to the Department of Home Affairs to say why their documents should not be terminated in December. But the permit holders have to contend with dysfunctional Home Affairs offices and high costs.... Read more...

Finance minister Enoch Godongwana says that the government will explore the feasibility of a visa recognition programme next quarter that will allow the holders of certain visas of recognised countries to enter South Africa without a new application process. Speaking during the release of the Operation Vulindlela (OV) report on Friday (5 August), the minister pointed out that the government rolled out its e-visa system and has extended it to 14 countries to support the country’s tourism sector. It is anticipated that more countries will be added to the list in due course.... Read more...

South Africa plans to end most special permits for foreigners as it revamps its immigration policies to manage an influx of economic migrants. The government announced that a special dispensation allowing Zimbabweans to live and work in South Africa will expire at the end of this year, while similar concessions for about 90 000 people from neighbouring Lesotho will expire in 2023 and won’t be extended, Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi said. Permits for Angolan residents were terminated in August 2021.... Read more...

The situation regarding immigration in South Africa is out of control. South Africans desire to recover their homeland. They assert that immigrants steal their employment and do criminal acts. Since then, South Africans have established campaigns such as Operation Dudula to urge the government into enforcing immigration restrictions, and it appears to have worked, as Home Affairs agents have reportedly conducted store searches and apprehended illegal immigrants in Yeoville. The city of Yeoville is renowned for its high immigrant population. It is not unexpected that Home Affairs chose to visit Yeoville first. Two social media posts were uploaded depicting the crime and its context in Yeoville. Initially, we stated `Yeoville in Johannesburg is subject to raids by the South African Department of Home Affairs. There were perhaps twenty automobiles present. According to reports, they have closed shops along Rockey Street and are detaining people on the street`.... Read more...

Dear All We are adding to our services a second citizenship in the Caribbean countries: Grenada, also Antigua and Barbuda, Saint Lucia, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Dominica, and also in addition Turkey and residency of the UAE. Some of the investment for the Caribbean countries are low but the benefits are enormous and when we work out the investment required it is low relative to say $150,000 is the equivalent of R2,4 million Emigration options for South Africans , Nigerian and Congolese looking for residency and citizenship �` Passport Options If you’re one of the growing number of South Africans, Nigerian and Congolese looking for a second residency or citizenship, there’s a country out there with your name on it. But make sure you do your homework, as residency and citizenship options are constantly evolving and changing.... Read more...

Mauritius is rapidly expanding real estate investment opportunities for South African buyers as savvy developers sink capital into smaller designer builds that offer far more privacy than traditional resort properties without sacrificing beachfront living. And according to High Street Auctions managing director James Dall, the South African market appetite for these properties is in overdrive.... Read more...

All holders of the ZEP permit had until 31 December 2021 to apply for a visa to stay in South Africa. AFP... Read more...

The future of thousands of Zimbabweans hangs in the balance as the permit expires in December. JOHANNESBURG - Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi said that they have hired private lawyers to address backlogs as the expiry of Zimbabwean exemption permit looms. The future of thousands of Zimbabweans hangs in the balance as the permit expires in December.... Read more...

As part of measures to protect the security of South Africa’s passport, Motsoaledi announced the end of transferable and third-party collections and a new activation process that only applicants can complete.... Read more...

When Petunia Sibanda came to South Africa from Zimbabwe in 2003, she arrived the way most people she knew did in those days �` late at night, crossing over a dry patch of the Limpopo River that slices the two countries from each other, pretending not to see the crocodiles in the distance.... Read more...

Travellers from South Africa who were planning to take a trip to Schengen Area countries in August and September will not be able to do so as there are no Schengen visa appointments available. Most embassies in South Africa have said that they have no appointment slots available until mid-October, meaning that South Africans will not be able to travel to Schengen Area countries anytime soon, SchengenVisaInfo.com reports.... Read more...

An estimated 1.5 million people visited Birmingham, the UK’s second largest city by population, to cheer on the 72 nations and territories that participated in this year’s Commonwealth Games, which ended on Aug. 8. The 13 African nations that won at least one medal at the games did not stand on the podium as often as Australia, Britain, and Canada�`the three countries that finished at the top of the ranking�`but many of the continent’s athletes made history.... Read more...

Travellers from South Africa who were planning to take a trip to Schengen Area countries in August and September will not be able to do so as there are no Schengen visa appointments available. Most embassies in South Africa have said that they have no appointment slots available until mid-October, meaning that South Africans will not be able to travel to Schengen Area countries anytime soon, SchengenVisaInfo.com reports. Embassies in South Africa, as well as those located in other third countries, have been unable to meet the high demand, which has caused many people to change their travel plans.... Read more...

When Petunia Sibanda came to South Africa from Zimbabwe in 2003, she arrived the way most people she knew did in those days �` late at night, crossing over a dry patch of the Limpopo River that slices the two countries from each other, pretending not to see the crocodiles in the distance. For several years, she lived her life in South Africa on the margins, constantly afraid her lack of legal status would be found out and she would be sent back home to a country where the economy was in free fall. Then Ms. Sibanda found a lifeline. In 2011, she heard about a special visa for Zimbabweans, which would allow them to live and work in South Africa legally.... Read more...

Accommodation-sharing service Airbnb has announced a new partnership deal with 20 destinations around the world to make it easier to live and work anywhere, including Cape Town, Bali, Lisbon, and the Caribbean. The deal is an extension of Airbnb’s ‘live and work anywhere initiative’ to identify some of the most remote worker-friendly destinations in the world, and support governments in helping to revive tourism and provide economic support to communities after two-plus years of travel restrictions.... Read more...

Government is set to announce a new date for the analogue switch-off, after delays caused by legal action. It says the auction of high-demand spectrum was completed and analogue switch-off has already been completed in five provinces. It’s hoped that migrating households in remaining provinces to a digital signal will be completed soon. This is one of 26 key reforms that government has introduced as part of Operation Vulindlela.... Read more...

We are adding to our services a second citizenship in the Caribbean countries: Grenada, also Antigua and Barbuda, Saint Lucia, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Dominica, and also in addition Turkey and residency of the UAE. Some of the investment for the Caribbean countries are low but the benefits are enormous and when we work out the investment required it is low relative to say $150,000 is the equivalent of R2,4 million Emigration options for South Africans , Nigerian and Congolese looking for residency and citizenship �` Passport Options... Read more...

As part of measures to protect the security of South Africa’s passport, Motsoaledi announced the end of transferable and third-party collections and a new activation process that only applicants can complete. In a bid to clamp down on illegal immigration and restore faith in the South African passport, Home Affairs Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi said the “flexibility” given to these applications and collections is being withdrawn.... Read more...

Mauritius is rapidly expanding real estate investment opportunities for South African buyers as savvy developers sink capital into smaller designer builds that offer far more privacy than traditional resort properties without sacrificing beachfront living. And according to High Street Auctions managing director James Dall, the South African market appetite for these properties is in overdrive.... Read more...

All holders of the ZEP permit had until 31 December 2021 to apply for a visa to stay in South Africa. AFP • About 200 000 Zimbabweans in South Africa are expected to return to their homeland. • Anyone 16 or older can bring back a car worth up to R700 000 without paying import duty fees. • Returning Zimbabweans can bring an unlimited quantity of household furniture and appliances.... Read more...

The future of thousands of Zimbabweans hangs in the balance as the permit expires in December. JOHANNESBURG - Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi said that they have hired private lawyers to address backlogs as the expiry of Zimbabwean exemption permit looms. The future of thousands of Zimbabweans hangs in the balance as the permit expires in December.... Read more...

Pretoria - Zimbabwe’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Frederick Shava, said the government led by President Emmerson Mnangagwa is ready to welcome back its citizens who have lived in South Africa under the Zimbabwe Exemption Permits (ZEP). “The Zimbabwe Exemption Permit will expire at the end of this year. Its expiry is naturally causing much anxiety to the holders of this permit,” Shava said in his opening remarks while co-chairing the mid-term review of the Bi-National Commission (BNC) with International Relations and Cooperation Minister Naledi Pandor.... Read more...

•The Department of Home Affairs is making changes to passport applications and collections to avoid fraud. • Only the person who applied for a passport can collect it and activate it with fingerprints. • The department has also introduced a transit visa for Pakistani and Bangladeshi nationals.... Read more...

•South Africa`s department of home affairs has more than 350 million civic paper records detailing births, marriages, deaths, and amendments dating back to 1895. • Sifting through these paper documents is a major headache for both the department and South Africans.... Read more...

A Nigerian lady who resides in Canada has advised her countrymen who wish to relocate to be fully prepared for the hustle and bustle that comes with working in the North American country. She documented a day in her life as a factory worker and revealed that as early as 4:50 am she is already on her way to work. The young woman said that waking up that early was a huge struggle for her, so she said that anybody that is making plans to travel there should be ready to put in that level of commitment.... Read more...

South Africa: Immigration Overview The government of South Africa generally maintains a system of immigration with a focus on recruiting foreign nationals during times of high labour demand. In a whitepaper published in 2017 by the South African Department of Home Affairs (DHA), the country seeks to encourage a heightened interest in business immigration. As a result of this increased focus, the government continues to focus on implementing regulations and procedures related to immigration.... Read more...

Foreign nationals whose applications for asylum in South Africa were rejected do not automatically have the right in law to reapply. If they do, this will allow for a never-ending cycle of asylum applications, according to a judgment by the Western Cape High Court. This followed an application by three Burundian nationals who applied for asylum in South Africa.... Read more...

Home affairs minister Aaron Motsoaledi has put specialist nurses, doctors and dentists back on the critical skills list, in a revised version published in the Government Gazette.... Read more...

Ever wondered what the difference between Indefinite Leave to Remain and citizenship is? SA Migration has answers to some of your questions. Indefinite Leave to Remain �` all you need to know: Image: Adobe stock Indefinite Leave to Remain, or ILR in short, is the stepping stone to British citizenship. However, many people get confused between ILR and citizenship.... Read more...

The Constitutional Court yesterday handed down judgment in a case launched by Lawyers for Human Rights in 2016, but which started with negotiations with the Department of Home Affairs as far back as 2013. The applicants ask for one simple thing: dignity. Dignity, in this case, comes in the form of citizenship �` the vessel for membership, belonging, safety and security in a world based on States.... Read more...

There’s an isiZulu idiom that posits, ‘Isisu somhambi singangenso yenyoni.’ Directly translated, it suggests that a visitor’s belly (satiation capacity) is as small as the size of a bird’s kidney. But, this translation belies the profound and instructive meaning. The true and deeper meaning speaks to the unstoppable spirit of hospitality, generosity and sharing of what little you have. A spirit so innate to African life that extending these courtesies even to a total stranger who just so happens to visit one’s home is considered no burden at all.... Read more...

• The Zimbabwean Immigration Federation is taking the Department of Home Affairs to court over the termination of the Zimbabwean Exemption Permit.... Read more...

Motsoaledi has been praised in some quarters for his interventions, which are running ahead of the ANC’s policy formulation.... Read more...

Durban - After two years of shutdown of all secondary land border posts of South Africa with neighbouring countries in the SADC region, the Department of Home Affairs has finally decided to open them again. The 32 land border posts were closed late in March 2020 due to restrictions imposed to contain Covid-19 and the need to limit the movement of people.... Read more...

South Africa needs to increase the number of researchers and technicians it has at its disposal if it wants to remain globally competitive in innovation. This was one of the key issues raised in the 2022 South African Science, Technology And Innovation Indicators Report, published by the Department of Higher Education, Science and Innovation on Friday (29 July).... Read more...

The Department of Employment and Labour (DEL) has published an annexure to South Africa’s immigration regulations, making sure that all work visa applications are vetted by the department first. Labour and immigration experts at Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr said that employers must ensure that they comply with new requirements to avoid any administrative delays in the processing of visa applications. The new annexure clarifies “uncertainty” about the DEL’s involvement in the visa application process, now making it a critical step, said Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr.... Read more...

Ever wondered what the difference between Indefinite Leave to Remain and citizenship is? SA Migration has answers to some of your questions. Indefinite Leave to Remain �` all you need to know: Image: Adobe stock Indefinite Leave to Remain, or ILR in short, is the stepping stone to British citi... Read more...

South Africa’s Department of Home Affairs (the equivalent of the Ministry of Territorial Administration in Cameroon), has announced that it will begin reviewing visas issued to foreigners as far back as 2004. The announcement last week by South Africa’s Minister of Home Affairs, Aaron Motsoaledi comes after indications that there has been mass corruption in his ministry even before he took office.... Read more...

These days applying for asylum as a new comer is an extremely slow process which can take months to a year or so due to a new online system which sounds fantastic but actually adds to the slow process because once you apply online to a dedicated email address which when you send off your application you get an automated email confirming you have applied and that is where you nightmare begins... Read more...

South Africa’s Department of Home Affairs (the equivalent of the Ministry of Territorial Administration in Cameroon), has announced that it will begin reviewing visas issued to foreigners as far back as 2004. The announcement last week by South Africa’s Minister of Home Affairs, Aaron Motsoaledi comes after indications that there has been mass corruption in his ministry even before he took office. Investigations revealed that some unscrupulous staff in the Department were issuing visas to foreigners in as little as 48 hours �` something that is questionable as there are a lot of checks that have to be conducted before a visa is issued and these checks cannot normally be done in just two days.... Read more...

• In September 2021, the Free State High Court declared Section 24(2) of the Legal Practice Act 28 of 2014 unconstitutional and invalid. • The matter was brought by foreign nationals who wanted to be admitted and enrolled as legal practitioners in South Africa. • On Tuesday, the Constitutional Court declined to confirm the constitutional invalidity.... Read more...

Almost half of South Africa’s teachers are going to have to retire in the next 10 years, says Julian Hewitt, chief executive officer of the educator bursary programme, the Jake Gerwell Fellowship. Speaking to 702, Hewitt said that the Department of Education’s payroll showed that the country’s schools are expected to run out of highly skilled teachers.... Read more...

South Africans looking to travel abroad have been met with visa processing delays. • These delays are most noticeable for those wanting to visit America, with no appointment slots left in 2022, according to Rennies BCD Travel.... Read more...

We know that there are many foreigners living in the country but more than often, Zimbabweans are always the ones who are problematic because they think that they know too much about South Africa, and if it were according to them, they would call themselves South Africans as we know that there are those who are already doing that. Those who are already in the country are fighting so hard to ensure that they remain in the country and those who are in Zimbabwe are fighting to come to South Africa. It is just a battle and South Africans are pushing back.... Read more...

With COVID restrictions falling away, overseas tourist numbers to South Africa in May rose by 345% compared with last year, from 20 762 to 92 368, according to the latest Tourism and Migrations Statistics report published by Statistics SA today.... Read more...

Hire foreigners illegally, `face the music` warns Nxesi as road freight blitz puts 11 behind bars Fin24 �` 28 July 2022 • Eleven undocumented foreign workers were arrested in a government `mega blitz` on the road freight sector in the North West province - adding to more than 200 foreign drivers already arrested this year for operating illegally.... Read more...

Citizenship Options • South African Citizen by Descent • South African Citizen by Naturalisation: • Automatic loss of Citizenship • Resumption of South African citizenship • Deprivation of Citizenship • South African Citizen by Naturalisation: • Automatic loss of Citizenship... Read more...

•The Zimbabwean Immigration Federation is taking the Department of Home Affairs to court over the termination of the Zimbabwean Exemption Permit. •The organisation wants the department to start the review process for permits afresh. •It says its members will face discrimination and reprisal if they go back to Zimbabwe.... Read more...

The Department of Employment and Labour (DEL) has published an annexure to South Africa’s immigration regulations, making sure that all work visa applications are vetted by the department first. Labour and immigration experts at Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr said that employers must ensure that they comply with new requirements to avoid any administrative delays in the processing of visa applications. The new annexure clarifies “uncertainty” about the DEL’s involvement in the visa application process, now making it a critical step, said Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr.... Read more...

Co-accused, Mozambican brothers Carlos Bernardo Guambe, 34, and Gabriele Bernardo Guambe, 32, were arrested a month ago and are linked to the alleged human trafficking. • Two brothers have been given three-month sentences for contravention of the Immigration Act.... Read more...

The proposals are detailed in the party`s discussion documents ahead of the policy conference later in the week. Aaron Motsoaledi said the establishment of an immigration board was high up on the list.... Read more...

•Eleven undocumented foreign workers were arrested in a government `mega blitz` on the road freight sector in the North West province - adding to more than 200 foreign drivers already arrested this year for operating illegally.... Read more...

Home affairs minister Aaron Motsoaledi says that a ministerial committee reviewing permits and visas in South Africa has uncovered deep-rooted corruption within his department when it comes to handling certain types of visas.... Read more...

The Critical Skills Visa South Africa is for skilled workers whose occupation is on the Critical Skills Visa List for South Africa. This list reflects the occupations that are in demand in South Africa. The newly published `Skills or qualifications determined to be critical for the Republic of South Africa in relation to an application for a Critical Skills Visa or Permanent Residence Visa` This category of work visa may be issued to an applicant who falls within a specific professional category or specific occupational class determined by the Minister by notice in the Government Gazette. This is done after consultation with the Minister of Labour and the Minister of Trade and Industry.... Read more...

Under the General Work Visa there are very strict requirements. The South African government, although trying to promote work and trade in South Africa, recognize the need to give South Africans the chance to obtain employment ahead of any foreigner.... Read more...

Report points to poor resourcing of staff and technology as major reason for Home Office struggle with asylum backlog Home Affairs Committee: Asylum system is broken, but not due to asylum seekers crossing the Channel... Read more...

South Africa seeks highly skilled individuals to live and work in SA. SA Migration Services will provide professional assistance to arrange your work visa for you if you qualify. Work Visas are regulated in terms of Section 19, Regulation 18 and items 18 (1), 19(2), 20, 21 and 22, of Schedule A.... Read more...

Massive bungle has not only cost government, it also compromises citizens’ documentation, police work. The department of home affairs has spent millions of taxpayers’ money on a contract to upgrade its population register system, but years later, the work has still not been done.... Read more...

The Home Affairs Department will outsource aspects of its visa services as it anticipates an explosion in the number of applications following the re-opening of international borders. But the department insists staffing numbers, both overseas and in Australia, will not be impacted.... Read more...

By: Charlotte Wills, Kate Hooper, Policy Analyst at Migration Policy Institute and Meghan Benton, Director, International Program at Migration Policy Institute Remote work is not a new phenomenon, but the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the pace at which employers have remote and hybrid working schemes. Increasingly, workers expect more flexible remote work policies, supported by the many months spent successfully carrying out their jobs in periods of lockdown and adoption of technology that make remote collaboration more seamless.... Read more...

The Western Cape High Court recently dealt with a case of hiring foreign workers in South Africa, and whether an employer’s intention to employ foreign nationals rather than South African citizens or permanent residents could constitute unfair discrimination.... Read more...

Canada is currently reportedly experiencing labour shortage and needs over a million vacancies to be filled. According to a report by Statistics Canada published on Jul 20, immigrants have been the driving force behind the country’s labour supply for many years, and in the 2010s, over four-fifths of the growth in labour force came from immigration.... Read more...

Two-year-old Zimbabwean boy died after state hospital denied him treatment because his mother had no birth certificate SECTION27, a public interest law organisation, has launched an application in the Gauteng High Court to scrap discriminatory practices that deny immigrant women and their children state health care.... Read more...

By: Charlotte Wills, Kate Hooper, Policy Analyst at Migration Policy Institute and Meghan Benton, Director, International Program at Migration Policy Institute Remote work is not a new phenomenon, but the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the pace at which employers have remote and hybrid working schemes. Increasingly, workers expect more flexible remote work policies, supported by the many months spent successfully carrying out their jobs in periods of lockdown and adoption of technology that make remote collaboration more seamless. But the widespread adoption of remote work has brought many headaches, especially as relates to working in a different country, since immigration policies were not designed for an era of remote work.... Read more...

Cape Town and its surrounds have been shining in the global spotlight recently. From two of our restaurants classed with the world’s culinary’s finest, to two of our most scenic hotels ranked as the best on the continent and not to mention our small towns that have millionaires from all around the world flocking in their direction.... Read more...

The Russian government has implemented the law allowing foreign information technology specialists employed in Russia by accredited information technology companies (except for residents in certain economic zones) to work without work permits and to obtain permanent residence permits without having a temporary residence permit for one year.... Read more...

South Africa encourages permanent residency if you are serious about staying in South Africa on a long terms permanent basis there are many categories you can apply under.... Read more...

The UK is opening new routes to British citizenship for thousands of people who may previously not have qualified, says specialist migration firm Sable International. The changes mean that if you have a parent, grandparent or great grandparent born in the UK or a former British territory, you could now have a claim to British citizenship.... Read more...

• Immigration-related fraud in South Africa is rife. • A task team has found a raft of irregularities in issuing permits and visas. • Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi has reiterated the country is not for sale.... Read more...

Two senior immigration officers attached to the Department of Home Affairs in Bloemfontein, who were arrested for bribery, have been granted bail of R5 000 each. They were released after their appearance in the Bloemfontein Magistrate’s Court on Monday (11/07).... Read more...

The Canadian government has invited 1,500 new Express Entry candidates to apply for permanent residency. This is the first time Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) is inviting candidates across all-programs since December 2020. Also, Canadian Experience Class (CEC) candidates, which is the primary way for Canada’s large international student and foreign working population to gain residence were also included in this Express Entry draw.... Read more...

Just 24 regions offer an avenue for ‘workationing’ abroad The world has changed substantially thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic. Nowhere is this more evident than in the travel and tourism industry and the workforce. Economic losses continue to mount in tourism-dependent countries as people remain reluctant to travel.1 And employers now allow their staff to operate outside the office�`something most companies see for the foreseeable future to help keep their employees safe.2 These two needs�`tourist destinations seeking to attract visitors, while minimizing the risk of outbreaks, and workers looking for a break from their home workspaces�`are both being met by countries offering what is known as the digital nomad visa.... Read more...

Cape Town - The matter of Self-styled “Prophet” Shepherd Bushiri and pastor Tim Omotoso, whose documents in South Africa were found to have been attained irregularly, is what sent Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi on a mission to discover the truth behind the flaws in the system that enabled it.... Read more...

The government is adopting a zero-tolerance stance on the hiring of illegal foreign workers in South Africa, says Ben Makhalemele, deputy director of corporate accounts at the Department of Home Affairs. Makhalemele, who was speaking at Xpatweb’s recent global mobility conference in Johannesburg, said that his department has developed a clear mandate on addressing immigration in South Africa.... Read more...

Cape Town has been identified by Airbnb as one of the world’s most remote worker-friendly destinations and has entered into a new partnership deal with the accommodation-sharing service.... Read more...

The Western Cape High Court recently dealt with a case of hiring foreign workers in South Africa, and whether an employer’s intention to employ foreign nationals rather than South African citizens or permanent residents could constitute unfair discrimination. The case centred around Mukuru, a financial services provider that uses mobile technology to transfer money across Africa and Asian countries, says Jacqui Reed, a senior associate at law firm Herbert Smith Freehills.... Read more...

• Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi plans to sue the lawyer representing a group of Zimbabwe Exemption Permit holders. • If the lawyer does not withdraw his tweets and comments, Motsoaledi will seek R200 000 from him for defamation. • But the lawyer, Simba Chitando, said he would not back down. Minister of Home Affairs Aaron Motsoaledi intends to lodge a damages claim against a lawyer representing Zimbabwe Exemption Permit (ZEP) holders who are challenging the cancellation of the permit. Advocate Simba Chitando told News24 on Monday that Motsoaledi demanded that he withdraw comments to the media and delete comments on social media about millions the department had apparently made from ZEP holders.... Read more...

Africa continues its trajectory as a growth market for investment migration in 2022, says Amanda Smit, managing partner at Henley & Partners South Africa. The citizenship planning firm recorded an overall increase of 18% in enquiries from African citizens seeking alternative residence and citizenship over the past 12 months.... Read more...

Henley & Partners has published its latest global mobility index for 2022, outlining the countries that South Africans can travel to visa-free right now �` and how the pandemic continues to impact international travel. Japan holds the number one spot on the index �` the original ranking of all the world’s passports according to the number of destinations their holders can access without a prior visa �` with a record-high visa-free or visa-on-arrival score of 193, while Singapore and South Korea come in joint-second place, with a score of 192.... Read more...

Labour Minister Thulas Nxesi wants to add as many as 2 million new jobs before the next elections as the nation grapples with one of the highest unemployment rates in the world. About 12 million South Africans are without jobs. Unemployment according to the expanded definition, which includes people who were available for work but not looking for a job, is at 45.5% - the highest rate on a list of 82 countries monitored by Bloomberg - although some of the data is outdated. South Africa will go to the polls to elect its next president in 2024.... Read more...

Many believe SA government is pushing them back to Zimbabwe by doing away with special permits Thousands of low-skilled Zimbabwean nationals are finding it difficult to qualify for visas and many believe the SA cabinet`s decision to do away with the special exemption permit is aimed at pushing them out of the country...... Read more...

A business visa may be issued by the Department of Home Affairs to a foreigner intending to establish or invest in a business in South Africa in which he or she may be employed, and to members of such foreigners’ immediate family providing that certain requirements have been met.... Read more...

The maximum duration for this Visa is 3 months. If a longer stay is required the applicant must apply in advance abroad or he can extend the visitor’s Visa locally, confirming the purpose of stay. A valid return air / bus ticket, proof of sufficient financial means, the application fee andmust be accompany an application for extension. Pease note that a visitor’s Visa can only be extended once for a maximum of 3 months.... Read more...

South African Permanent Residence SA Migration �` 12/July/2022 • SA Visa • Permanent Residence South African Permanent Residence South Africa encourages permanent residency if you are serious about staying in South Africa on a long terms permanent basis there are many categories you can apply under.... Read more...

Clement Manyathela spoke to Home Affairs minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi about the termination of the Zimbabwe Exemption Permits and the establishment of the Border Management Authority. The Department of Home Affairs is serious about introducing the Border Management Authority (BMA) in South Africa.... Read more...

South Africa’s growing agitation with undocumented African migrants has long been a prickly issue, that some in the ANC describe as an albatross around the party’s neck that must be resolved before the 2024 national elections.... Read more...

Citizenship Options • South African Citizen by Descent • South African Citizen by Naturalisation: • Automatic loss of Citizenship • Resumption of South African citizenship • Deprivation of Citizenship • South African Citizen by Naturalisation: • Automatic loss of Citizenship • Resumption of South African citizenship • Acquisition of the citizenship or nationality of another country... Read more...

An intra-company transfer work Visa may be issued by the Department to a foreigner who is employed abroad by a business operating in the Republic in a branch, subsidiary or affiliate relationship and who by reason of his or her employment is required to conduct work in the Republic.... Read more...

Home affairs minister Aaron Motsoaledi has told parliament he wants strong action taken against anyone found to be responsible for sabotaging the Government Printing Works.... Read more...

Please be aware that the United Nations and member countries share information about registered refugees or asylum seekers that travel internationally and so they know for example a refugee or asylum seeker from say Somalia who travels from South Africa to Kenya , then travels by plane Ethiopia on a second flight and he travels on a another separate flight to Mogadishu Somalia or the other way .... Read more...

The Critical Skills Visa South Africa is for skilled workers whose occupation is on the Critical Skills Visa List for South Africa. This list reflects the occupations that are in demand in South Africa.... Read more...

•A private jet registered in the name of Svetlana Medvedeva, wife of former prime minister and president of Russia Dmitry Medvedev, landed in Cape Town. • However, the operators of the Bombardier Global 5000`s return flight were denied fuel by suppliers in Cape Town and were diverted to Lanseria.... Read more...

A healthy dose of scepticism is in order when anybody begins to talk about population growth, writes the author. As the world reaches a world population milestone, we need brave leaders who believe in equality, and who see the coming challenges of food insecurity, climate change and migration as something to fix for the benefit of all of humanity and not simply to ignore, writes Mark Tomlinson.... Read more...

Home affairs minister Aaron Motsoaledi has told parliament he wants strong action taken against anyone found to be responsible for sabotaging the Government Printing Works. The minister was briefing parliament’s committee on home affairs on Tuesday on the investigation into the loss of financial data and curriculum vitae (CVs), as well as investigations by the Hawks into allegations of corruption at the organisation.... Read more...

The Department of Home Affairs have arrested undocumented immigrants in raids on trucking companies in Cape Town on Friday morning. An SA Trucker working for Belogix confirmed that two undocumented yard workers were arrested at the company while another one was nabbed at the neighbouring Milltrans.... Read more...

From January 1 2023, hundreds of thousands of Zimbabweans and their children will no longer be able to live, work and go to school legally in the republic Three Zimbabweans who held Zimbabwean exemption permits (ZEPs), which the SA government has now scrapped, share their anxiety and anguish as they face deportation, uprooting their lives and children and starting all over again in Zimbabwe, or continuing to live here as undocumented migrants.... Read more...

Although IT continues to be the top-performing employment sector in South Africa, hiring activity in this area has declined by 3% in the last three months. This is according to jobs portal CareerJunction’s Employment Insights report for April.... Read more...

Australia`s energy minister has urged households in New South Wales - a state that includes the country`s biggest city Sydney - to switch off their lights in the face of an energy crisis. Chris Bowen says people should not use electricity for two hours every evening if they `have a choice`. However, he added he was `confident` that blackouts could be avoided. It comes after Australia`s main wholesale electricity market was suspended because of a surge in prices. Mr Bowen asked people living in New South Wales to conserve as much power as possible.... Read more...

Minister in the Presidency, Mondli Gungubele, says Cabinet has welcomed the fruition of major investments and achievements made by local and international companies in the country. He was on Thursday briefing media on the outcomes of the Cabinet meeting held on Wednesday.... Read more...

View pictures in App save up to 80% data. Tens of thousands of Zimbabweans could be sent back over the border, in just six months’ time �` Photo: Chris Robert / Flickr Home Affairs have welcomed the withdrawal of an application to challenge a controversial ZEP policy being pursued by the ministry. On Friday, it was confirmed that a legal attempt stop over 178 000 Zimbabweans had fallen flat �` giving Minister Aaron Motsoaledi a huge boost. What is the ZEP? Home Aff... Read more...

Cape Town - Forged bank statements, insufficient funds on submitted bank statements, fabricated invitation letters and falsified hotel reservations are just some of the reasons South African missions abroad rejected 98 000 tourist visa applications from around the world.... Read more...

Pretoria - The Department of Home Affairs has dismissed two employees for fraud relating to selling of South African identities to foreign nationals who did not deserve the documents. “Another four officials have been suspended for similar offences. Mr Phathisani Outshiki, from the Benoni office, was found guilty of gross misconduct for processing 111 documents for undeserving foreign nationals using particulars of South African citizens for a fee of R1 000 per application,” said Home Affairs spokesperson Siya Qoza. He said 98 of these documents were passports and 13 were identity documents.... Read more...

The ministerial review panel which investigated maladministration at the Government Printing Works (GPW) has found that there was a failure of management and supervision that led to the crashing of the server at the institution.... Read more...

At the start of June, Home Affairs minister Aaron Motsoaledi announced a complete overhaul of South Africa’s immigration system. The first area of change is long-term visa applications by foreign nationals wishing to stay for over three months in South Africa.... Read more...

Is Legal Action the way to go �` Class Action vs individual Court Action Class Action appears cheaper way but has more consequences to applicant than individual court action .... Read more...

Ever since the eruption of widespread xenophobic violence in 2008, the widely deployed claim that “foreign nationals are taking our jobs” is now accepted as fact by many. But statistics and research prove the opposite.... Read more...

Foreign nationals whose applications for asylum in South Africa were rejected do not automatically have the right in law to reapply. If they do, this will allow for a never-ending cycle of asylum applications, according to a judgment by the Western Cape High Court. This followed an application by three Burundian nationals who applied for asylum in South Africa.... Read more...

When South Africans cry out over unlawful activities often carried out by immigrants in the country, many individuals term them as being xenophobic and unwelcoming towards immigrants in our nation. The call for the deportation of illegal immigrants being made by South Africans is a genuine one even though the approach might be wrong. Our country has gradually deteriorated to a level that anything can go whether legal or illegal, but we must commend our security operatives for putting in their best to ensure that the country is still inhabitable for citizens.... Read more...

Heavy visa restrictions are now a thing of the past. South Africa has seen many of it`s Covid-19 restrictions eased, opening up many tight restrictions that were previously already put in place. According to BusinessTech, the opening of international borders, the resumption of international flights and a high vaccination rate has contributed to the increase in outbound travel for South Africans. VFS Global, the world’s largest visa outsourcing and technology service specialist, has reported an increase in visa applications from South Africa over the last six months.... Read more...

There are warnings of further power shortages across eastern Australia today as Prime Minister Anthony Albanese holds an emergency meeting to solve the energy crisis. The Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) has warned Queensland should expect another minor shortage between 5pm and 10.30pm. But the Queensland government has assured residents today that the state has extra supply there, if it needs it, particularly when peak demand kicks in tonight.... Read more...

Sa Migration recently sent out a news alert. The purpose of the alert? To share the news that The Department of Home Affairs are carrying out immigration raids on businesses, in search of employers who are violating immigration laws.... Read more...

Australia`s energy minister has urged households in New South Wales - a state that includes the country`s biggest city Sydney - to switch off their lights in the face of an energy crisis. Chris Bowen says people should not use electricity for two hours every evening if they `have a choice`. However, he added he was `confident` that blackouts could be avoided. It comes after Australia`s main wholesale electricity market was suspended because of a surge in prices.... Read more...

As part of our ongoing coverage of Home Affairs issues across the country, Daily Maverick has been visiting branches and asking readers to engage with us about their personal experiences of Home Affairs service. We are also monitoring reported incidents across the country. Below are two cases that go beyond the regular offline and long queue woes.... Read more...

Residence- and citizenship-by-investment (RBI and CBI) programmes have become very familiar over the past few years to South Africans who don’t have ancestral ties to other countries but are keen to gain residency or citizenship in a European country, and access to visa-free travel anywhere in the EU.... Read more...

ETA Criteria for French Citizens in New Zealand The following are the eTA conditions for French visa holders in New Zealand: • A valid passport: The traveler must have a valid French passport for at least three months from the date of departure from New Zealand. • A valid email address is: The email address entered on the application will get the New Zealand eTA. It is critical to provide an email address that you regularly check to get updates on the eTA status.... Read more...

`Home Affairs also says that you must be a South African citizen or permanent residence permit holder with a valid South African ID.` Photo: Getty Images The following question is a reader who wants to know if an abandoned child can get a birth certificate from Home Affairs.... Read more...

Federal officials have been told to act on an “extraordinary” backlog in visa applications for thousands of skilled workers at a time when employers claim they will have to shut down if they cannot find a solution to chronic labour shortages.... Read more...

Teachers play an important role in society as they help learners gain knowledge and skills that prepare them for life post-school or in their respective career paths.... Read more...

Department of Home Affairs Minister, Aaron Motsoaledi, says his Department is considering the reintroduction of transit visas. Motsoaledi says reviving these types of visas will help deal with foreign nationals entering South Africa illegally through O.R Tambo International Airport. The transit visas were discontinued in 2015. Earlier this week, four Bangladeshi and four Pakistani nationals, were arrested after bypassing security measures at the airport to enter the country illegally.... Read more...

• A task team report involving the issuing of permits at the home affairs department is `sensitive`, according to Aaron Motsoaledi. • He is `jittery` about distributing the report to the committee before it is presented to them.... Read more...

At a Glance • The Department of Home Affairs is providing an automatic extension of status until 30 September 2022, for applicants currently in South Africa with pending visas and waivers, due to processing delays in adjudicating long-term visa applications. • The processing delays are a result of a measure put in place in January, where the Department of Home Affairs required all long-term visa applications to be adjudicated in Pretoria, instead of at the South African consular posts. Due to understaffing, there is now a backlog of applications.... Read more...

• Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi is reviewing some of the permits which were granted irregularly over the years. • The Department of Home Affairs says the minister will leave no stone unturned in uncovering the `dubious` visas, permits and special citizenships that were irregularly granted. • The department says Motsoaledi will `unpack the full details of his intervention` in the coming days.... Read more...

You are only entitled to apply for permanent residence based on your father having permanent residence if you are under 21. Can I get permanent residency if my parent does, and I have lived in SA for more than five years? The short answer Yes, if you are a dependent of a permanent residence holder and are aged under 21 years.... Read more...

Employment and Labour minister Thulas Nxesi says his department is in the process of finalising two new documents which will tighten employment laws, including limitations on the hiring of foreigners. Nxesi was responding to complaints by truck drivers this week which led to a major blockage of the N3 highway. One of the key complaints raised by the drivers is that jobs are being taken by both legal and illegal foreign workers.... Read more...

2022 arrives, Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi, like his peers in Cabinet, will be with their families and will not have to fear being displaced from a country they`ve called home.... Read more...

Illegal Immigrants, most of them from Zimbabwe, are smashed against a fence at the entrance of a refugee centre June 17, 2008, in Johannesburg, South Africa. In 2008, with the economic collapse of Zimbabwe and widespread political oppression, more than 3 million Zimbabweans flooded across the border into South Africa.... Read more...

Gross earnings increased by R44.3 billion from R783 billion in September 2021, to R827.3 billion in December 2021, equating to an increase of 5.7% in the final quarter of the year. “This was largely due to increases in the following industries: trade, community services, manufacturing, business services, transport, construction and electricity. Year-on-year, gross earnings increased by R51.7 billion or (6.7%) between December 2020 and December 2021,” the jobs portal says.... Read more...

Hundreds of thousands of Zimbabweans living in South Africa may find themselves undocumented on 1 January 2023. The HSF is trying to stop this. The Helen Suzman Foundation (HSF) is taking the Minister of Home Affairs to court, seeking to set aside what it describes as a “hasty, untransparent and ill-considered” decision not to renew, beyond December of this year, the Zimbabwean Exemption Permit (Zep). About 178,000 Zimbabwean nationals live, study and work legally in South Africa with the Zep. The permit was first introduced 13 years ago to regularise the status of the many Zimbabweans living in the country.... Read more...

services provided by the department of home affairs are of primary importance to everyone residing in South Africa, both citizens and non-nationals. It is crucial to have a functioning department that can handle the civic needs of citizens and non-nationals. The department’s failures are well-documented and well-known to any South African who has tried to apply for an identity document, passport, or register their child’s birth.... Read more...

• As of Wednesday, South Africans no longer need to wear face masks. • Limits on gatherings and border checks for Covid-19 �` and the need to be vaccinated to enter South Africa �` have also been dropped. • Health minister Joe Phaahla quietly repealed the regulations by notice in the Government Gazette, ahead of a planned press conference on Thursday. As of Wednesday, South Africans no longer need to wear masks indoors in public settings.... Read more...

`New immigration policy undoubtedly intends to crack down on foreign nationals unlawfully working in South Africa.` • The new immigration policy undoubtedly intends to crack down on foreign nationals unlawfully working in South Africa.... Read more...

The Bangladeshi and Pakistani nationals allegedly arrived on a Qatar Airways flight from Doha earlier this week. JOHANNESBURG - The Home Affairs Department plans to reinforce transit visas after eight undocumented migrants were arrested at OR Tambo International Airport for attempting to enter South Africa through a fire hydrant.... Read more...

Employment and Labour minister Thulas Nxesi says his department is in the process of finalising two new documents which will tighten employment laws, including limitations on the hiring of foreigners. Nxesi was responding to complaints by truck drivers this week which led to a major blockage of the N3 highway. One of the key complaints raised by the drivers is that jobs are being taken by both legal and illegal foreign workers.... Read more...

Applying for critical skills work visa in South Africa as an artisan has been a challenge for the longest time. In 2014 when the current amendments to the Immigration Act were gazetted several gaps were identified in the Act which included the absence of a SAQA accredited professional body to register artisans. ECSA was not an option due to their minimum NQF criteria of 5 which was a notch above the rating being given by SAQA for artisans. There was a time letters issued by the National Artisan Moderation Body, (NAMB), were sufficient and then they were not.... Read more...

Cape Town’s Southern Suburbs are among the most popular neighbourhoods in the country, not just with locals, but also semigration and international buyers according to Francois Venter, a luxury property expert with Seeff Southern Suburbs. For the upper end of the market which includes Bishopscourt, Constantia Upper, Newlands, Claremont, and Kenilworth Upper, last year was a property boom. In Constantia Upper alone, property sales amounted to some R1.5 billion, quite unheard of in recent years.... Read more...

• For the population in rural areas who don’t have an address or paperwork to prove it, FICA becomes impossible. • Those who are ‘unbanked’ now have more options with financial service providers who are targeting them. • Here are four mobile payment platforms to use without a bank account or credit card.... Read more...

has been a challenge for the longest time. In 2014 when the current amendments to the Immigration Act were gazetted several gaps were identified in the Act which included the absence of a SAQA accredited professional body to register artisans. ECSA was not an option due to their minimum NQF criteria of 5 which was a notch above the rating being given by SAQA for artisans.... Read more...

An anti-business Mayor and working from home are tipping the capital`s growth into reverse We might have hoped that the Prime Minister’s ambitious plans to rebalance the British economy, and to close the massive gaps in wealth, productivity and entrepreneurship between London and the regions, would have involved making Bangor, Burnley or Bolton a little richer than they once were. Instead, it turns out that something entirely different is about to happen �` London is about to get a lot poorer.... Read more...

South Africa has reinstated its transit visa rules. The announcement was made by Home Affairs minister, Aaron Motsoaledi, earlier today. JOHANNESBURG - South Africa has reinstated its transit visa rules. The announcement was made by Home Affairs minister, Aaron Motsoaledi, on Saturday.... Read more...

•Eight illegal foreigners were arrested at OR Tambo International Airport for attempting to enter South Africa though a fire hydrant. • Minister of Home Affairs Aaron Motsoaledi says because South Africa does not have transit visas, that has made it easy for illegal foreigners to make their way into the country. • The department plans to reinforce transit visas following the incident.... Read more...

Illegal foreigners caught by SAPS at OR Tambo entering the country illegally through pipes https://twitter.com/NkosinatiMagwa/status/1538107151079690240?t=SG91PSbS62vHiIjC-FUQ_w&s=19South... Read more...

A Bangladeshi businessman was shot to death by an unidentified assailant in Atlanta, Georgia in the United States on Wednesday. The deceased, Abu Saleh Mohammad Mahfuz Ahmed, 47, was from Noakhali and lived in Atlanta with his father Abu Taher, wife Mahmuda Begum, son Faruz Ahmed, 4, and daughter Faiza Mahfuz, 9, the deceased`s younger brother Masum Ahmed said.... Read more...

Employment and Labour minister Thulas Nxesi says his department is in the process of finalising two new documents which will tighten employment laws, including limitations on the hiring of foreigners. Nxesi was responding to complaints by truck drivers this week which led to a major blockage of the N3 highway. One of the key complaints raised by the drivers is that jobs are being taken by both legal and illegal foreign workers.... Read more...

SA Migration - Visas: Critical Skills Work Visa , Business Visa , Retirement Visa , Spouse Visa , Life Partner Visa , Registered Immigration Practitioner , Immigration Lawyer ,Permanent Residence , Citizenship, Asylum to temporary residence , Refugee - www.samigration.com... Read more...

It can no longer be nationalisation at all costs for the ANC, especially if it will cost the country dearly. This is the opinion of the head of the ANC’s subcommittee on economic transformation, Mmamoloko Kubayi, who is also the minister of human settlements, regarding the party’s policy change from radical economic transformation in 2017 to the rebuilding of the economy this year. The subcommittee is responsible for drafting the ANC’s economic policy proposals in the run-up to the party’s policy conference at the end of next month.... Read more...

Federal officials have been told to act on an “extraordinary” backlog in visa applications for thousands of skilled workers at a time when employers claim they will have to shut down if they cannot find a solution to chronic labour shortages.... Read more...

Following the reopening of international borders on February 21, 2022 for fully vaccinated visa holders, the Department of Home Affairs continued immigration processing across all visa cases and is currently working through a large backlog of pending visa applications. Fragomen has observed delays in processing across all visa types, including onshore visas requiring the completion of health examinations. Health examination bookings through Bupa Medical Visa services are currently limited in New South Wales and Victoria, adding to general visa processing delays. Processing delays continue for applications linked to occupations that are not on the Priority Migration Skilled Occupation List (PMSOL).... Read more...

South Africa’s immigration policy is once again up for review. It has recently emerged that, since 2010, approximately 330 000 foreigners have overstayed their South African visas and remained in the country illegally. This is commonly viewed as the result of government failing to significantly invest in methods aimed at policing illegals residents. This is, however, only the tip of the iceberg and the government is well aware of the need to successfully implement a policy framework to ensure that South Africa’s immigration policies stand alongside those of leading world powers.... Read more...

Picture this �` it’s Monday and in a quiet moment you decide to go through your foreign employees’ documents. To your shock you discover that one employee’s visa is due for renewal �` at the end of the week. Suddenly, your Monday is a whole lot bluer! You have no idea how you’re going to do this. You don’t even know if it’s still possible to submit a renewal!... Read more...

Often news breaks of the arrest of home affairs officials and foreign nationals running one scam or another meant to bypass immigration laws. When a police team pounced on a gang of robbers at The Hill, southern Johannesburg, a worrying dimension was added to the story. Police released the nationality of the men arrested in the raid, and it emerged that most of the thugs were foreign nationals.... Read more...

When living in or visiting France on a long-term basis, most ‘non-EU’ citizens (i.e from the U.S., Canada, South Africa, Australia and since 2020, Britain, too) must obtain permission to stay. Fab the English-speaking community living in France, has this advice: How Do French Visas Work? For stays over 90 days, you’ll need either one of these long-term visas:... Read more...

You can get South African citizenship through marriage, but you first need to apply for a permanent residency permit and then wait five years. There are different ways to get citizenship in South Africa, but citizenship by naturalisation is the most common way for spouses of different nationalities.... Read more...

The Immigration emergency of South Africa has arrived at pinnacle and South Africans need their nation back from nationals that are not natively South Africans. South Africans believe that these foreign nationals have been taking job positions, businesses in townships and have been capable of the criminal violations that happen everyday. Foreign nationals likewise also get hold of South African identity deceitfully through the assistance of South Africans.... Read more...

Hundreds, if not thousands, of “golden visa customers” (wealthy individuals enthusiastic about investing in this country) can ruin the day they chose Portugal. Since the beginning of this year, the SEF Border Authority has virtually decided to unilaterally freeze residence permits for investment, also known as the acronym for ARI in Portugal. ‘legal’.... Read more...

Thousands of Nigerians in Diaspora and locally have applied, paid, and been captured but are yet to be issued their international passport booklets, along with foreign visitors seeking visas, continue to groan about the difficulties associated with the process, findings by LEADERSHIP Sunday reveal.... Read more...

great news for South Africans in the UK with the announcement that they can now apply for their passports through VFS Global, with immediate effect. We won’t rehash the nightmare tales of South Africans trying to phone the SA High Commission for weeks on end with no reply (there’s a special time of day to call), and sending emails that felt like they were ignored (in some cases they were if the subject was not exactly correct).... Read more...

There are instances where clients jumped the borders and entered South Africa illegally which means there is no record of them entering South Africa legally which in essence means that the immigration system or movement control system .... Read more...

The official colluded with a Pakistani mastermind to facilitate that foreign nationals obtain South African passports fraudulently Priority crime fighting unit the Hawks are searching for an official from the Department of Home Affairs for his involvement in fraud and corruption.... Read more...

Everyone in business know that time is money. Unfortunately, the South African visa application process is notorious for long waiting times. The general work visa, for instance, could take up to a year to finalise.... Read more...

Home affairs minister Aaron Motsoaledi has warned South Africans against selling their identities to undocumented foreigners. . Motsoaledi told parliament on Wednesday South Africans who do so lose their status in the country, to be replaced by foreigners. Home affairs officials colluded with undocumented foreigners to they could fraudulently obtain SA citizenship. He confirmed the suspension of four home affairs officials from the Maponya Mall branch in Soweto.... Read more...

Wait time for 476 visa, for overseas graduates who want to work or study in Australia for up to 18 months, has blown out to 41 months A recent freedom of information request showed the home affairs department had more than 6,000 applications for the 476 visa which it was yet to process.... Read more...

Lithuanian lied to home affairs about seeking asylum from war in Ukraine. Image: 123rf A Lithuanian actress has been forced to apologise to the South African government after she lied about seeking asylum from the war in Ukraine.... Read more...

South Africa is home to millions of citizens, including people who come from other countries and choose to be residents in the country. The majority of these people are from other African countries, looking for greener pastures and better opportunities than their home countries can provide.... Read more...

Motsoaledi reveals that more border guards have been hired, which is bad news for foreigners. Motsoaledi reveals that more border guards have been hired in South Africa.... Read more...

South Africa is home to millions of citizens, including people who come from other countries and choose to be residents in the country. The majority of these people are from other African countries, looking for greener pastures and better opportunities than their home countries can provide.... Read more...

Some of the easiest countries for South Africans to immigrate to, and why and how they are the best destinations for immigration by South Africans. Overview Completely relocating to another country can be an exciting new journey. Getting to start a new life in a different place, with new people can offer wholesome and beautiful new life experiences and memories to look forward to creating. Some countries are easier to immigrate to than others.... Read more...

“There is dire poverty in Zimbabwe and the situation is getting worse with each passing day.” So says Elasto Maweni from Ikhamvelihle in Gqeberha. Maweni is one of the nearly 180 000 Zimbabwean nationals who have Zimbabwean Exemption Permits (ZEP) to live and work in South Africa. Earlier this year, the Department of Home Affairs said it would not renew these permits. Like most ZEP holders, Maweni does not qualify for the critical skills list published in February. He therefore faces deportation when the permits expire on 31 December 2022.... Read more...

Several South African passport holders who attempted to fly to and from the United Kingdom (UK) claim they had to pass a general knowledge quiz in Afrikaans before they could board their planes. The frustrated travellers headed to Facebook, Twitter, and Reddit to share their experiences. MyBroadband spoke to a South African expat who said she and her 11-year-old son were denied their boarding passes from Ireland West Airport Knock to the UK two weeks ago. She got three out of the 15 questions wrong. They were returning from a visit to her daughter in the Republic of Ireland for a weekend. She had lived in the UK with her husband for two-and-a-half years. When arriving at the check-in counter, she was given the test �` in Afrikaans.... Read more...

Cape Town - Seventeen Lesotho nationals have been sentenced to three months imprisonment in the Molteno Magistrate’s Court in the Eastern Cape after facing charges relating to contraventions of the Immigration Act. The nationals, aged between 21 and 48 years, were sentenced on Friday, said Hawks spokesperson Yolisa Mgolodela. “In April 2021, a suspicious looking Quantum vehicle was spotted and chased by police. Inside the Quantum were Lesotho foreign nationals who could not explain the purpose of the journey. Permits were requested to no avail. All of them were apprehended. Investigations led the police to a house... Read more...

La Residence in Franschhoek and Lion Sands Ivory Lodge in Mpumalanga, South Africa were both ranked one of The Most Romantic Hotels in the World for 2022.... Read more...

A Saudi Arabian man has finally won a three-year battle against Home Affairs after they unfairly rejected his application for a spousal visa. Father of two, Nadir Abdul Majeed, 30, says despite being married for three years and being a university graduate, he was not allowed to work or live in South Africa because his visa had been rejected due to administrative bungles.... Read more...

Worksite immigration enforcement has increased, but still few employers charged with illegal hiring The recent immigration enforcement raids at several chicken-processing plants in Mississippi netted hundreds of arrests and dozens of criminal indictments against undocumented workers. But the action brings up a long-standing question, especially in an era of increased worksite enforcement: Where are the charges against the employers for hiring unauthorized workers?... Read more...

Sa Migration recently sent out a news alert. The purpose of the alert? To share the news that The Department of Home Affairs are carrying out immigration raids on businesses, in search of employers who are violating immigration laws.... Read more...

Hong Kong is the world’s most expensive city to live in as an expat for the second year in a row, according to a new study. New York and Geneva took second and third place in the rankings. Higher prices and a stronger currency over the past year kept the Asian city at the top of the tree, according to ECA International, which carried out its research in March this year. London and Tokyo round out the top five.... Read more...

This a reminder that the Director General of Home Affairs is reminding ZEP permit holders of the countdown to 31 December 2022 where permit holders have to change to a main stream visa. Don’t wait before it is too late and experience heartache and major disruptions in your lives and your children’s lives .... Read more...

The Western Cape high court has ruled that certain provisions of the Immigration Act and its regulations are unconstitutional. Foreign parents of South African children should be allowed to remain in the country even if their relationship with their spouse ends. A judgment by the Western Cape high court means that foreigners who are parents and caregivers of South African children will be allowed to remain in the country after their relationships with their South African spouses come to an end.... Read more...

Citizenship Options South African Citizen by Descent South African Citizen by Naturalisation: Automatic loss of Citizenship Resumption of South African citizenship Deprivation of Citizenship South African Citizen by Naturalisation: Automatic loss of Citizenship Resumption of South African citizenship Acquisition of the citizenship or nationality of another country... Read more...

The Western Cape high court has ruled that certain provisions of the Immigration Act and its regulations are unconstitutional. Foreign parents of South African children should be allowed to remain in the country even if their relationship with their spouse ends. A judgment by the Western Cape high court means that foreigners who are parents and caregivers of South African children will be allowed to remain in the country after their relationships with their South African spouses come to an end.... Read more...

The maximum duration for this Visa is 3 months. If a longer stay is required the applicant must apply in advance abroad or he can extend the visitor’s Visa locally, confirming the purpose of stay. A valid return air / bus ticket, proof of sufficient financial means, the application fee andmust be accompany an application for extension. Pease note that a visitor’s Visa can only be extended once for a maximum of 3 months.... Read more...

Most volunteer programs are for 3 months to 3 years. This allows volunteers to come into South Africa on a normal tourist visa and work in the country. However, some volunteers will come into the country on programs that last for more than 3 months. This is where SA Migration can assist.... Read more...

This type of South Africa Spouse or life partner permit is available to people in either heterosexual or same-sex relationships and can be applied for as either a spouse temporary residence permit or a permanent residence permit depending on the length of the marriage or relationship in question.... Read more...

South Africa is emerging as one of the world`s most exciting study destinations. This is demonstrated in the rapidly increasing number of international students. Because of international exchange rates, South Africa offers real educational value for money. A Study Visa may be issued to a foreigner intending to study in South Africa for longer than three months. For the purpose of the Act, study shall mean study at a primary, secondary or tertiary educational institution or any bona fide institution of learning, including but not limited to professional training, cultural, technical, research, vocational, sportive, language and entertainment institutions of learning.... Read more...

A retirement visa can be granted for 4 years to someone with a monthly pension, irrevocable annuity or retirement account of R37 000 from a net worth/combination of assets realizing R37 000 per month and wishes to retire temporarily or permanently in South Africa.... Read more...

Sa Migration recently sent out a news alert. The purpose of the alert? To share the news that The Department of Home Affairs carried out immigration raids on businesses in Cape Town, on Wednesday, 9 May, in search of employers who are violating immigration laws. What happened?... Read more...

In an attempt to tighten national security in South Africa, Minister has been a strong acting force in having the department raid various businesses around the Western Cape, looking for undocumented workers (once again). According to one article, as many as 25 illegal foreigners are being picked up daily, from various places in the Western Cape , Durban , Eastern Cape , Johannesburg and Pretoria . You can read more about the raids . See a video of the operations which took place last year under the name operation fiela.... Read more...

A Relative`s Visa may be issued by the Department to a foreigner who is a member of the immediate family of a citizen or a resident, providing that such citizen or resident provides the prescribed financial assurances.... Read more...

The interpretation of research activities should not be confused with activities for which a work Visa will be required. If an employment position/post is offered wherein the incumbent will be on the establishment (personnel structure) of the institution, then a work Visa will be required.... Read more...

A Relative`s Visa may be issued by the Department to a foreigner who is a member of the immediate family of a citizen or a resident, providing that such citizen or resident provides the prescribed financial assurances.... Read more...

The interpretation of research activities should not be confused with activities for which a work Visa will be required. If an employment position/post is offered wherein the incumbent will be on the establishment (personnel structure) of the institution, then a work Visa will be required.... Read more...

Citizenship Options South African Citizen by Descent South African Citizen by Naturalisation: Automatic loss of Citizenship Resumption of South African citizenship Deprivation of Citizenship South African Citizen by Naturalisation: Automatic loss of Citizenship Resumption of South African citizenship Acquisition of the citizenship or nationality of another country... Read more...

South Africa seeks highly skilled individuals to live and work in SA. SA Migration Services will provide professional assistance to arrange your work visa for you if you qualify.... Read more...

South Africa encourages permanent residency if you are serious about staying in South Africa on a long terms permanent basis there are many categories you can apply under.... Read more...

South Africa seeks highly skilled individuals to live and work in SA. SA Migration Services will provide professional assistance to arrange your work visa for you if you qualify.... Read more...

South Africa encourages permanent residency if you are serious about staying in South Africa on a long terms permanent basis there are many categories you can apply under.... Read more...

Any foreigner who intends to seek medical treatment in South Africa at a medical institution for more than 3 months, needs to apply for a medical visa. The medical permit allows foreigners to stay in South Africa temporarily whilst undergoing treatment at their preferred medical institution. A medical visa would only be approved if the foreigner needs to undergo treatment at a private hospital, public hospital, rehabilitation centres and detox clinics in South Africa. Please note that a medical permit holder may not work or apply for work while in the country.... Read more...

• The Department of Home Affairs says it is not targeting migrants from the African continent. • Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi attempted to dispel the notion that migrants from European countries were not investigated. • MPs in the National Council of Provinces have raised concerns about the apparent targeting of African migrants.... Read more...

The Department of Home Affairs (DHA) has introduced a centralised adjudication system for visas. The new system will mean that all long-term visa applications submitted through a South African embassy or high commission are being sent to the Home Affairs head office in Pretoria.... Read more...

Worksite immigration enforcement has increased, but still few employers charged with illegal hiring The recent immigration enforcement raids at several chicken-processing plants in Mississippi netted hundreds of arrests and dozens of criminal indictments against undocumented workers. But the action brings up a long-standing question, especially in an era of increased worksite enforcement: Where are the charges against the employers for hiring unauthorized workers?... Read more...

The Department of Home Affairs (DHA) has introduced a centralised adjudication system for visas. The new system will mean that all long-term visa applications submitted through a South African embassy or high commission are being sent to the Home Affairs head office in Pretoria.... Read more...

Worksite immigration enforcement has increased, but still few employers charged with illegal hiring The recent immigration enforcement raids at several chicken-processing plants in Mississippi netted hundreds of arrests and dozens of criminal indictments against undocumented workers. But the action brings up a long-standing question, especially in an era of increased worksite enforcement: Where are the charges against the employers for hiring unauthorized workers?... Read more...

The Department of Home Affairs (DHA) has introduced a centralised adjudication system for visas. The new system will mean that all long-term visa applications submitted through a South African embassy or high commission are being sent to the Home Affairs head office in Pretoria.... Read more...

We have a question for you �` can a foreign national start working for you as soon as the work visa application has been submitted? If your answer was either “Yes’ or “I don’t know”, keep on reading. There are many (costly) misconceptions around South African work visas, and we’ve put together a guide to the five most common ones for employers.... Read more...

Graduates from African universities will not be eligible for the United Kingdom’s High Potential Individual (HPI) visa aimed at attracting highly skilled graduates from non-UK universities to work in various fields, including science, technology and entrepreneurship in the country.... Read more...

As it turns out, you don’t need *that* much money to bribe senior officials at Home Affairs �` thankfully, this one was caught red-handed. A top Home Affairs official has been detained by police this week, after he caught accepting a paltry bribe from a foreign national. The payment has enraged South Africans online, who have questioned the department’s integrity. Nonetheless, SAPS officials have been praised for their work.... Read more...

Low-cost airline Ryanair has confirmed it asked travellers with South African passports to complete a quiz in Afrikaans before being allowed to board their planes, News24 reported. The airline reportedly said it is responsible for ensuring passengers are correctly documented for travel to their destination, per Section 40 of the UK Immigration and Asylum Act 1999.... Read more...

‘Pre-booked clients will be serviced at dedicated counters,’ said the Department of Home Affairs. The Branch Appointment System is meant to cut queues. The Branch Appointment System (BABS) is available in six provinces. The Department of Home Affairs has implemented an online appointment system, which is meant to cut queues and ensure there is no need for people in need of its services to wake at the crack of dawn.... Read more...

Life Partner visa is issued to someone in a long term relationship. This type of South Africa life partner visa is available to people in either heterosexual or same-sex relationships and can apply for a life partner temporary residence visa or a permanent residence depending on the length of the relationship in question.... Read more...

An alternative to the Retirement Visa route exists in the financially independent visa for which candidates would need to be able to demonstrate a net asset value totalling not less that R12 million. In addition, it would also be necessary to demonstrate proof of payment of R120,000 as a non-refundable sum to the Director General of Home Affairs. The application for a financially independent visa will lead to permanent residence.... Read more...

‘Pre-booked clients will be serviced at dedicated counters,’ said the Department of Home Affairs. The Branch Appointment System is meant to cut queues. The Branch Appointment System (BABS) is available in six provinces. The Department of Home Affairs has implemented an online appointment system, which is meant to cut queues and ensure there is no need for people in need of its services to wake at the crack of dawn. HOME AFFAIRS ONLINE BOOKING SYSTEM The Branch Appointment System (BABS) is available at branches in six provinces, for now.... Read more...

South Africa seeks highly skilled individuals to live and work in SA. SA Migration Services will provide professional assistance to arrange your work visa for you if you qualify.... Read more...

A business visa may be issued by the Department of Home Affairs to a foreigner intending to establish or invest in a business in South Africa in which he or she may be employed, and to members of such foreigners’ immediate family providing that certain requirements have been met.... Read more...

Citizenship Options SA Migration �` 06/06/2022 • South African Citizen by Descent • South African Citizen by Naturalisation: • Automatic loss of Citizenship • Resumption of South African citizenship • Deprivation of Citizenship • South African Citizen by Naturalisation: • Automatic loss of Citizenship • Resumption of South African citizenship • Acquisition of the citizenship or nationality of another... Read more...

Cyber Security Shadow Minister James Paterson says he is “very concerned” the government has “effectively abolished the Department of Home Affairs”. “It is not the Department of Home Affairs as it was,” he told Sky News host Sharri Markson.... Read more...

Shadow Minister James Paterson has raised concerns about the Labor government’s move to “dismantle” the Department of Home Affairs, warning that it could come at the expense of Australians’ safety. The comment comes after the Anthony Albanese led government released its first Administrative Arrangements Order (AAO) which announced a downsize of the Home Affairs department, four years since its inception in 2017.... Read more...

Minister of Home Affairs, Malusi Gigaba, has responded to claims that the department is dragging its feet in implementing changes to SA`s immigrations regulations. A month after the changes were announced, members of the trade expressed concern that the changes had not been implemented and that there had not been clear communication around the changes.... Read more...

Sometimes you have to ignore headlines and just focus on what you can see around you.... Read more...

Polokwane - South Africa was losing revenue due to inefficient management and crime syndicates corrupting state security officials at the country`s ports of entry, Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba said on Thursday.... Read more...

While the Australian dollar has depreciated some 30% against major currencies, it has held steady against the South African rand. As a result, both South Africa and Namibia offer great value for money to Australian travellers who are likely to choose these destinations over the US and Europe, as well as other African destinations with dollar-based pricing. "People who have never thought about Africa before will be looking at it now because America and Europe have got expensive," he says.... Read more...

South Africa no longer has an immigration policy. This is not a statement of criticism, but a jurisdictional fact. On 26 May 2014, when the Immigration Act was amended, an entirely new paradigm of immigration regulation came into operation, unprecedented in its inflexibility and in its exclusionism. This is not a phenomenon that suddenly appeared out of nothing, but it emerged from a history of administrative corruption, the violation of South Africa`s borders and Government`s frustrated response to... Read more...

Regulations implemented at SA`s borders are now being actively enforced.... Read more...

SA Tourism Germany has launched a five-month interactive social media campaign in a joint marketing agreement with Thomas Cook Germany, a tour operator for South Africa.... Read more...

Pretoria - New South African finance minister Pravin Gordhan said on Monday the government would do what was required in a fiscally responsible way in procurement deals, including that for nuclear power expansion.... Read more...

The Tourism Dept met with industry stakeholders in Sandton to discuss the latest changes.... Read more...

Pietermaritzburg - A Northdale child`s education is hanging in the balance as his desperate mother tries frantically to legalise his South African citizenship. With allegedly no progress being made by "slack" Department of Home Affairs managers, Greenhill Primary School pupil Cail Edward (11) may not be allowed to attend a South African school next year if he is not granted South African nationality by the start of the school year in January.

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JOHANNESBURG - South Africa will impose hefty fines on transport operators who ferry undocumented travellers into the country.

Those caught on the wrong side of the law will pay penalties of R15,000 per traveller.

A notice of the new fines is published on the Department of Home Affairs` website.... Read more...

Durban - A bride-to-be says she will "kiss the ground" when she lands at King Shaka International Airport on Tuesday after almost having to cancel her uMhlanga beach wedding on Wednesday because of South Africa`s visa requirements.... Read more...

It`s not really surprising that British Airways considers South Africa`s Mother City high up on its list of eight of its top favourite long-haul tourist destinations. Cape Town has much to recommend it: cable car up Table Mountain, better still when it goes above the clouds that become the mountain`s table cloth; winelands close by, exquisite beaches and beautiful, clean, clear ocean waters that are the penguin`s and shark`s natural habitat. I refuse to call the waters "shark-infested" as journalists tend to do, as if the magnificent creatures are monsters. I`m on board with Shark Savers on proper use of language in this instance. I`m also firmly on board the assessment of BA`s travel experts in this press release of their annual compilation of global tourist hotspots based on past performance, forward-booking profiles, global events, travel patterns and international trends. � Marika Sboros... Read more...

MBABANE � Government has once again reminded business, including those that sell alcohol to the public, to close down for at least six hours tomorrow. Establishments that defy this warning face a E5 000 fine. The ministry issued a statement on Thursday, requesting the trade and liquor business establishments to respect the Incwala holiday.

The holiday will be tomorrow, as confirmed by the Ministry of Home Affairs yesterday.... Read more...

THE Women`s Legal Centre is forging ahead with its fight to force the government to recognise marriages solemnised in terms of Muslim rites.... Read more...

Tourists ride bicycles during a Soweto bicycle tour that has become popular in the township. The writer says that this kind of tourism is an untapped source of income for many low income earners living in predominantly black areas in South Africa.... Read more...

Polokwane - A lingering mistrust between Home Affairs and the Nigerian embassy emerged behind the dock at the Polokwane Magistrate`s court on Friday.... Read more...

TOURISM industry players are accusing the Department of Home Affairs of dragging its feet in implementing the revised visa regulations, saying this has caused the country to lose out on potential tourists over the busy summer period.... Read more...

THE Department of Tourism will begin working to "regain lost ground" in the industry, now that changes have been introduced to SA`s contentious new regulations, minister Derek Hanekom told the tourism portfolio committee on Friday.... Read more...

Durban - A Durban attorney is questioning how a KwaZulu-Natal mother of two apparently went on holiday to the US with her two children without the consent of their fathers � both his clients � as is now required by law.... Read more...

STRICT enforcement of immigration rules has caused a family to be split between South Africa and Israel, after their youngest daughter was banned from entering the country for five years.... Read more...

Lesotho immigrants living in South Africa without the right documents will no longer be deported from now until December 31, 2016, Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba said on Monday.

Lesotho immigrants can apply for the Lesotho Special Permit (LSP) to regularise their stay in South Africa, the minister said on the Morning Live program of the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC).... Read more...

A TABLE View father says he is being punished for not having enough money, and as a result his Russian wife and daughter are being refused entry into South Africa. He decided to forgo the services of an expensive immigration lawyer, but he says he has been getting grief from South African embassy staff in Russia and Home Affairs in South Africa.

In 2012, Andr� Mans fell in love with Marina Shutova while on holiday in Thailand.... Read more...

Fines for expired visas not working� Now that Parliament has resumed it will not be long before for the Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs considers public comment and input on amendments to the Immigration Act re-defining what the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) terms as "inadequate sanction on foreign persons who remain in South Africa after their visas have expired". The Committee is responding to the fact that it is the Minister`s opinion that fines on foreigners who overstay their welcome were not serving as a sufficient deterrent to cease the regular practice of non-residents to continue their stay beyond the expiry date of their visa.... Read more...

Migrants and refugees seeking asylum in Sarstedt, Germany, line up Feb. 26 for lunch at the shelter where they live while their asylum applications are processed. Germany wants to send more migrants home and sent a charter plane filled with Afghan migrants back to Kabul on Wednesday.... Read more...

Their lives have come to a halt as a result of the long wait. UVONGO man Dave Burton has been battling for two years to get a required `vault copy` of a birth certificate for his seven-year-old daughter before the family can go overseas.... Read more...

Cape Town � The man who assassinated Chris Hani 23 years ago, Janusz Walus, is a naturalised South African citizen, South Africa`s home affairs department said on Friday.... Read more...

MANZINI � Timothy Myeni, the charismatic leader of high-rolling gospel music ensemble Ncandweni Christ Ambassadors, has been banned from setting foot in South Africa for the next five years.... Read more...

The United Kingdom is still one of the most popular tourist destinations for South Africans. With the large South African community in the UK, there is also a very large number of South Africans who visit the UK to spend some time with their families. Others need to travel there for business purposes.... Read more...

JOHANNESBURG - The South African Revenue Service (Sars) says it processed about 19,000 travellers` documents on Boxing Day at different border posts across the country.... Read more...

Pretoria - South Africa remains a reliable investment destination which is open for business, writes trade and industry minister Rob Davies.... Read more...

As we close out 2015 and prepare to enter 2016 let us pause and reflect on 2015 .... Read more...

Tourists turned away at airports for not carrying unabridged birth certificates... Read more...

Twarz-Kirchhoff said Home Affairs issued a permit for the whole family to stay in country PRETORIA: The high court in Pretoria came to the rescue of a desperate mother-of-three, who had been separated from her children for nearly the entire month of December, after Home Affairs banned her from entering the country � claiming her permit to remain here was fraudulent.... Read more...

For all the bickering on social media, South Africans in the main area are blessed with a generosity of spirit that shames most of the world.... Read more...

The department says more officials and senior managers have been deployed to help streamline 1 of the country`s busiest times of the year when it comes to the movement of travellers. The province`s Kosi Bay office on the north coast will be open for an extra 2 hours a day � from 7 in the morning until 6 at night.... Read more...

A report out today accuses Health ministers and NHS chiefs of fuelling migration numbers by employing nurses on the cheap from outside the EU to meet annual shortages.... Read more...

The government yesterday announced transfers of 14 senior immigration officers in what it described as a move to increase efficiency and enhance security at border posts.... Read more...

Americans and the west find it much easier to travel around the continent; not so if you are an African Some African airports. Arrivals to Africa`s destinations are projected to grow 4.4% by 2034 rising from 119 million passengers in 2014 to 280 million people flying to, from and within the continent. ALIKO DANGOTE could be forgiven for hoping that his status as one of the continent`s more recognisable faces could buy him some extra minutes to locate a missing passport, but an anecdote he narrated recently in Ivory Coast suggests that being the Africa`s richest man does not automatically buy you good immigration custom care.... Read more...

"Staff were calling one another from counter to counter whispering about us, how we are two women getting married." Two married same-sex couples have accused several Home Affairs branches in Gauteng of refusing to provide service to them based on their sexual orientation, according to MambaOnline.com.... Read more...

Concern over withdrawal of rights of asylum seekers and refugees Immigration lawyers have accused the Department of Home Affairs of being in contempt of a High Court order. This comes after the department withdrew an instruction allowing asylum seekers and refugees to apply for permanent residence without giving up their asylum or refugee status. The Department also withdrew an instruction allowing asylum seekers and refugees to apply for temporary residence without a valid passport.... Read more...

Despite the large number of arrivals, more work needs to be done. While South Africa received a record 1 012 641 tourist arrivals in January, exceeding the million tourists arrivals mark for the first time ever, more work needs to be done for the country to recover lost market share.... Read more...

Last month, Groundup reported on Tracey (not her real name), a Zimbabwean woman who was desperate after she was refused to re-enter South Africa on 6 January, even though she had the correct papers. The Department of Home Affairs (DHA) has now removed the restrictions.... Read more...

South African Tourism has announced plans to open four new visa application centres in India to cater for increasing visa applications, according to a report by the Financial Express.... Read more...

It will be exactly 27 years after gaining independence that Namibia will finally phase out the usage and presence of the old South West Africa/Namibia identification document (ID).... Read more...

Home Office granted powers to snoop on detention centre refugees three years ago by amendment to 20-year-old Police Act Immigration officials have been permitted to hack the phones of refugees and asylum seekers, including rape and torture victims, for the past three years.... Read more...

Pretoria - Long queues, hours of waiting and the endless filling in of forms at the Department of Home Affairs will soon be a thing of the past, with the introduction of live capturing, the smart card and other aspects of the modernisation of the much-maligned department. The new and improved technology-driven eHome Affairs (electronic Home Affairs) will take a segment of the population out of the offices and allow them access to an online platform where they can make applications and pay for them.... Read more...

Department accused of wasting money The case between the Department of Home Affairs and immigration lawyers, who are accusing the department of being in contempt of a High Court order, has been postponed to next month.... Read more...

Fact: Worldwide, one in every 114 people is displaced. According to the United Nations an estimated 200 million people globally live outside their home countries, a number that has increased by more than 40% in the past decade. Population displacement is a top global issue, while here in South Africa; illegal immigration is a heated and sensitive topic. However, finding a remedy is about as easy as finding a needle in a haystack.... Read more...

Cape Town - Foreign students graduating from South African universities in critical skills areas will soon qualify for permanent residence permits, so their talents can be retained, Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba has announced.... Read more...

Concern over withdrawal of rights of asylum seekers and refugees Immigration lawyers have accused the Department of Home Affairs of being in contempt of a High Court order. This comes after the department withdrew an instruction allowing asylum seekers and refugees to apply for permanent residence without giving up their asylum or refugee status. The Department also withdrew an instruction allowing asylum seekers and refugees to apply for temporary residence without a valid passport.... Read more...

The only country pipping South Africa to the post in the number of foreign missions, and only just, is the USA. Hard economic realities might change that now.... Read more...

JOHANNESBURG � Lesotho nationals living in South Africa encouraged to apply for special permit. Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba visited the Midrand Lesotho Special Permit Facilitation and Application Centre to hand out permits to applicants.... Read more...

Five additional visa application centers have been opened in China. The Department of Home Affairs has opened five additional centers in China, Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba announced on Wednesday.... Read more...

Less than 2% of Lesotho nationals have applied so far Immigrant rights group People Against Suffering Oppression and Poverty (PASSOP) has called for an extension of the deadline for the Lesotho Special Permit... Read more...

Consumers score big as collecting old debt is illegal 2016-05-22 � Fin24 Cape Town - Amendments to the National Credit Act making it illegal to collect prescribed debt has contributed to the big drop in civil summonses and judgments for debt, James O`Haughey, CFO of Intelligent Debt Management Group, told Fin24 in a studio interview.... Read more...

The judge expressed concern over the manner in which home affairs had dealt with the matter.

A 13-year-old schoolboy who was at one stage deported from South Africa because home affairs refused to register his birth, has finally been declared a South African citizen following a long court battle.... Read more...

A few days ago I had the honour of having breakfast with the Minister of Home Affairs, Malusi Gigaba, at the Cape Town Press Club.... Read more...

Cape Town - Defence and Military Veterans Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula was well-aware that by "smuggling" Michelle Wege into South Africa she had broken one of the very laws she as a parliamentarian had helped create, the Democratic Alliance said on Friday as two of its MPs laid criminal charges against the minister at the Cape Town Central police station.... Read more...

The judge expressed concern over the manner in which home affairs had dealt with the matter.... Read more...

The extension of current permits will ensure that boat-based whale watching and White shark cage-diving activities continue as usual.... Read more...

South Africa is in for a boom in new hotel builds, with both international and local brands planning a stronger presence in the country and beyond in the next five years or so. The hospitality sector last experienced such a growth spurt ahead of the World Cup in 2010. Cape Town is the central focus of the expansion.... Read more...

MORE than a million asylum seekers in South Africa, the highest number in the world, were waiting for their applications to be processed at the end of last year.... Read more...

The Cape Town High Court on Friday dismissed a challenge by the Scalabrini Centre and others� represented by the Legal Resources Centre (LRC)� regarding the lawfulness of the Department of Home Affair`s decision to close the Cape Town Refugee Reception Office (CTRRO).... Read more...

Pietermaritzburg - A specialist paediatric doctor who says she has helped reduce the mortality rate of infants at Grey`s Hospital over three years, is leaving for Holland after her application for a critical care permit was granted three days before her work permit expired.... Read more...

According to Chilala Mayanda Habasimbi, Zambia Ministry of Tourism Acting Principle Tourism and Development Research Officer, the univisa between Zimbabwe and Zambia will soon be implemented.... Read more...

Johannesburg - Tourists are flocking back to South Africa`s game parks, beaches and vineyards as a weaker currency and easing of visa rules make holidays cheaper and more accessible.... Read more...

The Department of Home Affairs has welcomed the arrest of three people in Rustenburg, North West, on charges of human trafficking following the rescue of 57 Malawian children and young adults by police officers, over the weekend.... Read more...

The perception of South Africa as a secure destination, along with favourable currency exchange, is encouraging to the Nordic market, which, for the first four months of 2016 recorded increased South African tourist arrivals.... Read more...

Sibongile* has become unemployed and her accounts have been deactivated. "My life is on hold," she says. Sibongile, who came to Cape Town from Zimbabwe in 2009, has been unable to get a special permit from the Department of Home Affairs which would allow her to work and bank.... Read more...

Cape Town � South Africans did its property sector a really big favour last week during the local government elections, according to Chas Everitt CEO Berry Everitt on Tuesday.... Read more...

LIMPOPO � Two officials from the Department of Home Affairs will appear before the Musina Magistrate`s court tomorrow (Friday) after they were arrested earlier today on charges of fraud.... Read more...

More than 25,000 migrants arrived in Italy in July, 12% more than in the same period last year, EU border agency Frontex said on Friday (12 August).... Read more...

SOUTH Africa`s fragmented border management model will be one of the first issues addressed by Parliament following the recess for the local government elections.... Read more...

With Team SA leaving the Rio Olympics on a high after achieving their target of 10 medals, we rounded up some of their most memorable moments at the 2016 Olympic Games.... Read more...

It will come as no surprise to Harare residents that they live in a city ranked among the world`s worst. With police barricades set up across the city`s potholed roads so that law-enforcers can bully cash out of motorists in what can only be a private money-earner, life cannot be described as normal in the ailing Zimbabwean capital.... Read more...

A recent report published by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees claims that there are more than a million asylum seekers in South Africa, and that the country is home to the highest number of unresolved asylum cases in the world. But the figure is based on a flawed reading of the available data.... Read more...

Couples planning to get married this spring may be forced to postpone their wedding ceremonies, as the department of home affairs is experiencing a countrywide shortage of marriage registers.... Read more...

Johannesburg - The Department of Home Affairs on Thursday condemned the destruction of property at the Marabastad Refugee Reception Office in Pretoria.... Read more...

Without the co-operation of other government departments, the country`s tourism achievements will be limited, says Minister of Tourism, Derek Hanekom... Read more...

When A Gonubie couple made the trip to the Home Affairs building about two months ago, they thought applying for new smartcard IDs would be a cinch.... Read more...

Minister of Home Affairs Malusi Gigaba told Parliament that his department had issued more than 680 000 smart ID cards to South Africans 16 and older in the last year.... Read more...

I was reading one article from one writer in this forum a few weeks ago about the NHI. What caught my eye on his article was our unemployment rate and its position in the global ranking. I started researching why it is so high as compared to our fellow economic struggler in the BRICS Brazil. Their rate is 5.5% as compared to South Africa`s 25% which I still dispute even now because I believe it is around 50% or more.... Read more...

Lawyers for Human Rights (LHR) will appear in the Constitutional Court tomorrow (Tuesday 8 November 2016) to challenge the constitutionality of the provisions of the Immigration Act relating to detention.... Read more...

Reprieve for international students as Home Affairs extends study visas given a reprieve by the Department of Home Affairs and will not be declared undesirable persons following a blanket extension of their study visas to March 31� 2017.... Read more...

Francis Tahlo Mohodi (57), former Immigration Officer at the Department of Home Affairs was found guilty by the Springbok Regional Court on a charge of corruption. He was arrested at Sendelingsdrift Port of Entry in Upington on 19 May 2016 and later released on warning. The Hawks Investigation into the alleged corruption ensued soon after information was received from the Home Affairs Counter Corruption Office.... Read more...

(Johannesburg) November 8, 2016 � Linda Thomas-Greenfield, the United States Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, visited Jesuit Refugee Service South Africa`s Urban Refugee Program November 1, to learn first hand about the challenges faced by vulnerable refugees � survivors of SGBV and refugees from the LGBTI community.... Read more...

Investigators discovered the fingerprints differed from those of the applicant for an identity book. A Park Rynie home affairs official and a foreign national were arrested for identity fraud on Monday morning, November 7, in KwaZulu-Natal, South Coast Sun reports.... Read more...

The Department of Home Affairs is locked in an overtime pay dispute with unions which could see it scrapping Saturdays as part of its service offering. Department director-general Mkuseli Apleni said on Thursday that there appeared to be no end in sight to the deadlock as the National Union of Public Service and Allied Workers (Nupsaw) was preparing to picket over the issue on Friday.... Read more...

JOHANNESBURG � The Home Affairs Department has slammed Tourism Minister Derek Hanekom for the losses in tourism and has said the tourism industry must stop blaming the impact of visa regulations and the biometric system, and start marketing South Africa more effective.... Read more...

It is alleged the employees do not receive overtime and therefore closed earlier to finish their work by 4pm.... Read more...

Seeking solutions on medical aid requirements for foreign students A workshop was held in Johannesburg recently to come up with a solution to ease visa restrictions on students from SADC countries, which requires them to be members of a South African medical aid for the duration of their studies.... Read more...

Cape Town Refugee Centre event held in Joe Slovo Park Refugees and asylum seekers are a link between South Africa and the rest of Africa, Vuyani Shwane, director of the Cape Town Refugee Centre, said in Joe Slovo Park this week.... Read more...

THOUSANDS of Zimbabweans resident in South Africa on the strength of the Zimbabwe Special Permits (ZSP) introduced in 2012, can be rest assured of their continued stay in that country, as arrangements are being made to guarantee their security, Southern Eye has learnt.... Read more...

In response to the new immigration rule, applied by New-Zealand, towards South African travellers, South Africa decided to put an end to the visa-free travel’s arrangement made with New Zealand, years ago. This new measure, would come into effect on the 16th of January.... Read more...

Canada �" temporary worker “4-in, 4-out” rule eliminated In a 13 December joint announcement by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) and the Ministry of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour, Canada has eliminated the “4-in, 4-out” rule under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP), effective immediately... Read more...

Asylum seekers at a reception centre in a military bunker in Realp (canton of Uri). Photo: Fabrice Coffrini/AFP Between January and the end of November 2016 some 8,166 asylum seekers in Switzerland dropped out of the system without telling Swiss authorities, according to the Swiss migration office (SEM).... Read more...

Let’s move on to the private company option, where your business is owned and operated, not by you as an individual or by a group of individuals, but by a “(Pty) Ltd”.... Read more...

The South African Department of Home Affairs will increase the number of immigration officials employed at OR Tambo International Airport for the 2017/2018 financial year.... Read more...

JOHANNESBURG - The Home Affairs Department says it is in the process of deciding what should happen to the holders of a Zimbabwean special permit once it expires this year.... Read more...

‘When you have R10 million to digitise documents, you really don’t have money.’ Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba yesterday openly acknowledged that his department needs resources and much more money to be able to function efficiently and to serve South African and foreign nationals.... Read more...

SA will not mimic Trump in Lesotho deportations, assures Malusi Gigaba 30 January 2017 �" TMG Digital SA will soon begin deporting undocumented Lesotho nationals but will not mimic US President Donald Trump’s attitude towards migrants from neighbouring Mexico in doing so.... Read more...

No deportation of undocumented migrants 26 Jan 2017 �" Biz community The Department of Home Affairs has dismissed reports that it has ordered the immediate deportation of undocumented migrants in the country. The message, which has been circulating via social media networks and SMS, alleges that the deportation of undocumented migrants began on Monday, 23 January 2017.... Read more...

At least 200 000 Zimbabweans in South Africa face deportation at the expiry of their special dispensation permits on December 31.... Read more...

A man, Mr M, marries a young woman named Lina in a traditional ceremony with all of the negotiations and family custom.... Read more...

South African television programme Carte Blanche investigated the fraught journey to South Africa many Malawians experience. But their hard-hitting figure that almost one-third of Malawi’s population live in South Africa is completely off-point.... Read more...

If you want other people to receive documents for you... Read more...

The Department of Home Affairs briefed the Committee on its responses to the submissions received on the Bill.The brief presented a summary of 19 submissions made from over a total of over 200 pages submitted by various organisations to the Bill, arranged according to clauses of the Bill and sections of the original Refugees Act. Submissions were received from the Agency for Refugee Education, Skills Training and Advocacy (ARESTA), Amnesty International (AI), the Centre for Child Law (CCL), the Centre for Constitutional Rights (CFCR), the Commission for Gender Equality (CGE), the Consortium for Refugees and Migrants in South Africa (CORMSA), the Goodway& Buck Attorneys (GBA), the International Network of Congolese Lawyers (INCL), Joburg Child Welfare (JCW), the Jesuit Refugee Service South Africa (JRS), Lawyers for Human Rights (LHR), Legal Resources Centre (LRC), Mr MJ Bauwen’s: Refugee Lawyer (MJB), Mr Kande (Lecturer/Writer) (MKL), the Refugee Legal and Advocacy Centre(RLAC), the Rwandan R... Read more...

The Minister of Interior, Lt. Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazau, rtd, has said that if South Africa keeps making things difficult for Nigeria, the only option would be to retaliate.... Read more...

When they return in the afternoon she listens as they loudly recite the days lessons. Bongi cannot understand why she can not join her friends at the nearby primary school.... Read more...

JOHANNESBURG - The Home Affairs Department says its new automated asylum application system will relieve the pressure on officials and foreign nationals seeking assistance.... Read more...

Somali-born Hasan Abdulaahi Maalin, 27, from Soweto, has been living in South Africa for the past few years but has had many problems with renewing his refugee status at the Department of Home Affairs offices. He spoke The Daily Vox about his struggles with his applications.... Read more...

Legal minds question ability of the constitution to cater for stateless minors.... Read more...

A Department of Home Affairs rule that asylum seekers and refugees may only apply for temporary or permanent residence if they give up their asylum or refugee status has been declared inconsistent with the Constitution and invalid by the Western Cape High Court.... Read more...

Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan`s "belt-tightening measures" means Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba`s personal assistant will still be fastening her seatbelt in economy class.... Read more...

PAKISTANI sheep shearer Jabba Ahmed thought he would be able to use his skills and contribute to the economy when he sought asylum in South Africa five years ago.... Read more...

The Department of Home Affairs has selected IT provider Unisys to develop a new system that will match travellers and migrants, including visa and citizenship applicants, against biometric watch lists.... Read more...

Despite being flooded with millions of immigrants fleeing persecution and economic meltdown in their countries, the South African government strives to provide a safe environment for migrants, while at the same time balancing the need to provide much needed services and security to its 50 million-plus citizens, Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba said on Tuesday.... Read more...

Cape Town - Passport control, queues and stern officials are the order of the day at ports of entry across the world.... Read more...

Home Affairs has defied a Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) ruling that required its director-general to make frequent reports on the steps being taken to reopen a fully functional Refugee Reception Office in Cape Town, says the Legal Resource Centre (LRC).... Read more...

Pretoria - South African senior government officials were on Tuesday, intervening to quell a diplomatic spat with neighbouring Kingdom of Lesotho after King Letsie III was `mistreated` at the border between the two nations.... Read more...

Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba`s bid to overturn his own decision to let Fireblade Aviation Oppenheimer operate a private VIP terminal at OR Tambo International Airport was dismissed by the Supreme Court of Appeal in Bloemfontein on Wednesday.... Read more...

CAPE TOWN (Reuters) - South Africa will speed up visa processes and lure major conferences in an effort to boost foreign arrivals by 40 percent by 2021, its tourism minister said on Friday.... Read more...

Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Lindiwe Sisulu has welcomed the retraction of a statement made by an Australian minister last month about granting visas to white South African farmers.... Read more...

President Cyril Ramaphosa has expressed concern at a recent court ruling that found Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba violated the Constitution by lying under oath.... Read more...

Despite living together for nine years, a life partner visa has been refused three times.... Read more...

The need for families to obtain unabridged birth certificates before travelling is a deterrent to tourism‚ which should be a growth industry‚ according to survey.... Read more...

The Ministry of Home Affairs and Immigration must design a training programme for its officials whose duties include the enforcement of the Immigration Control Act, Windhoek High Court judge Shafimana Ueitele has ordered.... Read more...

Kamohelo Mokotjo will be eligible to turn out for Bafana Bafana against Guinea-Bissau at Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban on Saturday.... Read more...

Investors have lauded the launch of the Invest South Africa One Stop Shop (Invest SA OSS), saying it will go a long way in easing the way business is done in South Africa.... Read more...

reported on Tuesday that Kierane Apollos and his family missed his mother’s funeral because they could not obtain visas in time. The paper said that Apollos and his family are now living in New Zealand and tried to apply for emergency visas to travel to South Africa is time for the funeral, but were told that there was “no criteria for an emergency consideration.... Read more...

On Wednesday 15 February 2017 we received an unsigned circular which we believe was produced by the Department of Home Affairs (DHA), and which Immigration Law Update: “Valid” Visas in Expired Passportsdealt with the rectification of temporary residency visas and the transfer of temporary residency visas from one passport to another.... Read more...

Gary Eisenberg assesses the reasons behind and effects of the 2014 amendments to South Africa s immigration policy and the need for a legislative overhaul.... Read more...

Every day, dozens of asylum seekers queue outside the regional Home Affairs office at Customs House in Cape Town to get their temporary permits renewed. Most of them are unsuccessful.... Read more...

Pretoria �" A political and religious leader from the DRC turned to court for help after Home Affairs threatened to deport him back to his country to face a murder count and other related charges. Paul Mukungubila said he fled the DRC because his life was in danger and if he had to return he would suffer harm and an unfair trial.... Read more...

The proposed changes to the Refugees Amendment Bill “restricts and excludes” those seeking to work and study, according to William Kerfoot, an attorney at the Legal Resource Centre.... Read more...

The Border Management Agency could soon assume all functions of border control and customs and excise collection, courtesy of President Jacob Zuma’s recent cabinet reshuffle.... Read more...

The Department of Home Affairs is fighting to keep self-proclaimed prophet Paul Joseph Mukungubila out of SA. Responding on Tuesday to news reports that the Congolese pastor had obtained asylum Home Affairs said it was appealing against a decision by the High Court in Johannesburg to allow Mukungubila to apply for asylum.... Read more...

New York-based consultants allegedly worked without the right paperwork, and Malusi Gigaba allegedly failed to respond to the issue.... Read more...

Local unlisted technology media telecommunications exploration and other research and development companies can establish companies offshore in order to obtain foreign investment without prior Reserve Bank approval according to a recent circular from the Financial Surveillance Department of the South African Reserve Bank (SARB).... Read more...

Home Affairs Minister Hlengiwe Mkhize intends to clear bottlenecks Home affairs aims to ease entry for skilled migrants and to tackle asylum seeker and refugee backlogs... Read more...

Eenyama �" Minister of Home Affairs and Immigration Pendukeni Iivula-Ithana has urged parents particularly fathers to name their babies before they are born to enable delivering mothers to register their children at birth.... Read more...

The Constitutional Court has dismissed an appeal by the Department of Home Affairs about whether employees can refer a “mutual interest” dispute to the bargaining council for conciliation.... Read more...

Re-application for PRP for those who applied prior to 02 June 2014. The Department of Home Affairs received permanent residence applications prior to 02 June 2014 utilizing the Track and Trace system . The Department has noted that it does not have 4616 applications on hand as per Track and Trace system.... Read more...

Home Affairs has revealed that some of the cases it reported as child trafficking, actually involved parental abduction and illegal adoption.... Read more...

South Africa took a major step toward the use of digital identity to secure the delivery of a variety of government services in 2013, with the introduction of a national smart ID card embedded with fingerprint data.... Read more...

Addressing the National Assembly, Home Affairs Minister Professor Hlengiwe Mkhize gave another indication the proposed Border Management Authority (BMA) will be active only at recognised ports of entry leaving by far the bulk of border protection to the military.... Read more...

The Department of Home Affairs is working towards allowing all African citizens to enter the country without visas. There is a catch though, initially, so-called “trusted travellers” will be the only ones to benefit. Trusted travellers? These are diplomats, academics, business people and students.... Read more...

Cape Town �` South Africa’s population is estimated to have grown to just under 53 million by the middle of this year, with an inflow of migrants behind much of the 1.2 million population increase since the 2011 Census, Statistician General Pali Lehohla said today.... Read more...

The Department of Home Affairs has no idea how a British national managed allegedly to smuggle his three children from Johannesburg through the Lebombo border post into Mozambique without their mother`s consent. Despite the Department of Home Affairs’ stringent laws on children travelling in and out of the country‚ the department still has no idea how a British national managed allegedly to smuggle his three children from Johannesburg through the Lebombo border post into Mozambique without their mother`s consent.... Read more...

The Zimbabwean Special Permits will be replaced by the Zimbabwean Exemption Permit. Zimbabweans whose permits are to expire by the end of the year have been given a reprieve and more time to get new permits. There are roughly 197‚000 Zimbabweans‚ whose Special Dispensation Permit expires at the end of the year. They are now applying for new four-year visas called the Zimbabwe Exemption Permit and had until the end of November to present themselves in person for fingerprints to be taken.... Read more...

Cross-border transport operators are hopping mad‚ after they had no choice but to stage a sit-in at the offices of the Cross Border Road Transport Agency in Pretoria East on Friday‚ so that they could be issued with cross-border permits.... Read more...

Fire blade is seeking to review his decision as home affairs minister to block customs and immigration services at its terminal at OR Tambo Finance Minister Malusi Gigaba has re entered a legal battle between the Department of Home Affairs and Oppenheimer aviation company Fire blade over a rejected application for customs and immigration services at its OR Tambo terminal.... Read more...

South Africa is working towards allowing all African citizens to enter the country without visas but at first trusted travellers like diplomats officials academic business people and students will be the only ones to benefit.... Read more...

Primroses Hendrick van Niekerk has been battling to prove he is not dead for several years. Hendrick van Niekerk has been battling for years to prove that he is still alive.... Read more...

Three generations stuck at home unable to apply for anything not even a basic education. The Speaker of eDumbe Cllr ST Hlatshwayo with Siphiwe Ndwandwe Home Affairs supervisor DB Kubheka and Mr M Mbatha from the eDumbe Head Office. (Photo submitted)... Read more...

Hlengiwe Mkhize has promised to fight the corruption within the immigration authorities, so South Africa can firmly control who they decide to let into the country... Read more...

Dear Tony Gupta I Have Top Secret Clearance Kindly find attached copy of my resume and note that I have been vetted by SSA for top secret clearance and awaiting my evaluation. 02/06/2017 13:14 SAST | Updated 02/06/2017 15:17 SAST • Pieter du Toit Deputy Editor HuffPost South Africa... Read more...

JOHANNESBURG - Parliaments portfolio committee on home affairs has ordered the Home Affairs Department to appear before it and provide details around the naturalisation of the Gupta family.... Read more...

Former Minister of Home Affairs Malusi Gigaba did nothing wrong in granting the Gupta family South African citizenship, his successor Hlengiwe Mkhize said on Wednesday “I have looked at all the documentation and I thought [that] if I was in a similar position I would have considered the request in a favourable manner,” Mkhize said, adding that there was therefore no reason to investigate the matter further.... Read more...

The minister alleges a paid campaign started being waged against him since he became finance minister. “We must try, to the best of our abilities, to avoid being information peddlers,” Gigaba told journalists at the end of a media briefing in Pretoria on Thursday after speaking about the state of the economy.... Read more...

Within 10 years Home Affairs wants to be at the centre of South Africas security and economic development. To fulfill its vision the departments recently published discussion document proposes raising own funds by requiring institutions from public schools and hospitals universities �" but also banks conveyance attorneys and airlines �" to verify a persons identity against a fee with Home Affairs’ biometric database before accessing services. The document also proposes raising funds through identity verification provided to the commercial sector. This move into the heart of governments security cluster may just turn into a nightmare. By MARIANNE MERTEN.... Read more...

The Department of Home Affairs (DHA) has told holders of the Zimbabwean Special Permit (ZSP) not to panic, but to await the decision by the department on the extension of their permits, due to expire on 31 December 2017.... Read more...

South Africa has been singled out for the skewed figures representing the latest global asylum-seeker population according to the UN Human Rights Council.... Read more...

Experts warn that the countrys overburdened asylum system could leave people trapped at processing centres for years South Africa is to begin building massive border camps that could eventually house the more than 70 000 people who apply for refugee status annually. But civil society organisations warn that these centres could put migrants’ rights and health at risk.... Read more...

The department maintains the application to grant the controversial family citizenship was lawful.... Read more...

Zimbabweans who came to South Africa after the economic collapse of 2008 are facing the threat of having to uproot themselves once more as their visas expire.... Read more...

Asylum seekers may face greater difficulties entering South Africa once Parliament enacts legislation to create a new agency that will have full control of the country’s borders and ports, and once the department of home affairs opens new processing centres for asylum seekers.... Read more...

Cape Town - The Department of Home Affairs confirms that over 90% of DHA offices are closed on Saturday due to insufficient staff numbers which Home Affairs says is not inline with the recent settlement agreement with the Unions.... Read more...

On Tuesday a parliamentary portfolio committee was set to grill Home Affairs Minister Hlengiwe Mkhize and director general Mkuseli Apleni over alleged malpractice in the naturalisation of Atul Gupta and his family. However Mkhize and Apleni failed to appear citing a schedule conflict.... Read more...

Over 90% of the Department of Home Affairs offices were not operating on Saturday despite a settlement agreement reached with trade unions just over a week ago the department confirmed.... Read more...

One of the key proposals of the document is a complete restructuring of Home Affairs, taking steps towards becoming completely self-sustainable.... Read more...

On 30 June, the ANC’s National Executive Committee will meet to review ANC policy and makes recommendations on amendments or new policies to the National Conference.... Read more...

Cape Town - If you were planning to collect your passport, smart-card ID or visa documents on Saturday, best you make alternative plans.... Read more...

Cape Town - A number of refugees from Somalia say they keep getting turned away at the Customs House foreshore offices of Home Affairs when trying to renew their documents.... Read more...

Immigrant pupils in the city fear expulsion after they were asked to submit either a South African identity document, a valid passport or study permit to their schools.... Read more...

Government brought brief relief to Angolan former refugees when it granted a blanket exemption to those who qualified but would not provide reasons why it was limited to a period of four years.... Read more...

Overstaying ones visa is a common occurrence among expats in South Africa and in recent months overstaying one visa has moved from being a minor inconvenience to a possible criminal offence with potentially serious ramifications. The changes brought about by the new immigration laws have made overstaying ones visa a very serious affair which needs a careful and smart approach to remedy. In this article we will explore the effect of overstaying ones visa and what steps to take to correct this now serious matter.... Read more...

Zimbabweans staying in South Africa have commended the host government for introducing a new four-year permit known as the Zimbabwe Exemption Permit (ZEP) for those wishing to study or work in that country. The ZEP is valid between January 1, 2018 and December 31, 2021, and replaces the Zimbabwe Special Permit (ZSP) whose lifespan expires on December 31 this year. According to South Africa’s Home Affairs Department, the ZEP facility is only available to 197 941 holders of the ZSP permit. In separate interviews yesterday, Zimbabweans said the new development brought about an end to months of speculation on reports that the country was introducing tough measures for immigrants. “This is a relief to the thousands of Zimbabweans who have endured several months of speculation on their status at the expiry of the ZSP,” said Mr Giyani Dube a representative of Zimbabweans staying in South Africa.... Read more...

Zimbabweans have become part of South Africa’s fabric. There are anywhere between one and three million Zimbabweans living and working in the country. More than 200 000 Zimbabweans are here on a special visa that will expire at the end of the year. Although government has outlined paths for them to remain in the country legally, the process is clouded by confusion and bureaucratic hurdles.... Read more...

RSA visa applications just got easier for foreign production stakeholders If you’ve ever brought a foreign client or production specialist into the country for a shoot, you know how complicated visa acquisition can be. And in the fast-paced production industry, with specialists constantly on the go, you don’t always have the time or the means to meet the requirements, like regular travellers do.... Read more...

South Africa is grappling with balancing entry for skilled migrants and refugees with creating jobs for its 27.7% unemployed citizens. Migration issues were “highly politicised” because they involved power relations and contestation for space and scarce resources, that’s according to the minister of home affairs, Professor Hlengiwe Mkhize. “Migration issues are highly politicised, they are about power relations amongst those who are migrating and the receiving countries. It’s about contestation of space and scarce resources,” she said. Mkhize was speaking at the University of KwaZulu-Natal’s Westville campus in Durban on Thursday during a dialogue on the management of international migration.... Read more...

Latest report has shown that the Gupta family’s influence on the South African Home Affairs Department may have caused the increasing loss of jobs in the country. The report says there were many qualified South Africans out of employment who could have done this work had the Gupta family not captured the Home Affairs Department.... Read more...

Cape Town has seen double digit growth of international arrivals from Germany, Switzerland and Austria in the first half of this year. Austrian Airlines, Lufthansa, Edelweiss and Eurowings will be adding or increasing frequency to Cape Town in the coming months. Announcing the re-introduction of Austrian Airlines to South African skies, Wesgro CEO, Tim Harris, said the demand for direct routes to Cape Town from key European markets was growing.... Read more...

Asylum seekers arriving in the UK are forced to live in `squalid, unsafe, slum housing conditions` and the public is largely unaware of the conditions into which `traumatised people are routinely dumped`, charities have said.

The £600m government contract to provide shelter for those seeking sanctuary in the UK goes up for tender next month as calls mount for for urgent reforms.<... Read more...

Sarah Niemand’s ‘eet plekkie’ (small eatery), Blinkwater, is the definition of an authentic, culinary experience. The property is situated in the fishing hamlet of Buffelsjagbaai, 25km outside Gansbaai in the Western Cape. Sarah welcomes guests into the small dining room of her wooden home and serves them traditionally cooked seafood dishes. Inge Altona-de Klerk, Head of Marketing at the neighbouring White Shark Projects, says there are only about 700 people living in the village, who all depend on the sea for their survival. “Blinkwater is an incredible opportunity for travellers to become immersed in Buffelsjagbaai’s culture and traditions. Sarah Niemand is a warm and entertaining host, always ready with a story. Everything about the experience is authentic and transformative and offers the opportunity to break down social barriers.”... Read more...

Cape Town has seen double digit growth of international arrivals from Germany, Switzerland and Austria in the first half of this year. Austrian Airlines, Lufthansa, Edelweiss and Eurowings will be adding or increasing frequency to Cape Town in the coming months. Announcing the re-introduction of Austrian Airlines to South African skies, Wesgro CEO, Tim Harris, said the demand for direct routes to Cape Town from key European markets was growing.... Read more...

Political unrest and violence prompted more than 400,000 people to flee Burundi and relocate to nearby countries, primarily Rwanda, Uganda and Tanzania. Despite appeals from Burundi and other central African countries to leave their camps and repatriate, Burundian political refugees say they wouldn’t feel safe going back home. Refugees who spoke to VOA say they fear government persecution if they return to Burundi, where President Pierre Nkurunziza remains in power after defying both domestic and international opposition to pursue a third term in 2015. Voice of America reporter Edward Rwema interviews Jacqueline Nduwayezu , 47-year-old mother of six in Mahama Refugee camp, which is home to more than 54,000 Burundian refugees in easter Rwanda. One such refugee is Jacqueline Nduwayezu, a former secondary school teacher who is now living with her six children in the Mahama refugee camp in eastern Rwanda. We are here because there is no security in our country, Nduwayezu told a VOA Central Afri... Read more...

This week I received a letter from Jackie Verall in the UK who runs school exchange programmes. “I was wondering if I could bore the pants off you with an editorial or a blog about how my little UK company is cutting a swathe through Europe offering high school experiences in South Africa. No, it’s not a plug for my business but just to say how South Africa is booming in Europe and kids are coming a plenty to study and experience the great South African way.”... Read more...

President Jacob Zuma on Saturday opened a one stop shop in Durban as part of attempts to simplify doing business in SA. President Jacob Zuma realised one of his presidential prerogatives on Saturday when he launched a one stop shop to encourage more foreign and local investment in KwaZulu-Natal.... Read more...

“The brand awareness this initiative is creating is massive �` I don’t think South Africa has done anything this big in China before.” To cement trade ties, boost investment flows and encourage tourism between South Africa and China, Standard Bank and the Industrial Commercial Bank of China (ICBC) have launched the I Go South Africa loyalty programme in partnership with South African Tourism.... Read more...

Kate Turkington does country style in luxury in Dullstroom; battles a gale in Wakkerstroom, one of the world’s best birding spots; and catches a tiger fish on Jozini Dam - in one week. Mpumalanga may be one of our smallest provinces, but it’s packed with beauty and things to do. And you don’t need lots of time, foreign exchange or finicky visas to travel to some of its amazingly diverse destinations.... Read more...

A year-on-year comparison between 2016 and 2017 for Q3 shows that the number of overseas tourists increased by 5%. September arrivals increased by 2,1% year-to-date, from 1 273 734 in September 2016 to 1 300 502 in September 2017. A month-to-month comparison indicates a small drop of 0,1%, from August 2017’s figure of 1 302 312... Read more...

Zimbabweans are main culprits, followed by Mozambicans and Malawians Minister Dlodlo must immediately resolve dire inefficiencies at Home Affairs In a reply to a DA Parliamentary question, Home Affairs Minister, Ayanda Dlodlo, revealed that at least 344 547 foreign nationals failed to leave South Africa before or on the date their visas were set to expire.... Read more...

A year-on-year comparison between 2016 and 2017 for Q3 shows that the number of overseas tourists increased by 5%. September arrivals increased by 2,1% year-to-date, from 1 273 734 in September 2016 to 1 300 502 in September 2017. A month-to-month comparison indicates a small drop of 0,1%, from August 2017’s figure of 1 302 312.... Read more...

Home Affairs Minister Ayanda Dlodlo will approach the Supreme Court of Appeal to challenge the Oppenheimer family’s court victory in October to run a private international terminal at OR Tambo International Airport. On Friday the department lost the second round in a battle that has pitched the Oppenheimers against the Guptas when the High Court in Pretoria dismissed its application for leave to appeal against the October judgment.... Read more...

According to the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) Cabinet is expected to approve the long-awaited establishment of the Border Management Authority (BMA) early next year. SAnews, reporting on this week’s DHA briefing for festive season plans at South Africa’s authorised ports of entry, names the new entity as the Border Management Agency. This was the name given when it was first mooted but was subsequently changed to “authority” so as to give it more standing.... Read more...

However, he has no birth certificate to prove it and thus cannot get a South African ID because it is said he is not a South African citizen. Ngubane is therefore stateless and belongs to no country. Home Affairs refuses to issue him with a South African ID because he is unable to provide documented evidence that he was born here. The department also said it was not justified to grant him permanent residence in the country under the circumstances.... Read more...

PETALING JAYA: A viral message warning Malaysians of robbers dressed as officials from the “Department of Home Affairs” actually turns out to be an alert issued to South Africans.... Read more...

THE home affairs ministry on Friday launched a biometric passport also known as the e-passport with enhanced security features. A biometric or e-passport has a microchip that contains a person`s identity details and information as required by all border control authorities.... Read more...

Australia`s African community is relatively small but it has regrettably found itself at the centre of a heated national debate in recent weeks.... Read more...

Cumulative investment in Portugal by citizens of China who have applied for ‘golden visas’ �` fast-track residence permits for major investors �` totalled €2.06 billion at the end of last year, official figures show.... Read more...

Victorian Premier Daniel ¬Andrews is under mounting pressure to combat Melbourne’s street gang crisis after another night of mayhem across the city’s suburbs with four brutal attacks, ¬including a violent home invasion.... Read more...

Cyril Ramaphosa’s first speech as the new president of the ANC left many South Africans hopeful and enthusiastic about the country’s future. Virtually all interested parties in the immigration industry are urging him to engage with our sector urgently to discover the hurdles blocking his ambition to make SA attractive for foreign investment.... Read more...

Asylum seekers are being placed in appalling housing conditions where they are at risk from abuse and violence, according to a survey published on Sunday documenting the lives of new arrivals.... Read more...

Pretoria - More than two years after then Minister of Home Affairs and now Minister of Finance, Malusi Gigaba gave Oppenheimer-owned Fireblade Aviation the go-ahead to operate an international customs and immigration service at OR Tambo International Airport, the first international flights at this terminal were processed last week.... Read more...

Your visa is subject to a number of visa conditions that you must comply with. Different visa conditions apply to you and members of your family unit.... Read more...

JOHANNESBURG �` President Cyril Ramaphosa’s cabinet reshuffle on Monday moved former Finance Minister Malusi Gigaba back to head the Department of Home Affairs.... Read more...

There is a marked contrast between what 60% of South Africans believe about migrant entrepreneurs from Somalia, Nigeria and Senegal who live in Cape Town and actual findings confirmed by research.... Read more...

The Cape Town Carnival is starting to take shape at the headquarters in Maitland where the floats are being assembled. Photo: Liesl Venter Taking a leaf out of Rio de Janeiro’s book, Cape Town has big aspirations to increase its international tourist numbers with its annual carnival.... Read more...

The public protector has ordered the home affairs minister to review the 10-year period to apply for naturalisation, and ensure it aligns with the five-year period in the Citizenship Act.... Read more...

Binational lesbian married couple Wendy Kessman, from the United States, and Nomfundo Ngidi, from South Africa, have been dealing with multiple complicated setbacks from South Africa’s Department of Home Affairs over spousal visas, in yet another example of same-sex couples being discriminated against by the South African government despite marriage equality being legalised in November 2006.... Read more...

In South Africa, unregistered people working as migration agents are not breaking the law but are unregulated and you have no recourse for poor advice which will have devasting consequences on your application and your future in South Africa .... Read more...

On Friday‚ the Department of Happiness Affairs is set to open its doors on the Foreshore in Cape Town.... Read more...

The Immigration Amendment Act No 13 of 2011 and the new regulations under the act provide for what is termed the “undesirable person”.... Read more...

KIRSTENHOF resident Margaret Ferguson, 77, won an 11-year battle to acquire South African residency after the Western Cape High Court ruled in her favour.... Read more...

Town �` South Africa and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) have recently signed a visa waiver agreement for official and diplomatic passport holders.... Read more...

Receiving your first passport is an exciting milestone! It means you’re finally set to add globetrotting explorer to your list of achievements.... Read more...

New Zealanders in Australia are now getting visas previously granted to mostly overseas-based Asians.... Read more...

Last month, Rwanda hosted the African Union’s summit on the Continent Free Trade Area (CFTA). The discussions were as inspiring as they were frustrating. Leaders from government and the private sector talked big about the benefits of integration. Some even suggested an African crypto-currency.... Read more...

A man who applied for asylum on the grounds of ‘harm on the basis of his race’ had his claim denied Peter Dutton’s department blocked a white South African farmer’s asylum bid because its evidence showed “the vast majority of crimes against whites are not racially motivated”.... Read more...

Delayed proposals for Britain`s post-Brexit immigration policy will be published `in the coming months`, Downing Street has said. The immigration bill would establish new rules for EU migrants to the UK after free movement ends.... Read more...

THE Anti-Corruption Commission says it will conduct a thorough investigation into foreign bank accounts of the home affairs ministry into which money was paid, but remained unaccounted for.... Read more...

Tourism in the Western Cape could further unlock its earning potential with information supplied by big data that analyses computationally, to reveal patterns, trends and associations.... Read more...

Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba has admitted that the quality of management in certain Home Affairs offices is `terrible`. He`s outlined some of the challenges the department will be dealing with head on to ensure that they are delivering the best possible services.... Read more...

We are not to blame for the long queues. That was the message from public servants to Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba as they condemned his statement that staff were to blame for the long queues at offices.... Read more...

James Tomlinson and his wife, Sarah Nandutu, are raising a “ghost”, and they are expecting another.... Read more...

New regulations mean anyone who submits incorrect information as part of an Australian visa application could be effectively barred from reapplying for a decade.... Read more...

Overstaying one’s visa is a common occurrence among people who applied to extend their visa in South Africa and said visa not issued in time for travel.... Read more...

He referred to Fireblade Aviation’s immigration services at OR Tambo International Airport, which it pays for, but says it gets other services for free.... Read more...

A total of 25 illegal foreign nationals were arrested for contravening the Immigration Act during raids on businesses in Cape Town on Wednesday.... Read more...

More than a month after the deadline, still no fully functioning refugee centre in Cape Town The Legal Resources Centre, representing the Scalabrini Centre, Trustees of Scalabrini Centre and Somali Association of South Africa, is seeking to compel Home Affairs to comply with two court orders.... Read more...

The Department of Home Affairs has admitted that a computer problem does not allow it to issue the correct paperwork for undocumented children �` even if a judge orders them to do so.... Read more...

Home affairs’ policy of effectively deterring skilled immigration comes at a great cost to SA. Why doesn’t the business community speak out?... Read more...

NAIROBI, July 2 (Reuters) - Tanzanian President John Magufuli swore in three new ministers on Monday, his office said, in a reshuffle that included the sacking of the home affairs minister.... Read more...

Once upon a time there was a country on the southern tip of Africa, where it’s people called themselves Proudly South African.... Read more...

STAVROS Piagalis suffers from a herniated disk on his lower back, a growing spinal tumour and constant pain on the hip.... Read more...

Homeland Security has served Twitter with a subpoena, demanding the account information of a data breach finder, credited with finding several large caches of exposed and leaking data.... Read more...

To succeed with the massive undertaking of transforming into “a real cornerstone of e-government”, the Department of Home Affairs should not be saddled with the border management function. They provide the necessary technology, yes, but definitely not the personnel at the gate.... Read more...

Readers of the Financial Mail will be familiar with entrepreneur Dan Brotman’s writing about his experience in dealing with the Department of Home Affairs, including the familiar tales of indifference and lost applications.... Read more...

It`s understood this has affected the application and collection of smart ID cards and passports.... Read more...

SYDNEY, Australia �` The Australian government will allow a young girl to leave an offshore detention center on the Pacific island nation of Nauru and seek medical care in Australia, the latest in a series of refugee children who have asked to be let into the country for treatment.... Read more...

MPs on the Scottish Affairs Committee have urged the UK government to review its target of cutting immigration to the tens of thousands.... Read more...

Applications for birth, marriage and death registrations in South Africa is going paperless soon �` let’s pray citizens will not soon also be going without birth, marriage and death registrations… Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba says the department will be moving to paperless applications for birth, marriage and death registrations, as well as the printing of parents’ details on their children’s passports.... Read more...

The Department of Home Affairs has announced that it plans to roll-out a new Births, Marriages and Deaths (BMD) system as part of its ongoing modernisation effort.... Read more...

In Aussie airport first. The Department of Home Affairs’ initial ‘face on the move’ passenger recognition technology trials at an Australian airport have correctly matched 94 percent of travellers.... Read more...

Why it matters • The Salvation Army says it`s helping up to four domestic workers - employees of foreign officials living in Australia - escape exploitation each year. • It can be difficult for the Australian government to assist such workers because of international laws around diplomatic immunity. • The Department of Foreign Affairs has tried to assist by making it a requirement that domestic workers are paid into an Australian bank account.... Read more...

As part of its modernisation programme, Department of Home Affairs has scheduled upgrades to its offices across the country to begin on 13 July.... Read more...

To mitigate identity fraud, the South African Police Service (SAPS) is introducing a new process for obtaining a police clearance certificate (PCC). “SAPS has devised one such method to improve security measures to mitigate this risk,” SAPS said on Thursday. A police clearance certificate is a document issued by the SAPS Criminal Record and Crime Scene Management stating whether or not any criminal offence has been recorded against the person. It`s a document which provides confirmation of a person’s criminal status.... Read more...

For the 17th year, the Travel + Leisure reader`s poll has named Cape Town as the number one favoured city in Africa and the Middle East. The publication`s poll commended the city for its favourable exchange rate, first-rate hotels, and ongoing business and leisure travel success.... Read more...

The latest Henley Passport Index shows that the South African passport remains stable in Q3, ranking 50th globally and occupying third place in the sub-Saharan Africa region - following Seychelles, ranked at 24 and Mauritius at 28 globally. Somalia, Libya, and Eritrea sit at the bottom of the index in Africa, each only able to access 35 or fewer destinations visa-free.... Read more...

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has committed to invest US $10 billion in key sectors of South Africa’s economy, including tourism and mining, to support the sustainable development of the country.... Read more...

Which was activated by a notice published in the Government Gazette, on Friday 13 July, has been criticised nationally and internationally for its approach with respect to a number of aspects. The European Union`s Regional Chamber of Commerce and Industry stated that foreigners are hesitant to invest in SA for fear that there will be a lack of protection over their investment.... Read more...

The latest Henley Passport Index shows that the South African passport remains stable in Q3, ranking 50th globally and occupying third place in the sub-Saharan Africa region - following Seychelles, ranked at 24 and Mauritius at 28 globally. Somalia, Libya, and Eritrea sit at the bottom of the index in Africa, each only able to access 35 or fewer destinations visa-free.... Read more...

How to stop your valuable information becoming extinct as old formats die, according to experts... Read more...

Appeal: Human rights lawyer Tashriq Ahmed argues that all foreigners should be able to apply for visas. A group of asylum seekers will argue in the Constitutional Court on Tuesday that all foreigners, including asylum seekers and refugees, in SA are entitled to apply for visas.... Read more...

• An alleged visa scam was operating from the Australian embassy in South Africa • Two Immigration Department officials have been fired after an investigation... Read more...

With 10.3 million tourists visiting the country in 2017, the Department of Tourism is working hard alongside the Department of Home Affairs to push this number even higher.... Read more...

Gauteng Department of Infrastructure Development (DID) MEC Jacob Mamabolo on Monday launched the province’s first drone programme. The department said it aims to use technology to become an efficient provider of services.... Read more...

Close to a million (934,000) personal records of South Africans have reportedly been publicly exposed online, following what appears to be a governmental leak.... Read more...

Malusi Gigaba’s Border Management Authority Bill would be a silent coup, seizing powers from other departments for the use of top home affairs managers... Read more...

South Africa has spent 10 years setting up our special economic zones (SEZs) to attract investors, but now that the parks are ready, investors are not coming.... Read more...

Following our previous article on UK Ancestry Dependents, we had some follow-up questions from readers... Read more...

As he waited outside the Cape Town Refugee Reception Office on Tuesday‚ a man seeking to renew his permit said conditions at the office had deteriorated over the 14 years he had been in South Africa. “It’s pathetic‚” said the man‚ who declined to give his name.... Read more...

DA leader in Gauteng‚ John Moody‚ got firsthand experience of how foreign nationals are treated at the Desmond Tutu Refugee Reception Centre in Marabastad.... Read more...

As a tourist guide who conducts tours in Gauteng every day, Johan van Biljon, Chairman of the Institute of Professional Tourist Guides of Southern Africa, says Johannesburg and, to a lesser degree, Pretoria, do not enjoy the perception of being significant tourist cities.... Read more...

Asylum seekers walk past the Home Affairs offices on the Foreshore in Cape Town.... Read more...

While South Africa remains an under-performer‚ Japan is the best passport to have and the Emirati are capitalising on tourism to diversify their economies‚ according to an index of global travel access.... Read more...

The Constitutional Court has repeatedly held that non-South African are protected by the Bill of Rights when in the country.... Read more...

The court has ordered the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) to grant a stateless family`s citizenship after almost 10 years of back and forth with the department.... Read more...

The Australian Citizenship Legislation Amendment (Strengthening the Requirements for Australian Citizenship and Other Measures) Bill 2017 is set to make a comeback.... Read more...

A case against the Department of Home Affairs was launched for not complying with orders of the court to open the Refugee Reception Office in Cape Town. A new one is set to be opened.... Read more...

Deputy Home Affairs Minister Fatima Chohan explains the automated booking system and the process followed by asylum seekers.... Read more...

The Department of Home Affairs issued its 10 millionth smart ID card on Wednesday, but an increase in foot traffic of up to 150% may hinder government`s ability to reach the full 2023 migration target.... Read more...

Statistics SA has released its arrival numbers for April 2018. The figures show an overall decline in arrivals between April last year and April 2018, with the country seeing 6% fewer arrivals.... Read more...

The home affairs ministry of Namibia has no plans to extend issuing of death certificates programmes at local hospitals as it plans to install an e-death notification system set to be tested in Windhoek next month.... Read more...

Tourists visit the restaurants and amusement areas of the V&A Waterfront district of Cape Town. Picture: Kevin Sutherland/Bloomberg Any thought that South Africa’s new era under President Cyril Ramaphosa would see tourists flocking back in their numbers was put to rest by tourism arrivals figures for April.... Read more...

`Give us papers. Refugees are not criminals,` chanted a group of approximately 60 refugee representatives marching to Parliament in Cape Town on Wednesday asking to be made legal.... Read more...

The director-general spent a decade at the department and found himself unlawfully suspended last year amid Gupta drama. News channel eNCA is reporting it is reliably informed that Home Affairs director-general Mkuseli Apleni will be announcing his resignation on Monday morning.... Read more...

Imagine a world without OPEC. This is what the sponsors of legislation introduced in both houses of Congress seem to want. Versions of the `No Oil Producing and Exporting Cartels Act`, or the NOPEC bill, are working their way through the Senate and the House of Representatives, and are likely to find much more support from the White House than they have in the past �` Presidents George Bush and Barack Obama both threatened to veto similar legislation.... Read more...

Since Malusi Gigaba stepped back into the role of home affairs minister in February, it is time to reflect critically on his regressive, antipoor and anti-African international migration vision for SA. The White Paper on International Migration, approved by the government in March 2017, aims to manage migration to achieve SA’s national goals.... Read more...

Minister says there are signs of progress in some areas Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba says his department is doing all it can to end the long wait in queues at their various branches across the country.... Read more...

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced a new feel-good statistic on a conference call with financial analysts on Wednesday: some 2.5 billion people �` a third of the world`s population �` now use at least one of Facebook`s products each month. But that staggering statistic wasn`t enough to distract investors from the bad news the company had to share �` it expects significantly decreased revenue growth rates and operating margins in the years ahead.... Read more...

South Africa is expected to see at least six new banks and banking services launch in the coming months, including the likes of Discovery Bank and Bank Zero �` a mutual bank co-founded by former FNB CEO Michael Jordaan. Others include two names South Africans are already familiar with �` African Bank, which is planning to launch transactional services, and Postbank, which is the Post Office’s foray into full service banking �` and Tyme Digital and the niche Young Women in Business Network Cooperative Financial Institution.... Read more...

Russian President Vladimir Putin supported the call for the relaxation of strict visa travel requirements. Johannesburg - Russian President Vladimir Putin gave the Brics Business Council a major boost when he supported their call for the relaxation of strict visa travel requirements between the member countries.... Read more...

South Africa is expected to see at least six new banks and banking services launch in the coming months, including the likes of Discovery Bank and Bank Zero �` a mutual bank co-founded by former FNB CEO Michael Jordaan.... Read more...

The death of an Iranian asylum seeker from an infection contracted on Papua New Guinea`s Manus Island was preventable, an Australian coroner has ruled, in a report that identified a multitude of bureaucratic bungles and healthcare inadequacies.... Read more...

I READ with utter disappointment and dejection the letters “Vetting at certain points not strict enough” and “Onus on Immigration to process foreigners” (The Star, July 27). Everyone knows that our Immigration Department is plagued with various weaknesses and shortcomings which threaten our national security. These very serious and critical problems require immediate corrective action and preventive measures. But they have been around for decades and nothing seems to be done to put an end to them once and for all.... Read more...

Leaders of the BRICS nations gathered in South Africa last week for the 10th summit of the grouping that accounts for more 17% of global trade, Chairman of the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) Board, Ms Busi Mabuza reflects on the importance of the event and its role in the country’s ambitious drive to secure investment of $100-billion over five years.... Read more...

Clanwilliam’s first retail shopping centre, which opened at the end of June, is an example of how renewable energy is aiding economic development in small towns with limited access to the national grid. This is according to Dominic Wills, CEO of SOLA Future Energy, whose company installed a solar photovoltaic (PV) system that provides the additional power for the Cedar Mill Mall that Eskom can’t supply.... Read more...

HARARE, Zimbabwe �` Zimbabwe’s ruling party has won a majority of seats in Parliament, the electoral commission announced Wednesday, as the country braced for the first official results of the presidential election.... Read more...

As part of its modernisation programme, Department of Home Affairs has scheduled upgrades to its offices across the country to begin on 13 July.... Read more...

Fears that increased visitor numbers to the Cape West Coast would impact the drought-stricken region’s water consumption over the summer season have proved to be unfounded. Most visitors made efforts to save water and many brought along their own water supplies, says West Coast Tourism manager, Kiewiet van Rooyen.... Read more...

The party has called Malusi Gigaba’s ‘war on queues’ a farce. The Democratic Alliance on Wednesday said the immigration office at the Beitbridge border post had only two working computers, partly explaining the long wait endured by those traveling to South Africa’s northern neighbour.... Read more...

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau rebuffed a Saudi demand Wednesday for Canada to fix what it calls a `big mistake` - a reference to the Trudeau government raising concerns about the jailing of human rights activists in the kingdom.... Read more...

Russian President Vladimir Putin supported the call for the relaxation of strict visa travel requirements. Johannesburg - Russian President Vladimir Putin gave the Brics Business Council a major boost when he supported their call for the relaxation of strict visa travel requirements between the member countries.... Read more...

The South African passport will become more useful in the foreseeable future as the country implements widespread reforms, a foreign expert believes. • The value of the South African passport fell 15 places on the Henley Passport Index between 2008 and 2018. • South Africans can travel to over 100 countries visa-free, including Russia, Brazil, and Ireland.... Read more...

In the face of the continuing Cape drought being today declared a ‘national state of disaster’ by the Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister, Zweli Mkhizeby �` and what this new blow could mean for inbound tourism �` a welcome light on the horizon came with the announcement of the discovery of Late Pleistocene Hominin tracks along the Cape South Coast.... Read more...

Former ministers �` as well as the incumbent minister of home affairs - have been identified as possible witnesses to be called to appear before a parliamentary committee probing the naturalisation of the Guptas as South Africans.... Read more...

Home Affairs officials may soon be obliged to marry same-sex couples. This comes after the Parliamentary Committee on Home Affairs gave their support for the Civil Union Bill amendment. It amends Section 6 of the bill to ensure that marriage officers would not have the option of refusing to marry same-sex couples. Meanwhile, the North Gauteng High court will on Tuesday make a decision on whether or not the Dutch Reformed Church can renege on their decision to marry same-sex couples.... Read more...

UNSW academics question national cyber defence strategy. Two top cyber security experts at UNSW Canberra, which serves as the academic wing of the Australian Defence Force Academy, have lashed the nation’s cyber defence strategy for its disconnect from the private and educational sectors.... Read more...

EDINBURGH �` HSBC Holdings Plc and UBS Group AG have closed their local representative offices in Nigeria, as interest from foreign investors has dwindled.... Read more...

Home Affairs has been found to have flouted the law by refusing to allow a Rwandan national fearing persecution back home to apply for an asylum-seeker permit.... Read more...

The department says traffic volumes are expected to increase again at border posts from Sunday.... Read more...

Young women rescued by the Foreign Office after being sent abroad for forced marriages found themselves having to pay hundreds of pounds for costs from their repatriation, it has emerged.... Read more...

The government of Gabon declared that it was in control after an attempted coup by army rebels Monday and that it had arrested most of those involved.... Read more...

Kenya records significant increase in 2018 tourist arrivals when compared with 2017. Kenya’s 2018 tourist arrivals surpassed the two-million mark, with a growth of 37.3%, reaching 2.025 million with the majority of the travellers visiting Kenya for holiday purposes.... Read more...

South African Parliament‘s Home Affairs Committee wants Home Affairs officials working in the front line to be prohibited from using their cellphones during working hours.... Read more...

A family travelling to South Africa for Christmas was turned away at the gate despite the country recently relaxing its strict rules on travelling with children. Paul Denning, his wife, son and daughter arrived at the check-in desk at Heathrow last week for flights to Johannesburg - booked at a cost of £3,000 - only to be told by Virgin Atlantic staff they did not have the required documentation and would therefore not be able to fly.... Read more...

Five South Africans sued two Arkansas brothers and their east Arkansas farming operation in federal court on Monday, alleging violations of federal labor and trafficking laws. The farmers on Tuesday rejected the allegations.... Read more...

After going through my personal documents the other day, I came across my ID book. The ID photo was so old I almost did not recognise myself �` so it was a good excuse to get myself a new Smart ID card. The Department of Home Affairs opened Smart ID applications to all South Africans in August 2016, letting citizens register via the department’s online portal.... Read more...

The Public Servants Association of South Africa (PSA) on Tuesday condemned as “misplaced and ill-informed” the Parliamentary portfolio committee on Home Affairs for calling for a total ban of cellphone use by the department’s front-desk staff Chairperson of the portfolio committee, Hlomani Chauke, on Monday urged the department to consider an outright ban on cellphone usage by front line staff during working hours at all Home Affairs offices. This was after the committee had received numerous complaints from the public about delays at Home Affairs offices following a.video that surfaced on social media showing two officials using cellphones while people waited in a queue at Home Affairs Tongaat offices in KwaZulu-Natal.... Read more...

Home Affairs officials may soon be obliged to marry same-sex couples. This comes after the Parliamentary Committee on Home Affairs gave their support for the Civil Union Bill amendment.... Read more...

Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull will remain in the top job after winning a Liberal Party leadership ballot following a turbulent few political days across the Tasman. Turnbull won 48 votes in Cabinet, beating out Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton’s 35.... Read more...

Cape Town - International advocacy organisation Global Citizen announced on Tuesday that Trevor Noah will host the Global Citizen Festival: Mandela 100, the free-ticketed event on Sunday, 2 December 2018 at the FNB Stadium in Johannesburg.... Read more...

The number of Chinese-born residents being granted Australian citizenship has plummeted, amid a backdrop of tensions between Beijing and Canberra and political debate over immigration levels. Department of Home Affairs data obtained by Fairfax Media shows just 1559 Chinese-born residents have been granted citizenship during the first eight months of this financial year - a fraction of the 6500 successful Chinese applications in 2016-17. In previous years, up to 10,000 Chinese-born residents applied for Australian citizenship, of which 8000 to 9000 were approved. Between 2012 and 2016, residents of Chinese heritage represented 6 per cent of total applications for Australian citizenship and 6 per cent of total approvals. But the Home Affairs figures show that while the number of Chinese applications has remained steady, the number of approvals fell to less than 3 per cent of applicants between July 2017 and February 2018.... Read more...

The department was ordered to register her son as a South African citizen, and remove the names of two unknown children registered under her name. The High Court in Pretoria has ended a mother’s 12-year-long battle by ordering the department of home affairs to register her son’s birth and declaring the boy a South African citizen. The department unlawfully refused to register Wandile’s (not his real name) birth, despite the fact that he was born in SA and had a clear right to be recognized as a citizen, leaving him effectively stateless.... Read more...

Investment attracted by Portugal`s so-called gold visa programme fell by 50.5% in July, compared to June, and by 56% year-on-year, to €26.1 million, with residence permits provided only through real estate purchases. According to statistics from the Foreigners and Borders Service (SEF), in July investment resulting from the Residence Permit for Investment Activity (ARI) scheme, better known as gold visas, reached €26,116,230, a drop of 50.5% compared to June, and a of 56.3% compared to July 2017.... Read more...

Industry stakeholders reassure trade that tourism remains unaffected despite the recent Tweet by US President, Donald Trump.... Read more...

Readers of the Financial Mail will be familiar with entrepreneur Dan Brotman’s writing about his experience in dealing with the Department of Home Affairs, including the familiar tales of indifference and lost applications. That article was narrow in its focus, concerned mainly with the plight of relatively wealthy and skilled individuals, who in most cases, one presumes, can afford to pay for the legal expertise needed to get through their bureaucratic nightmares. That is if they don’t give up and find somewhere else where their skills and jobs they create are appreciated.... Read more...

South Africa’s overseas visitors declined slightly in June, but remain consistent with seasonal trends.... Read more...

There are serious consequences for children’s rights if their births are not registered A decision of the Eastern Cape High Court in Grahamstown ensures access to birth registration for all children born in South Africa regardless of the legal status of their parents. The Eastern Cape High Court in Grahamstown recently gave a decision in Naki v Director General Home Affairs that ensures the births of all children born in South Africa can be registered, regardless of the legal status of their parents.... Read more...

Judge Siraj Desai has declared that a union made under Sharia law is valid, even after its dissolution. The court ruling said not recognising Muslim marriages is unconstitutional. The Minister of Justice and Home Affairs will have to pay the Women’s Legal Centre`s costs for the case.... Read more...

Buy your way to Mauritius citizenship. Mauritian Prime Minister and Finance Minister, Pravind Jugnauth, has announced that Mauritius will offer citizenship and passports to foreigners, for a fee of US$1m (€859 645) and US$500 000 (€429 820) respectively.... Read more...

David Meintjes, managing director at Connection Telecom, asks the question, `Can President Ramaphosa breathe new life into South Africa`s Digital Economy?` David Meintjes, managing director at Connection Telecom Early 2018 represented a new beginning and elicited a collective sigh of relief for millions of South Africans, ushering in an end (or the beginning of an end, at least) to a tumultuous era during which the shortcomings of our national government were thrown into sharp focus for millions of citizens.... Read more...

I attended the UCT Unilever Institute Youth Report 2018 workshop in Durban last week. The objective of this intensive in-depth research was to “understand what it is like to be a South African youth in 2018”... Read more...

Communications minister Nomvula Mokonyane has confirmed that government is looking at a complete overhaul of the country’s visa system. Speaking at a post-cabinet media briefing on Thursday (6 September), Mokonyane said that this would include the visa rules governing children, scarce skills and turnaround times. She added that the package is currently being formulated by government, and would be revealed shortly.... Read more...

After battling for more a year and going to court twice, Wendy Kessman and Nomfundo Ngidi, a lesbian couple, have finally been granted a visa �` but it is the wrong one.... Read more...

The financial and personal details of 380,000 customers were stolen in the hack British Airways (BA) has revealed it`s been the subject of a massive data breach thought to have affected hundreds of thousands of customers over a two week-period last month.... Read more...

HOME Affairs records wrongfully indicate that Winnie Nkuna is married with three children. THE 31-year-old who was married without her consent said she was bitter that somebody was still using her ID fraudulently. Home Affairs records indicate that Winnie Nkuna has been married since 2015 to a man she doesn’t know and has three children with him. But in real life, the Soshanguve resident has never been married and has just two children.... Read more...

Moody’s has changed its outlook for SA’s banking system from negative to stable, the ratings agency said in a report issued on Tuesday. Moody’s rates seven commercial banks in SA, which accounted for 9% of banking assets as at December 2017. The rating for banks is currently below investment grade at Baa3 with a stable outlook.... Read more...

Monica Maphumulo’s life is at a complete standstill. Home Affairs records indicate that Maphumulo is deceased and the cause of death is natural, but the Pretoria North mother is very much alive and healthy.... Read more...

The Department of Home Affairs` deputy director general of immigration services has denied any knowledge of corruption relating to the issuing of the Gupta dynasty`s visas to stay in South Africa, as alleged in the GuptaLeaks emails. `I did not know anything, except of course what I have read in the leaked emails,` Jackson McKay said about the thousands of pages of emails between various members of the Gupta business empire. Their companies included Sahara Computers, the now closed ANN7 television channel and The New Age newspaper.... Read more...

HOME Affairs didn’t verify the Guptas’ documents while they were processing their papers for visas. Home Affairs official Norman Ramashia, who deals with appeals, admitted this yesterday in parliament during the second day of the inquiry into the Guptas’ early naturalisation.... Read more...

Some Zimbabweans who applied last year are still waiting as September deadline looms for ZEP permits Morgan (surname withheld) applied on 7 December 2017 for a Zimbabwe Exemption Permit. She has been tracking her application online. “Up to now nothing new, almost nine months after submission,” she said.... Read more...

South Africans are forecasted to spend over R45 billion online this year, with over 60% making a purchase from an overseas retailer. This is according to the fourth annual cross-border e-commerce report released by PayPal and Ipsos, which shows that online shopping is on a steady incline in the country.... Read more...

After a number of calls from fathers explaining the difficulties they`ve faced registering their child`s birth without the mothers present, Bongani Bingwa invited Home Affairs to respond. Acting Director-General of Home Affairs Thulani Mavuso says there are two categories when one registers a birth. Children born in wedlock and children born out of wedlock. In South Africa, children that are born out of wedlock are registered under the mother`s surname.... Read more...

South Africa’s cabinet decided to loosen visa rules and scrap a controversial travel requirement for children as it seeks to attract more investment and tourists, according to two people familiar with the matter. The measures are among a series of initiatives to be announced by President Cyril Ramaphosa on Friday as he intensifies efforts to revive economic growth, said the people who asked not to be identified because the information isn’t public yet.... Read more...

The South American market has grown significantly for South Africa, we take a look at why. Following the release of South Africa’s July arrivals stats, Tourism Update spoke to experts in the trade about the continued growth coming out of the South American market. According to the trade, there are a number of factors driving the growth out of South America.... Read more...

The UK Home Government announced earlier this month that it will launch a two-year seasonal worker pilot scheme.... Read more...

If ever there was a perfect example of South Africa requiring a burning platform before taking decisive action on the economy, it’s encapsulated in Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba’s eventual climbdown on some of the more damaging elements of the destructive visa regime he implemented on his first sojourn at that department. It has taken Gigaba three years to implement just some changes to the visa regime which, as tourism and business lobby groups have pointed out from the start, are damaging to the economy.... Read more...

If you’re tired of economic acronyms, blame Jim O’Neill. He started it all. The British economist saw common traits in four fast-growing economies nearly 20 years ago and thought it a good idea to create an acronym: BRIC for Brazil, Russia, India, and China. It was never meant to confer an investment status on the group of countries, but then the exchange-traded-fund industry, and managed funds, latched on to the theme. Politicians in BRIC countries grabbed it; it gave them a sense of legitimacy, besides the theme played out well.... Read more...

Minister of home affairs, Malusi Gigaba, has confirmed that his department’s information and communication technology system is synchronised with the South African Police Service’s systems for biometric identification. In a recent parliamentary Q&A session, Gigaba said that the SAPS have access to the National Identification System (HANIS) system via the interface between Integrated Justice System (IJS) and the Department of Home Affairs (DHA).... Read more...

Why was it necessary to introduce the potentially problematic regulations in the first place, back in 2014? If ever there was a “Teflon Minister” in our government �` for whom the most serious criticism or allegation slides away easier than water off a duck’s back �` then the leading candidate must be Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba.... Read more...

Home Affairs launched its online Smart ID and passport applications portal almost two and a half years ago. It was initially only open to South Africans between 30 and 35, but Home Affairs gradually increased the range of people allowed to use the website.... Read more...

SA Home Affairs Minister, Malusi Gigaba, today announced a number of changes to make it easier for tourists, business people and academia to come to South Africa. The SA tourism industry reacted positively to the initial economic recovery plan announcement by President Cyril Ramaphosa on September 21, anticipating a possible scrapping of the tourism-repressing unabridged birth certificate (UBC) requirement.... Read more...

Since Italy’s government�`run by a Five Star Movement-Lega coalition�`was inaugurated on June 1, things have changed rather dramatically in the handling of migrants and refugees coming from Libya to Italy. Matteo Salvini�`the vice prime minister, home affairs minister, and de facto leader of the government, though the prime minister is officially Giuseppe Conte�`remains very clear: Regardless of the legal or human implications, he is determined to keep his xenophobic campaign promises, and enforce a hard line against migrants.... Read more...

How much longer is it going to take before the issue is resolved? It has been two weeks since Randfontein Home Affairs went offline. The reason they give is cable theft, which Telkom is currently trying to resolve.... Read more...

Canada is expanding its biometrics collection program and is now taking steps to prepare for December 31, 2018, when nationals from countries in Asia, Asia Pacific and the Americas will need to give their biometrics (fingerprints and a photo) when applying for a visitor visa, study or work permit, or for permanent residence.... Read more...

The integration of blockchain technology with ERP is a hot trend pursued by major vendors and developers.... Read more...

A 16-year-old Zimbabwean has missed a year of school and has been unable to rejoin his mother in South Africa after a Home Affairs official in Harare declared his application for a study visa fraudulent and tore up his passport. (Brent Meersman, GroundUp) The Department of Home Affairs is once more embroiled in a legal battle.... Read more...

A new global study has shown that the human race has gotten taller over the past 100 years �` though South Africans have shown some of the least change. The study, conducted by Imperial College in London, looked at average height measurements for men and women in 1914, and compared it to data from 2014.... Read more...

With its new initiative to offer visas on arrival to African visitors, Ethiopia hopes to spur tourism, trade and investment, as part of the African Union’s vision of creating “seamless borders” across the continent and achieving economic integration. (photo: Twitter, Ethiopian Airlines).... Read more...

British tourists could face delays at European airports after Brexit and employers may find it “impossible” to identify who is entitled to work in the UK, the immigration minister has admitted.... Read more...

• Caroline Nokes tells MPs firms will have to check eligibility after a no-deal Brexit �` but does not know how Caroline Nokes. Employers’ groups said they have ‘serious concerns’ that the Home Office was setting them an impossible task Photograph: Alan Davidson/AJDImages/Rex/Shutterstock Employers will be expected to check whether EU nationals have the right to work in the UK if there is a no-deal Brexit, even though it will be almost impossible to assess this, and the nature of the checks remain unknown, Caroline Nokes, the immigration minister, has told MPs.... Read more...

LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-Government this week fired four diplomats at Malawi High Commission in Pretoria South Africa including the head of the mission and they have been given seven days each to pack up and return home. According to Foreign Affairs Ministry, Malawian High Commissioner to South Africa Professor Chrissie Kaponda, Defence Attaché Colonel Lawrence Mambo, first secretary (protocol) Kondwani and Daniel Salimu second secretary (social services) were effectively out of work and must return home.... Read more...

With its new initiative to offer visas on arrival to African visitors, Ethiopia hopes to spur tourism, trade and investment, as part of the African Union’s vision of creating “seamless borders” across the continent and achieving economic integration. (photo: Twitter, Ethiopian Airlines).... Read more...

Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba resigned from his post following mounting pressure for President Cyril Ramaphosa to give him the boot. `The President has accepted the Minister’s resignation and expressed his appreciation for Minister’s Gigaba longstanding service to the government and people of South Africa,` the Presidency said in a statement on Tuesday.... Read more...

There appears to be a growing trend where cyber criminals come to Africa with new broadband networks in order to hack into systems in Europe and elsewhere in the world, according to Nic Rudnick, group CEO of Liquid Telecom.... Read more...

The reason for the extended hours is to give the public enough time to visit the branch and collect their documents.... Read more...

Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton said the government is looking to tighten up the laws for which he called on the Federal opposition to support its legislation.... Read more...

While thousands struggle to meet the requirements for Australian permanent residency, some in-demand trade occupations are seeing very low, or even no applications at all.... Read more...

She says she ‘almost died of shock’ when she was told that ‘according to the system’ she died in 2016. Samkelisiwe Kunene has been declared dead by Home Affairs. Samkelisiwe Kunene (51) can’t believe that the Department of Home Affairs has left her for dead. Literally. She says she ‘almost died of shock’ when she was told that ‘according to the system’ she died in 2016. The mother of four has since been unable to sleep peacefully.... Read more...

Talk to us and see how we can assist you !! We are experts in this area of immigration law.... Read more...

In South Africa, unregistered people working as migration agents are not breaking the law but are unregulated and you have no recourse for poor advice which will have devasting consequences on your application and your future in South Africa.... Read more...

Cape Town has just been through one of the worst droughts in the region’s history and yet, through the collective efforts of its citizens, the city is back in business �` thanks largely to the City of Cape Town’s municipal leadership and its ability to mobilise its people toward sustained conservative usage.... Read more...

In keeping with the trend for most of 2018, and following on from August statistics, September arrivals continue to show 2018’s lack of performance in terms of tourist arrivals.... Read more...

SECURITY breaches in the country’s national population register could be fuelling the multimillion-rand identity fraud industry after revelations that citizens’ critical information was left vulnerable to abuse for four years.... Read more...

Dr. Siyabonga Cwele will step into Malusi Gigaba`s shoes as the new Minister of Home Affairs as announced during the cabinet reshuffle Thursday afternoon. Siyabonga Cwele to takeover post as home affairs minister.... Read more...

Chairperson of Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs Hlomani Chauke has welcomed the appointment of Siyabonga Cwele as the new minister of home affairs.... Read more...

The Department of Home Affairs has published an amendment to the Immigration Act which is set to have major implications for immigrants, tourism and the economy.... Read more...

The reversal of the unabridged birth certificate rule is just one of the many changes implemented by the Department of Home Affairs. South Africa will implement some changes to its visa system in December 2018 which will likely impact tourism and immigration procedures.... Read more...

Tourism sails ahead in the job creation sector. The tourism sector in South Africa is said to be one of the most promising contributors to the SA economy and GDP growth. It has also been noted as a high-potential job-creation engine across the diverse work feeders into the tourism landscape.... Read more...

The Constitutional Court handed down judgment in the application for leave to appeal against an order of the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA). The SCA overturned a decision of the High Court of South Africa, Western Cape Division, Cape Town (High Court) which declared the Immigration Directive 21 of 2015 (the Directive) issued by the Department of Home Affairs inconsistent with the Constitution, invalid and set it aside.... Read more...

A lesser known visa scheme that provides wealthy foreigners with a pathway to permanent residency continues to be embraced by the NSW government, despite a federal review finding the scheme had few economic benefits and should be axed.... Read more...

South African Immigration - Temporary and permanent residency VISA (Temporary Residence Visa) & Permit (Permanent Residency) - We assist with all matters relating to South Africa Immigration.... Read more...

“The City is open to people from across the continent and the world but the national government is duty-bound to ensure that all people enter, live and leave the country legally.” The plight of undocumented immigrants, exacerbated by crisis and upheaval is cause for great concern.... Read more...

CONSTITUTIONAL COURT RULES ON THE SITUATION REGARDING ASYLUM SEEKER TEMPORARY VISA HOLDERS AND REFUGEES IN TERMS OF CHANGE OF STAT... Read more...

The Constitutional Court has ruled that asylum seekers’ temporary permits must automatically be extended while their case is being reviewed. Archive photo: Ashraf Hendricks In an important victory for the rights of asylum seekers, the Constitutional Court has found that their temporary permits must automatically be extended while their case is under judicial review. South Africa is home to at least 400,000 asylum seekers and refugees. An asylum seeker is someone who claims, in an application to the Department of Home Affairs, to have fled from a place where they have been persecuted or where they are in danger.... Read more...

A new report from the World Health Organisation (WHO) shows that global life expectancy increased by five years between 2000 and 2015. Globally, life expectancy has been improving at a rate of more than 3 years per decade since 1950, with the exception of the 1990s. During that period, progress on life expectancy stalled in Africa because of the rising HIV epidemic; and in Europe because of increased mortality in many ex-Soviet countries following the collapse of the Soviet Union.... Read more...

The ANC has failed to secure SA’s national borders, says the party, as it ramps up its anti-illegal immigration campaign ahead of 2019 elections SA’s borders should be “closed” and stricter immigration controls must be implemented, the DA said on Monday.... Read more...

IT company claims Home Affairs failed to pay it R67m in 2009 HOME Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba has been subpoenaed to answer why his department allowed an unpaid R67 million invoice owed to an information technology (IT) company undergoing liquidation to balloon to almost R800m.... Read more...

Tinashe Bello has been separated from his mother simply because he wanted to represent his school in a German soccer tournament. Home Affairs is once more embroiled in a legal battle. On 21 September court papers were filed against the minister and director-general for declaring a visa application by a Zimbabwean child fraudulent and banning him for five years from returning to South Africa.... Read more...

The Constitutional Court heard argument on Thursday in the case of a Rwandan man facing deportation. Alex Ruta is a Rwandan national who worked for the Rwanda National Security Services. He was sent to South Africa by his superiors in 2014 but he had to enter the country illegally because he did not have a visa. Once in South Africa, Ruta learned that his task from Security Services was to assassinate members of the exiled opposition party, the Rwanda National Congress, GroundUp reports.... Read more...

EDINBURGH �` President Cyril Ramaphosa has been conspicuously courting the international investment community as part of his plan to reignite positive sentiment towards South Africa. He has had opinion pieces published in influential global newspapers, such as the Financial Times, in order to drum up interest in business opportunities in South Africa.... Read more...

The Department of Home Affairs has published an amendment to the Immigration Act which is set to have major implications for immigrants, tourism and the economy.... Read more...

Some Zimbabwean teachers in the Western Cape have gone unpaid for as long as nine months because the Department of Home Affairs is dragging its feet when it comes to verifying Zimbabwe Exemption Permits (ZEP).... Read more...

Ebenezer Odei was born in South Africa and has lived here his entire life, but he is not yet a citizen. Time is running out for Ebenezer Odei to get the funding he needs to be able to attend university in 2019. Odei is a matric pupil at Grassy Park High School, GroundUp reported.... Read more...

The National Tourism Visitor Information System (NTVIS) and the Travel and Tourism Excellence Training Academy are set to start operations in January.... Read more...

The Constitutional Court on Thursday ruled that the Refugees Act does not place a time limit on when asylum seekers must apply for asylum once they have arrived in South Africa.... Read more...

Order sparks outrage in India with citizens, privacy advocates, and political opponents accusing the government of trying to establish a `surveillance state.... Read more...

Home Affairs has been found to have flouted the law by refusing to allow a Rwandan national fearing persecution back home to apply for an asylum-seeker permit.... Read more...

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.... Read more...

UK immigration minister, Caroline Nokes, recently made a number of surprising announcements as the country prepares to make visa reforms.... Read more...

The option will be available for citizens of the Schengen area, the US and seven other countries Travelling to Saudi Arabia will soon be easier as the Gulf country has decided to open e-visa to its visitors.... Read more...

The recent return of young South Africans detained in different provinces of the People`s Republic of China on violation of Chinese visa regulations must send a warning to young people that they must research and ensure that they have correct travelling documents before they explore opportunities across the world.... Read more...

The Department of Home Affairs is pleased to announce the relaxation of some international travel requirements for children going through South African ports of entry.... Read more...

A family travelling to South Africa for Christmas was turned away at the gate despite the country recently relaxing its strict rules on travelling with children.... Read more...

Even before the Department of Home Affairs confused everyone by nullifying its own law which it had amended the day before, the larger tour operators were expressing disappointment that the Immigration Act Amendment of November 30 had, in any case, not gone far enough to allow them to market South Africa as a family-friendly destination.... Read more...

Domestic abuse victims will receive a wide range of new measures to protect them in what ministers say will be landmark legislation. New laws will for the first time create a legal definition of domestic abuse, to include economic abuse and control. The long-awaited legislation will also ban abusers from cross- examining victims in family courts.... Read more...

I AM desperate to find just one person who works for Home Affairs who can help me. This is my predicament: I have recently got married to a man who was divorced about two years ago. He had been married for 10 years when his wife chose to ask for a divorce. After parting and going their separate ways, he and I met and got married. He submitted all the necessary information to Home Affairs, as my surname has now changed and I need to get a new ID book and passport, not to mention all other aspects of life like changing the name on all my accounts.... Read more...

Cape Town’s tourism sector starts to make a slow recovery, as indicated by December 2018’s figures. Figures released by Cape Town’s big attractions, Cape Town International Airport and STR’s Destination Report, indicate mixed performance for December 2018. The second half of the year has shown that the city’s recovery in terms of tourism is stabilising, notwithstanding a poor performance in the early part of 2018. Cape Town Tourism has identified numerous factors that influenced travel choices in 2018, including a third-quarter recession and the drought as primary factors.... Read more...

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We have written in our newsletter on previous occasions about the unnecessary delays in processing not only Temporary Residence Visas but also Permanent Residence Visas.... Read more...

Travel and tourism play a vital role in growing the economy and creating jobs. According to Statistics South Africa (StatsSA), South Africa has 16.2m workers, and tourism directly employs 4.5% (726 500 jobs) of this total workforce.... Read more...

Most South Africans dread going to Home Affairs. Who wants to queue anyway? Anything Home Affairs-related is such an enormous, overbearing task that we simply shy away from important things like collecting our ID cards or that equally pesky task of changing a surname. Forms to fill in, queues leading out the door, coupled with our troubling weather �` hot or cold, it’s equally annoying. Mixed together it all just builds up to a very unpleasant experience.... Read more...

District Six Museum. When considering visiting South Africa, Cape Town is a destination that tops the to-do list for most inbound travellers. Table Mountain, beaches, golf courses, wine estates…the Mother City, as locals call it, and its surrounds offer the full package to visitors.... Read more...

A prominent Chinese businessman and political donor, linked in the past to a row about the promotion of Chinese interests, said on Friday Australia`s decision to rescind his visa was based on nothing more than speculation.... Read more...

Last week Minister of Home Affairs, Siyabonga Cwele, published a white paper (PDF) on repositioning its mandate to replace the population register with the national identity system and improve the management of asylum seekers.... Read more...

e-Visas highlighted as priority in SA President`s State Of The Nation Address. On February 7, SA President Cyril Ramaphosa delivered his second State of the Nation address, making a number of key announcements. E-Visas were named as the highest priority by the President, who pledged the introduction of a world-class e-Visa regime. “This, combined with enhanced destination marketing and measures to strengthen tourism safety, will create the conditions for the growth we envisage, and the jobs and opportunities that will follow,” said Ramaphosa.... Read more...

European nations are still raising concerns about obstacles to President Cyril Ramaphosa’s investment drive, despite measures he announced in his state of the nation address this week to tackle investor frustrations and reform the visa regime.... Read more...

Brexit simply wasn’t a word four years ago. Now, it’s the only word we hear coming from the shores of Blighty. Britain’s decision to exit the European Union has been both maligned and celebrated in equal measure, but very few people are happy with the way things are going. Their departure from the EU has […] Brexit simply wasn’t a word four years ago. Now, it’s the only word we hear coming from the shores of Blighty. Britain’s decision to exit the European Union has been both maligned and celebrated in equal measure, but very few people are happy with the way things are going. Their departure fro... Read more...

Immigrant parents battle red tape to get their kids in school. At least 40 children of refugees are struggling to get into Cape Town schools, say refugee rights organisations PASSOP and Voice of Africans for Change (VAC). The organisations say they know of about 40 children, between grades 1 and 8, who are struggling to get into school. There are also about 15 learners who could not write matric examinations last year due to their refugee documentation.... Read more...

Life will get much easier for families wanting to visit South Africa, after Home Affairs confirmed it would lift some birth certificate requirements. It’s taken four months for the government to fully establish clarity on this situation, but better late than never hey? The requirement for foreign minors to produce a birth certificate upon arrival in South Africa is set to be dropped, according to an official government publication.... Read more...

More than one in three Africans have considered emigrating, researchers for Afrobarometer say. Their continent-wide survey also found that young and educated people were more likely than others to want to leave their home country.... Read more...

�` visitors can now print visas at home Business Insider SA - Apr 09, 2019 • The department of tourism said the first e-visas to South Africa will be issued in New Zealand in April. • The new visas will allow prospective visitors to apply for a visa online, and print visas at home. • The Western Cape investment agency said they have already seen New Zealand bookings increase by 7%, and is expecting that number to rise.... Read more...

• The department of tourism said the first e-visas to South Africa will be issued in New Zealand in April. • The new visas will allow prospective visitors to apply for a visa online, and print visas at home. • The Western Cape investment agency said they have already seen New Zealand bookings increase by 7%, and is expecting that number to rise.... Read more...

South Africa is currently on the brink of immigration reform. The country’s sixth national elections will be held on 8 May 2019 �` a watershed moment following the resignation of President Jacob Zuma on 14 February 2018. During the decade of Zuma’s presidency, South Africa’s borders closed and our country was captured by a cabal of conspirators, including Zuma and the Indian Gupta brothers.... Read more...

Brownies & Downies, a coffee shop in Cape Town staffed by people with Down syndrome, may have to close its doors after home affairs banned its owner from SA. Wendy Schultz, a Dutch social worker, started the restaurant-cum- social benefit organisation in Long Street more than two years ago and has since then been locked in a struggle with the department to get her visa renewed.... Read more...

South Africa could be set for another round of drama from Eskom, as the ailing power utility has reportedly failed to receive R7 billion in loan payments initially set to come from the Chinese Development Bank (CDB). That’s according to City Press, who have reported that the creditors do not trust their promises over proposed maintenance work. It would be the second time in just over two weeks that one of Eskom’s promised loans failed to materialise after the Brics New Development Bank also did not part with their billions.... Read more...

An immigration lawyer says the government should move quickly to lift the moratorium on the parent category visa, because families have been waiting too long for a decision. Last week, Immigration Minister Iain Lees-Galloway said he was still considering the future of the visa.... Read more...

African President Cyril Ramaphosa’s triumph in guiding his African National Congress to a sixth straight election victory has left him with an even more formidable challenge: to pick a cabinet that can dismantle a shadow state of corruption and revive the flagging economy.... Read more...

In recent years, images of young Africans attempting to reach Europe, sometimes through the most daring and desperate routes, have become a fixture on global and national news channels. Cynical politicians in Europe and the United States have argued, for the sake of winning votes, that these (largely male) immigrants are “invading” their countries, threatening to steal locals’ jobs, or worse.... Read more...

Religious tourism identified as important niche market in KZN. Tourism KwaZulu Natal (TKZN) has identified religious tourism as an important niche market, especially when considering that the province expected an estimated 250 000 domestic and 60 000 international visitors during the recent Easter season.... Read more...

The French President asserted during a press conference at the end of the Great National Debate on Thursday that the Schengen Area no longer works and that refoundation is indispensable.... Read more...

David Hlabane of Home Affairs says: `For children born in South Africa and have never travelled out of South Africa, the [Zimbabwean] parent should visit a VFS office in the country to apply for a temporary residence visa …... Read more...

Tokyo: After the stabbing of 17 schoolgirls and two adults at a bus stop near Tokyo last week, a shocked public has been grasping for answers as to what could possibly have driven someone to commit such a horrific act.... Read more...

Zipporah Bvalani hoped that when she got home to Malawi after studying in China under a highly regarded Chinese government bursary scheme she would immediately begin working as a chemical engineer. Instead, the 23-year-old from Blantyre said she had to start studying from scratch once she got home, as she had learned very little and acquired few engineering skills during her 18-month stint at the Taiyuan University of Technology in Shanxi Province. She also said the university authorities had inflated her marks to make them look better than they were, and that many beneficiaries were children of Malawi’s political elite.... Read more...

Mkhwebane found the child had SA citizenship because his father was South African and said that home affairs had erred by not investigating the complaint.... Read more...

The world`s most powerful passports Some say it`s Japan, others say it`s the United Arab Emirates. Here are the top passports to have, granting you visa-free travel to so many destinations.... Read more...

Customers are complaining of unacceptably long wait times for Home Affairs.... Read more...

The number of South Africans inquiring about Australian visas has more than doubled in the past two years, and as immigrants flock to the country, applicants are finding it much harder to qualify for a visa, says Sable International`s Australian immigration expert, Sam Hopwood. Here are the five types of Visas that South Africans or South African businesses can qualify for.... Read more...

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, trailing in opinion polls ahead of a May 18 election, on Sunday campaigned on the hot-button issue of immigration, promising to cut annual migrant numbers and freeze the country’s refugee intake.... Read more...

The top six franchise brands in SA primarily sells hamburgers. They annually generate revenue of approximately R7.7 billion. Opening typical franchise fast food in the country costs between roughly R2 million to R6 million. Visit Business Insider South Africa for more stories. Burgers in South Africa are big business. In 2017, three of the top six franchise fast food brands that produced the most revenue in the country dealt primarily in hamburgers.... Read more...

Vida e Caffè Three growing coffee-shop chains are currently looking for franchisees - but you`ll have to have a minimum of R1 million up front, preferably in cash. You can also expect to pay 10% of net sales, every month. Vida e Caffè, Mugg & Bean and Bootleggers are offering franchises.... Read more...

Following a sector meeting with South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa on the sidelines of the Business Economic Indaba last week, five major issues were tabled by the tourism industry: decline in forward bookings, China/India focus, infrastructure, vehicle permit issues, and immigration �` read more on immigration in yesterday’s edition of Tourism Update.... Read more...

Applicants continue to experience problems regarding time frames taken to process Permanent Residence applications.... Read more...

Exactly a month ago, The Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs called for officials working front of house and interacting with clients to be banned from using their cellphones during working hours. If you’ve ever visited a Home Affairs office, you know it won’t be a quick visit.... Read more...

David Hlabane of Home Affairs says: “For children born in South Africa and have never travelled out of South Africa, the [Zimbabwean] parent should visit a VFS office in the country to apply for a temporary residence visa … Our policy does not allow them to change status from visitors to any visa while still in South Africa. This also applies to the SA-born child who left SA and re-entered SA on a visitor’s visa.”... Read more...

BANGKOK, Feb 13 (Reuters) - The honeymoon that Bahraini footballer Hakeem Al Araibi and his wife had hoped to have in Thailand late last year did not go according to plan. As the 25-year-old, who has refugee status in Australia, got off a plane in Bangkok on Nov. 27, Thai immigration police were waiting to arrest him based on an Interpol “red notice” from Bahrain. What followed was more than two months of diplomatic wrangling and intense scrutiny from global rights and sports organisations as they lobbied for Araibi’s release from a prison in Bangkok, where he awaited possible extradition to the Gulf country.... Read more...

(MENAFN - The Conversation) Is South Africa regularly denying children their right to access education as well as health care on the grounds either of petty bureaucracy or by a misinterpretation of the country`s laws and international obligations? The answer is yes.... Read more...

Government’s potential decision to curb expatriate employment terms threatens the already persisting skills shortage in SA. Some foreigners suspect the apparent move to curb expatriate employment terms reflects a growing climate of economic nationalism unfavourable to the hiring of non-South Africans.... Read more...

The Department of Home Affairs says it will pilot new e-gates at a number of South African airports in 2019. A spokesperson told BusinessTech that the gates will first be piloted at Cape Town International Airport and will form part of the implementation of the Biometric Movement Control System (BMCS). He added that a further rollout will be done in a phased approach, with Oliver Tambo and King Shaka International airports to follow. “The broad objective of the project is the facilitation of movement of low-risk travellers through a self-service solution, hence freeing capacity for the assessment of high-risk categories by an immigration officer,” the spokesperson said.... Read more...

There is no way SA will be allowed to fail, SA ambassador to Germany Stone Sizani said as he encouraged small businesses and key stakeholders of the tourism sector in their efforts to promote the country at a travel trade show which kicks off this week.... Read more...

South Africa`s economy grew by 1.4% in the fourth quarter of 2018, Stats SA announced on Tuesday morning. The figure of 1.4% was slightly above the consensus estimates of most analysts and economists of 1.2% growth.... Read more...

The Department of Home Affairs says it will pilot new e-gates at a number of South African airports in 2019. A spokesperson told BusinessTech that the gates will first be piloted at Cape Town International Airport and will form part of the implementation of the Biometric Movement Control System (BMCS).... Read more...

In another language, it`s not so random, or secure... The password `ji32k7au4a83` may look like a completely random set of numbers and letters, but that exact password has appeared in 141 data breaches... Read more...

The home affairs committee criticised the department for its decision to grant VFS a two-year extension, saying it violates regulations Parliament`s home affairs portfolio committee has called on home affairs minister Siyabonga Cwele to review the department’s contract with VFS global.... Read more...

The Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs wants the renewal of a contract to outsource the processing of visas reviewed, likening it to the controversial Cash Paymaster Services (CPS) contract. On Tuesday, the committee resolved to write to Minister of Home Affairs Siyabonga Cwele to review the contract with VFS Global. The committee heard that the contract with VFS Global was renewed for two years in December, without it going through the open tender procurement process. The department initially contracted VFS Global in 2010.... Read more...

• An amendment to the law on how courts deal with bad-debt judgments came into operation this week. • It means that once the debt is fully paid rescission �` wiping out a judgment �` is now possible without the need to show ‘good cause’. • It is probably easier and cheaper for individuals to just reverse blacklisting at credit bureaus, though, but companies will benefit.... Read more...

The home affairs committee criticised the department for its decision to grant VFS a two-year extension, saying it violates regulations Parliament`s home affairs portfolio committee has called on home affairs minister Siyabonga Cwele to review the department’s contract with VFS global.... Read more...

For every skilled professional coming to South Africa, eight are leaving. This was the major finding of an Enterprise Observatory of South Africa (EOSA) report released in January. The researchers found that while a large number of white professionals were making the jump, in recent years, the annual number of black professionals leaving South Africa exceeds the tally of professional white emigrants.... Read more...

There has been a large increase in South Africans applying for a secondary passport. Speaking to BusinessTech, residence and citizenship planning firm, Henley & Partners, said that it had seen a 125% increase in the number of enquiries received in the second half of 2018 compared to the same period last year.... Read more...

TimesLive recently reported that prominent Cape Town immigration lawyer, Craig Smith, had been arrested for allegedly duping the Department of Home Affairs into granting visas to his clients.... Read more...

With election season in full swing, one of the key areas of contestation is political party`s tough immigration policies. In his budget speech, Finance Minister Tito Mboweni noted that immigrants have played a significant role in the success of some of the largest economies in the world.... Read more...

At the 2018 World Economic Forum in Davos, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced that South Africa was open for business. For those who are cognisant of the truth, South Africa has become an armoured fortress with its drawbridges decidedly raised. Responsibility for regulating the entry of foreigners into South Africa belongs to the department of home affairs.... Read more...

The Constitutional Court in November last year handed down a judgement in the Ahmed matter as well as a Court Order opening the door for Asylum Seekers and Refugees to apply to change their status to that of a mainstream Visa under The Immigration Act.... Read more...

The short answer You may wish to consult the following organisations for advice The whole question How can matric learners without IDs apply for an ID to write their final exams? Also, what if they aren`t South African citizens? The How can matric learners without IDs apply to write their final exams long answer In 2019 more than 13 000 undocumented students wrote their matric. This followed a hugely important judgement by Judge President of the Eastern Cape, Selby Mbenenge in the Makhanda High Court in December 2019.... Read more...

Foreign-trained doctors in South Africa who are eager to help with the surge in Covid-19 cases are being prevented from doing so by red tape Frustrated, helpless and dejected �` that’s how foreign-trained doctors desperate to register with the Health Professions Council of SA (HPCSA) and help stem the Covid-19 coronavirus epidemic say they feel as they watch the health system and its workers struggle to cope with the mounting cases.... Read more...

In revealing their adjusted budget for the remainder of the financial year, the tourism department warned recovery could take up to two years.... Read more...

Level 2 of lockdown might seem like a long way off right now, but some industry professionals �` including those in tourism �` are hopeful that the next step South Africa takes is forward-thinking one. Having already moved from Level 3 to ‘Advanced Level 3’ last month, Cyril Ramaphosa then tightened restrictions on Sunday. COVID-19 cases continue to soar in the country, as Mzansi now heads towards the peak of infections. It may seem unfathomable to start planning ahead, but many trades are facing a fight to survive. Tourist-related businesses have been decimated, and the industry is thought to be losing almost R750 million each day.... Read more...

It`s clear that people are flocking to this sunny, Mediterranean country. Here’s why so many South Africans are turning to Portugal for residency and retirement. Portugal’s Golden Visa is renowned as one of the most popular investment migration solutions for South Africans. Recent figures showed that residence investments have tripled in May 2020 compared to the previous year.... Read more...

Language and identity are inextricably interlinked. So what happens when a language dies, or is suppressed? When Katrina Esau spoke to her older sister, Griet Seekoei, they spoke in N|uu. It is a language that only they �` and their brother, Simon Sauls �` could understand. “Griet was a wonderful person,” Esau recalls. “Strict, but wonderful.” Ouma Griet, as she was known, died in May aged 87. Now there are just two remaining speakers of N|uu. “It makes me very sad. No language is more important than another language,” Esau told the Mail & Guardian, speaking from her home in Upington in South Africa’s Northern Cape province.... Read more...

An Asylum Seeker He is a person who has fled his or her country of origin and is seeking recognition and protection as a refugee in the Republic of South Africa, and whose application is still under consideration. In case of a negative decision on his application, he has to leave the country voluntarily or will be deported. A Refugee... Read more...

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Heavily armed police, army, traffic police and Home Affairs officials rounded up dozens of foreign national shop owners in the CBD on Friday and detained them. They also seized several cartons of cigarettes and counterfeit goods. Dozens of foreign national shop owners operating on Pietermaritz and West Street were detained during a police raid on Friday morning, during which 57 people were arrested. Police, accompanied by members of the army, traffic officers and Home Affairs officials, also seized several cartons of cigarettes and other counterfeit goods.... Read more...

Breaking News !!! Home affairs minister Aaron Motsoaledi, addressing parliament during the tabling of his department`s budget vote for 2020/2021 in the National Assembly on Wednesday, Motsoaledi also announced that his department was extending all permits and visas that were due to expire during the lockdown from the end of July extended to October 31. www.samigration.com... Read more...

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has missed the six month deadline to frame rules for the controversial Citizenship Amendment Act, delaying its implementation and prompting accusations from the Opposition. The CAA, which was passed in December last year and came into force on January 10, provides citizenship to six non-Muslim minorities from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan who entered in India before 31 December, 2014.... Read more...

Home affairs minister Aaron Motsoaledi addressed parliament on Wednesday. The home affairs department has revoked more than 100 visas that an official based in Windhoek fraudulently issued to Pakistan and Bangladesh citizens. Home affairs minister Aaron Motsoaledi, addressing parliament during the tabling of his department`s budget vote for 2020/2021 in the National Assembly on Wednesday, announced that the secretary of civic services based in Windhoek, Namibia, had recently been fired after he was bust selling visas to non- qualifying people in Pakistan and Bangladesh.... Read more...

Breaking News !!! Home Affairs is extending all permits and visas that were due to expire during the lockdown from the end of July to October 31 Contact us : please email us to info@samigration.com whatsapp me on: +27 82 373 8415, where are you now? check our website :... Read more...

VFS Offices open for collection of Visas , Visa Results and Permanent Residence Certificates Need more information , please contact us on : Sa Migration International Whatsapp Tel No : +27 (0) 82 373 8415, info@sami.co.za... Read more...

Many South Africans living abroad are losing the right to work, receive healthcare and remain legally resident in foreign countries because the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) is simply unable to process their passports and other crucial documents in a timely manner.... Read more...

Americans must make tough sacrifices to get our vacations back. It’s not fun, but it’s the right thing to do �` and the fastest way to start traveling again.... Read more...

This means that : A refugee can apply for permanent residence if he or she has been living in South Africa on a refugee status permit for a minimum of five consecutive years.143 For a recognized refugee to receive a permanent residence permit, the standing committee for refugee affairs must have certified that that person will remain a refugee “indefinitely.”... Read more...

Europe opened its internal borders six weeks ago. Bookings are up, but there’s a big difference between booking a trip and actually taking one.... Read more...

A family from the Maldives is locked in a desperate legal fight to stop their two-year-old son being deported from Australia because of his disability, amid fears being forced to move could lead to an early and painful death.... Read more...

Motsoaledi says the bill has been passed by the National Assembly but it`s stuck at the National Council of Provinces (NCOP).... Read more...

STERN WORDS: The Western Cape High Court ordered the home affairs department to `do all things necessary` to allow a man to enter SA for the birth of his child. A Chinese man was forced to take home affairs minister Aaron Motsoaledi to court after his department refused to allow the man back into SA ahead of the birth of his child.... Read more...

The ambition of the South African government is to double international tourist arrivals to 21 million by 2030, said President Cyril Ramaphosa at last night’s State of the Nation Address.... Read more...

China`s top diplomat in South Africa, Ambassador Lin Songtian, said Pretoria`s existing visa and permit laws for non-citizens do not support the country`s ambitious drive to double tourist arrivals. Picture: Jonisayi Maromo/ANA... Read more...

The Hyde family`s petition to stay in Australia has gained over 112,00 signatures Anthony and Christine Hyde and their 3-year-old Australian-born son are set to be deported back to Ireland on June 18 unless government officials intervene.... Read more...

On Tuesday 9th October 2018 the Apex Court of South Africa - the highest Court in the land - the Constitutional Court ruled on the situation surrounding the ability of Asylum Seeker Temporary Visa holders and Refugee Permit holders being enabled to change their status to mainstream visas in the Temporary or Permanent Residence categories under The Immigration Act.... Read more...

Today, the day before World Refugee Day, the Western Cape High Court has handed down a landmark Court Order that is set to radically improve the lives of thousands of asylum-seeking families across South Africa.... Read more...

Economic drivers such as tourism and semigration continue to drive Cape Town’s rental market, says property group, Seeff.... Read more...

FRUSTRATED Namibians waiting for passports will have to wait longer as the Ministry of Home Affairs and Immigration has run out of blank green passports.... Read more...

Are you financially independent �` Want an EU Passport , Cyprus welcomes you Please contact us if you can buy property in Cyprus for Euros 2 million and it could unlock doors to permanent residence and ultimately citizenship... Read more...

REFUGEES AND ASYLUM SEEKERS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Major News and hope : We are one of the few organisations getting Emptions & waivers approved !!!! Apply Now for Temporary and Permanent Residence The Constitutional Court in November last year handed down a judgement in the Ahmed matter as well as a Court Order opening the door for Asylum Seekers and Refugees to apply to change their status to that of a mainstream Visa under The Immigration Act.... Read more...

This matter involved two different family units, each of which comprises a foreign spouse who is married to or is in a life partnership with a South African citizen or permanent resident.... Read more...

In the current economic climate, South Africans are hedging their bets by investing abroad and by acquiring a second citizenship or residency overseas at an unprecedented rate, according to Andrew Rissik, group commercial director at Sable International.... Read more...

THE country could be having many undocumented and illegal foreigners due to the Immigration Department’s poor system, which makes it difficult to trace the status of foreigners, Auditor General Mrs Mildred Chiri has said.... Read more...

African Union (AU) leaders will gather in Niger on 7 July for an Extraordinary Summit to discuss the African Continental Free Trade Area. They will be meeting at a critical moment for the continent. Many African countries are experiencing uneven growth and rising debt. All face an uncertain global environment and need the boost that closer and more dynamic continental trade relations could deliver.... Read more...

`I am Mbalenhle and I don`t exist. I`m stateless. Sometimes to be undocumented I think is a curse. Your life is just stuck in a one-way. You can`t even move on with your life.`... Read more...

A week ago, the Constitutional Court set the state a deadline to change immigration regulations that currently require foreign spouses or children of South African citizens to leave the country to renew their visitor`s visas. They can now apply with immediate effect to change from a tourist visa to relatives visa... Read more...

Building a `world class` visa regime, new legislation on immigration and getting rid of those pesky lines at Department of Home Affairs offices are some of the top priorities for the department this year.... Read more...

A week ago, the Constitutional Court set the state a deadline to change immigration regulations that currently require foreign spouses or children of South African citizens to leave the country to renew their visitor`s visas. They can now apply with immediate effect to change from a tourist visa to relatives visa The court declared the rules constitutionally invalid because in effect, they separate families.... Read more...

When I went to vote in the 2016 local elections, I found that I didn`t exist on the voters` role. A strange woman with my ID number and my husband`s surname did, though, writes Sarah Wild.... Read more...

The Government has at last responded to the chaos in our visa system, writes Abul Rizvi.... Read more...

JOHANNESBURG (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - In the hallway of a large, brick-face apartment block in Johannesburg, Halima Jawahir greets her tenants, a group of six Somali women drying their henna-painted hands in the sunlight streaming through the windows.... Read more...

In part 1, Gillian Saunders shared some thoughts on how tourism can boost employment and help strengthen South Africa’s struggling economy. In part 2, she lays out some ideas on how South Africa should restructure its visa system to realise more of its tourism potential.... Read more...

There is great potential for the tourism industry to boost South Africa’s economy, and help alleviate the high levels of unemployment. But for some reason, tourism as an industry is often overlooked as a serious economic sector. Gillian Saunders, who was Special Adviser to former Tourism Minister Derek Hanekom between April 2018 and May 2019, shares her thoughts.... Read more...

It is `untenable` that South Africa can have large numbers of undocumented immigrants, chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs Bongani Bongo said.... Read more...

The Minister of Home Affairs Dr Aaron Motsoaledi is pleased to announce that nationals from four of the seven countries he granted visa-free status during his Budget Vote speech will be able to travel to South Africa without visas from today.... Read more...

CAPE TOWN, - Two immigration officials and an alleged `middleman` are in police custody after being arrested this week in connection with a bribery scheme, the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks) said on Wednesday.... Read more...

The US government has announced that an increase in the investment threshold for foreigners to access a US Green Card via the Immigrant Investor EB-5 Programme will come into effect from November 21, 2019, when the amount will increase from $500 000 (about R7.5m) to $900 000 (about R13.5m).... Read more...

Herewith find a clear understanding of this often misunderstood section of the Act . When one looks at specifically the definition of a relationship as defined in the Act and The Regulations which is quoted below we wish to draw your attention to specifically to point 3 (2) ( a) (i) and (ii) which must be read very carefully and we highlight and bold the relevant sections and in particular wish to point out all the Act requires is that evidence of the relationship is for 2 years... Read more...

The International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) senior resident representative in South Africa Montfort Mlachila has confirmed that South Africa has not requested an IMF loan and he added that, “We will not see a balance of payments (support programme) for South Africa.”... Read more...

President Cyril Ramaphosa has signed into law the controversial National Credit Amendment Bill which is geared to provide relief to over-indebted consumers... Read more...

Calls for investigation into outsourced immigration services after The Independent revealed Home Office profits on UK visas surged by millions of pounds a week under private firm accused of exploiting applicants... Read more...

CAPE TOWN �` NGO the Scalabrini Centre is hopeful the Cape Town Refugee Reception Office will eventually open early next year.... Read more...

Based on the launched online service by the Department of Home Affairs which grants the people of South Africa the opportunity to carry out their passport application at banks, getting one`s passport has become a lot easier.... Read more...

With immediate effect, Kilimanjaro airport has changed the process of issuing visas on arrival.... Read more...

He had it all �` a successful medical career, thriving businesses, health and happiness �` and life was as good as he’d ever hoped it could be.... Read more...

The department of higher education has begun the lengthy process of compiling a new list of critical skills that will be used to determine whether a foreigner may apply for a visa to live and work in SA.... Read more...

Immigrant traders not welcome in the formal economy Tax compliance and business registration is a lengthy, tedious affair 29 August 2019 �` Business Day It is well established that there is all manner of undesirable activity in the inner city of Johannesburg, undertaken by immigrants and locals alike.... Read more...

SA is not able to create jobs due to stringent tourism visa rules and unreliable electricity supply, a report following Cyril Ramaphosa’s job summit showed on Thursday, days after official data revealed that the unemployment rate had climbed to its highest level since 2008.... Read more...

The Department of Home Affairs has noted messages on social media saying there are people pretending to be Home Affairs officials only to rob people once they have gained access to their homes. The message alleges that they are carrying letterheads purportedly from the department.... Read more...

IFP president emeritus and traditional prime minister to the Zulu nation, Mangosuthu Buthelezi, met with the community to quell tensions in light of recent xenophobic attacks on foreign nationals on September 8 2019. Below is his full speech. Johannesburg, September 8 2019 I come here today not as a politician, but as an elder. There is a terrible quarrel in our nation with foreign nationals who are living amongst us. Lives have been lost and property damaged.... Read more...

What to do if Home Affairs fails you? In 2012 when my cousin went to register to vote , she was told that she was married and her surname was even changed. She then went to Home Affairs and gave them all supporting documents , including an affidavit , to say that the marriage was conducted fraudulently and she does not know him. She was then told that the marriage was annulled. Earlier this year when she went to register to vote my cousin was again told that she is married. They asked again for all documents, she submitted new documents and the ones she submitted in 2012 . Ever since then, Home Affairs is giving her the run around for the last few months .... Read more...

Minister of Home Affairs Aaron Motsoaledi is urgently seeking “a divorce” from sister departments public works, the State Information Technology Agency (Sita) and Bosasa which, he says, are all hindering the work of his department. Motsoaledi and acting director-general Thulani Mavuso appeared before Parliament’s portfolio committee on home affairs this week to account for the department’s financial health.... Read more...

An Indian passport holder can obtain a visa for visa-free nations after landing in the country or have a visa permit or electronic travel authority received after reaching the destination. According to the Henley Passport Index, the Indian passport’s strength- number of countries it can access without a visa- has weakened since 2010. An Indian passport holder can obtain a visa for visa-free nations after landing in the country or have a visa permit or electronic travel authority received after reaching the destination.... Read more...

The Department of Home Affairs (DHA) will soon roll out a multimodal biometrics system, which uses multiple sources of authentication, including face, iris, palm print, finger vein and infant footprints. This was the word from Eugene le Roux, chief executive of NEC XON Africa, speaking to ITWeb on the side-lines of the NEC XON Summit 2019, taking place yesterday at Sun City in the North-West Province.... Read more...

If you are an asylum seeker whose application for asylum in terms of Section 21 of the Refugee Act has not been finalised, you are still permitted to enter into a marriage. The Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) affirmed this in a judgment handed down in October.... Read more...

Minister of Home Affairs Aaron Motsoaledi has released new statistics outlining the number of people that have been denied a visa to South Africa.... Read more...

Are any visa waiver or fast-track entry programmes available? South Africa Sa Migration International See question 5 regarding the distinction between visa-exempt and non- visa-exempt countries. There are currently no fast-track entry programmes available; however, the DHA is planning to roll out an electronic visa (e-visa) regime prior to the end of 2019. Long-term transfers... Read more...

In what circumstances is a visa necessary for short-term travellers? How are short-term visas obtained? South Africa Sa Migration International The South African government distinguishes between visa-exempt and non- visa-exempt nationalities. Visa-exempt nationals may travel to South Africa for periods of up to 30 or 90 days (the distinction depends upon their nationality) for tourism and limited business purposes and receive the visitor’s visa upon arrival at the South African port of entry.... Read more...

What primary and secondary legislation governs immigration in your jurisdiction? South Africa Sa Migration International South African immigration is governed by the Immigration Amendment Act (the Act) and Regulations thereto (implemented on 26 May 2014), which controls the movement of foreign nationals who enter the country for purposes of investing their financial resources, skills and experience in order to promote economic growth.... Read more...

A corporate visa is an approval granted to an employer to employ a predetermined number of foreign nationals within specific roles for a limited duration. Owing to the nature of the approval, a corporate visa requires the involvement and approval of the DoL, the DTI and the DHA. Upon identification of a suitable foreign resource, the holder of the corporate visa must apply to the DHA for the issuance of an individual authorisation certificate to enable the foreign national to apply for an individual corporate work visa within a specific role or position.... Read more...

Is there a special route for high net worth individuals or investors? South Africa Sa Migration International With respect to applications for temporary residence (work and visitors’ visas), there are currently no special routes for high net worth individuals or investors involving reduced lead times. However, individuals or investors intending to permanently reside in South Africa may investigate applying under the minimum net worth category subject to meeting a prescribed minimum net worth (currently 12 million rand) and upon payment of an application fee of 120,000 rand.... Read more...

Cape Town - The home affairs committee has backed new regulations on refugees saying they would tighten the immigration system. This comes after Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi recently gazetted the regulations. The regulations would be among other statutes that would ban refugees from political activity.... Read more...

An immigration official appeared in the Kempton Park Regional Court on Monday and remains in custody after being charged with corruption, extortion and defeating the ends of justice. Police spokesperson Brigadier Vishnu Naidoo confirmed Sam Jan Langa, 52, of the Department of Home Affairs` national office was arrested on Thursday.... Read more...

We all hate the admin of visas - and many countries are tightening border security - even for visitors who are visa exempt - with the risk of not having the necessary documentation heightened. New Zealand`s influx of visitors has seen it implement new security measures for travellers from 60 visa-waiver countries, in October 2019.... Read more...

This means that Home Affairs offices will serve clients from 08h00 in the morning until 19h00 in the evening on weekdays, for the whole month, excluding weekends.... Read more...

Stay updated on Immigration News !! , join us on our Facebook page “ SA Migration �` Visas “ Find out late breaking news... Read more...

Some countries and airlines have embargoed flights to and from China and have even gone so far as to deny Chinese Nationals who from the Wuhan district (situated in Hubei), entry into state territory. South Africa has also taken precautionary measures and introduced a temporary visa concession for Chinese nationals currently holding visitors visas and temporary residence visas, in light of the coronavirus outbreak.... Read more...

Members of the Chinese community say new requirements in the parent visa category will be especially hard for people from China, where a one-child policy lasted for decades. The visa category, suspended by the National government in 2016, is to be reinstated from February but with a lower annual cap and significantly tougher financial requirements. When the scheme was suspended, Auckland woman Xu Lin about to submit an expression of interest for her and her husband`s parents.... Read more...

Skilled migrants could be detered from coming to New Zealand by the new Parent Visa Category requirements, say immigrants and recruitment advisors. From February 2020, skilled migrants with residency are able to bring their parents to New Zealand. However, the financial requirements New Zealand immigrants must meet so their parents can qualify for the visa have significantly increased from where they were in 2016.... Read more...

• Immigration fraudsters are parting South Africans from their money with promises of getting them into Canada with guaranteed jobs. • Those who still want to emigrate after being scammed can`t go to the authorities for fear of being barred from Canada. • Scammers seem to sense opportunity in the current political climate in South Africa, one (legitimate) immigration consultant says.... Read more...

(Despite a ban on travellers from some countries, South African citizens are still allowed back into the country �` in theory. • Flight cancellations mean South Africans in various parts of the world are effectively stuck, they say. • Some are running out of money, others are worried about legal trouble if they overstay visas. • The SA government is in touch with authorities elsewhere, Dirco says, but there are no plans yet for special repatriation efforts.... Read more...

• Measures aimed at curbing the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, are causing chaos as they are patchily implemented. • Some permanent residents �` who must be allowed entry back into South Africa, no matter where they come from �` are being denied boarding for flights back to SA. • Meanwhile, restrictions on travellers from some countries were not fully applied on Thursday, then caused chaos at OR Tambo on Friday.... Read more...

Flights in SA came to a near standstill on Friday, on day one of the three-week national lockdown. Data from Flight Radar showed major routes, such as Johannesburg to Cape Town, were devoid of any planes. SA banned non-essential international and domestic air travel as part of lockdown measures, and scheduled commercial passenger flights have been cancelled.... Read more...

In a bid to stem the tide of the coronavirus, India has declared the world`s largest stay-at-home order yet in the fight against the global pandemic. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi declared a 21-day lockdown during an address to the country Tuesday, instructing its more than 1.3 billion residents to stay right where they are, beginning at midnight Tuesday night. `To save India and every Indian,` Modi said, according to an Associated Press translation, `there will be a total ban on venturing out of your homes.... Read more...

Standard Bank clients earning R7 500 or less will qualify for a three-month payment holiday on all personal account-related debt, the bank said on Sunday. Interest and bank charges will still be charged during this time. Standard Bank last week introduced similar payment holidays for business and student-related debt during the Covid-19 disaster.... Read more...

After careful consideration and engagements with regulators, Absa announced on Sunday that it is introducing a comprehensive customer, business and corporate relief programme.... Read more...

South Africans stranded abroad should not expect evacuation any time soon. The Department of International Relations and Cooperation (Dirco) said it was doing everything possible to assist South Africans stuck at transit airports after their connecting flights were cancelled ahead of the government-imposed national lockdown to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus.... Read more...

Detainees fear they will get coronavirus. The United Kingdom has released hundreds of immigration detainees over fears of a coronavirus outbreak, but Australia`s immigration officials say that`s not necessary.... Read more...

Thousands of UK citizens are believed to be in distress while they are stranded in South Africa but the government refuses to relax lockdown regulations to allow the European country`s crews to rest before returning home.... Read more...

Acting director-general Thulani Mavuso admits his department has a ‘contingent liability’ of civil actions. The department of home affairs (DHA) is facing more than R2 billion in civil claims because of its service delivery inefficiency, as its legal costs continue to escalate.... Read more...

(Partner Content) The UK Ancestral Visa is still one of the most popular and common ways in which persons from the Commonwealth countries can come to the UK. However, you will have to prove that you have a grandparent born in the UK to qualify. Below we have answered some of the most frequently asked questions our consultants received during the past months. These FAQs will clarify many issues for readers on the Ancestral Visa immigration route.... Read more...

Cape Town - Foreign nationals stranded in South Africa will be allowed to be repatriated under strict conditions, while South African nationals abroad who wished to return home would be allowed to do so, Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula said on Tuesday.... Read more...

This caters for applicants that were born outside of the UK and they have a UK born great grandparent. The applicant would be defined, from an immigration perspective, as 4 generations apart. The case can be viewed a the grandparent of the applicants parent and not the grandparent of the applicant (of course).... Read more...

A man whose father fled Burundi during political turmoil and genocide there in 1994, has been given a fresh start at applying for asylum in South Africa after he was embroiled in a dispute with authorities for about a decade over a missed appointment.... Read more...

The Constitutional Court has ruled that asylum seekers whose refugee applications have been refused, can apply for a visa. Archive photo: Ashraf Hendricks If you are an asylum seeker and your application to be a refugee is refused, you are still allowed to apply for a visa. The Constitutional Court ruled this in a unanimous judgment handed down in October.... Read more...

(Partner Content) The United Kingdom left the European Union on 31 January 2020. Although this was the official Brexit date, there is still a transition period in place.... Read more...

First National Bank has been accused of freezing the accounts of asylum seekers whose permits have expired during lockdown. Refugees can`t renew permits because offices are closed A Zimbabwean asylum seeker says First National Bank (FNB) froze his account when his asylum papers expired during lockdown in spite of explanations from the Department of Home Affairs that refugee offices are closed. According to People Against Suffering and Oppression (PASSOP), his is one of at least ten accounts which have been frozen in the same way.... Read more...

Amid speculations surrounding offshore visa processing, the Department of Home Affairs has clarified that visa applications continue to be processed during the coronavirus pandemic, but decision delays cannot be ruled out.... Read more...

Testing... Read more...

The country’s borders were closed with all international flights halted in an attempt to curb the spread of COVID-19.... Read more...

After a threat of legal action, the government has eased coronavirus travel restrictions slightly to enable `locked in` South Africans to get on with their studies and livelihoods. The threat of legal action appears to have persuaded the government to relax its coronavirus travel restrictions to allow thousands of South Africans living and working abroad, but trapped in South Africa, to leave the country.... Read more...

AMENDMENT OF DIRECTIONS ISSUED IN TERMS OF REGULATION 10(8) OF THE REGULATIONS MADE UNDER SECTION 27(2 �` dated 3 July 2020 This is for all foreigners , foreigners who are spouses of South Africans or retired persons , on foreign passports etc wishing to return to SA... Read more...

Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula has announced that seven additional local airports will reopen on 1 July. • Certain aerial activities will also resume, such as agricultural spraying and parachuting. • Mbalula asked that flight passenger arrive two hours early for screening purposes.... Read more...

The closure of Home Affairs’ visa and refugee offices during lockdown has had widespread consequences for foreign nationals in South Africa. Many have now become ‘overstayers’, declared ‘undesirable people’. As the national lockdown continues, the government is easing restrictions so that certain sectors of the economy and certain state offices can reopen and people can move more freely.... Read more...

A Cape Town-based Indian citizen who lives in Mozambique has been stuck under lockdown in South African desperately trying to find her way home. Nikhita Rathod, 23, wants to return to her family in Maputo but she has Indian citizenship and her visa has expired.... Read more...

The ‘boertjie’ who runs Maple Aviation takes flak from all quarters as he tries to bring stranded South Africans home: `I take calls every five minutes from distressed mothers and fathers. And I don’t have a massive staff. It’s basically just me at my dining room table with my computer in Toronto.` Tertius Myburgh is resigned to being maligned. He’s trying to fly stranded South Africans home from the East and they’re mostly “gatvol” from being stuck abroad for months because of the coronavirus lockdown.... Read more...

AMENDMENT OF DIRECTIONS ISSUED IN TERMS OF REGULATION 10(8) OF THE REGULATIONS MADE UNDER SECTION 27(2 �` dated 3 July 2020 This is for all foreigners , foreigners who are spouses of South Africans or retired persons , on foreign passports etc wishing to return to SA... Read more...

The government has scrapped plans to outsource its visa processing system. Acting Minister for Immigration, Alan Tudge, announced last Friday that the Department for Home Affairs was terminating its tender process for the Global Digital Platform. He said it was part of “new policy approach to the acquisition and delivery of workflow processing capability” for Home Affairs �` and government as a whole �` and indicated the government remained interesting in updating the current process.... Read more...

The are quite a few complications in these cases that we are looking to clarify. The first relates to eligibility of British nationality. The second relates to the type of British nationality. Finally, we close off by revealing some solutions we have up our sleeves.... Read more...

Court rules on extension of temporary permits The Constitutional Court has ruled that asylum seekers’ temporary permits must automatically be extended while their case is being reviewed. Archive photo: Ashraf Hendricks... Read more...

British citizenship via the double descent route was a much talked about topic the past few months. However, there is still a lot of confusion about who can qualify.... Read more...

In February, our country was in bad shape. Our stock market was over-heated. We were heading for a recession. We were heading for a downgrade. And then Covid19 happened.... Read more...

A national rescue effort to save thousands of lives threatened by the spread of Covid-19, while attempting to preserve and reconfigure the economy is unfolding on a scale unprecedented in democratic South Africa. The depth of the crisis the country finds itself in was underscored by a series of dire developments on Tuesday, with the coronavirus infection rate seeing its largest single increase in recent weeks, with 143 more South Africans testing positive, taking the total to 2 415.... Read more...

CANBERRA, Australia (AP) �` Australia`s treasurer said Tuesday the country faces a “sobering” economic outlook due to the effects of the coronavirus and will have its largest-ever deficit when a revised budget is released in October. The 2020-21 federal budget was due to be released Tuesday. But the government was forced to delay it until it assesses the full economic cost of the coronavirus.... Read more...

The latest experiment in border management should hardly surprise us. But it’s another depressing sign that SA is nowhere close to really dealing with how to properly manage the movement of people between SA and Zimbabwe Blowing R37m on rolls of razor wire for a new border fence between SA and Zimbabwe is in many ways a metaphor for how SA has dealt with the implosion of its northern neighbour over the years: a knee-jerk, haphazard job that has cost us dearly.... Read more...

While it is clearing the backlog in birth registrations created by Level 5, the Department of Home Affairs is considering allowing the registration of marriages when the country moves to Level 3. This after the department addressed a portfolio committee on Tuesday.... Read more...

The words used to describe migration can be confusing, but definitions are important when we discuss the movements of people. We look at the most common terms. The Covid-19 pandemic has brought many countries, and the movement of people, to a near standstill. As the world looks to restart, migration will again be at the fore, with South Africa likely to be a key part of this.... Read more...

In a victory for `invisible, undocumented children`, unwed fathers will soon be able to register the birth of their children without the mother being present or giving consent, GroundUp reported. In a ruling this week, three judges of the Eastern Cape High Court deemed the relevant provision of the Births and Deaths Registration Act to be unconstitutional. It still has to be confirmed by the Constitutional Court.... Read more...

It is highly likely that people will need to isolate or quarantine themselves in the coming months, so it is worth trying to understand the reasons for doing so. This is the first of a series of Expert Advisories on how to respond to Covid-19.... Read more...

The government has made a number of changes to South Africa’s level 3 lockdown regulations as the country grapples the peak in coronavirus cases. The changes are primarily aimed at the reintroduction of various parts of the economy, including concessions aimed at the restaurant industry as well as tourism and sport. These new changes are outlined in more detail below.... Read more...

Alert level 3 Restrictions on many actitivies, including at workplaces and socially, to address a high risk of transmission. Alert level 3 is in place since 1 June 2020... Read more...

Constitutional Court ruling overturns Home Affairs directive The Constitutional Court has ruled that asylum seekers whose refugee applications have been refused, can apply for a visa.... Read more...

AMENDMENT OF DIRECTIONS ISSUED IN TERMS OF REGULATION 10(8) OF THE REGULATIONS MADE UNDER SECTION 27(2 �` dated 3 July 2020 This is for all foreigners , foreigners who are spouses of South Africans or retired persons , on foreign passports etc wishing to return to SA... Read more...

How does this work ? In terms of the Constitutional Court Rule of the Ahmed and Others there was clarity that an asylum seeker could apply via an exemption , leading to temporary residence visa , life partner and spouse visas without having to cancel the asylum status permit and once temporary residence is granted person can easily apply for permanent residence permit .... Read more...

On Tuesday 9th October 2018 the Apex Court of South Africa - the highest Court in the land - the Constitutional Court ruled on the situation surrounding the ability of Asylum Seeker Temporary Visa holders and Refugee Permit holders being enabled to change their status to mainstream visas in the Temporary or Permanent Residence categories under The Immigration Act.... Read more...

Asylum-seekers in South Africa awaiting the outcome of their applications have limited rights to healthcare, education, job security and constantly face harassment, arrest, detention and deportation, says Jessica Lawrence of Lawyers for Human Rights.... Read more...

Visa and permits for foreigners stuck in SA have been extended for three more months. Foreigners stuck in SA can breathe a sigh of relief as the government has extended the validity period of their visas.... Read more...

Fund managers and migration agents are concocting `non-genuine` applications for Australian visas targeted at wealthy Chinese investors, in behaviour that has been flagged to the government as it reviews the contentious $12 billion “golden ticket” program.... Read more...

Africans in the process of emigrating, have been living in limbo as the coronavirus pandemic sweeps the world.... Read more...

About 3,300 Zimbabweans in South Africa have registered for a once-off food voucher. Zimbabweans who missed the submission deadline on July 19 to apply for food assistance cannot get an extension, Zimbabwean consul general in Johannesburg Melody Chaurura told GroundUp on Wednesday.... Read more...

According to the watchdog that oversees the Department of Home Affairs, the marked increase in reported corruption is a massive boon. The federal law enforcement watchdog has asserted that an increase in corruption referrals regarding the Department of Home Affairs doesn’t indicate a rise in dishonest conduct, but rather displays a “growing maturity” within the ministry’s “integrity arrangements”.... Read more...

South Africa has finally done the right thing by rescinding the visa of Guus Kouwenhoven, a Dutch citizen convicted of aiding and abetting war crimes committed by Charles Taylor’s forces in Liberia and Guinea. It is now time for the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative to do likewise.... Read more...

Health minister Zweli Mkhize tests a mattress in one of the newly built Covid-19 wards at Clairwood Hospital in Durban. Mkhize visited urban and rural hospitals in KwaZulu-Natal to check the state of readiness as the pandemic approaches its expected peak in the province. Image: Sandile Ndlovu... Read more...

UAE to be added to the list of counties with which Air Bubble agreement t o be finalised. Visit visa holders from India can soon travel to the UAE based on an `Air Bubble` agreement being finalised between the two countries.... Read more...

Many South Africans living abroad are losing the right to work, receive healthcare and remain legally resident in foreign countries because the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) has been unable to process their passports and other crucial documents in a timely manner, says Democratic Alliance (DA) Abroad Leader, Dr Rory Jubber.... Read more...

Funds raised through ‘gold’ visas fell by 43% in July, year-on-year, and fell by 37% compared to June, to €56 million, according to accounts made by Lusa based on SEF statistics.... Read more...

Celia Audi is worried the delay will mean she and Moses will lose the opportunity to have children Celia met her husband Moses when they were working together in Kenya in 2012.... Read more...

Europe’s airline and airport associations have expressed their shared concerns over travel restrictions, which according to them are not science-based, through a letter sent to Prime Ministers, as well as Health, Transport and Home Affairs Ministers across EU, Schengen zone and the UK.... Read more...

Finally, after 11 long months, Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton has delivered a drab and inward-looking cybersecurity plan and has complained about encryption yet again.... Read more...

• Cabinet has been advised to lift the tobacco and alcohol sales ban and move the country to Alert level 2 of the lockdown. • News24 understands that President Cyril Ramaphosa is expected to announce his decision this week. • A meeting of senior government officials on Sunday first touted the matter.... Read more...

Life has certainly been far from normal since Covid-19 was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organisation on March 11.... Read more...

With its deep management problems, centralising border functions under Home Affairs is an expensive and curious decision.... Read more...

Many African nations are starting to reopen airports, remove curfews, and slowly resume international tourism.... Read more...

Despite the country being immersed in a global pandemic which demands people to keep their distance from each other, the Home Affairs Department’s e-services portal has been shut since the start of the lockdown in March.... Read more...

The Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs in collaboration with the Spanish Ministry of Interior has decided to permit entry to unmarried/unregistered partners of EU citizens who wish to reunite in Spain, by establishing a procedure of entry.... Read more...

Cape Town - Frustrated residents queueing at Mitchells Plain Home Affairs offices on Thursday said they were fed-up with the office`s off-line systems and alleged “slow service” which had led to them repeatedly having to queue, even in rainy weather.... Read more...

The Mauritian government has made changes to investment thresholds, the extension of work, residence, retirement permits, and attractive property acquisition options.... Read more...

For those of you desperate to escape the lockdown nightmare with some international travel plans, hope is on the horizon during Level 2.... Read more...

On 17 June 2020, the Scalabrini Centre of Cape Town, represented by Norton Rose Fulbright South Africa Inc, will be heard in the Western Cape High Court regarding certain sections of South Africa’s recently-changed, controversial refugee laws.... Read more...

Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula says some airlines are not complying with Covid-19 regulations. He says there is no enforcement of the use of masks and sanitisers. Mbalula says government is considering allowing international travel.... Read more...

On 17 June 2020, the Scalabrini Centre of Cape Town, represented by Norton Rose Fulbright South Africa Inc, will be heard in the Western Cape High Court regarding certain sections of South Africa’s recently-changed, controversial refugee laws.... Read more...

*The National Economic Development and Labour Council has agreed on an action plan for the country`s economic recovery. * *President Cyril Ramaphosa met with the council on Tuesday. * *Details of the plan will be announced once it is finalised by Cabinet.... Read more...

•Rich people in various countries seem to be reconsidering where they actually want to live after the coronavirus, says consultancy Henley & Partners. •Judging by enquiries about investment migration, that is. •South Africa is among those countries. •But Americans are suddenly way more keen to leave their country than South Africans.... Read more...

Western Cape Premier Alan Winde wants the curfew lifted and a date for international travel to resume.Premiers are meant to meet with President Ramaphosa and the NCCC to discuss the lockdown.... Read more...

• South Africa`s borders will open for tourists �` inbound and outbound �` on 1 October, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced on Wednesday night. • But there are caveats, including that some countries may be red-listed based on their coronavirus statistics. • Those arriving need to show a recent negative test for Sars-CoV-2, and should install a government contact-notification app. • Here`s what we know about the rules for international travel into and out of South Africa under Alert Level 1.... Read more...

The Criminal Procedure Amendment Bill seeks to expunge certain criminal records that result from an admission of guilt payment. Justice and Correctional Services Minister Ronald Lamola said the Covid-19 pandemic put the brakes on the introduction of the legislation.*... Read more...

Former president Kgalema Motlanthe has bemoaned South Africa`s treatment of undocumented immigrants. Motlanthe said George Bizos had no citizenship and remained stateless for 31 years after the South African government denied him citizenship.... Read more...

Thousands of skilled migrants with valid visas to come to Australia are stranded overseas, needing government permission to travel back and reunite with their families and jobs. Under measures to contain the COVID-19 pandemic since March 20, foreign nationals have required a travel exemption to enter Australia even if they already have a visa, though the Department of Home Affairs has refused to disclose the legal basis for this requirement. This includes both short-term visitors and long-term residents on visas.... Read more...

Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma has published a series of directives which outline the country’s move to a level 1 lockdown and the new rules that are in place.... Read more...

The cabinet’s decision to open the country’s borders on 1 October 2020 to “most” countries is a significant milestone in placing the sector on the irreversible path towards full recovery, says Tourism minister Mmamoloko Kubayi-Ngubane.... Read more...

The Gauteng government has published the Gauteng Township Economic Development Draft Bill for public comment. First announced in the 2019 State of the Province Address, the bill seeks to enhance the regulatory management of the township economy to ease the regulatory burden on local enterprises.... Read more...

South Africa`s borders open for all foreign travellers on Thursday, and airlines already have flights lined up. But there is still no list of countries for which travel restrictions will apply, based on their level of coronavirus risk.... Read more...

A long list of countries will be red-listed by South Africa, ministers announced on Wednesday, including the USA and UK. • `Ordinary` travellers �` tourists without business in SA �` will not be allowed from those countries. • Risk levels for other countries will be determined relative to SA`s rate of infection spread and deaths: high-risk countries are those with higher levels than SA. • Everyone travelling to SA will be required to show a recent, negative test for the coronavirus, and must have travel insurance in place.... Read more...

* *A draft law by the Gauteng provincial government seeks to ban foreign nationals from opening and operating certain businesses in the province`s townships. * * *The proposal sparked praise and criticism, with social media users expressing concern that it may help fan the flames of xenophobia.... Read more...

Emirates cancelled international flights to and from Durban after concerns from airlines that crew would be treated like passengers if they didn`t have negative Covid-19 tests.The transport department on Sunday said airline cabin crew and pilots could come into SA even if they didn`t have negative Covid-19 tests �` but that they wouldn`t be allowed to leave their hotels. The statement �` which the transport department says was to offer “clarity” �` comes after concerns from airlines that crew would be treated like passengers in that they would be subjected to the country`s health protocols. This included the requirement of a negative Covid-19 test within 72 hours of departure to SA �` something the industry says is impractical.... Read more...

Proposed amendments will make it harder for South Africans to withdraw retirement funds from next year. If you plan to move money overseas, should you be considering this sooner rather than later?... Read more...

• Germans are formally cleared for visa-free travel to South Africa, Germany`s ambassador to SA announced. • Unconfirmed reports of cancellations notwithstanding, Emirates flights into SA still seem to be going ahead. • Airlines have privately expressed concerns about SA`s red-list system, and are worried about how crew may be treated in the event of a coronavirus case aboard their flights.... Read more...

A number of tax and financial groups have issued warnings over a new draft bill which will introduce changes for South Africans looking to take their retirement funds out of the country.... Read more...

Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma has extended the national state of disaster by another month.... Read more...

The list of countries South Africa considers at high risk for the coronavirus �` and from which tourists are banned �` dropped from 60 to 22 on Monday.... Read more...

Asylum seekers queue outside the Customs House building in Cape Town. As of May 2020, it was estimated that there were 188,296 active asylum files and 80,752 recognised refugees in South Africa. (Photo by Gallo Images / Nardus Engelbrecht)... Read more...

South Africa has special rules for visiting business people, starting with them not being subject to SA`s red list.... Read more...

Parliament`s portfolio committee on home affairs is not happy about living conditions at temporary shelters for refugees in Cape Town. The committee visited the Wingfield and Paint City temporary sites on Saturday.... Read more...

Scalabrini Centre in Court seeking an interdict against the Department of Home Affairs, in first step to challenging the constitutionality of the Refugee Amendment Act’s ‘deemed abandonment’ provisions.... Read more...

Foreign nationals in South Africa with special skills, especially those on intra-company transfer visas have been given a green light to apply for an extension of their visas by another two years. This is contained in the Immigration Directive no. 15 of 2020 issued by South Africa’s Home Affairs Minister, Dr Aaron Motsoaledi on Thursday.... Read more...

Health minister Dr Zweli Mkhize has provided answers on some of the government’s key level 1 lockdown regulations. Responding in a written parliamentary Q&A to the Democratic Alliance, Mkhize detailed the rules in place for travellers who are arriving from other countries and those South African who cannot self-quarantine at home.... Read more...

President Ramaphosa on Wednesday confirmed that international travel restrictions will be lifted. Here`s what we know. We had our “My Fellow South Africans” talk again this evening; President Ramaphosa updated the country about the sale of alcohol, lockdown regulations and international travel.... Read more...

Cape Town �` Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi has described the agreement reached between his department and Bosasa on the use of the Lindela Repatriation Centre as ’’stupid“. Motsoaledi was on Wednesday asked about claims made by Angelo Agrizzi that the Lindela Repatriation Centre was a cash cow and that the Auditor-General had found that the department paid R20 000 per inmate per month.... Read more...

Claim There are 15 million undocumented foreigners in South Africa Source: South African politician and businessman Herman Mashaba (November 2020) Verdict Explainer: Data from Statistics South Africa and the United Nations put the number of foreign-born migrants in the country at around 4 million.... Read more...

Scalabrini Centre in Court seeking an interdict against the Department of Home Affairs, in first step to challenging the constitutionality of the Refugee Amendment Act’s ‘deemed abandonment’ provisions.... Read more...

Home affairs will be ‘tough-minded’ if fraud is proven, Michael Pezzullo tells Senate estimates Michael Pezzullo says there is a criminal investigation into Daryl Maguire’s cash-for-visa scheme and if fraud is proven visas ‘will be cancelled’... Read more...

test-2... Read more...

VFS / Home Affairs open for business ? �` Visa Expired �` Overstay �` But with social distancing !! Queues long !! We can help !!! Your visa will expired or will expired during lockdown . You cannot lodge an appeal at VFS ,the 10 days will expire during lockdown... Read more...

The programme is pretty much as it was, when it started out in 2012. I think it’s close to €5bn that has flowed into the programme, which has been incredibly valuable to the Portuguese economy and the state of the country as a whole. Right now, it’s business as usual. There have been interesting speculations about an imminent change, but fundamentally the programme has encouraged a massive investment in real estate. Many of our clients at LX Living have seen fit to follow that opportunity which allows you to get the Golden Visa and ultimately, the European passport within the five-six year timeframe. On speculation and misinformation surrounding the Golden Visa programme:... Read more...

The man’s death after what prosecutors called “inhumane treatment” has raised questions about the country’s detention policies and prompted calls for the interior minister to step down. Arriving in the Lisbon airport without a work visa in March, Ihor Homeniuk, a Ukrainian citizen, was sent to a nearby detention center after refusing to board a flight out of Portugal.... Read more...

UK fights new COVID strain, PM orders tighter curbs [NFA] British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Saturday imposed tighter coronavirus curbs on millions of people in England and largely reversed plans to ease restrictions over Christmas, as the country battles a new more infectious strain of the virus... Read more...

Covid test if you have money for a bribe, says an appalled transport association. Stringent Covid-19 regulations �` including testing, symptom screenings, and curfews �` is being blamed for a traffic jam stretching for kilometres on both sides of the Beitbridge border post between Zimbabwe and South Africa. Now the backlog may actually be hastening the virus’ spread near Musina, and a super-spreader event can not be ruled out.... Read more...

It is recommend that you start the application to ECSA as early as possible in order to avoid delays in obtaining a Critical Skills Visa. It is important to note that the SAICHE (South African Institution of Chemical Engineers) is not a statutory body and neither is it recognised by SAQA.... Read more...

• The rand is currently trading at levels against the dollar last seen in January 2020. • While the SA economy is in a world of trouble, local interest rates are attractive to foreign investors.... Read more...

• Passengers on inbound flights into South Africa don’t have to worry about the 21:00 to 06:00 curfew. • These travellers will not be breaking the law in travelling from the airport to their place of accommodation, government says.... Read more...

‘I am advised and respectfully submit that our courts have held for nearly a century that a fugitive from justice has no standing to approach a South African court’ �` Home Affairs DG Livhuwani Tommy Makhode.... Read more...

To foil foreigners, govt wants to ‘reregister’ every SA child when they turn five • Foreigners buy the birth certificates of dead SA children to gain South African citizenship, the department of home affairs says. • To prevent that, it is considering `reregistration` of children at age five, and capturing fingerprints and photos of the iris then.... Read more...

Zimbabwe reverts to hard lockdown measures amid COVID-19 surge Zimbabwe reverted to some of the stringent lockdown measures first imposed in March 2020 as the government moved to contain a surge in COVID-19 infections. Announcing the measur... Read more...

• Foreigners buy the birth certificates of dead SA children to gain South African citizenship, the department of home affairs says. • To prevent that, it is considering `reregistration` of children at age five, and capturing fingerprints and photos of the iris then.... Read more...

Zimbabwe reverted to some of the stringent lockdown measures first imposed in March 2020 as the government moved to contain a surge in COVID-19 infections.... Read more...

Social media app WhatsApp has sparked an outcry among users with its proposed new terms and privacy policy. Ahmore Burger-Smidt, Director and Head of Data Privacy Practice and Dale Adams, Associate Designate at Werksmans Attorneys unpack the terms.... Read more...

The encrypted messaging service Signal won`t replace WhatsApp, Brian Acton, the executive chairman of the Signal Foundation and cofounder of WhatsApp, predicted.... Read more...

JOHANNESBURG (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Plans to photograph and fingerprint every baby born in South Africa for a digital register could lead to data leaks and identity theft without robust safeguards, rights experts said on Thursday.... Read more...

The Equal Education Law Centre says it has secured placement of more than 100 children in Matatiele for the 2020 academic year. The children were out of school due to lack of identity documentation.... Read more...

Home Affairs minister Aaron Motsoaledi has published the draft One-Stop Border Policy (OSBP) for public consultation.... Read more...

- no status �` there is a way for them to join you legally Our dynamic team of immigration consultants provide specialist advice on temporary residence visas, permanent residence permits, appeals on rejected applications, undesirable declaration waivers, V-listing and legal immigration services.... Read more...

�` there is a way for them to join you legally Our dynamic team of immigration consultants provide specialist advice on temporary residence visas, permanent residence permits, appeals on rejected applications, undesirable declaration waivers, V-listing and legal immigration services.... Read more...

Fathers to be able to register the births of their children without the mother being present or giving consent In a victory for “invisible, undocumented children”, unwed fathers will soon be able to register the births of their children without the mother being present or giving consent.... Read more...

Home Affairs - approved in country extensions of The Minister of Home Affairs, PA Motsoaledi, has approved in country extensions of Intra-Company Transfer (ICT) Visas, provided the following conditions are met... Read more...

The Department of Home Affairs has announced that along with several other changes to services it provides the registration of births will no longer occur at Home Affairs offices. Instead, births are to be `registered at the health facilities where they occur. These are the 156 health facilities with Home Affairs office presence,` Minister Aaron Motsoaledi noted in a statement.... Read more...

The Department of Home Affairs has announced that along with several other changes to services it provides the registration of births will no longer occur at Home Affairs offices.... Read more...

This decision was revised, allowing for limited flight operations from Thursday 24 December to `allow persons resident in the UK and South Africa to return home for Christmas`. The Swiss Federal Office of Additionally, return flights into Switzerland, from the UK and South Africa, will only be offered to Swiss citizens or holders of a Swiss residence permit or type D visa from Switzerland. These flights will need to be preapproved by the Swiss Federal Office of Civil Aviation and citizens looking to return home have been urged to contact their preferred airline directly. Mauritius... Read more...

• Ireland has suspended visa-free travel from South Africa, amid concern about its more contagious Covid variant. • Visitors with valid visas still face two weeks in a state-run “quarantine hotel”.... Read more...

ASYLUM SEEKERS PERMIT EXPIRED during LOCKDOWN - Don`t know what to do ? Apply Now for Temporary Residence even with EXPIRED LOCKDOWN PERMITS The Cotitutional Court handed down a judgement in the Ahm... Read more...

The challenge with the e-visa is not just to try and get it on the level other country`s already have.The challenge with the e-visa is not just to try and get it on the levelother country`s already have. In his State of the Nation Address, President Cyril Ramaphosa said work is under way to reform the country`s visa regime. Two years ago he mentioned the development of e-visas in his then SONA address.Tourism leaders caution that changes cannot just be the e-visas envisioned in 2019.... Read more...

•*The licence grace period has been extended.* •*Vehicle, learners` and driving licences which expired between 26 March 2020 and 28 February 2021 will be valid until 31 August.* •*Third party services could renew your vehicle licence on your behalf.... Read more...

The current climate of economic and political uncertainty means that wealthier South Africans are moving significant amounts of money out of the country, either through offshore investments or through physical migration, says Tim Powell, forex director at Sable International.... Read more...

South Africa`s critical skills list includes a long list of engineering jobs. Government has compiled a new proposed list of critical skills, which should make it easier for some overseas workers to get visas to work and live in South Africa.... Read more...

Three weeks ago, in a meeting of the Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs, I announced my intention to set up a task team to review some permits that were issued by the Department over the years. I identified the need to review the permits after realising a trend emerging from the outcomes of cases involving prominent people investigated by the Department’s Counter Corruption Unit, which investigates wrongdoing by departmental officials.... Read more...

Following the President’s announcement that the country has moved to Alert Level 1, we have decided that more services will be resumed tomorrow, Thursday, 04 March 2021. The Citizenship service remains temporarily unavailable.... Read more...

The Department of Home Affairs (DHA) says that it is working with the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research on a biometrics system that is close to being finalised.... Read more...

We have assisted many illegal foreigners who have been arrested by law enforcement officials and they are now free !!! Under lockdown there is much confusion about what the rights of an illegal foreigner who cannot apply for asylum or is being hassled and harassed by the police , SAPS.... Read more...

A life partner visa is a temporary residence permit that a foreigner who is not married but is in a permanent relationship with a South African citizen can apply for.... Read more...

The United Kingdom has added Ethiopia, Oman, Somalia and Qatar to its travel ‘red list’, to protect the country against new variants of Covid-19.... Read more...

President Cyril Ramaphosa’s recent address, which confirmed that South Africa would remain on Alert Level three �` extending the closure of South Africa’s beaches, parks, dams and rivers, and continuing the ongoing ban on all alcohol sales �` has somewhat dampened enthusiasm for Cape Town holidays. However, a family visit to the Cape this month revealed that there are still dozens of things to do in the region, which pose a very low risk of exposure to COVID-19. The region has been emptied of international tourists, which made us feel that we had the place to ourselves. Some options that remain open for visitors to enjoy include:... Read more...

With major industry, excellent job prospects and sound investment opportunities, the states of Florida and Texas are currently the most popular destinations where South Africans applying for residency and then citizenship via the USA’s Immigrant Investor EB-5 Programme, says Dr Andrew Golding, chief executive of the Pam Golding Property group.... Read more...

• Germany, Italy, and other countries in Europe enforced new lockdown measures as COVID-19 cases rise. • Infectious disease expert Lothar Wieler said the third COVID-19 wave in Germany had `already begun.` • Much of Europe has lagged behind the US and the UK in rolling out the COVID-19 vaccine.... Read more...

National Treasury has published its updated ‘Operation Vulindlela’ plan, detailing the government’s strategy to boost the economy after the Covid-19 pandemic. First announced by president Cyril Ramaphosa in parliament in October 2020, Operation Vulindlela is a joint initiative of the Presidency and National Treasury.... Read more...

The Supreme Court of Appeal has dismissed an appeal by the minister of home affairs, who was ordered by the high court in Pretoria last year to grant citizenship to two brothers born in SA of foreign parents in the 1990s.... Read more...

There is no end in sight as yet for the controversial Department of Home Affairs (DHA) biometrics tender, as the parliamentary committee on home affairs on Friday deferred the matter to a later date after power cuts disrupted a crucial meeting.... Read more...

The standard definition of the ‘noble lie’, a concept originated by Plato in his ‘Republic’ published in 375 BC, is a myth or untruth purposefully and knowingly propagated by the ruling class to maintain social harmony or to advance an agenda. Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi is a master of it.... Read more...

Home Affairs minister Aaron Motsoaledi says that his department is working on a number of tech-focused features, with plans to take some services digital... Read more...

The Directions are hereby amended by the substitution for the date 31 March 2021 referred to in these paragraphs, of the date 30 June 2021, as the date until which the validity of visas and permits is extended Home Affairs have published the most recent Directions `17H. SERVICES TO BE RENDERED BY DEPARTMENT OF HOME AFFAIRS UNDER ALERT LEVEL 1... Read more...

The extension of the validity of visas or permits (a) applies to visas issued for a period of less than 90 days which expired during the national state of disaster;... Read more...

‘We still haven’t figured out a proper way to harness the skills and knowledge of retirees to mentor and build the skills of new labour market entrants,’ says one expert. Here, we look at what retirement means in 2021 in South Africa.... Read more...

The Bo-Kaap in Cape Town. The fact that the city is `chock-full of colourful markets and quirky neighbourhoods` makes it a drawcard for digital natives, says Big 7 Travel.... Read more...

Scalabrini Centre in Court seeking an interdict against the Department of Home Affairs, in first step to challenging the constitutionality of the Refugee Amendment Act’s ‘deemed abandonment’ provisions.... Read more...

The personal data of over 500 million Facebook users has been posted online in a low-level hacking forum. • The data includes phone numbers, full names, location, email address, and biographical information. • Security researchers warn that the data could be used by hackers to impersonate people and commit fraud. A user in a low level hacking forum has published the phone numbers and personal data of hundreds of millions of Facebook users for free online.... Read more...

Atul Gupta is seeking to have his South African passport issued. The Department of Home Affairs is opposing the application Gupta`s legal team has filed a court application, seeking an order ompelling the director-general and home affairs minister to furnish his record of decision for refusing the passport.... Read more...

Partner visa language test will only affect people who apply after the changes are introduced mid-next year. The Department of Home Affairs says adding an English language requirement for partner visa applicants would protect people in family violence situations.... Read more...

The Cape Town refugees and asylum seekers living in two large tents in Cape Town have been given a two week deadline to leave. They must choose between getting three months` rent and food to help them get back on their feet, or a free ticket back to their country of origin.... Read more...

A retired permit, visa, as a means of immigration to South Africa, is granted to immigrants wishing to spend their retirement years in South Africa. For immigration to South Africa, under the category of a retired permit, the criteria is based on the premise that the immigrant is not looking to work, study or carry out their own business.... Read more...

Work visa requirements for South African immigration Background to Work Visa for South African Immigration South Africa offers a number of options for those who are seeking a Work Visa for the purposes of South African immigration. Similar to other countries the Work Visa legislation focuses on two main areas:... Read more...

Corporate Visas Immigration South Africa A corporate visa can only be issued to South African registered company or branch (the applicant) and it offers the possibility to employ great numbers of employees from abroad, all under the remit of one application.... Read more...

Corporate Workers Visa Corporate workers certificate Where a company is in possession of a valid corporate work visa, it has in effect a permission to recruit a certain number of foreign workers, into specific positions for finite period of time.... Read more...

Critical skills work visa permit for South Africa Welcome to the critical skills work visa and permit category. For those potential applicants for a work visa or permit to South Africa, and even those existing work permit or visa holders, this category of work visa may well be great news.... Read more...

Intra company Transfers An Intra-company transfer is a type of work visa that allows for a staff member to transfer from an overseas company to a branch, subsidiary or affiliated business that is operating in South Africa. Who should apply for an Intra-company transfer work visa?... Read more...

There may be good news on the horizon for frustrated South Africans heading to Home Affairs in the future. Home Affairs is planning a big change by extending their working hours into the weekend to help deal with the current backlogs.... Read more...

Cape Town �` More than 153 000 asylum seekers in South Africa who have been waiting for years for a decision on their applications for refugee status will have their cases heard following an agreement between the UN Human Rights Council, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the Department of Home Affairs to eliminate delays and clear backlogs. This as the UNHCR says refugees in Cape Town have approached them for support in rejoining the community, while others have expressed an interest in returning to their home countries... Read more...

While South Africa is seeking critically skilled individuals, recent reports have shown that the number of South Africans seeking opportunities abroad has increased significantly over the past five to ten years owing to concerns about South Africa`s low economic growth, independent immigration services provider Xpatweb director Marisa Jacobs tells Engineering News.... Read more...

Government has proposed a draft national master plan which aims to loosen regulations in the cannabis industry to promote economic development. • It wants to help create export markets for dagga growers. • Government plans to amend legislation to remove existing constraints that hinder commercialisation.... Read more...

Home affairs minister Dr Aaron Motsoaeldi says that his department is currently working on a number of initiatives that will make travel to and from South Africa �` including the introduction of new e-gates and e-visas.... Read more...

Politcal parties raised concern of the problem of long queues where often people are turned away because the system is offline. Minister Aaron Motsoaledi came under fire from some opposition parties in the National Assembly for what they say is the chaotic state of the Home Affairs department.... Read more...

Crisis to come at a head at the end of June and July, when applications for visa renewals are submitted A child waits in line at a department of home affairs office.... Read more...

Rights groups, UNHCR and EU criticise move, which some fear will have a domino effect and see other nations opt out of responsibilities.... Read more...

An employee at the AG`s office has been arrested. Getty Images • A general manager at the office of the Auditor-General in Pretoria has been arrested. • He allegedly offered a Home Affairs official a R3 000 bribe. • According to the Hawks, it emerged that his ID card and his daughter`s birth certificate were fraudulent.... Read more...

• The Netherlands has announced that flights from South Africa will be allowed to resume, with travel exemptions offered to non-EU residents. • Although most South Africans still won`t be able to enter the Netherlands due to an ongoing EU ban, students, key workers, and those with compelling family reasons will be allowed to travel.... Read more...

Citizens of Cyprus, Sweden, and Lithuania can now enter Portugal without being obliged to follow quarantine rules upon their arrival, as the latter’s authorities have lifted such a measure for these three countries after estimating that they have recently reported fewer COVID-19 cases of infection.... Read more...

The extension will be done automatically and at no cost to the visa holders On Tuesday, King Salman has directed authorities in Saudi Arabia to automatically renew the validity of residence permits (Iqama), exit and re-entry visas of expats stranded abroad until July 31, 2021.... Read more...

The inbound travel trade celebrated today (June 9) following news that the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has moved South Africa from risk alert Level 4 to Level 3.... Read more...

The home affairs ministry has urged the public to delay application for national documents �` due to rising Covid-19 cases �` that are not urgent. The ministry has over the past three weeks recorded 10 positive Covid-19 cases among its staff at different offices countrywide.... Read more...

SA Visa Many tourists have been thrown into the deep end as Home Affairs implement South African visa changes overnight. I’m sure by now many of you have read or heard about the recent rules that have come into effect for the SA Visa. After doing some research I decided to gather some information together to try and put your minds at ease and make sure you are aware of how to avoid being declared an “undesirable” person.... Read more...

According to Order nº 4857-A/ 2021, air traffic to and from mainland Portugal is authorized to: 1.Flights to and from countries belonging to the EU and countries associated with the Schengen Area (Liechtenstein, Norway, Iceland and Switzerland), only for essential travel to and from the following countries: Cyprus, Croatia, Lithuania, the Netherlands and Sweden. 2.Flights from Australia, China, South Korea, New Zealand, Rwanda, Singapore, Thailand, and the special administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macau, subject to reciprocity;... Read more...

Dozens of refugees were left vulnerable on Thursday, when the City of Cape Town removed the fence separating the refugees camp from the notorious Bellville taxi rank. The heavy steel gate brings women and children little comfort. “Now anyone can come in and anyone can go out,” says Hafiz Mohammad, a spokesperson for the temporary shelter. Shortly after the fence was removed a minibus driver is seen on video using the women’s ablution facility, ignoring a request not to do so. Caroline Hajira, a refugee and mother of nine children, said she fears for her children’s safety and that of the other 200 children living in the shelter.... Read more...

Delays to US visas mean that Chinese students are snubbing American higher education in favor of studying in the UK. According to the Chinese embassy in the UK, nearly 216,000 Chinese students are pursuing their studies in Britain. Both the US and UK currently have a strained relationship with China, mainly over new security laws imposed on Hong Kong.... Read more...

The validity of iqamas (residency permits), exit and re-entry visas, as well as visit visas of expatriates, who are unable to travel to the kingdom due travel ban on countries, will be extended until June 2, 2021 free of cost, the Saudi Press Agency reported citing a royal order. The Saudi finance minister approved the extension in iqamas and visas at the directives of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman. The decision is part of the continuous of efforts being taken by the government to ensure the safety of citizens and residents and to mitigate its economic and financial impacts on them.... Read more...

Home Affairs officials say they cannot annul the marriage when the alleged spouse is deceased. The 68-year-old Nomachule Philda Qangule from kuNgolo Village in Libode, in the Eastern Cape, recently found out, to her shock, that she is married.... Read more...

MP says audit indicated that some of personnel involved have left organisation and hence The DA welcomes the finding of a forensic audit of the Automated Biometric Information System (ABIS) contract between Home Affairs and EOH Mthombo. The irregular award of the biometrics project, and subsequent irregular payments, is yet another case of what happens when officials are appointed through the policy of Cadre Deployment.... Read more...

*The four-year Zimbabwe Exemption Permit lapses in December and the government has not yet indicated if it will renew it.* * *About 180 000 Zimbabweans in the country are affected.* * *Financial institutions have warned that they will be obliged to freeze accounts if the permits are not renewed.* Thousands of holders of the Zimbabwe Exemption Permit (ZEP) are living in uncertainty because the South African government has not yet indicated whether it will renew their permits, GroundUp writes About 180 000 Zimbabweans hold ZEPs. The four-year permit expires on 31 December.... Read more...

Residence by investment programmes are available in several EU countries. These programmes grant visas in return for investments in specified areas. Drawing on a new study, Kristin Surak examines the uptake of these programmes across the EU, the characteristics of applicants, and the nature of their investments.... Read more...

With the COVID-19 pandemic easing, Baker Donelson`s Business Immigration Team is seeing an increase in demand for U.S. employer-based employment visas. However, even as we have been obtaining employment visa petition approvals at a record pace for L-1, E-2, H-1B and O-1 employees, at the same time, these and other international business visitors and employees from around the world are facing challenging COVID-19 travel restrictions. Fortunately, it may be possible for an individual otherwise covered by one of the geographic COVID-19 travel restriction proclamations to receive a National Interest Exception (NIE) to allow travel and entry to the U.S... Read more...

The summer season is almost here, and the European countries are set not to let summer 2020 repeat itself. European Union Member States, in particular those that heavily rely on tourism, have started to prepare for summer 2021 early at the beginning of the year in an attempt to revive travel to their territory by enabling tourists to safely visit.... Read more...

Foreigners may purchase and own immovable property in South Africa without any restrictions, as foreigners are generally subject to the same laws as South African nationals. The only foreigners disqualified from owning property in South Africa are foreigners that are here illegally.... Read more...

In recent days, we have noted a marked increase in the number of cases involving persons who have been found to be in possession of fraudulent visas or permits. Many of these persons find themselves in this very precarious position by no fault of their own having fallen victim of elaborate fraudulent schemes designed to prey on individuals seeking valid status in the Republic.... Read more...

Birth, descent, naturalisation, marriage and in the event of being stateless. The criteria for citizenship in each of the following categories are �` • Birth: Applies to any person born in South Africa with at least one parent being a South African citizen.... Read more...

The below information on Partners Visa and Permit options for South African immigration includes:... Read more...

A Life partner visa for South Africa is a form of relatives visa. They can be applied for by applicants who wish to join either: • Their partner who is a South African Citizen • Their partner who is a South African Permanent Resident It is more and more common for couples to not get married and the provision of a life partner visa in South Africa’s immigration rules caters for those in permanent relationships but not spouses.... Read more...

The South African Immigration Act allows applications for permanent residence from those who have a first kin relationship with either a South African Permanent Resident or Citizen. This category of permit is known as a relatives permit.... Read more...

In June 2014 the Department of Home Affairs amended the Immigration Act. The Study Visa / Study Permit was one the categories affected. Background For both standalone and dependent students who made applications prior to June 2014 for permission to study in South Africa, the application made would have been for a study permit.... Read more...

South African banks are eager to expand the availability of E-Home Affairs in South Africa �` they are just waiting for the Department of Home Affairs to sign a partnership agreement before they can roll out the service to more branches.... Read more...

Political parties raised concern of the problem of long queues where often people are turned away because the system is offline. Minister Aaron Motsoaledi came under fire from some opposition parties in the National Assembly for what they say is the chaotic state of the Home Affairs department.... Read more...

Mulowayi v Minister of Home Affairs is an appeal to the South African Constitutional Court from a decision of the High Court of South Africa dealing with the validity of a regulation amending the South African Citizenship Act 2010 1.... Read more...

President Cyril Ramaphosa has signed the Cybercrimes Bill into law, bringing South Africa’s cybersecurity laws in line with the rest of the world.... Read more...

Johannesburg - A top Department of Home Affairs official is under fire for approving controversial Malawian fugitive and self-proclaimed Prophet Shepherd Bushiri and his family`s applications for permanent residency.... Read more...

President Cyril Ramaphosa has said we will not achieve higher rates of growth and employment if we do not implement economic reforms. On his priority reform programme is “the revised critical skills list”.... Read more...

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said on Friday that Indian visa or the stay stipulation period of foreign nationals stranded in the country due to the Covid-19:... Read more...

The Republic of Ireland has said it will soon be allowing visa-free entry to South African visitors. Earlier this year, in a bid to mitigate the spread of the new COVID-19 variants in that country, the Republic of Ireland revoked visa-free travel privileges to several high-risk nations including South Africa.... Read more...

Trade bodies from across the aviation and travel industries in Britain are planning an industry day of action (#traveldayofaction) on June 23 to put pressure on the UK Government to support a safe return to international travel.... Read more...

Virgin Atlantic will resume operating passenger flights three times a week between London Heathrow and Johannesburg OR Tambo from June 24. The airline says the schedule will be published shortly.... Read more...

Our dynamic team of immigration consultants provide specialist advice on temporary residence visas, permanent residence permits, appeals on rejected applications, undesirable declaration waivers, V-listing and legal immigration services.... Read more...

We have assisted many illegal foreigners who have been arrested by law enforcement officials and they are now free !!! Under lockdown there is much confusion about what the rights of an illegal foreigner who cannot apply for asylum or is being hassled and harassed by the police , SAPS .... Read more...

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has locked South Africa down to level three. With infections rising, provinces like Gauteng, Free State, North West and the Northern Cape are officially in a third wave. The president has partially banned off-site alcohol sales, while the curfew has been extended from 10pm to 4am.... Read more...

Africa is home to stunning landscapes, culture, cuisine and friendly people. Clinton Moodley chats with travel agency owner Jennifer Morris about what travellers embarking on a trip to another African country need to know.... Read more...

According to VFS, there is a backlog of applications at Home Affairs` Head Office, so we are seeing applications from November and December 2020 being finalised at the moment (during May 2021).... Read more...

VFS Global, the visa outsourcing and technology services company, has issued an update on visa application services in India. Due to the lockdown/curfew restrictions announced in some states, select visa applications centres are temporarily closed in certain cities.... Read more...

Cape Town - The Department of Home Affairs is working with the Treasury to get exemption from having to use the State Information Technology Agency (Sita) for its online services to solve its IT problems.... Read more...

WASHINGTON (AFP) �` Julien Rocher has been able to see his son Zadig, who lives in the United States (US), only once in 15 months since Washington shut the country’s borders over the COVID-19 pandemic. “It’s like he has disappeared,” Rocher said.... Read more...

According to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA), expats stranded abroad will have their residence permits (Iqama), exit and re-entry visas automatically renewed until July 31, 2021.... Read more...

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has highlighted workforce skills as the “single biggest challenge facing the Australian economy” in recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic. Employer surveys also show it’s a top concern.... Read more...

File photo: Refugees living on the pavement near to the Cape Town Central police station in March 2020. (Photo: Nardus Engelbrecht/Gallo Images) Less Under lockdown, with no in-person services available to refugees and asylum seekers at Home Affairs, a woman who wants to separate her documentation from that of an abusive husband or partner cannot do so.... Read more...

State Information Technology Agency (SITA) boss Luvuyo Keyise has hit back at the Minister of Home Affairs after the Minister suggested that his department’s ills can all be traced back to SITA.... Read more...

Research has shown that there’s been a significant increase in emigration over the past five years, especially amongst high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth South Africans.... Read more...

A draft identity management policy proposed by South Africa’s Department of Home Affairs (DHA) which will allow access by police to citizens’ biometric information in the national population register has been greeted with sharp criticism by some stakeholders.... Read more...

Cape Town - An educator from Kraaifontein has been looking for help after being informed by the Department of Home Affairs that legally, her child is not her own.... Read more...

In its 2020 budget, National Treasury announced changes to the tax and exchange control of individuals, particularly those who underwent financial emigration.... Read more...

DHA Contingent liability Contingent liabilities sit way above R2 billion as Home Affairs is losing court cases. Not only is it losing cases, but it is also getting lambasted by the courts... Read more...

Home Affairs - On Employment of foreign nationals On South African employers hiring only foreign nationals, he replied that there was no law against this. The laws are only for foreign employers. However, things have to change, and a bill needs to be made.... Read more...

Query and Followups �` Home Affairs On DHA’s failure to respond to queries, DHA is working on an integrated query system and will be able to respond to queries timeously... Read more...

Investigations into Fake Visas �` Department of Home Affairs Mr Roos expressed appreciation for the Minister’s investigation into the fake permits even though it cost R5 million and asked what criminal charges are laid against officials who resign after an investigation. Specifically, will criminal charges be laid against the former Chief Director of Permitting who was fingered in permit corruption.... Read more...

Employment and Labour minister Thulas Nxesi says that his department has been working closely with the International Labour Organisation in the commissioning and development of a new national labour migration policy.... Read more...

The Minister of Home Affairs, Dr Aaron Motsoaledi, has extended the validity period of legally issued visas which expired during the lockdown period to 30 September 2021 for short-term visas, issued for a period not longer than 90 days, such as a tourist visa.... Read more...

Nigeria is adding South Africa to its `red list` of countries for which there are stringent restrictions for arriving passengers, officials said during a briefing on Monday.Nigeria is introducing the restrictions due to the spread of the Delta variant in South Africa, Chikwe Ihekweazu, the head of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, said.... Read more...

The short answer If you are older than 18, you don`t need your parents` permission. The whole question I was born out of wedlock and so I was given my mother`s maiden name.... Read more...

Home Affairs �` Permanent Residence to commence The permit services in terms of the Immigration Act will be rendered by the Department of Home Affairs as follows : (a) Permanent residence permits appeals applications with effect from 1 October 2021. (b) Proof of permanent residence permits applications with effect from 1 October 2021;and (c) Permanent residence permits applications with effect from January 2022. Per Home Affairs proclamation and gazette - 30 June 2021 www.samigration.com... Read more...

The permit services in terms of the Immigration Act will be rendered by the Department of Home Affairs as follows :... Read more...

South Africa`s critical skills list includes a long list of engineering jobs. Photo: Getty Images ________________________________________ About 97% of listed and multinational companies in South Africa say engineers are indispensable to their business operations and often have to be recruited abroad. Yet government’s draft list of critical skills now contains only half as many engineering professions as it did six years ago.... Read more...

Lester Kiewit finds out from Stefanie de Saude-Darbandi what the proposed new law means for foreign business Gauteng townships. As part of plans to revitalize the economy, Gauteng economic development department and premier David Makhura’s policy unit have drafted a new law which seeks to bar foreign nationals from doing business in Gauteng Townships... Read more...

‘I am advised and respectfully submit that our courts have held for nearly a century that a fugitive from justice has no standing to approach a South African court’ �` Home Affairs DG Livhuwani Tommy Makhode.... Read more...

What can I do if my application for refugee status has been rejected and I have been given a ‘must leave’ letter? If your asylum application is rejected, this means that the DHA does not recognise you as a refugee. You will receive a letter stating that you must leave the country or file an appeal usually within 30 days of being told of the rejection. Depending on the reasons for the rejection of your application, you will need to appeal to the Refugee Appeal Board or the Standing Committee for Refugee Affairs. If you think that you do qualify for refugee status it would be a good idea to seek legal advice from an organisation such as ours... Read more...

• The home affairs department denied reports in Botswana that its former leader was seeking political asylum in South Africa. • A home affairs spokesperson said even if Ian Khama wanted to apply for asylum, it wasn`t currently possible as refugee processing offices were closed due to Covid-19. • The Seretse Khama Ian Khama Foundation issued a statement on 10 November stating that Khama was in South Africa. The Department of Home Affairs has denied reports doing the rounds in neighbouring Botswana that its former leader Ian Khama has left the country and is seeking political asylum in South Africa. Responding to media queries from News24, Department of Home Affairs spokesperson Siyabulela Qoza said the `refugee reception offices are currently closed, and this means that no new asylum applications are being processed`.... Read more...

• The Border Management Authority needs close to R3 billion to pay staff salaries for a fully operational service. • Another R5.2 billion is needed for goods and services, which does not include future technology requirements. • On Tuesday, BMA commissioner Nakampe Masiapato briefed Parliament on the authority`s rollout and funding. South Africa`s Border Management Authority (BMA) needs close to R3 billion to pay staff, while another estimated R5.2 billion would be needed for goods and services. According to BMA commissioner Nakampe Masiapato, the estimated expenditure on the compensation of employees and goods and services was to establish a fully operational BMA. On Tuesday, Masiapato and several Home Affairs officials briefed Parliament`s home affairs committee on the BMA rollout plan and funding.... Read more...

While international tourism has taken a hit from the outbreak of disease in the past, the coronavirus is unprecedented in its geographical spread. Getty Images • The coronavirus pandemic will cost the global tourism sector R32.3 trillion in lost revenue in 2021. • International tourist arrivals will this year remain 70-75% below the 1.5 billion arrivals recorded in 2019 before the pandemic hit. • A total of 46 destinations - 21 percent of all destinations worldwide - currently have their borders completely closed to tourists.... Read more...

• The Border Management Authority needs close to R3 billion to pay staff salaries for a fully operational service. • Another R5.2 billion is needed for goods and services, which does not include future technology requirements. • On Tuesday, BMA commissioner Nakampe Masiapato briefed Parliament on the authority`s rollout and funding. South Africa`s Border Management Authority (BMA) needs close to R3 billion to pay staff, while another estimated R5.2 billion would be needed for goods and services.... Read more...

The three suspects will face charges of corruption in the Ermelo magistrate`s court. Two immigration officers and an assistant director from the department of home affairs in Ermelo were arrested for alleged corruption on Tuesday.... Read more...

On Monday, the US restricted travel from eight countries in southern Africa due to the new variant. • South Africa had an existing surveillance system for viral diseases that helped it detect Omicron. • Dr. Anthony Fauci said the Biden administration would have been criticised if a ban was not enacted.
... Read more...

Apply Now for Temporary Residence even with EXPIRED LOCKDOWN PERMITS The Constitutional Court handed down a judgement in the Ahmed matter as well as a Court Order opening the door for Asylum Seekers and Refugees to apply to change their status to temporary residence visa . Contact us now before this fantastic opportunity is lost .... Read more...

Every year, at around this time, many of the hundreds of thousands of Zimbabweans who live in South Africa make their way back home. Over the holiday period, families and friends reunite, and the country’s struggling economy gets a desperately needed influx of foreign currency.... Read more...

But provincial manager claims “Home Affairs has declared war on queues” In October, Minister of Home Affairs Aaron Motsoaledi responded to complaints by the public about long queues, saying offices were being modernised. He promised extended hours, a full return of staff, and that senior managers would visit offices unannounced to monitor operations on the ground. But when GroundUp visited several Home Affairs offices last week, the queues were still long, and people had still been queuing since dawn in the hope, often vain, of being assisted. Central Johannesburg, Thursday morning: long, snaking queues on two sides of the Home Affairs building. Vangile Msimanga, from Vlakfontein, said she left home at 6:15am to get to Home Affairs by 7am. She needs a passport. Also standing in the queue was Ntombi Zwane, from Brixton, who needs an ID. “I am a bit worried because this queue is not moving,” she said.... Read more...

Similarly, it will become unlawful from the 01January 2023 for employers to employ the former holders of the ZEP who have not obtained other permits allowing them to work in South Africa. • Each employer who knowingly employs such persons will be committing an offence punishable by a fine or imprisonment for a period not exceeding one year. • Such employment will also be prohibited by clause 58 of the Main Collective Agreement concluded in the Council. 4. It follows in our view that the affected employers will be entitled, even obliged to terminate the employment of the former holders of the ZEP who have not obtained other permits allowing them to work in the Republic from 01 January 2023. Simply put, the continued employment of such affected former ZEP holders will become unlawful and subject to criminal penalties.... Read more...

Every year, at around this time, many of the hundreds of thousands of Zimbabweans who live in South Africa make their way back home. Over the holiday period, families and friends reunite, and the country’s struggling economy gets a desperately needed influx of foreign currency.... Read more...

Hundreds of thousands could find themselves out of work, without bank accounts, or unable to return to SA after the December break. The Beitbridge border between South Africa and Zimbabwe near Musina. Image: Guillem Sartorio/AFP/Getty Images The Zimbabwe Exemption Permit (ZEP) Holders Association and non-profit organisation African Amity have brought an urgent application before the High Court in Johannesburg to overturn the decision by the director-general of Home Affairs not to renew permits granted to more than 250 000 Zimbabweans in SA. The permits expire at the end of December 2021, after which the Department of Home Affairs has instructed them to apply for “mainstream visas” and to ensure that their applications comply with the provisions and requirements of the Immigration Act and its accompanying regulations.... Read more...

PRETORIA �` Home Affairs Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi on Tuesday clarified that that no rescission was made on the recent Cabinet decision which resolved that Zimbabwe Exemption Permits (ZEP), which expir on December 31, would not be renewed. “Absolutely, that Cabinet decision stands. Absolutely,” Motsoaledi said in an interview with Independent Media on Tuesday. Local and international media have fanned the confusion over the renewal of the permits for the approximately 200 000 Zimbabweans who hold the special permit.... Read more...

South Africa withdrew a circular that prompted banks to threaten to close the accounts of a category of Zimbabwean immigrants who have a permit to live and work in the country from 1 January next year. The circular sent to banks was withdrawn because it created confusion, Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi said in an interview on Monday. Permit holders still have the right to stay in the country for another 12 months and should therefore have access to their accounts, he said. On 25 November, South Africa’s Cabinet issued a statement saying that about 200 000 holders of the Zimbabwean Exemption Permit would see their permission to stay in the country expire on 31 December. They would then have a 12-month grace permit to apply for alternative permits under the usual immigration framework.... Read more...

Home Affairs minister Aaron Motsoaledi says that the government is moving ahead with its plans to end the Zimbabwean Exemption Permit in South Africa. This follows earlier reports that his department had withdrawn a circular on the decision on Monday (13 November), seemingly backtracking on the planned change that would force about 200,000 Zimbabweans to return home.... Read more...

• National Treasury said the latest rating of South Africa by Fitch signaled a better-than-expected performance from the economy. • Fitch`s affirmed South Africa`s long term foreign and local currency debt ratings at BB-, revising the outlook from negative to stable. • National Treasury said while the pandemic continued to serve as a headwind for South Africa, it was unlikely to sink long-term creditworthiness.... Read more...

Motsoaledi told City Press that South African government officials were facing pressure mainly from Zimbabwean politicians and diplomats in a last-ditch attempt to persuade Ramaphosa to change his mind. Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi has vowed to push ahead with the termination of the Zimbabwe exemption permits issued to asylum seekers, when they expire at the end of this month, despite “tremendous” pressure from the Zimbabwean government and lobby groups not to.... Read more...

Due to its middle-income status, stable democratic institutions, and comparatively industrialized economy, South Africa hosts the largest number of immigrants on the African continent. According to official estimates, the country is home to about 2.9 million immigrants, which would account for slightly less than 5 percent of the overall population of 60 million people. However, this number is thought to be an underestimate because of the presence of large numbers of unauthorized migrants, particularly from neighboring countries.... Read more...

A DRC-born home affairs official has been stripped of SA citizenship after the department found he obtained it via a marriage of convenience. File photo. A home affairs official’s professional ambition has had unintended consequences for him. Mbemba Pierre Mahinga faces a bleak 2022 after the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) dismissed his application to stop the home affairs department stripping him of his SA citizenship. In 1996 Mahinga, now 55, arrived in SA from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) as an asylum seeker, and home affairs alleged he engaged in a marriage of convenience to get citizenship.... Read more...

The Deputy Minister of Home Affairs Njabulo Nzuza has called on parents to make sure that their baby’s birth is registered before they leave the hospital with the new addition to their family. Nzuza has visited Eshowe Hospital on the KwaZulu-Natal north coast to hand over birth certificates to the eight mothers who gave birth on Saturday, the first baby being born at 2 o’clock.... Read more...

Indications are that the billionaire Gupta brothers and their wives have pipped South African law enforcement to the Interpol post with a preventive strike that is likely to stall the issuing of red notices. Interpol red notices are a vital tool in South Africa’s quest to definitively locate members of the Gupta family for possible extradition. It therefore makes sense that blocking efforts to secure such notices would be a priority for the family �` four of whom are fugitives from justice.... Read more...

• South Africans have been among the most restricted travellers in the world during the pandemic. • And restrictions for those wanting to travel or return to the United Kingdom have been particularly onerous. • But wily travellers have found loopholes in the system - mostly by choosing to stop over in countries not on the UK`s red list. • Mexico and West Africa quickly emerged as viable options. • But it`s the Balkans, and in particular Montenegro, that seem to be winning out at the moment.... Read more...

HOME AFFAIRS - ONLINE APPLICATION FOR ENABLING DOCUMENTS (IDENTITY & TRAVEL DOCUMENTS) FOR REFUGEES. 1.1 In an effort to restore critical services to recognised refugees online services have been extended to include applications for either Identity & Travel Documents in a manner that contributes to limiting the spread of Covid-19 and ensure excellent service delivery. 1.2 The online service referred to in paragraph 1.1 is only limited and applicable to the dependants of recognised refugees:... Read more...

Reclassification will make it possible for others to travel to Germany, subject to proof of vaccination or a negative test result. Germany no longer considers South Africa and eight other African countries as so-called ‘virus variant’ areas, the Health Ministry said on Friday, in a move that will ease strict travel restrictions. The change, which takes effect on Sunday, comes after the Delta strain of Covid-19 became dominant in both Germany and South Africa, displacing the Beta strain originally found in the southern African nation.... Read more...

Do you have a Long Outstanding Permanent Residence �` What are my options Is Legal Action the way to go �` Class Action vs individual Court Action Class Action appears cheaper way but has more consequences to applicant than individual court action .... Read more...

*The short answer* You can apply for the child /parent/child_7-12 support grant if your partner> is a refugee or permanent resident. *The long answer* If you are a South African citizen, or a refugee or a permanent resident, you can apply to SASSA for a child support grant. It is a means-tested grant, so SASSA will take into account both your own and your husband’s income. These are the SASSA rules:... Read more...

Local and international investors are pumping billions into South Africa’s fintech scene, which include large investments in local start-ups over the last few weeks. In July, South African fintech start-ups raised over R1.3 billion from notable investors, including Naspers, Vunani Capital, Old Mutual, and the Dragoneer Investment Group. The largest investment came from the Dragoneer Investment Group, which invested R1.23 billion in Yoco.... Read more...

Nigerian diaspora works to dispel negative image created by rogue actors such as Boko Haram, drug dealers and Hushpuppi While it is important to debunk negative stereotypes, we should not fall into the trap of denialism and ignore or downplay the criminal activities of some unscrupulous Nigerians in the diaspora who are partly responsible for the country’s image crisis. On Sunday, 25 July, Nigeria celebrated its 15th National Diaspora Day under the theme: “Diaspora Integration for National Peace and Development”.... Read more...

Motsoaledi backtracks on Home Affairs` ultimatum to remove illegal immigrant councillor from payroll News 24 - 04 August 2021 * *Aaron Motsoaledi has distanced himself from an official in his department who instructed a municipality to remove a former mayor from its payroll.* * *Nthateng Maoke, former mayor of the Setsoto Local Municipality, was found to be in the country illegally, but continues to be paid as a councillor.* * *The home affairs official gave the municipality an ultimatum to remove Maoke from its payroll.* Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi has distanced himself from two letters written by a subordinate who issued an ultimatum to the embattled Setsoto Local Municipality to remove former mayor Nthateng Maoke from its payroll because she has been found to be in the country illegally. Maoke continues to draw a salary as an ordinary councillor despite having been found to be in South Africa illegally. Nolwandle Qaba, home affairs` acting chief director for inspectorate immigra... Read more...

Investigators unearth ‘mind-numbing’ evidence on how officials aided and abetted fugitive pastor. Fugitive preacher Shepherd Bushiri so effectively captured the department of home affairs that he had several of its directors, adjudicators, clerks and even an MP acting in unison to circumvent the law and smooth the way for him. City Press has uncovered evidence of how some senior individuals jumped through hoops to secure permanent residency permits for fraud accused Bushiri, his wife Mary and their two young children. The department has now suspended its permits section’s senior and junior staff members found to have allegedly had a direct hand in the fraudulent process and approval of the Bushiris’ permanent residence applications.... Read more...

Tens of thousands of immigrants are calling time on Australia and heading back overseas because of the prolonged border closure and uncertainty over when they will see their loved ones again.... Read more...

The federal government has issued more than 12,000 of its controversial new “global talent” visas during the pandemic, while nearly 19,000 existing holders of previously issued skilled visas have remained stuck offshore. The global talent 858 visas are a fast track to permanent residency for skilled migrants, introduced in December 2019. Experts have warned the economic value of the visa is unproven and “murky” criteria leaves it open to influence peddling.... Read more...

Operation Vulindlela, the joint delivery unit in the Treasury and the presidency, is overseeing a review of the work permit regime, which has been a constraint on growth and investment for at least two decades. Sean Phillips, head of the unit, briefed parliament’s standing committee on appropriations on Wednesday on the progress made since it was established last October. The aim of the unit is to “unblock” constraints on growth and oversee the implementation of microeconomic reforms by government departments.... Read more...

The Department of Home Affairs has announced a new appointment system in a bid to cut down on excessive queueing and corruption. Presenting to parliament on Tuesday (31 August), the department said that the appointment system has been finalised and will be deployed in selected offices in the current financial year.... Read more...

Foreign Artisans now required to register before applying for visa. National Register of Artisans now in effect Dear foreign artisan, Applying for critical skills work visa in South Africa as an artisan has been a challenge for the longest time. In 2014 when the current amendments to the Immigration Act were gazetted several gaps were identified... Read more...

Residency in limbo: Living in hope of the stamp of approval from South Africa’s Home Affairs Years of waiting for permanent residence to be granted, unable to work, open a bank account or sign for a cellphone contract, exact a heavy toll on a person. “I can’t sign contracts with industry partners. I can’t open bank accounts. I am completely dependent on my partner,” says James (not his real name), who’s been waiting for word on his permanent residence application for several years.... Read more...

Home affairs minister says two-thirds of all anticorruption work in the department relates to immigration The home affairs department, together with the Hawks, is investigating the operation of organised crime syndicates involved in the fraudulent issuing of documents. An undercover operation... Read more...

Criminal Record �` Visa Stuck �` Paid an AOG ( Admission of Guilt ) fine �` We can remove it .... Read more...

• SA Visa / • Visitors Visa Visitors Visa The maximum duration for this Visa is 3 months. If a longer stay is required the applicant must apply in advance abroad or he can extend the visitor’s Visa locally, confirming the purpose of stay. A valid return air / bus ticket, proof of sufficient financial means, the application fee andmust be accompany an application for extension. Pease note that a visitor’s Visa can only be extended once for a maximum of 3 months.... Read more...

Local authority accuses Home Office and Serco of trying to beat court hearing and frustrate justice system Blackpool council has accused the Home Office and Serco of deliberately acting to frustrate the justice system after placing asylum seekers in a hotel, despite objections that the accommodation was wholly unsuitable.... Read more...

• The Covid-19 pandemic has had a negative impact on most businesses, but those in the tech sector are booming. • Information and Communications Technology (ICT), financial services, and FinTech companies are scaling up operations while other businesses transition to digital. • This has created a surge in demand for IT workers. • Some of the positions in most-demand are in cloud computing, artificial intelligence, machine learning, data analysis, and cybersecurity. South Africa`s technology sector is booming as more businesses move to digital in a trend which has been hastened by the Covid-19 pandemic. This promises high-paying job opportunities, but only for those with the right skills and experience... Read more...

Epping office expected to open in September 2022 Asylum seekers protest back in 2012 outside the original Cape Town Home Affairs’ refugee reception office in Maitland. Archive photo: Veronica Washaya • In its latest report to the High Court, Home Affairs says it now expects to reopen a refugee reception office in Cape Town in September 2022. • In a decision that the court found irrational and unreasonable, Home Affairs closed its office in 2012. • It has taken a protracted legal battle to get Home Affairs this far.... Read more...

ZEP holders have sought to challenge Cabinet`s decision not to renew the Zimbabwe special dispensation, which has been in place since 2009 JOHANNESBURG - Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi welcomed the High Court in Pretoria`s decision to strike from the roll two applications by African Amity and another group to have the case of Zimbabwe Exemption Permit (ZEP) holders against the department heard urgently.... Read more...

• Constitutional Court judgment rules that an illegal foreigner stay in the country pending his application for asylum status. • Ethiopian Desta Abore was arrested in 2020 in Eshowe for entering and living in South Africa illegally. • The court ruled that his continued detention until June 2021 was unlawfully. A man who fled Ethiopia for South Africa for allegedly fearing for his life, has been given a lifeline to remain in the country. On Thursday, the Constitutional Court ruled that the Department of Home Affairs was not allowed to deport Desta Abore back to Ethiopia. Instead, it ordered the department to `take reasonable steps` in the next 14 days to `give effect to Mr Abore`s inte... Read more...

Home Affairs Department on a drive to curb influx of undocumented The Home Affairs Department has set up a series of roadblocks in an effort to address the challenge of undocumented immigrants near the Beitbridge Border Post. Some illegal border jumpers have entered the country by jumping the border fence. Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi has conducted an inspection at the Port of Entry. Motsoaledi monitored a roadblock where undocumented foreign nationals were intercepted.... Read more...

Government is in the process of developing the new National Identity System (NIS), which will replace the current National Population Register and become the backbone of all Home Affairs functions in South Africa. The system, which is expected to be operational by March 2024, will enable the security and reliability of civic and immigration status linked to identity and biometric data. In this way, the NIS will effectively act as a single source of information on all South Africans.... Read more...

Right of reply: Society doesn`t give repeat offenders a free pass simply because they frequently break the law in any other sphere of life. Immigration is no different, writes Siya Qoza. Your story that appeared in print and online on January 12 this year, titled, “Beitbridge anti-immigration efforts hit by bribery claims”, bears reference. As the Department of Home Affairs, we wish to make a few points, for the benefit of your readers.... Read more...

Nearly 18,000 illegal foreign nationals have been incarcerated in the country’s correctional facilities in the last five years. Of these, about 52% were sentenced by November 2021. Minister of justice and correctional services Ronald Lamola made this revelation in a written parliamentary response... Read more...

Pretoria - The alleged conduct of a Home Affairs official believed to have changed the version of a Nigerian citizen in his application for refugee status has been referred to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) for investigation and possible prosecution. The Johannesburg High Court last month ordered that the NPA must establish whether the official lied about the facts which were given to him by the Nigerian citizen, only identified as EL to safeguard him from possible persecution.... Read more...

From a fortified room in an unmarked building in the city’s CBD, Johannesburg’s army of 86 forensic investigators hope to stamp out corruption in South Africa’s economic hub.... Read more...

• Despite initially saying that restaurants at the Mall of Africa in Midrand were using discriminatory policies that favoured foreigners, Julius Malema on Wednesday conceded that this is not so. • The EFF leader’s change of mind came after meeting with the management of three restaurants. • Malema justified his unsanctioned visits, saying they were being conducted in his capacity as an MP.... Read more...

The EFF leader initially got into a verbal confrontation with a manager at Kream Restaurant, who had at first refused to grant the EFF leader and his delegation access into the restaurant. The Kream restaurant manager, who refused to identify himself to the EFF or the media, told Malema that he could only hand over a letter from the business owners and could not engage with the party’s leadership on the premises. He also asked Malema in which capacity he was visiting the establishment.... Read more...

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Cape Town - Current office infrastructure at the department of Home Affairs (DHA) in the Western Cape does not make provision for people queuing outside and exposure to severe weather conditions. This despite protected client queueing areas being included in norms and standards for the department`s facility specifications. This emerged during a briefing by the department of Home Affairs to the legislature’s standing committee on the premier and constitutional matters.... Read more...

Durban - After being happily married for more than 30 years, Durban resident Gourie Bryce was shocked when she received her husband’s death certificate which listed her marital status as “divorced”. To make matters worse, the Department of Home Affairs has not yet rectified the mistake �` despite repeated requests �` leaving her unable to settle his affairs. Bryce, 59, said her husband, James Hogg Bryce, died of natural causes last October. When her son collected the death certificate from the funeral parlour, he immediately called her.... Read more...

An Australian man who says he was forced to hand over his phone to Border Force officers at the airport after returning to Sydney has labelled the experience as “traumatic”. James and Mandy had returned to Sydney airport from a holiday in Fiji when James (who does not want to use his surname) says they were intercepted by a Border Force officer who asked the pair - who are Australian citizens - to step aside.... Read more...

I am in a same-sex marriage, and Home Affairs has denied my application to change my surname to my spouse`s. Is this legal? The short answer Home Affairs is wrong, but it is complicated. The whole question `I am a South African citizen living in the USA. I got married (same-sex marriage) in 2016 and applied for a new passport reflecting my new name change (surname) on the passport in 2019.... Read more...

Employment and labour minister Thulas Nxesi has raised concerns around illegal recruitment practices, including the hiring of foreign workers who are in the country unlawfully. Image: Jairus Mmutle Amid the labour department’s “mega-blitz inspections” at hospitality venues in the Western Cape this week, minister Thulas Nxesi has announced new rules aimed at foreign workers in SA. Nxesi, who joined a team of inspectors in Sea Point, Cape Town, on Tuesday, raised concerns about illegal recruitment practices, including the h... Read more...

Employment and labour minister Thulas Nxesi has raised concerns around illegal recruitment practices, including the hiring of foreign workers who are in the country unlawfully. Image: Jairus Mmutle Amid the labour department’s “mega-blitz inspections” at hospitality venues in the Western Cape this week, minister Thulas Nxesi has announced new rules aimed at foreign workers in SA.... Read more...

• South Africa`s department of home affairs reopened applications for permanent residency permits in January. • This, after abruptly suspending all new applications at the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic in March 2020, to deal with a backlog built over the past decade. • But the department didn`t make a dent in the backlog and the Immigration Practitioners of South Africa believes that outstanding applications exceed 50,000. • Foreigners who were eligible to become permanent residents when the suspension was first imposed are likely to endure a 5-year wait.... Read more...

Despite the warning issued to corrupt Home Affairs Officials on daily basis with respect to issuing South African documents to unqualified individuals, it seems these scrupulous elements are hell bent on engaging in criminal activities. View pictures in App save up to 80% data. In an emerging report, Police in Pretoria West have successfully arrested a lady who was in possession of 14 ready-to-be-issued asylum documents gotten directly from Home Affairs on Thursday. The suspect was apprehended in Maltzan Street near Luttig Street. Constable Sibongile Vuma who is the police spokesperson, during his statement said that when the woman was interrogated on what she was doing with the documents and blank home affairs papers, she allegedly admitted that they were fraudulent.... Read more...

• Visitors from the United Kingdom accounted for 30% of all overseas tourists in South Africa prior to the Covid-19 pandemic. • But travel restrictions, including the controversial red list, dropped the number of incoming UK tourists by around 90%. • The same is true for tourists from Germany, which has traditionally been South Africa’s second-highest source market for overseas tourists, behind the UK.... Read more...

On December 23, 2021, the U.S. Department of State announced that it will temporarily suspend in-person interviews for some nonimmigrant visa classifications in order to expedite visa issuance as the pandemic heads into its third year. The Department announced that individuals applying for L-1, H-1, H-3, P-1, O-1, and Q visas (and their dependents) will not be required to appear for in-person interviews at U.S. consular posts abroad. This policy is effective until the end of 2022.... Read more...

Home Affairs Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi gives details of their meeting with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. The South African Home Affairs ministry has concluded a meeting with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHRC) on various issues concerning refugees in the country. John Perlman speaks to Home Affairs minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi for more details.... Read more...

What is the worst thing about person can suffer at the start of the new year. We have the answer. A Zimbabwean illegal immigrant is in tears after his citizenship was revoked by the courts. Bernard Nvundla was stripped of his Botswana ID (also known as the Omang) after it emerged in court that he obtained it fraudulently. In passing sentence, the magistrate reiterated that Nvundla had been disrespectful towards Botswana by using his fraudulent ID to compete with Botswana nationals for jobs, government services and assistance. Chief Magistrate Mareledi Dipate clarified the inherent risks associated with foreigners who obtain national documents illegally.... Read more...

A Saudi Arabian man who fell in love with an Ottery woman says Home Affairs has made his life a living hell after they declined his spousal visa three times. Father of two, Nadir Abdul Majeed, 30, says despite being married for three years and a university graduate, he is not allowed to work or live in South Africa. Nadir says he first came to Cape Town in 2015 on a student visa as he attended Stellenbosch University. While doing his B.Com degree, he met his wife, who asked not to be named.... Read more...

The Department of Home Affairs has published its critical skills list for South Africa, outlining the skills which are in short supply in the country. The list, which was last updated in 2014, will likely be welcomed with open arms by corporations across South Africa which may now fulfil the country’s objective of luring foreign professionals, says Moeketsi Seboko, immigration manager at Xpatweb.... Read more...

The Covid-19 pandemic has proven to be yet another stick in the spokes for the department of home affairs, further delaying processes that were already slow and inconsistent, and causing despair and disruption for thousands of people and businesses. In addition, an apparent lack of will to rectify the situation is costing the state millions in unnecessary legal fees as unsuccessful applicants head to the courts to appeal.... Read more...

Some asylum seekers have missed the 31 December 2021 deadline. Refugees and asylum seekers in South Africa were given a deadline of 31 December 2021 to renew their documentation online. Some of those who have missed that deadline blame persistent failures of the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) online system for being late. Others say they never got any response after renewing online.... Read more...

Some asylum seekers have missed the 31 December 2021 deadline Many refugees are using internet cafes as they struggle to renew their asylum documents through the Department of Home Affairs online system. • Many refugee permits expired during the Covid lockdown period when Home Affairs closed its offices. • Asylum seekers and refugees were given until 31 December 2021 to renew their papers onine. • Some refugees say they have missed the deadline because of failures with the online system, not for lack of trying. • Home Affairs has not indicated what people who have missed the deadline should now do. Refugees and asylum seekers in South Africa were given a deadline of 31 December 2021 to renew their documentation online. Some of those who have missed that deadline blame persistent failures of the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) online system for being late. Others say they never got any response after renewing online.... Read more...

Applying for critical skills work visa in South Africa as an artisan has been a challenge for the longest time. In 2014 when the current amendments to the Immigration Act were gazetted several gaps were identified in the Act which included the absence of a SAQA accredited professional body to register artisans. ECSA was not an option due to their minimum NQF criteria of 5 which was a notch above the rating being given by SAQA for artisans. There was a time letters issued by the National Artisan Moderation Body, (NAMB), were sufficient and then they were not.... Read more...

Minister explains the responsibilities of departments involved Almost 18,000 illegal foreign nationals have been held incarcerated in the country’s correctional facilities in the past five years. Of these, about 52% were sentenced by November 2021. Justice & correctional services minister Ronald Lamola gave the figures in a written parliamentary response after DA MP Désirée van der Walt had inquired about the number of illegal foreign nationals held between 2017 and 2021.... Read more...

President Cyril Ramaphosa can tick as delivered the critical skills visa list when he delivers Thursday’s State of the Nation Address. Months late and more a transitional arrangement than the expected wholesale review, it’s a case of better late than never. Caravan park and campground manager is no longer on the final critical skills visa list of 101 occupations signed off by Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi on 2 February 2022 and published in the Government Gazette.... Read more...

The apex court has reversed amendments to the act that made it difficult for refugees to apply for asylum while making it easy for Home Affairs officials to unjustly detain and deport them. The Constitutional Court brought much needed clarity to the application of the new amendments to the Refugees Act in relation to asylum applications. The apex court ruled that refugees and asylum seekers can now apply for permits locally, and that they can stay in the country pending the status of their application for asylum.... Read more...

• South Africa has a brand new critical skills list, which identifies fields in which immigrants will be prioritised. • The list is intended to make it easier for air traffic controllers, call centre operators (who speak Mandarin) and data scientists to move to South Africa. • The list contains 101 job descriptions. South Africa recently gazetted its critical skills list for purposes of immigration, identifying a total of 101 jobs that should �` in theory �` give qualified foreigners a fast-track to a working visa or permanent residence in SA.... Read more...

Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reshuffled its four-tier travel advisory list on Monday (February 7), dropping South Africa from ‘Level 4: COVID-19 Very High’ to its ‘Level 3: COVID-19 High’ category. While the CDC originally recommended that holidaymakers ‘avoid travel’ to South Africa, the new risk assessment has seen the advice relaxed to ‘reconsider travel’. “Make sure you are vaccinated and up to date with your COVID-19 vaccines before travelling to South Africa,” the CDC’s latest update for South Africa reads. “If you are not up to date with COVID-19 vaccines, avoid travel to South Africa.” The CDC has issued the same advice for Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Kenya, Zambia, and Malawi.... Read more...

The updated South Africa Critical Skills List was published by the Minister of Home Affairs. It is exciting to see a number of new critical skills being listed that will prove beneficial to companies in a range of industries including IT, engineering and financial services, wishing to bring key talent into the country. The List provides an opportunity for South Africa’s economical and developmental needs to be met, while at the same time creating job opportunities via skill transfers to locals. To ensure continued availability of these resou... Read more...

Australia will reopen to fully vaccinated travelers beginning Feb. 21, officials announced Monday. The move comes nearly two years after it first closed its international borders to slow the spread of COVID-19, and several months after beginning a gradual reopening that allowed certain tourists and foreign workers to enter the country.... Read more...

• Since 2016, foreign students who graduated in South Africa in a critical skills field would get a permanent residency permit without needing work experience. • But these waivers were recently revoked, in the same week that the department of home affairs gazetted South Africa`s new critical skills list. • Additionally, critical skills visas won`t be available to skilled foreigners looking for work, as was previously the case.... Read more...

South Africa sued Huawei Technologies for exceeding the number of foreigners it’s allowed to employ South Africa sued Huawei Technologies for exceeding the number of foreigners it’s allowed to employ in the country as the government ramps up its rhetoric against immigrants filling local jobs. The Chinese telecommunications giant has about 90% foreign nationals at its South Africa unit, including all five top management officials, the Department of Employment and Labour said in a statement Friday. That exceeds the maximum quota of 40%, the state said. The department has filed court papers in Johannesburg... Read more...

Skilled South African professionals are concerned about the impact of the proposed National Health Insurance (NHI) and what it will mean for tax increases, says the Professional Provident Society (PPS). The NHI Bill is currently undergoing a public consultation process, with a number of healthcare, civil society and political groups presenting on why the new system should or should not be introduced.... Read more...

According to a 2019 Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) analysis, three in four African students (75%) who applied for Canadian study permits in Canada between January and May that year were rejected. Students from French-speaking African countries are reportedly facing higher Canadian visa refusal rates compared to other nations, said international education stakeholders. They warned this might jeopardise Canada’s recruitment efforts and reputation as a welcoming study abroad destination.... Read more...

The Department of Home Affairs (DHA) will appoint 10,000 young IT workers to help speed up the digitisation of its paper records over the next few years. President Cyril Ramaphosa mentioned the recruitment drive during his State of the Nation address on Thursday, 10 February 2022. It forms part of an extension of the Presidential Employment Stimulus programme.... Read more...

South Africa is considering the adoption of a remote-working visa as part of a push to attract more skilled workers, and their money, to the country. Remote-working visa are travel permits that legalise the status of travelling professionals. Like tourist visas, they are easy to obtain and do not require long... Read more...

Home Affairs hiring 10,000 IT graduates The Department of Home Affairs (DHA) will appoint 10,000 young IT workers to help speed up the digitisation of its paper records over the next few years. President Cyril Ramaphosa mentioned the recruitment drive during his State of the Nation address on Thursday, 10 February 2022. It forms part of an extension of the Presidential Employment Stimulus programme. According to Ramaphosa, this programme has thus far supported over 850,000 work opportunities, primarily for young people and women. “This includes over half a million young people appointed as education assistants, making it the largest youth employment programme ever undertaken in our history,” Ramaphosa stated.... Read more...

How South Africa’s new visa could work South Africa is considering the adoption of a remote-working visa as part of a push to attract more skilled workers, and their money, to the country. Remote-working visa are travel permits that legalise the status of travelling professionals. Like tourist visas, they are easy to obtain and do not require long paperwork and a work contract. However, they allow for longer stays. The Western Cape provincial government has previously mooted the visa, with president Cyril Ramaphosa confirming it is under consideration in his state of the nation address on Thursday evening (10 February). The move has been welcomed by the City of Cape Town which stands to see significant benefits from the visa. “Working tourists tend to spend up to R50,000 during their stay, which has the potential to add up to a significant boon for the economy,” said the City of Cape Town’s Mayoral Committee member for economic growth, James Vos.... Read more...

Home Affairs has opened services for South Africans but asylum seekers remain shut out Refugees and asylum seekers want the Home Affairs Refugee Reception Office in Durban to reopen. It has been closed for nearly two years. • Refugee organisations are asking Home Affairs to reopen its Refugee Reception Offices. • The offices have been closed to asylum seekers since March 2020. • Home Affairs offices have reopened services for South Africans but not for refugees.... Read more...

Many young people who, before the pandemic, obtained a work holiday permit to go to New Zealand, have had to give up their dream. Others are pushing to extend or renew visas �` steps that Australia has already taken on its part. Under the five-step border reopening plan detailed by Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, work permit holders will be able to travel to New Zealand again from March 14 �` except for those whose visas have expired during the pandemic. They feel forgotten explain Things. In fact, Under current rules, you can only get one working holiday visa in your lifetime, whether you use it or not.... Read more...

Recommendations on the fast-tracking of the critical skills visa application process will be on the president`s desk by April. • This was revealed by former home affairs director-general Mavuso Msimang, who was appointed to look into the process. • Msimang and his team have been hard at work for the past five months. The former director-general of home affairs, Mavuso Msimang, will, in the next two months, submit to the Presidency a report on a comprehensive review of the critical skills visa application process. It will include recommendations on how to fast-track the sluggish critical skills work visa system, Msimang told News24.... Read more...

For South African political parties grappling with the idea of coalition politics ahead of 2024, the issue of migrant workers may be the most crucial of all deliberations, says Khaya Sithole. Just over 30 years ago this month during an interview on Larry King Live, Ross Perot decided to put up his hand and run for the US presidency. Perot`s profile as a billionaire who was not part of the Washington establishment but simply wanted to change the way the establishment worked, had significant consequences for the 1992 elections and, as it turned out, for the 2016 US election campaign.... Read more...

For South African political parties grappling with the idea of coalition politics ahead of 2024, the issue of migrant workers may be the most crucial of all deliberations, says Khaya Sithole. Just over 30 years ago this month during an interview on Larry King Live, Ross Perot decided to put up his hand and run for the US presidency. Perot`s profile as a billionaire who was not part of the Washington establishment but simply wanted to change the way the establishment worked, had significant consequences for the 1992 elections and, as it turned out, for the 2016 US election campaign. At the heart of Perot`s message, was the idea that the other contenders �` George HW Bush and Bill Clinton, were too entrenched in the establishment to actually fix it. As it turned out, that election campaign coincided with the ongoing deliberations around the trade agreement between the US, Mexico and Canada. The most contentious points related to the impact of the proposed agreement on US jobs.... Read more...

The Home Affairs department is notorious for corruption �` for its officials who abuse their positions for ‘cold drink money’. Last week, after hearing complaints from people in Soweto, Maverick Citizen columnist Tshabalira Lebakeng visited the department’s offices in central Johannesburg. This is what he found. On Wednesday, 9 February 2022, there was a fight between the people and the security at the Home Affairs office in Harrison Street, Johannesburg, due to bribes over the buying of services.... Read more...

Government’s approach to prioritising the employment of South Africans has come under fire. Centre for Development and Enterprise executive director Ann Bernstein, says government is tackling the topic of critical skills and employment in the wrong way. Bernstein says South Africa is a country that is desperate for growth, with a shortage of skilled people, entrepreneurs, university lecturers and maths teachers. “We are not a country where we just have a shortage for one or two things.” Bernstein said: To spend an inordinate amount of time just to determine whether we need sheep shearers or business process managers is ridiculous. “It’s not like skilled people are desperate to get into the country. We should be actively going out in the world looking for people with skills.”... Read more...

Critical skills list: Government got it wrong, says expert City Press �` 18-02-2022 Government’s approach to prioritising the employment of South Africans has come under fire. Centre for Development and Enterprise executive director Ann Bernstein, says government is tackling the topic of critical skills and employment in the wrong way. Bernstein says South Africa is a country that is desperate for growth, with a shortage of skilled people, entrepreneurs, university lecturers and maths teachers. “We are not a country where we just have a shortage for one or two things.” Bernstein said:... Read more...

The Department of Home Affairs is looking for a company that can help them build and deploy parts of the country’s identity-matching Services (IDMS), as well as host and manage parts of the existing IDMS system so that people can use them. The IDMS was set up to stop people from using fake or stolen identities, help law enforcement find people of interest, and allow other government agencies to provide services. This was set up after the political leaders of all of Australia’s states and territories agreed to it in 2017.... Read more...

At a Glance • The Ministry of Interior in Bahrain launched a Golden Residency Visa program for current Bahraini residents and foreign nationals seeking to live and work in Bahrain long term, which was first announced in October 2021. Interested foreign nationals can now apply under the program.... Read more...

Doctors won’t have to spend a year training before sitting exams Two court rulings have made it easier for South African doctors and dentists who trained overseas and want to practice here. Illustration: Lisa Nelson • Two recent court rulings have found in favour of South African-born doctors and dentists trained overseas who now want to practice in the country. • The cases challenged... Read more...

Platform launches this week, but arrivals cards remain some way off. International travellers flying into Australia will begin using the federal government’s permissions capability platform to complete arrivals checks from this week. But work to integrate the new Pega-based platform with existing border systems is ongoing, meaning the incoming passenger card is not expected to be digitised until later this year.... Read more...

Pretoria - A judge gave the Department of Home Affairs a tongue lashing for wasting taxpayers’ money by not doing its work and ignoring applications made by the public. He said these ended up in the courts, usually with the taxpayers footing the legal bill on behalf of the department. Judge MP Phooko, sitting in the Gauteng High Court, Pretoria, said it was time “Home Affairs got its house in order”.... Read more...

You can approach one of the organisations that work with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees The whole question Dear Athalie My asylum seeker permit has a note saying that I must pay a fine because I was one week late in renewing it. Where can I go to resolve this? All the refugee reception offices are closed! The long answer The Department of Home Affairs (DHA) set up an online system in April 2021 to renew refugee and asylum seekers’ permits, and gave a deadline of 31 December 2021 for renewing permits online. A lot of people missed that deadline, saying that the DHA online system was always breaking down, while some said that they never got any response after renewing their permits online.... Read more...

After 26 years of successfully operating our own business in SA, we are virtually being told by home affairs that we are not wanted in SA anymore I read Michael Bagraim’s letter with great interest (“How job reservation is going to tackle unemployment is a mystery,” February 15). The issue goes even further. My wife and I (German nationals) came to SA in 1996, brought foreign investments into this country, founded our own company and employed SA nationals, always at the prescribed ratio of at least 60/40.... Read more...

The bidding process for a visa and permit applications management tender worth R50 million closed on 25 February 2022. Home affairs minister Aaron Motsoaledi’s confirmed the closing date in response to questions asked by the Democratic Alliance’s Adrian Roos. The current contract, awarded to VFS Global in December 2010, expires in December this year. The new contract is valued at R50 million according to the tender document. According to Motsoaledi, the current bid specifications for the appointment of a project officer to manage the project were approved by the Bid Specification Committee on 9 February. Roos also asked if there would be an alternative review process other than a formal appeal by VFS.... Read more...

• South Africa`s department of home affairs is looking to hire 200 `highly patriotic` personnel for the newly formed Border Management Authority. • But patriotism alone won`t do �` successful candidates need to be fit, know how to use a firearm, and have some public security training. • Annual salaries for regular border guards start at around R212,000 and stretch up to almost R380,000 for specialised platoon commanders.... Read more...

Nearly 180 000 Zimbabwean Exemption Permit (ZEP) holders living in South Africa face deportation at the end of this year if they are unable to find an alternative permits that will allow them to remain in the country. Most ZEP holders are unlikely to qualify for the critical skills list published on February 2 2022 by Home Affairs Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi. They say the grace period the Cabinet announced in November last year was too short for them to uproot their lives. The ZEP was introduced in 2017, replacing a series of earlier permits to regularise Zimbabweans living in South Africa since 2010.... Read more...

Home Affairs minister Aaron Motsoaledi has updated which services will be available at Home Affairs offices during the country’s adjusted level 1 lockdown. In a government gazette published at the end of February, Motsoaledi said that this will include: • Births registration; • Late registration birth; • Re-issuance of birth and marriage certificates; • Applications for unabridged birth, marriage and death certificates, including vault copies;... Read more...

Home Affairs minister Aaron Motsoaledi has updated which services will be available at Home Affairs offices during the country’s adjusted level 1 lockdown. In a government gazette published at the end of February, Motsoaledi said that this will include: • Births registration; • Late registration birth; • Re-issuance of birth and marriage certificates; • Applications for unabridged birth, marriage and death... Read more...

President Cyril Ramaphosa says when employers knowingly hire undocumented foreign workers, they contribute towards social tensions between citizens and foreign nationals in the country. `I want to take this occasion to address employers in this country, including in hospitality, agriculture, transport and other labour-intensive sectors. When employers knowingly hire undocumented foreign workers, they are breaking the law,` the President said on Monday. He made these remarks during the 2022 Human Rights Day national event at the Reagile Community Centre in Koster, North West.... Read more...

Documents found included more than 95 South African ID books, birth certificates and passports. A 47-year-old Zimbabwean man was arrested after police found a fully functioning “department of home affairs” in his flat in Hillbrow, Johannesburg.... Read more...

Instead of being at the heart of a functioning state, Home Affairs has been a joke, for a very long time. The consequences cannot be more serious, writes Helena Wasserman. Here’s a South African story (privileged edition). My son turned 16 and we decided to apply for an ID and passport. Trying to avoid the long queues at Home Affairs in Cape Town, we travelled an hour to a nearby town to apply for his documents there. We arrived at 06:00, where a line of freezing people, including many mothers cradling newborns who needed to get registered, were already waiting in the dark.... Read more...

SA Visa Many tourists have been thrown into the deep end as Home Affairs implement South African visa changes overnight. I’m sure by now many of you have read or heard about the recent rules that have come into effect for the SA Visa. After doing some research I decided to gather some information together to try and put your minds at ease and make sure you are aware of how to avoid being declared an “undesirable” person.... Read more...

Many tourists have been thrown into the deep end as Home Affairs implement South African visa changes overnight. I’m sure by now many of you have read or heard about the recent rules that have come into effect for the SA Visa. After doing some research I decided to gather some information together to try and put your minds at ease and make sure you are aware of how to avoid being declared an “undesirable” person.... Read more...

Instead of being at the heart of a functioning state, Home Affairs has been a joke, for a very long time. The consequences cannot be more serious, writes Helena Wasserman. Here’s a South African story (privileged edition). My son turned 16 and we decided to apply for an ID and passport. Trying to avoid the long queues at Home Affairs in Cape Town, we travelled an hour to a nearby town to apply for his documents there.... Read more...

Citizens often have to take off several days to sort out their documentation at Home Affairs. London-based lawyer Reinhardt Biermann details his journey of first trying to sort out his passport in the UK before it expired in May, before coming to South Africa, where the process wasn`t much better. As is the case for many South Africans, as well as foreigners, I recently had to apply for documentation at the Department of Home Affairs (DHA).... Read more...

There is no doubt that the expungement laws in South Africa can be confusing and convoluted. Our goal at Sami is to provide a one stop resource for South African expungement information. Here is a list of the most common frequently asked questions about removing a criminal record: • Do I qualify to remove my criminal record? • Is it legal to remove my criminal record? • What is expungement? • Why is an expungement firm essential? • Why is expunge... Read more...

The fact that we don’t actually know how many ‘undocumented’ migrants there are is, in part, attributable to a systemic problem of state administration with the Department of Home Affairs. Kopanang Africa Against Xenophobia had planned a demonstration on Human Rights Day 2022 across South Africa, but alas it was banned by the Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD). The aim of the ban was to avoid conflict since those involved in Operation Dudula had threatened to attack the anti-xenophobia march. The JMPD could not guarantee the safety of both sides in a possible confrontation fueled by a concoction of mistruths and misperceptions about non-nationals being responsible for unemployment, crime and poverty in South Africa.... Read more...

The fact that we don’t actually know how many ‘undocumented’ migrants there are is, in part, attributable to a systemic problem of state administration with the Department of Home Affairs. Kopanang Africa Against Xenophobia had planned a demonstration on Human Rights Day 2022 across South Africa, but alas it was banned by the Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD).... Read more...

SA’s ubuntu being abused by individuals who are pariahs in their own countries, says home affairs minister Earlier this month home affairs minister Aaron Motsoaledi was brutally honest about he felt about illegal foreign immigrants in the country. Image: Screengrab A video of home affairs minister Aaron Motsoaledi launching a stinging attack on illegal foreign nationals is spreading on the internet. The occasion was his address at an ANC regional conference in the Eastern Cape where the minister pledged that “unlike other coward ANC leaders”, his views on the scourge of undocumented foreign nationals running amok in the country will never be censored.... Read more...

South Africa has illusions of grandeur about being a modern, competitive country. A day or two or three in a queue at a Home Affairs office in Johannesburg should quickly (well, slowly) disabuse you of that notion. This is a story written while waiting in one of those lines. inter is coming. The mornings are darker and colder. Nonetheless, by the time you arrive at Home Affairs at 7am, the queue is already a hundred people long. You can see on their faces that they are in for a long day. Grim determination.... Read more...

More than 41,500km and R150,000 later, a Rustenburg man still hasn’t got his Ukrainian wife and son home. A South African man has so far travelled 41,500km and spent more than R150,000 trying to get his new Ukrainian wife and three-year-old son into South Africa and out of danger back home. But because of the intransigence and apparent confusion of South African immigration authorities, she and their son are still in Ukraine, just as it faces a new offensive from Russia.... Read more...

The Department of Home Affairs has shed light on how self-proclaimed prophet Shepherd Bushiri illegally used tithes from his church and an aircraft to obtain documents for permanent residency in South Africa. In final submissions filed in a disciplinary case against the senior official who granted approval for Bushiri’s permanent residency, the department goes to length to show that Bushiri and his family did not qualify for permanent residency after they used bank accounts of their church and an aircraft purchased for $1,25-million as proof of an investment they were going make. The department contended that Bushiri did not have a net worth of R12-million and instead used the bank account of the church for his application in 2016.... Read more...

The South African government plans to change its data collection systems to get a better idea of how many skilled South Africans are leaving the country. The proposal, which is included in the Department of Employment and Labour’s latest National Labour Migration Policy (NLMP), notes the country has seen an outflow of valuable skills in several sectors. It added that the emigration of skilled South Africans has not been addressed efficiently through any specific policy, and constitutes a growing problem in certain sectors. The updated data-tracking will also allow the government and public to have reliable, up-to-date data on flows and stocks of highly skilled South Africans employed abroad and on sectors and occupations partic... Read more...

New data from Statistics New Zealand shows the number of South African nationals who have gained residency in the country has risen sharply in recent months as global lockdown restrictions ease. The statistics body’s data shows that the number of South Africans who were accepted on business or skilled residency visas increased to 4,395 in December 2021, up from as few as 30 visas in September 2020 at the height of the Covid pandemic. Similar jumps were seen in other visa categories and for other countries �` indicating that New Zealand cleared a backlog in applications as travel restrictions were eased. Around 1,580 South Africans gained residence in March 2022, indicating that some normalisation has begun to take place �` although this is still well above the average 500 monthly residencies recorded pre-pandemic.... Read more...

for restricting how many migrant workers, students and visitors can come into the country. Travellers from a country needing visas to enter New Zealand, such as China, India and South Africa, have to wait till October under the government`s current border timeline, unless they have an existing visa or border exemption. Immigration New Zealand (INZ) has 20 percent fewer staff than before the pandemic and has been juggling the surge in one-off residence visas and an overhaul of work visas. But it denied its ability to process visas was the sole factor in the delay to re-opening to the rest of the world.... Read more...

The fact that we don’t actually know how many ‘undocumented’ migrants there are is, in part, attributable to a systemic problem of state administration with the Department of Home Affairs. Kopanang Africa Against Xenophobia had planned a demonstration on Human Rights Day 2022 across South Africa, but alas it was banned by the Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD).... Read more...

The South African government plans to change its data collection systems to get a better idea of how many skilled South Africans are leaving the country. The proposal, which is included in the Department of Employment and Labour’s latest National Labour Migration Policy (NLMP), notes the country has seen an outflow of valuable skills in several sectors. It added that the emigration of skilled South Africans has not been addressed efficiently through any specific policy, and constitutes a growing problem in certain sectors.... Read more...

South African passport holders can travel to 104 countries globally visa-free, says Rhyan O’Sullivan, managing director at the TEFL Academy. “Teaching English overseas provides an opportunity to see the world, without the cost and hassle of long embassy queues and visa paperwork,” said O’Sullivan. Some of the most popular destinations looking for people to teach English as a foreign language include Thailand, Hong Kong, Brazil and Ireland.... Read more...

The man allegedly approached the German national in 2016 with the promise of assisting him with applying for permanent residency in SA at a fee. A 50-year-old man has been arrested for allegedly posing as an immigration consultant to swindle money from an undocumented German national in Limpopo. Provincial Hawks spokesperson Captain Matimba Maluleke said Alfred Godfrey Kgakile Chaane allegedly approached the German national in 2016 with the promise of assisting him with applying for permanent residency in South Africa at a fee.... Read more...

The man allegedly approached the German national in 2016 with the promise of assisting him with applying for permanent residency in SA at a fee. A 50-year-old man has been arrested for allegedly posing as an immigration consultant to swindle money from an undocumented German national in Limpopo.... Read more...

Durban �` Independent Media has learnt that a Pakistani man and 27 others were arrested during a joint operation on Thursday night in Krugersdorp, Gauteng, for falsifying passport documents. Of those arrested, 14 were foreign nationals and 14 were South Africans, according to Hawks Gauteng spokesperson Carol Mulamu, who was at the scene. Mulamu said R45 000 in cash was found as well as the vehicles believed to be used by the syndicate. Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi spoke to the media outside the Home Affairs office in Krugersdorp, where the suspects were arrested, on Thursday night.... Read more...

ZEP Permit Holders - Beware �` Be careful of false information �` this circulating in your community , it is factually incorrect “ Good evening dear members. We now have Immigration Directive 12 of 2021. I would like to encourage all of you without or with professional qualifications etc who would want to apply for a General Work permit later to apply for a Waiver within the next 9 days and Department of Home Affairs have said they will process your waivers applications before 31 March 2022.... Read more...

Life Partner Visa �` South Africa Life Partner visa is issued to someone in a long term relationship. This type of South Africa life partner visa is available to people in either heterosexual or same-sex relationships and can apply for a life partner temporary residence visa or a permanent residence depending on the length of the relationship in question. An application for temporary residence life partner visa requires that the partners are in a proven relationship for 2 years. Foreigners who are life partners of South African citizens or permanent resident holders may apply for permanent residence if they have been together for 5 years or more in terms the Immigration Act.... Read more...

Abandoned Asylum Seeker Status �` What does it mean and what can I do Home Affairs implemented the Refugees Act and certain provisions of new regulations (both implemented on 1 January 2020), which sought to return asylum seekers back to their home country, simply for being a month late in renewing a visa where they could face detention without trial, rape, torture or death, This had the effect that if you did not renew your asylum in 30 days under the new Act you could no longer pay a fine for being illegal and simply continue with your asylum . This is a huge problem so for example if you expired during lockdown you could in theory be deported as there was no provision for a fine .... Read more...

`It can`t be that Zimbabweans and Basotho have got a different law to rule them when everyone else is under immigration laws,` says Motsoaledi. Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi has slammed claims ZEP holders will not qualify for any other visa and will be forced to leave the country as a result. This as Cabinet decided to no longer issue extensions with the ZEP, which ended on 31 December, and further decided on a 12-month grace period. During the grace period, ZEP holders must apply for other permits appropriate to their particular status or situation. Those who are not successful will have to leave South Africa or be deported.... Read more...

Durban �` Independent Media has learnt that a Pakistani man and 27 others were arrested during a joint operation on Thursday night in Krugersdorp, Gauteng, for falsifying passport documents. Of those arrested, 14 were foreign nationals and 14 were South Africans, according to Hawks Gauteng spokesperson Carol Mulamu, who was at the scene.... Read more...

Good evening dear members. We now have Immigration Directive 12 of 2021. I would like to encourage all of you without or with professional qualifications etc who would want to apply for a General Work permit later to apply for a Waiver within the next 9 days and Department of Home Affairs have said they will process your waivers applications before 31 March 2022. If your waiver applications is successful and granted, you will be able to apply for a General Work Permit without a need to have documentations required like certificates, Saqa documentation, police clearance, newspaper adverts etc. They will only then need your employers letter, valid passport and covid vaccination certificate to apply for the General Work Permit when your waiver applications is successful.... Read more...

There is no guarantee that using one of the few Home Affairs branches located at South Africa’s major banks will offer a seamless experience. Many South Africans, including MyBroadband’s journalists, have had relatively trouble-free excursions to apply for and collect their smart ID cards or passports at these offices. These facilities offer an alternative to standing in snaking queues at large Home Affairs offices, which have become infamous for slow service and frequent downtime. Bank-based Home Affairs units require that the initial application and payments are handled on the E-Home Affairs portal, cutting down the time spent at the branch.... Read more...

The Department of Home Affairs (DHA) plans to expand its service offering through bank branches in the coming months to reduce growing queues at its offices. However, the expansion was hampered by several logistical issues, including the lack of available personnel. Responding to a recent parliamentary question and answer session, Home Secretary Aaron Motsoaledi said his department and the country’s major banks had not signed the necessary public-private partnership (PPP) due to a number of “relevant issues” that still need to be resolved.... Read more...

Home Affairs implemented the Refugees Act and certain provisions of new regulations (both implemented on 1 January 2020), which sought to return asylum seekers back to their home country, simply for being a month late in renewing a visa where they could face detention without trial, rape, torture or death, This had the effect that if you did not renew your asylum in 30 days under the new Act you could no longer pay a fine for being illegal and simply continue with your asylum .... Read more...

`It can`t be that Zimbabweans and Basotho have got a different law to rule them when everyone else is under immigration laws,` says Motsoaledi. Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi has slammed claims ZEP holders will not qualify for any other visa and will be forced to leave the country as a result. This as Cabinet decided to no longer issue extensions with the ZEP, which ended on 31 December, and further decided on a 12-month grace period.... Read more...

There is no guarantee that using one of the few Home Affairs branches located at South Africa’s major banks will offer a seamless experience. Many South Africans, including MyBroadband’s journalists, have had relatively trouble-free excursions to apply for and collect their smart ID cards or passports at these offices.... Read more...

The Department of Home Affairs (DHA) plans to expand its service offering through bank branches in the coming months to reduce growing queues at its offices. However, the expansion was hampered by several logistical issues, including the lack of available personnel. Responding to a recent parliamentary question and answer session, Home Secretary Aaron Motsoaledi said his department and the country’s major banks had not signed the necessary public-private partnership (PPP) due to a number of “relevant issues” that still need to be resolved.... Read more...

Stuck Permanent Residence Application �` Case for Legal Action As discussed with our Our Team Member and the various stages of escalation we offer : 1. Normal Followup 2. Expedited Followup 3. Legal Action flowing into a high court process... Read more...

Criminal Record �` Visa Stuck �` Paid an AOG ( Admission of Guilt ) fine �` We can remove it . Frequently Asked Questions There is no doubt that the expungement laws in South Africa can be confusing and convoluted. Our goal at CRR is to provide a one stop resource for South African expungement information. As you browse through the site you will find a wealth of knowledge about what exactly expungement is, what the process of expungement entails, and whether your particular situation is eligible for expungement. Here is a list of the most common frequently asked questions about removing a criminal record... Read more...

• The credit rating agency Moody`s upgraded its outlook on South Africa from `negative` (which meant the next step could potentially be another downgrade) to `stable`. • While government bonds are still rated as `junk`, Moody`s says South Africa`s fiscal position has `markedly recovered`. • It praised the state`s ability to keep growth in the public sector wage bill to below inflation. The credit rating agency Moody`s upgraded its outlook on South Africa from “negative” to “stable”.... Read more...

New Home Affairs system to be expanded in South Africa Businesstech - 8 April 2022 The Department of Home Affairs plans to expand its e-booking system which it says will drastically reduce long queues and wait times at its offices. Responding in a recent parliamentary Q&A, Home Affairs minister Aaron Motsoaledi said the Branch Appointment Booking System will be piloted at some live capture offices for Smart ID Card and Passports applications, as well as for the collections of both documents during the 2021/22 financial year.... Read more...

The Department of Home Affairs plans to expand its e-booking system which it says will drastically reduce long queues and wait times at its offices. Responding in a recent parliamentary Q&A, Home Affairs minister Aaron Motsoaledi said the Branch Appointment Booking System will be piloted at some live capture offices for Smart ID Card and Passports applications, as well as for the collections of both documents during the 2021/22 financial year.... Read more...

Egypt announced this week that South Africans travelling to Egypt for tourism no longer have to acquire a visa in advance from Egyptian embassies. They can now get their visa upon arrival at Cairo International Airport. The land of the pharaohs is a destination that has long been on the bucket list of many South Africans given Egypt’s rich cultural heritage and attractively priced seaside resorts. According to an Egypt Today report, on April 3 The Pharaohs’ Golden Parade celebrated its first anniversary.... Read more...

Migrants in the UK with Skilled Worker visas often consider undertaking additional employment or doing charity work. The rules on Additional Working and Studying for Skilled Worker. Image: AdobeStock However, many Skilled Worker migrants are unsure about the immigration terms and conditions for additional work or study. Sami has compiled some guidelines to avoid the pitfalls. Skilled Workers and Supplementary Work... Read more...

The outcry is growing from the South African public about the lacklustre services that department of home affairs officials provide, a saga that has been ongoing for years. The list of grievances includes disheartening queues, which commence beyond the entrances of most of the home affairs branches, key machinery being intermittently offline, fallible officials prone to bribery and most recently, the growing calls for the resignation of Minister Aaron Motsoaledi.... Read more...

Documents found included more than 95 South African ID books, birth certificates and passports. A 47-year-old Zimbabwean man was arrested after police found a fully functioning “department of home affairs” in his flat in Hillbrow, Johannesburg. Gauteng provincial commissioner Lt-Gen Elias Mawela said police were patrolling the streets of Hillbrow when a community member tipped them off about a man producing fraudulent identity documents and passports. When police searched the man’s flat they found documents that include more than 95 South African identity documents, birth certificates, smart identity cards, passports, bank statements, Covid-19 certificates, work permits, police firearm licence competency certificates, Sassa cards, bank cards and other essential documents.... Read more...

Johannesburg - Department of Home Affairs Gauteng provincial manager Mamokubung Moroke admitted during the DA’s visit today to the Home Affairs office in the Johannesburg CBD that they lacked resources and capacity to handle the large number of people coming to the department. This comes after DA leader John Steenhuisen led a DA delegation on an oversight inspection of the Home Affairs office in the Johannesburg CBD.... Read more...

The Prime Minister wants to see the first migrants handed a ‘one-way ticket’ to Rwanda flown out in roughly six weeks as the Government battles to curb Channel crossings. Boris Johnson is reportedly keen for the first flight carrying those deemed to have arrived in the UK illegally �` including those taking to the water to embark on the perilous journey in small boats �` to leave late next month, marking the start of plans to move thousands within the next few years.... Read more...

Long Outstanding Permanent Residence �` What are my options Legal Action �` Class Action vs individual Court Action Class Action appears cheaper way but has more consequences to applicant than individual court action . Whilst class action hits the newspapers etc it pushes Home Affairs into a corner and they need to deliver against a court deadline a decision but it may not be what you expect. It could be a rejection . For example an older pending application with an expired visa will lead to a rejection .... Read more...

The Prime Minister wants to see the first migrants handed a ‘one-way ticket’ to Rwanda flown out in roughly six weeks as the Government battles to curb Channel crossings. Boris Johnson is reportedly keen for the first flight carrying those deemed to have arrived in the UK illegally �` including those taking to the water to embark on the perilous journey in small boats �` to leave late next month, marking the start of plans to move thousands within the next few years.... Read more...

Johannesburg - Department of Home Affairs Gauteng provincial manager Mamokubung Moroke admitted during the DA’s visit today to the Home Affairs office in the Johannesburg CBD that they lacked resources and capacity to handle the large number of people coming to the department.... Read more...

Facing challenges when applying for a gender marker change at Home Affairs is not uncommon. Inadequate training by Home Affairs officials around Act 49 of 2003, the Alteration of Sex Description and Sex Status Act, can lead to inappropriate questions, unreasonable demands and outright denials during the application process. Approaching a Home Affairs branch is an unwelcome prospect for many South Africans. Long waits, bureaucracy and paperwork are hardly something to look forward to. But for those approaching Home Affairs to change their gender marker, there is an added layer of stress: the fear that they are going to need to justify their existence throughout each step of the process.... Read more...

Unemployed teachers are disheartened by the latest reports about the shortage of teachers in the country, taking to social media to share their heartbreak. According to the latest reports, the teacher shortage worsened after Home Affairs cancelled Zimbabwe exemption permits. Almost 200 000 Zimbabwean nationals will be affected and they don`t hold much hope of getting the relevant visa. Early this month, the opposition Democratic Alliance said it will submit an advisory note to Home Affairs minister Aaron Motsoaledi highlighting deficiencies in the country’s critical skills list and how it can be improved to match South Africa’s current development needs. Among other concerns, the DA raised concerns about a shortage of maths and science teachers in the country.... Read more...

On 28 April, a private charter flight landed at Cape Town International Airport. Ieva Andrejevaite was among the passengers which included a British billionaire, who owned the plane. The purpose of the visit was to attend a series of parties being hosted by the South African businessman. This was confirmed by a source with intimate knowledge about the incident. The source said the passengers on the plane told immigration services that they were in the country for leisure and made it clear that they were going to attend a party being thrown by the well-known South African businessman. While the rest of the passengers were allowed to enter South Africa, Andrejevaite was stopped as she did not have a valid visa to enter the country.... Read more...

In a relatively well-run town like Stellenbosch in the Western Cape, its Home Affairs is close to collapse, reportedly operating with a staff capacity of less than 15%. The office shares consistent problems with other Home Affairs offices across the country. It is 11.16 am and exhaustion hangs in the air. Many people have been in the line that snakes around the Stellenbosch Home Affairs office for almost four hours... Read more...

Somewhere in the late 1980s, I tried to travel from Durban to Cape Town through the Transkei after a student conference. I knew at the time that �` even though the South African government acknowledged the `homelands` as independent countries, one could easily travel through them without a passport, as long as you had your South African ID document with you. On this occasion, though, I had left my ID document at home. I decided to combine an appetite for risk with naïve political acumen, and thus attempted an unauthorised international trip within my own country. As a white male, I knew the risk would be minimal when stopped at the border post. In my most eloquent politically inspired narrative, I tried to explain to the immigration official (a fellow Afrikaans speaking South African white male) that we all knew this was a sham in the eyes of the international community, and could he please just let me through.... Read more...

More than 150 people caught up in a backlog of visa applications have reportedly not been told how long delays might be. BBC News says British couples kept in separate countries by the backlog have contacted the broadcaster to raise the issue of delays, with complaints of some applications taking twice the usual processing time of three months. The BBC says British citizen Deon Barnard and his wife Heather, who both grew up in South Africa, applied for a visa on December 23, with Mr Barnard moving to London to start a new job.... Read more...

The Home Affairs director-general has told Parliament that there are 9,025 unfunded vacancies in the Civic Services branch alone. Staff shortages, budget cuts and regular network failures are causing block-long queues outside offices across the country. Day-long queues have become a permanent feature outside Home Affairs offices across the country, from Johannesburg to Stellenbosch and Cape Town. Although the top brass are trying to solve the causes, a budget shortage means the issue won’t be sorted out in the near future, despite a “war on queues” programme initiated in 2018. The problem appears to be that Treasury, crumbling under multiple pressures, does not have the money.... Read more...

Philip Chuma allegedly killed himself after failing to register for the academic year because his study permit had expired. The Home Affairs Department has clarified details surrounding the death of a Zimbabwean PhD student from Wits University who allegedly killed himself after failing to register for the academic year because his permit had expired saying nothing prevented him from registering. Weekend reports suggested that Philip Chuma, a PhD student at the School of Education could not register for the 2022 academic year after his study permit expired at the end of January 2022.... Read more...

Weeks after Home Affairs raided dens housing a passport syndicate, a Bangladeshi citizen tried to leave the country with a fraudulent passport with the name Lebogang Ndlovu Lebogang Ndlovu. Sounds like a South African name, right? Not if you illegally buy your citizenship. This is the name a Bangladesh citizen, who was arrested at OR Tambo this week, christened himself with. Ndlovu, real name Fahim Kazi, was picked up as he tried to leave the country on Wednesday night. The Department of Home Affairs, which has embarked on a massive clean-up campaign, found the Bangladeshi had unsuccessfully applied for asylum in 2015. He is said to have been based in Kimberly, Northern Cape.... Read more...

SA’s economy has been stagnant for 10 years. • Stiff global headwinds are forecast for the SA economy, the Bureau of Economic Research at Stellenbosch University heard on Tuesday. • China, the US and Russia are dramatically affecting global growth. • BER senior economist Craig Lemboe described the outlook for the economy over the next year as `three steps forward, two steps back`. The Goldilocks days when regulators were able to ensure the global economy was not too hot, too cold but just right, are over as policymakers face an `unprecedented number of obstacles`, the Bureau of Economic Research (BER) at Stellenbosch University heard on Tuesday.... Read more...

Jeff Schultz expects the SA Reserve Bank will front-load the rate hike cycle with two increases of 50 basis points each in both May and July as it attempts to ensure that inflation falls back towards 4.5%. We expect the SA Reserve Bank (SARB) to hike its policy rate by 50 basis points �` its largest hike since January 2016 �` to 4.75% on Thursday. While high levels of uncertainty and a weak South African economy suggest that the decision is unlikely to be unanimous, we expect a stronger majority (4:1) than before to be in favour of front-loading hikes.... Read more...

ZEP holder . confused , afraid about the future post 31 December 2022 �` Don’t want to be Deported Talk to us about a study solution that will allow you to work and study and prolong your stay in South Africa in 2023 and be legal . We at SA Migration International pride ourselves on innovative , cutting edge but legal solutions , allowing you to be fully compliant with the immigration system and allow you to work and earn money which after all is what you are trying in South Africa to survive . Going home we know is not an option for you .... Read more...

The chief director for permitting at Home Affairs has been dismissed over the permanent residency permits issued to Shepherd Bushiri and his family. The self-proclaimed prophet fled fraud charges in 2020 and is living in Malawi as a fugitive. Despite a pending extradition case to face fraud charges in South Africa, life appears to be continuing as normal for self-proclaimed prophet Shepherd Bushiri, the leader of the Enlightened Christian Gathering Church. Following a service in Lilongwe, Malawi, on Sunday, Bushiri posed for photos after receiving portraits from a congregant in honour of his charity work in Malawi. Back in South Africa, authorities continue to reckon with the wealthy church leader’s web of fraud, which includes allegedly “capturing” Home Affairs, deceiving investors out of R102-million and fleeing the country while out on bail.... Read more...

No matter where you talk about the lack of jobs that South Africans are facing or the skyrocketing crime rate, the bottom line is that the words `illegal` and `immigrant` will come up. There are a large number of people from other countries who are here without proper documentation and are competing with citizens for everything; jobs; service delivery; and are also involved in crimes such as pickpocketing, cash transit heists, and ATM bombing, which are negatively affecting the economy of this country. View pictures in App save up to 80% data.... Read more...

Details of how Home Affairs planned to reduce queues were laid out by Minister Aaron Motsoaledi in his budget vote speech, but he largely dodged South Africa’s immigration fiasco, simply saying a complete overhaul was in the offing as the main opposition parties gave him short shrift over our poorly managed, porous borders. In his budget vote speech on Tuesday, Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi outlined a 12-point plan to increase efficiency and reduce the long queues outside the department’s offices �` but chronic staff shortages will remain.... Read more...

No matter where you talk about the lack of jobs that South Africans are facing or the skyrocketing crime rate, the bottom line is that the words `illegal` and `immigrant` will come up. There are a large number of people from other countries who are here without proper documentation and are competing with citizens for everything; jobs; service delivery; and are also involved in crimes such as pickpocketing, cash transit heists, and ATM bombing, which are negatively affecting the economy of this country. View pictures in App save up to 80% data.... Read more...

Some German teachers in South Africa say they hope the German Chancellor Olaf Scholz will discuss the challenges of visas and their work permits. President Cyril Ramaphosa is hosting the German Chancellor on an official visit at the Union Buildings in Pretoria on Tuesday. Both leaders are expected to discuss issues of bilateral and global concerns including ways to enhance cooperation in the areas of energy and climate change among others.... Read more...

In April, following the death of Operation Dudula member, Kgomotso Diale, residents of Pimville expressed their disappointment in the government and the police for failing to protect them against crime. Diale was shot and killed by illegal foreigners after a confrontation about cable theft. Police Minister, Bheki Cele had to visit the area where residents got to speak directly to him.... Read more...

Home Affairs Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi has hinted that the department has decided to overhaul its immigration system and that details of this will soon be announced. Motsoaledi said this when he tabled the department`s Budget Vote priorities during a mini plenary of the National Assembly on Tuesday. `…Another elephant in the room is the problem of immigration. I don`t have to outline what is taking place in our country about this problem. It is a crisis we are all well aware of,` he said.... Read more...

The State IT Agency (Sita) is spending R400 million revamping Home Affairs’ whole network, Minister Aaron Motsoaledi has announced in his budget vote speech. Sita recently finished the procurement process and would complete the revamp in the third quarter of this financial year, Motsoaledi said. The Home Affairs minister acknowledged that system downtime is a primary reason for long queues in front of his department’s offices. “It is painful and generates a lot of anger to visit a Home Affairs office very early in the morning and just stand there and wait for hours on end because all systems are down,” said Motsoaledi. “It is very frustrating, to say the least.”... Read more...

The DA in Gauteng has asked government to bill embassies and high commissions for their citizens who are treated at public health institutions in Gauteng. Pretoria �` Foreign embassies in South Africa must be billed for the treatment patients from their countries in Gauteng province, the DA said on Monday.... Read more...

Home Affairs minister Aaron Motsoaledi has announced a complete revamp of his department’s systems in a move to cut down on long queues. Presenting his departmental budget speech on Tuesday (24 May), Motsoaledi said that much of the work and resources are focused on the ‘original sin’ of his department �` system downtime. “It is painful and generates a lot of anger to visit a Home Affairs office very early in the morning and just stand there and wait for hours on end because all systems are down. It is very frustrating to say the least.... Read more...

Home Affairs minister Aaron Motsoaledi has announced a complete revamp of his department’s systems in a move to cut down on long queues, including plans to introduce branches in shopping centres. Presenting his departmental budget speech on Tuesday (24 May), Motsoaledi said that while his department is in the process of building new branches, the introduction of Home Affairs outlets inside shopping malls will provide for ‘immediate relief’ in areas which already have high footfall.... Read more...

Frequently Asked Questions There is no doubt that the expungement laws in South Africa can be confusing and convoluted. Our goal at Sami is to provide a one stop resource for South African expungement information. Here is a list of the most common frequently asked questions about removing a criminal record:... Read more...

Many tourists have been thrown into the deep end as Home Affairs implement South African visa changes overnight. I’m sure by now many of you have read or heard about the recent rules that have come into effect for the SA Visa. After doing some research I decided to gather some information together to try and put your minds at ease and make sure you are aware of how to avoid being declared an “undesirable” person.... Read more...

If your asylum application is rejected, this means that the DHA does not recognise you as a refugee. You will receive a letter stating that you must leave the country or file an appeal usually within 30 days of being told of the rejection. Depending on the reasons for the rejection of your application, you will need to appeal to the Refugee Appeal Board or the Standing Committee for Refugee Affairs.... Read more...

Following our story ‘Queue, the beloved country’, we asked our readers for their views on the crisis at Home Affairs. Here are some of the responses. We requested feedback on the Daily Maverick website, asking readers to share their experience of service at Home Affairs. Their stories are dispiriting, to say the least.... Read more...

Your Responsibilities as a South African Employer of Foreign Staff SA Migration �` 03 June 2022I n April 2022, Home Affairs Minister announced at a press conference that the Department of Home Affairs will be bolstering its immigration inspectorate to investigate companies employing foreign nationals without the correct documentation.... Read more...

Dear foreign artisan, Applying for critical skills work visa in South Africa as an artisan has been a challenge for the longest time. In 2014 when the current amendments to the Immigration Act were gazetted several gaps were identified in the Act which included the absence of a SAQA accredited professional body to register artisans. ECSA was not an option due to their minimum NQF criteria of 5 which was a notch above the rating being given by SAQA for artisans. There was a time letters issued by the National Artisan Moderation Body, (NAMB), were sufficient and then they were not. There was a time when registration with the South African Institute of Draughting was good enough and then it wasn’t.... Read more...

Upon application to the Minister of Home Affairs, the Minister may under terms and conditions determined by him or her allow distinguished visitors or members of his/her family to be administered and sojourn in South Africa and or waive any prescribed (regulatory) requirements for good cause and/or grant any foreigner or category of foreigners the rights of permanent residence for a specified or unspecified period when special circumstances exist justifying such a decision.... Read more...

Pretoria - Zimbabwean school teacher, Wilson Kwatamanzi alleges he was repeatedly punched with clenched fists, put in a chokehold and "almost died" after he was spotted by police officers taking pictures while queuing at Home Affairs offices at Marabastad in Pretoria on Tuesday.... Read more...

It seems like things are falling apart in the Gigaba household. Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba`s alleged mistress has exposed confrontational messages between herself and the minister`s wife Noma on social media.... Read more...

Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba asked foreign students studying in South Africa to stay on after graduation.... Read more...

The Department of Home Affairs has welcomed Cabinet`s decision regarding the recommendations of the Inter-Ministerial Committee the President had established in August 2015 to look at the unintended consequences and mitigating factors relating to the implementation of the Immigration Amendment Acts (2007 and 2011) and Immigration Regulations, 2014. The law, as amended, will remain with adjustments to be made in implementation, to make it easier for people to comply.... Read more...

Home Affairs on Wednesday noted with concern "misleading reports" alleging "minister Malusi Gigaba had intentionally misled the nation by implying that no fraud or corruption had been detected during the roll-out of the smart ID card".... Read more...

TOURISM and travel organisations have welcomed government`s surprise U-turn on elements of the contentious visa regulations, but some have said this has not gone far enough.... Read more...

JOHANNESBURG - As the Department of Home Affairs prepares to relax the conditions of its new visa regulations, it`s being predicted that South Africa`s tourism industry could take a while to recover.... Read more...

Tourist arrivals from the UK are showing positive growth for the first time in months.... Read more...

In response to the recommendations of the inter-ministerial committee established by the President in August 2015 to consider factors relating to the implementation of the Immigration Amendment Acts (2007 and 2011) and Immigration Regulations, 2014, Cabinet has decided to keep the existing legislation in place, whilst amending certain procedures to facilitate implementation thereof.... Read more...

With effort, South Africa can grow annual arrivals from the UK by 10%, an increase of roughly 40 000 tourists per year, says Minister of Tourism Derek Hanekom.... Read more...

Cape Town `second most affordable city in world for UK travellers` � report... Read more...

THE Department of Tourism will begin working to "regain lost ground" in the industry, now that changes have been introduced to SA`s contentious new regulations, minister Derek Hanekom told the tourism portfolio committee on Friday.... Read more...

IT IS not quite the Arab Spring, but SA`s season of the hashtag has turned up the heat. Led by the #FeesMustFall campaign, with noteworthy developments such as the #AntiCorruptionMarch and #EFFMarch, the turbulent period of change announced by the massacre at Marikana continues to unfold. Where it is headed is unclear.... Read more...

Democracy is a dangerous thing, especially in this connected age where the Internet allows instantaneous flow of information at the touch of a cell phone button. Beijing knows this all too well, hence the Great Firewall of China and in-house censors at news organisations. Increasingly nowadays in Africa where such control is absent, political leaders abusing power do so at their peril. Robert Mugabe has managed to loot the public purse and destroy the Zimbabwean economy while staying atop his precarious perch. That`s largely because the Disapora of his well educated and often desperate countrymen has generated remittances to families, staving off the worst consequences of those destructive policies. But as wanna-be Mugabe`s are discovering, like everyone else on earth, Africans love the idea of being able to vote leaders in and out of power. The current chaos in Burundi was sparked by a Big Man trying to change the rules to his own advantage. DRC President Joseph Kabila wants to do likewise. He... Read more...

Arrivals from two of SA`s biggest source markets are down, while overseas arrivals are down 9% year to date.... Read more...

It is said to be a step closer to a paperless environment.... Read more...

Home affairs maintained there were sufficient protections under the Immigration Act.... Read more...

While concessions to South Africa`s immigration regulations were approved by Cabinet, immigration officials at South Africa`s airports have yet to begin implementing the changes.

South African Tourism has released an infographic summarising the amendments made to the regulations, so that you can prepare your clients.
Click here to view the PDF infographic.
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The tourism industry is fed-up with insults from Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba and his Deputy Fatima Chohan and has called on Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa to immediately scrap the "irrational" and "draconian" new visa regulations.... Read more...

Zimbabwe contributes the greatest number of immigrants to South Africa, Statistician General Pali Lehohla has said.... Read more...

Minister denies changes planned in policy, after Pretoria discussed law to prevent Jews from joining IDF... Read more...

The Department of Home Affairs has announced the start of a new pilot project to issue passports through banks.... Read more...

BUSINESS DAY TV: SA`s new visa requirements could cost the economy about R7.5bn a year in lost tourism revenue, that`s according to industry representatives who are asking the government for its immediate removal. Joining us now on News Leader to discuss his views on this is David Frost, he`s the CEO of the South African Tourism Services Association (Satsa).... Read more...

A 62-year-old woman is at wit`s end after nearly three years of struggling to get a new identification document and her pension payout.... Read more...

GREATER Paris is a city of 12-million people that hosts 32-million tourists a year. It has, since the early 1600s, been developed as a city open to visitors, one of the world`s great walking cities... Read more...

The smart identification card remained the most secure form of identification ever produced, Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba said.... Read more...

Smart lighting products are emerging that can offer various additional features, including linking your laptop or smartphone to the internet.... Read more...

Solar energy received a boost on Monday, when Energy Minister Tina Joemat-Pettersson announced a new power procurement project... Read more...

Tourism industry associations will not silence their call for the new immigration regulations to be abolished, despite being accused of not doing enough to market South Africa to overseas travellers by Minister of Home Affairs, Malusi Gigaba.... Read more...

While South Africa has seen a decline in tourist arrivals from its traditional markets as well as from emerging markets that had experienced growth until the first half of 2014, competitor destinations have seen an increase in arrivals from these markets.... Read more...

In SA we have some 425 000 teachers, or educators as they are known. We have some 30 000 schools, approx. 23 000 primary and 7 000 secondary. We have 23 universities, of which NINE are ranked in the top 800/20 000 registered universities globally.... Read more...

WE were just wondering, here at the Mahogany Ridge, about Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba`s bonzo porkie that some 30 000 children were being trafficked in or through South Africa each year.... Read more...

INDEPENDENT MEDIA Two identical fingerprints on two different asylum seeker temporary permits were sold to two Zimbabwean brothers. Picture: Henk Kruger... Read more...

Johannesburg - Several interventions are in the pipeline as the Department of Home Affairs moves in to sanitize its notorious Marabastad refugee reception office, characterised by violent crime and allegations of extensive corruption.... Read more...

THE European Union (EU) is generally presented as the most advanced case of regional integration in the world. It has progressed from a system of sectoral co-operation in energy governance among six states in the early 1950s to a multifaceted body of 28 members, with unprecedented powers in areas such as economic and social development, monetary governance, legal affairs and foreign policy.... Read more...

In Andrew Donaldson`s recent piece on the toxic visa furore, in his usual tone, Donaldson puts it all down to a capitalist plot. In this response, reader Brent Johnson blames the mess on the psychology of always wanting to be right. He refers to a book by Kathryn Schulz called: "Being Wrong � Adventures in the Margin of Error". The book explores explores human emotions and as Brett puts it "why we find it so gratifying to be right and so maddening to be mistaken, and how this attitude toward error corrodes our relationships � whether between family members, colleagues, neighbours, or nations." Johnson calls on the Home Affairs Minister to read it.... Read more...

SOUTH Africa`s new visa regulations have led to a "worrying drop" in foreign visitors, and a new approach may be needed, Tourism Minister Derek Hanekom said on Wednesday.... Read more...

Mark Twain told us to be wary of Lies, Damn Lies and Statistics. That won`t be lost on tourism operators after SA`s Department of Home Affairs yesterday countered the wave of criticism over the new Visa requirements. Minister Malusi Gigaba`s worthy servants tell us real-world evidence is all a lie. OK, so there are the occasional "unintended consequences" (not sure Ambassador Douglas Gibson would put it that way) but the official statistics prove those are exceptions. So who do we believe? Hundreds of tourist-based businesses now teetering? Or the numbers produced by minions proving Gigaba was right all along? � Alec Hogg... Read more...

THE media and the public will now be allowed to attend asylum seekers` appeals when conducted following the adoption of the Refugee Amendment Bill.... Read more...

South Africa`s child travel regulations, which are a headache to Swazi parents and guardians and are being blamed for dwindling tourist figures in the kingdom, look more likely to continue being in... Read more...

SA`S NEW travel rules prevented our minor children from attending a family funeral. My wife and children were on holiday in Florence, Italy, and I had returned early to our home in Singapore when we received the tragic news that our three-year-old niece had passed away. We wanted to return to SA immediately, in time for the funeral last Friday... Read more...

HOW can the debacle of the immigration regulations be explained? According to media reports, youthful heartthrob Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba has faced off against wiry veteran Tourism Minister Derek Hanekom in a fight about unabridged birth certificates and biometric data collection.... Read more...

"This is more than just an `unintended consequence`� but an economic catastrophe that requires more than the establishment of an IMC � it requires immediate action to prevent further job losses. (Home Affairs) Minister (Malusi) Gigaba must act immediately to save tourism jobs�" Maimane said... Read more...

THE processing of new visa applications for entry into SA were disrupted on Monday when the website of the government`s agent went down for "maintenance", raising concerns over delays in the travel plans of visitors.... Read more...

THE South African Embassy in Harare has their work cut out again as hundreds of Zimbabweans look to escape the country`s worsening economic crisis.... Read more...

In true Cees Bruggemans style, he sums up the ANC brilliantly � it`s like standing on an elevator, and trying to walk upstairs and downstairs at the same time. They stay on the same spot, and the world just keeps rolling away from them.... Read more...

The chairman of a powerful European Parliament committee today described as "scandalous" a failure by member states to provide EU border agency Frontex with enough equipment and personnel to deal with the continent`s critical crisis.... Read more...

A few depressing things have hit me hard while engaging with South Africans now living in London. You wonder how a small developing country can afford to lose so many highly skilled individuals, high earning, law abiding taxpayers. Even more depressing, though, is hearing how few of those who have moved up the career ladder even think of returning to their homeland. Not necessarily because of jaundiced perceptions of politics or crime, but because their horizons have expanded. They now possess a broader world view, are prepared to travel to grab opportunities everywhere they appear � and say they think less and less about the land they came from. Developing countries rely heavily on what economists call "the home bias" � mankind`s comfort of staying around familiar people and places. It serves as a brake on mass emigration to greener pastures and only when circumstances become extreme is home bias is overcome. Which means that growing emigration acts as a warning sign to competent leadership th... Read more...

Kimberley skate park awarded top position in Global Skateboarding Awards held in Turkey... Read more...

I WOULD give Home Affairs spokesman Mayihlome Tshwete the benefit of the doubt if he had a track record of backing successful projects.... Read more...

Johannesburg - Home Affairs has suspended 26 officials in a crackdown on document fraud and corruption, but Minister Malusi Gigaba remained dismissive about claims the new visa regulations negatively affected tourism.... Read more...

The October issue of Hotel & Restaurant magazine will be the last.... Read more...

Durban - Ten illegal foreigners living in Pietermaritzburg were given letters saying they had to leave the country before June 25, but they stayed on while evading arrest, for fear they were going to be treated "inhumanely" during the deportation process... Read more...

Tourist arrivals into South Africa from abroad have plummeted amid the African National Congress (ANC) government`s enforcement of xenophobic anti-immigrant policies... Read more...

Cape Town - While vendors had been robbed of their livelihoods and businesses would have to spend months processing insurance claims, the real cost of Wednesday`s riots was South Africa`s reputation, Michael Bagraim, chairman of the Cape Chamber of Commerce and Industry human capital portfolio, said on Thursday.... Read more...

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Johannesburg - Ten South Africans have been arrested without charge in China, having been part of a 20-strong tour group detained by Chinese officials last week, humanitarian organisation Gift of the Givers said on Tuesday.... Read more...

Cape Town - The 33-kilometre trip up the Sani Pass to the highest pub in Africa and beyond into the `mountain kingdom` of Lesotho is set to become more accessible and act as a magnet to boost visitor numbers between South Africa and Lesotho when it`s resurfacing is complete.... Read more...

The Department of Home Affairs is in hot water as it emerges that it may have grossly exaggerated some numbers used to justify the new visa laws... Read more...

Pretoria � The Department of Home Affairs says the new visa regulations are in line with two pieces of legislation � the Children`s Act of 2005 and the Prevention and Combating of Trafficking in Persons Act of 2013.... Read more...

JOHANNESBURG � The Home Affairs Department has dismissed claims that it fabricated figures on child trafficking to push for the implementation of its new visa laws.... Read more...

JOHANNESBURG � A group of Dutch teenagers prevented from boarding a flight to South Africa after failing to comply with new Home Affairs regulations are expected to arrive in the country later this week.... Read more...

On Monday South African Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba caused anxiety among immigrants when he said the South African government would not budge on its new immigration laws but would only `deal` with the problems raised in the implementation of those requirements. Three weeks ago Gigaba also said if the 250,000 permit holders` stay was to be extended they would apply for citizenship and that could cause `shock to the system and government.`... Read more...

Cape Town - A Zimbabwean woman who faces the "devastating prospect" of being indefinitely separated from her South African husband and four children has turned to the Western Cape High Court to challenge the constitutionality of South Africa`s Immigration Act.... Read more...

Cape Town - The Association of SA Travel Agents (Asata) is very concerned that the SA Government has made airlines responsible for determining who may or may not board a flight in terms of children travelling.... Read more...

Berlin - Angela Merkel has come under criticism for her awkward treatment of a young refugee girl brought to tears by the German chancellor's comments on asylum... Read more...

Our family had experience of the new visa requirements recently and it became clear the department of home affairs does not understand the damage it is doing.... Read more...

An urgent court order granted in the North Gauteng High Court this week made it clear judges will not tolerate government officials ignoring court orders.... Read more...

Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba`s claim that approximately 30�000 children were being trafficked in or through South Africa annually was irresponsible� Haniff Hoosen� Democratic Alliance (DA) shadow minister of home affairs said.... Read more...

Mkuseli Apleni, director general (DG) of the interior, had to be threatened with arrest before the Polish woman from a South African businessman could get extend her temporary residence permit.... Read more...

A couple who adopted two young boys never had any problem travelling overseas - until Home Affairs`s new immigration law took effect last month.... Read more...

The recommendations of the panel of experts tasked with reviewing SA Tourism has been released. The recommendations are aimed at strengthening the SA Tourism`s institutional capacity and guiding its future strategic direction... Read more...

DIRCO Dirco spokesperson Clayson Monyela tweeted that the remaining five of the ten South Africans arrested in China will be released on Saturday.�File photo: Jacoline Schoonees... Read more...

South Africa`s travel and tourism industry performed significantly worse than expected in the second quarter of 2015, says the Tourism Business Council of South Africa (TBCSA).... Read more...

JOHANNESBURG � Corruption Watch has described widespread fraud and corruption at the Home Affairs department`s refugee reception offices as a black market.... Read more...

Home Affairs officials have put in place strict new travel regulations, which they claim will help prevent 30,000 children being trafficked each year. We previously found this number to be exaggerated. Has new evidence emerged?... Read more...

The South African High Commission in Namibia is allegedly tardy in issuing visas and study permits to Namibian students to study in South Africa.... Read more...

The Department of Tourism needed to do more to address regulatory barriers such as new immigration regulations, a report compiled by the committee tasked with reviewing SA Tourism has suggested.... Read more...

Following the recent wave of public debate surrounding the new visa immigration regulations, Wesgro, the official Destination Marketing, Investment and Trade Promotion Agency for the Western Cape, hosted a workshop in collaboration with the Department of Home Affairs for the tourism and business sector.... Read more...

A lack of credible and timely statistical data complicates any tourism trend analysis.... Read more...

But Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba said the report "singled out" Marabastad and that the research methodology used to compile it had "weaknesses... Read more...

The students are allowed to carry on studying until a decision is made by Home Affairs about their visas.... Read more...

We were really not trying to traffic my young relatives, whose names translate from Arabic as Faith and Lion. They were coming home for Eid.... Read more...

The well-travelled and ultra-wealthy are one of the emerging travel segments from India.... Read more...

THE Department of Home Affairs, which is leading SA`s negotiations on the movement of business people within a future African tripartite free trade area, is strongly resisting a bid by the East African Community (EAC) for business visas to be issued on arrival.... Read more...

More than 10% of job seekers have a criminal record and the numbers are rising as tens of thousands of desperate people lie their way into a job.... Read more...

The tourism minister� Derek Hanekom� has told Talk Radio 702′s John Robbie that cabinet has appointed a task team to look into the damage being caused to tourism by tough new entry requirements imposed by the home affairs minister� Malusi Gigaba... Read more...

Corruption is pervasive throughout the asylum process in South Africa, according to a report published this month... Read more...

There is more demand for professionals than supply as the Tier 2 immigration cap is reached (Source: Getty)... Read more...

The school tours segment is estimated to be worth between R50 million and R60 million a year.... Read more...

Johannesburg - There is a hint of a slowdown in the prominence of foreigners buying of domestic residential property, revealed the latest FNB Estate Agent Survey.... Read more...

Cape Town � While the tourism and food and beverages industries have seen an increase in income year-on-year (y/y), the volume of goods transported decreased, according to statistics released on Monday.... Read more...

We hear that supply side constraints like electricity & labour strikes hobble the economy, that regulatory interventions in mining & agriculture create uncertainty and hold back these sectors, that business & consumer confidence generally is depressed and holds back risk taking, fixed investment, replacement of durable goods and job creation.... Read more...

Applying for a Critical Skills Visa for South Africa The Critical Skills Visa for South Africa has been implemented to address a shortage of required skilled ocupations in South Africa. This visa has replaced the common Quota Permit and Exceptional Skills Permit. In conjunction with the Department of Trade and Industry and the Department of Labour, the Department of Home Affairs has released the new shortage occupation list found below.... Read more...

Mumbai - South Africa expects new visa rules for children to dent tourism in the first year they apply, but they will not damage the vital sector long-term, Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba said on Thursday.... Read more...

THE Zimbabwe Community in South Africa (ZCSA) is seeking an audience with newly-appointed Home Affairs minister Ignatius Chombo to apprise him on "sticking immigration challenges".... Read more...

Home Affairs says there's no concrete evidence proving tourism figures dropped because of the new visa laws.... Read more...

RATHER than pinning responsibility for the new immigration regulations solely on Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba when, in fact, they came into effect on the day he took office on May 26 last year, commentators should speak to the facts, myths and even blatant lies surrounding the regulations.... Read more...

The problem with getting a visa to visit SA in China is that, from some areas, to go in person to either Shanghai or Beijing involves a two-or three-hour flight, which is hugely inconvenient. How does this requirement to make people go in person for their visas help eliminate child trafficking, which is the reason the Department of Home Affairs spokesman gave for the regulations?... Read more...

When a judge, writing in July 2015, says the treatment of an individual in a case he`s been hearing is one of the worst since the advent of democracy, you pay attention. Who is this person who has been treated so badly? What happened, and who was responsible for abuse that shocked even a hardened judge? Emeka Christian Okonkwo is a Nigerian trader. It`s an undisputed fact that he`s in South Africa quite lawfully. He had a little shop in East London where he sold cellphones and gold chains for which he was properly licensed. But on 3 August 2012 his world turned upside down: He was summarily picked up and detained by officials of the Department of Home Affairs, long a byword for high-handed abuse of individuals and of an equally high-handed disregard for the law.... Read more...

Johannesburg, 09 July 2015 - The Department of Labour and Home Affairs cracked down on a number of unlicenced domestic worker 'agencies' recently... Read more...

Town - Construction and remodelling of the former Safmarine building in Cape Town's central business district (CBD) will be complete by the end of next year, and will see it transformed into the Radisson Blu Hotel and Residence, Cape Town.... Read more...

My application was collected from Dirco office Pretoria on the 16th of April as I have a copy of the register. It has now been 17 weeks and i have not been able to locate this application any where, i have contacted several home affairs offices in Gauteng, Natal and even Cape Town and none of them are able to find anything on the system,i have emailed various ministers of home affairs and consular offices and only two officials and secretaries have responded but they too have had no joy in tracing my application. It has become clear that my application was lost in transit from Dirco Pretoria to home affairs office.... Read more...

Cape Town � A high-level delegation of South African ministers and officials led by Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa will depart on Sunday for an official visit to China.... Read more...

JOHANNESBURG - A group of Dutch teenagers have found themselves on the receiving end of new home affairs visa regulations after failing to produce unabridged birth certificates.... Read more...

The Department of Home Affairs says while statistics on child trafficking in South Africa might be contested, its visa regulations are aimed at all vulnerable children.... Read more...

Even idiots respect Albert Einstein. And understand that mankind quotes the Master Scientist so often because most of what he had to say makes sense. One of Einstein`s best is his definition of insanity: doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. This is the reference point which leads many rational South Africans to describe their country`s political leadership as lunatics. Among them the underwhelming Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa who somehow believes simply saying millions of jobs will be created makes it so. At his shoulder is once highly rated Home Affairs head Malusi Gigaba, who is blinkered when it comes to the destruction wrought by his impractical new Visa laws. Gigaba appears incapable of joining the dots. Warren Buffett talks of the ABC of business � Arrogance, Bureaucracy and Complacency. The ABCs are even more cataclysmic when applied in the public sector. � Alec Hogg... Read more...

PRETORIA, South Africa, 29 July 2015 / PRN Africa / � Changes to visa process for applicants travelling to the UK for more than 6 months... Read more...

PRETORIA � A Zimbabwean couple has approached the South African embassy in Harare, seeking a reversal of the one-year travel prohibition imposed on them by Home Affairs officials at the Beitbridge border post.... Read more...

Finance Minister, Nhlanhla Nene, has singled out the new visa regulations as one of three policy issues causing uncertainty in the economy... Read more...

SA SHOULD abandon in-country biometric data capturing in favour of a "biometrics on arrival" system, Tourism Business Council CE Mmatsatsi Ramawela said.... Read more...

The Home Office system for processing asylum seekers will have to be completely reappraised following the ruling The government's asylum processing system was in disarray today after a legal ruling forced it to completely reappraise how it evaluates the claims of those seeking safety in the UK.... Read more...

THE Department of Home Affairs was slapped with an order to pay legal costs on Wednesday � because of its hopeless attempts to produce an unabridged birth certificate for a couple`s 14-year-old daughter.... Read more...

SA`s new visa regulations, though well meant, have become a big threat to its growth in international tourist arrivals in the past two years, an SA Tourism Review report released on Friday said.... Read more...

THE government`s seeming indifference to the negative effect of recently introduced visa regulations on the country`s tourism industry is in conflict with its professed desire to create jobs and to promote the growth of small businesses.... Read more...

Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba warned South Africans against marrying illegal immigrants to help them obtain citizenship.... Read more...

Brussels - Immigration is the main concern of Europeans, ahead of economic problems and unemployment, according to a new opinion poll released by the European Commission.... Read more...

Berlin - Germany has hosted more than 300 000 asylum seekers since the start of the year, said the daily Die Welt on Saturday, as Berlin prepares for a record influx of refugees in 2015.... Read more...

Many commentators, including myself have explored the problems facing our country over recent months. Loadshedding, corruption, attacks on the judiciary, a weak economy and unemployment come to mind. However, it is not all doom and gloom and there is light at the end of the tunnel. Let`s spend some time looking for it... Read more...

Spat over visa regulations between ministers of tourism and of home affairs raises an important question: Why is government not on the same page regarding a key policy?... Read more...

South Africa should raise the economic growth rate and promote inclusive growth to win the fight against poverty, inequality and unemployment, Trade and Industry Minister Rob Davies said.... Read more...

Migrants walk along railway tracks at the Eurotunnel terminal. (Philippe Huguen, AFP)... Read more...

People Against Suffering Oppression and Poverty says the pile of rejections for Zimbabwe Special Dispensation Permits is getting bigger daily and the reasons given by the Department of Home Affairs are sometimes obscure. Rejected applicants are given only 10 days to leave South Africa and are not granted the right to appeal. By BERNARD CHIGUVARE.... Read more...

Johannesburg � Several South African passports were stolen when a courier van transporting applications for UK visas was hijacked in Johannesburg, the British High Commission has said.... Read more...

Johannesburg � Two people whose passports were stolen from a courier company van said on Thursday they have had little help from the British High Commission.... Read more...

Cape Town � Hundreds of illegal migrants, most of them from Ethiopia, remain detained in Malawi in appalling conditions after they failed to reach their destination, South Africa, a humanitarian organisation has said... Read more...

There are lies, damned lies and statistics. - Mark Twain... Read more...

"Some Say� I am In Africa The Truth is� Africa is in Me" Under the roof of the Ubuntu Hut in the Londolozi village, staff from a variety of departments joined to listen to guest speaker Steuart Pennington, CEO of South Africa: The Good News. A friend of the Varty Family, Steuart came to visit but also to share his wealth of knowledge about our country.... Read more...

The arrest of FIFA officials in the past week has brought discussions on corruption to the fore again. For South Africans who are very concerned with the corruption in our country, this offers an opportunity to look at corruption in a global context. The fact of the matter is that corruption has been prevalent throughout the ages in all parts of the world. Even though some countries and institutions have managed to curb corruption to a meaningful extent, the unfortunate truth appears to be that corruption is a human condition. We need to constantly and aggressively tackle corruption if we are to make headway.... Read more...

It is clear that these are some of the most stupid regulations yet introduced by our government in the past 21 years. There is no shame in scrapping them and starting afresh... Read more...

The Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs yesterday unanimously adopted the Refugee Amendment Bill 2015 and will recommend that the Bill be adopted and passed by the National Assembly... Read more...

The Department of Home Affairs is satisfied that residents and foreign nationals are complying with new child travel requirements that took effect on 1 June 2015, largely to promote enforcement of the Children's Act and Prevention and Combating of Trafficking in Persons Act.... Read more...

The latest report from Statistics SA has shown yet another significant dip in foreign tourist arrivals... Read more...

Many people savour and praise the turnaround time for ID applications and improved service at various home affairs offices, a Langa woman has had no luck with her own application.... Read more...

It is clear that these are some of the most stupid regulations yet introduced by our government in the past 21 years. There is no shame in scrapping them and starting afresh... Read more...

Cape Town - A Western Cape Cape High Court judge is facing a legal conundrum after three illegal immigrants arrested during a national clampdown � Operation Fiela � turned to the courts to test the lawfulness of their detention.... Read more...

FLAWS: ANC treasurer-general Zweli Mkhize says elitist business models and a sluggish economy are limiting jobs.... Read more...

Statistics SA`s analysis of tourist arrivals between 2013 and 2014 fails to take into account that 2013 tourist arrival figures included transit passengers, while for 2014 these were excluded.... Read more...

The refugee reception office in Port Elizabeth will have to be reopened, following a court judgment this week.... Read more...

JOHANNESBURG - The Constitutional court has passed a judgment ordering the Port Elizabeth Home Affairs to reopen the Refugee Reception Office saying the closure was unlawful.... Read more...

PRETORIA � President Jacob Zuma announced that a new inter-ministerial committee has been established to deal with the unintended consequences of the new travel visa regulations.... Read more...

Johannesburg - President Jacob Zuma needs to show leadership and repeal the new visa regulations, DA leader Mmusi Maimane said on Wednesday.... Read more...

CAPE TOWN � Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa says several measures will be implemented to improve efficiency with regards to new visa regulations.... Read more...

South Africa occupies among the most beautiful 1.2 million square kilometers on earth. This, together with other attributes, makes it an obvious destination for global travellers and their hard currency. Obvious logic which has encouraged hundreds of thousands of South Africans to dedicate their careers to the in-bound tourism sector. But logic is a poor bedfellow for some politicians, especially volatile Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba whose fabrication of "facts" to suit his ill-conceived new Visa regulations has dealt a massive blow to the sector. And caused extreme embarrassment when the stories went viral, like that of abusive treatment meted out to visiting family members of former MP and Ambassador Douglas Gibson. Yesterday, business leaders met with President Jacob Zuma and his economic cluster. The impact of Visa regulations was on the agenda. Last night the President publicly chastised his colleague by announcing Gigaba`s dictat will be reviewed. Sanity prevails. Hope springs etern... Read more...

The great white flight appears to be a fallacy. Numbers released by Stats SA yesterday show that over a 30-year period the country experienced a net loss of only 650,000 white people.... Read more...

Cape Town - A ministerial committee is set to review new visa rules that have not only taken their toll on the local tourism industry, but stoked tensions within the ruling party.... Read more...

You may need to apply for a visitor visa if you intend to stay temporarily in New Zealand, but you don't intend to study or work... Read more...

Border runs have been cut short due to the very recent change in rules regarding overland entry by Thai immigration. Foreigners entering Thailand via border posts at Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, and Malaysia without securing a prior visa will now be granted only 15 days of stay in the country as opposed to the previous Visa on Arrival, which was valid for 30 days.... Read more...

e-Tourist Visa Facility is available for holders of passport of following countries Anguilla, Antigua & Barbuda, Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Brazil, Cambodia, Canada, Cayman Island,Chile, China, China- SAR Hongkong, China- SAR Macau, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Estonia, Fiji, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Kiribati, Laos, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Marshall Islands, Mauritius, Mexico, Micronesia, Montenegro, Montserrat, Myanmar, Nauru, New Zealand,Nicaragua, Niue Island, Norway, Oman, Palau, Palestine, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Philippines, Republic of Korea, Republic of Macedonia, Russia, Saint Christopher and Nevis, Samoa, Singapore, Solomon Islands,Sri Lanka,Thailand, Tonga, Tuvalu, UAE, Ukraine, USA, Vanuatu, Vatican City-Holy See, Vietnam.... Read more...

PRESIDENT Jacob Zuma and his Cabinet bowed to pressure on the new immigration regulations, which are said to be damaging tourism and the country`s economy, by establishing a special interministerial committee to address complaints about the measures.... Read more...

Jacob Zuma is fighting back and wants to reassure South Africans that he is in charge.... Read more...

Johannesburg - Modise Molutsi could miss out on the trip of a lifetime because of a Department of Home Affairs bungle in which his ID was reportedly duplicated.... Read more...

The unintended consequences of the new visa regulations has now got the ear of a wider audience in government.... Read more...

1. Escape Cycling Tours "We have developed a niche market for the Scandinavians � cycling tours around South Africa. We have over 50 different itineraries covering South Africa, varying in duration from two to 21 days, all tried and tested. Escape Cycling Tours conducts tours throughout Southern Africa on either mountain or road bikes, for all ages. We also do training camps for the very serious and professional riders. A back-up vehicle with qualified cycling tourist guides are always present, plus a bike technician." Chris Murray, Escape Cycling Tours... Read more...

SA is contested turf. At the highest level, it`s a contest about who controls the levers of state power and who controls "monopoly capital" and the economy. That filters right down to arguments over Springbok selection and maybe even into fights over parking spaces at shopping malls.... Read more...

Racism will never end as long as WHITE cars are still using black tyres.... Read more...

WASHINGTON� The South African Department of Home Affairs issued an advisory Friday urging Zimbabweans who were granted permits under a special dispensation to collect their papers before September 30.... Read more...

On 13 August 2015, Potchefstroom police station cells security officer Buisanang Malefane told GroundUp on the phone that Malvern and Hamilton Mugwagwa, who are in their custody, have no right to appear before a magistrate because they are unlawfully in the country. They were arrested on 5 August 2015 at a roadblock in Potchefstroom on their way from Cape Town back to Zimbabwe.... Read more...

As Swazi parents and guardians deal with the cumbersome travel regulations brought about by South Africa`s Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba, the pressure being mounted against these set of laws is growing.... Read more...

Pretoria - When businessman Mukthar Ahmed and his wife Tasleem Akthar went on a pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia, they left their two young children in South Africa.... Read more...

Pretoria - A transgender woman has told of her trauma at being mistreated by department of home affairs officials in Centurion, who allegedly prevented her from applying for a gender change in her ID book on Wednesday.... Read more...

Pretoria - Staff at Home Affairs offices in Centurion are being taken to task for compromising services, after they turned people away an hour and a half before official closing time last Saturday.... Read more...

Johannesburg - Bruce Cockburn was so tired of the negative connotations associated with his name he decided to change it to "Coburn".... Read more...

The Ministry of Home Affairs and Immigration remains focused and inspired to ensure that every Namibian enjoys their citizenship as guaranteed by the Constitution of the Republic.... Read more...

ECONOMIST Eddie Cross has claimed that the tightening economic situation in Zimbabwe has triggered a mass exodus of Zimbabweans into South Africa.... Read more...

The inquiry into the illegal arrest and deportation of a group of Zimbabweans ruled on Friday that suspended Gauteng Hawks head Major General Shadrack Sibiya be dismissed for his role in the renditions.... Read more...

A man who allegedly pretended to be a Home Affairs official was arrested on Friday, Gauteng police said.... Read more...

Berlin - Germany's interior minister led calls on Sunday for a crackdown on right wing militants and racists after a second night of scuffles between protesters and police outside a refugee shelter in the eastern German town of Heidenau.... Read more...

Cape Town - Cape Town's status as the World Cocktail Capital has been set as South African prepares to welcome 55 of the most talented bartenders in the world for the WORLD CLASS Bartender of the Year competition... Read more...

The ongoing border problems affecting a North West community close to Botswana have forced their chief to adopt strange ways to distinguish between South African and Botswana citizens.... Read more...

Pretoria - She`s long been on the receiving end of prejudice and ignorance but on Monday Juanita van Zyl came one step closer to realising her female self.... Read more...

While boarding a flight from Charles de Gaulle Airport, Paris to Johannesburg, on August 8, Martin Weist, CEO of Tourvest Destination Management, noticed 20 people being denied boarding as a result of not having the correct travel documentation to enter South Africa. "I am not often embarrassed but when I see crying children that now can`t go on holiday, I don`t like being South African," he said.... Read more...

An airport official who attempted to solicit unwarranted "fines" from minors at OR Tambo International Airport, claiming they had the incorrect documents to travel according to the newly implemented Immigration Act, has been suspended.... Read more...

Pretoria � Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba says since the inception of the Zimbabwean Special Permits (ZSP), a total of 197 303 ZSP applications were adjudicated and a total of 185 075 were approved.... Read more...

The South African middle classes will have to take note of the imminent economic crisis that could cause much hardship, even destabilisation... Read more...

DA MP says that despite pressing urgency of issue IMC has resolved to establish yet another task team to look into it Visa Regulations: Urgent action required, not additional "task teams"... Read more...

South Africa lags behind the many countries when it comes to responsible tourism, while a lack of accredited tourism products make it difficult to package for tourists seeking to travel responsible.... Read more...

I am a female aged 32. and in 2013 I gave birth to a baby girl. after some days I went in to home affairs to make her birth certificate to find out my name reflected as an illegal immigrant.... Read more...

THE Department of Home Affairs and a travel agents` association are wrangling over a claim that an immigration official has been suspended for soliciting bribes from a group of minors, in an apparent bid to cash in on the desperate need for extra documentation... Read more...

After Dawie Roodt`s letter of last week, which, in many ways, combines both the good and the bad of our land I thought you`d like to read a letter written by visiting Brits who had a serious car accident in a remote part of the Karroo. It made me proud to be a South African, I hope it does the same for you... Read more...

Johannesburg has plenty to offer in terms of entertainment and shopping, but what`s on offer for epicurean travellers? Daniella Di Gaspero rounds up some of the most unique dining experiences on offer.... Read more...

We`re (hopefully) coming to the end of another home renovation project, our third in a decade. Once again, the cost went well over the original quote and we`re weeks past the initial deadline.... Read more...

THE Japanese government has opened the doors of higher learning to South Africans interested in pursuing postgraduate studies.... Read more...

We`re (hopefully) coming to the end of another home renovation project, our third in a decade. Once again, the cost went well over the original quote and we`re weeks past the initial deadline.... Read more...

JOHANNESBURG: Scores of fake Indian birth certificates were among hundreds of documents seized by South African officials in King Williams Town after a man believed to be an Indian national was arrested along with a Ministry of Home Affairs official for running a scam... Read more...

� Figures listed in Home Office tender asking companies to bid for contract � Contract would be for five years and is based on estimated migrant figures � Keith Vaz, from home affairs select committee, said figure was 'enormous' � In 2014, 12,460 failed asylum seekers and migrants were forcibly removed... Read more...

THE Department of Home Affairs has never been particularly efficient. Recent events have confirmed that its traditional weaknesses have not been addressed, while showing that new problems have developed, particularly in relation to how foreigners and, above all, migrants are being treated.... Read more...

The Hawks have arrested four people for visa and permit fraud and extorting money from foreign nationals. Three men and a woman were nabbed during an early morning raid in Ekurhuleni in Gauteng.... Read more...

The South African Department of Home Affairs says it has adjudicated 99.7% of the applications for special permits by Zimbabweans ahead of a collection deadline of the end of September.... Read more...

Pretoria - Migrant organisations have lambasted the government for its handling of the application process of the Zimbabwean Special Dispensation permits.... Read more...

Interior and justice ministers to hold talks in Brussels to find measures to cope with challenge of escalating migration... Read more...

The WC Red Tape Reduction Unit warns the new rules are expected to result in a R384m loss for the province.... Read more...

Two new visa application centres have opened in Chengdu and Guangzhou, China, South Africa`s Department of Home Affairs has confirmed.... Read more...

Kenya`s e-visa must now be purchased online and prior to travel, effective September 1.... Read more...

Home Affairs officials confirmed this week that refugees from Liberia, Rwanda and Sierra Leone could also face deportation... Read more...

The South African government is firmly committed to ensuring the fulfilment of its international obligations towards refugees and asylum seekers in terms of its ratification of the relevant international protocols� the Department of Home Affairs said on Friday.... Read more...

JOHANNESBURG � The Congress of the People (Cope) has urged Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba to do more to tackle corruption at Home Affairs offices in the country.... Read more...

Cernobbio - Italian President Sergio Mattarella called on Saturday for shared asylum rules in the European Union, saying thousands of migrants approaching Europe should not be seen as enemies.... Read more...

Migrant organisations have lambasted the government for its handling of the application process of the Zimbabwean Special Dispensation permits.... Read more...

I am getting serious questions this week whether with the Rand hitting such weak lows, now is the time to repatriate money from overseas. That`s akin to asking whether we are hitting the Rand bottom.... Read more...

Johannesburg - South Africa has not yet been asked to provide help during the European refugee crisis, the Department of Home Affairs said on Monday.... Read more...

PRETORIA � Deputy Home Affairs Minister Fatima Chohan has urged greater co-operation between European countries to better manage the Syrian refugee crisis.... Read more...

THE South African tourism industry has been dealt another blow as airline ticket sales figures show that ticket purchases have dropped significantly.... Read more...

Hotel occupancy rates in Cape Town have declined approximately 6%, predominantly as a result of the visa regulations.... Read more...

The stated purpose of the review is to prevent Israeli citizens living here from serving in the Jewish state's armed forces, but it appears that the proposed policy changes would extend far wider than that.... Read more...

It appears that the status quo on dual citizenship will be maintained for now.... Read more...

The South African Jewish Board of Deputies (SAJBD) said it had been "approached" by Deputy Minister in the Presidency Obed Bapela over his "remarks concerning dual citizenship and related matters to the Jewish community".... Read more...

Cape Town � There is "absolutely" no review of the SA Citizenship Act with regards to dual citizenship, Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba said on Thursday.... Read more...

Johannesburg - Christo Wiese, South Africa`s richest man, accused the government of implementing ill-considered policies that are curbing economic growth and undermining efforts to reduce poverty.... Read more...

A new species of human ancestor, which was unearthed at the Cradle of Humankind World Heritage Site, was announced on September 10.... Read more...

Minister of Tourism, Derek Hanekom, is hopeful that in the next few weeks the inter-ministerial committee will announce some adjustments to the current immigration regulations that will be more favourable to the tourism sector and other investments.... Read more...

Durban - With the dispute between the tourism and home affairs departments over the new visa regulations unresolved, KwaZulu-Natal Premier Senzo Mchunu has expressed concern over the affect on tourism in the province, and wants to be part of the solution.... Read more...

Concerns about the lack of capacity to service hospitals and register births of children within 30 days in some parts of the country have been raised by the portfolio committee on home affairs.... Read more...

The Department of Home Affairs has confirmed to News24 that its ID verification system is down and will be offline for most of Friday.... Read more...

Fanuel (not his real name) teaches at a high school in Gaetsewe District in Northern Cape Province. He says he was last paid in June 2015 because his Zimbabwe Special Permit (ZSP) renewal application to the Department of Home Affairs is still pending. He appears to be one of dozens of foreign nationals in a similar position.... Read more...

The images of Aylan compelled soul-searching in SA where we have our own shifting legislative climate on refugees, writes Janet Smith.... Read more...

Johannesburg: Tata group firm Tata International is becoming increasingly frustrated by delays of up to six months to secure visas for its employees assigned to South Africa from where it operates in 14 other African nations, the company's chairman Noel Tata has said.... Read more...

Migrant with child smiles as he is welcomed with other migrants with locals after their arrival at the railway station of Hamburg - Harburg, northern Germany. (Daniel Reinhardt, AFP)... Read more...

The South African Minister of Home Affairs, Malusi Gigaba is scheduled to pay a two- day visit to Lesotho from September 21, APA learns here on Monday. The Lesotho Minister of Home Affairs Lekhetho Rakuoane said on Monday that he and his South African counterpart are going to discuss the problems that the Basotho living or working in South Africa are constantly experiencing.... Read more...

Roszke, Hungary � Hungary deployed a boxcar bristling with razor wire to close a key border crossing and warned of a new era of swift deportations Monday as governments across Europe debated how to share the burden of housing hundreds of thousands seeking refuge � and whether the continent's hard-won policy of passport-free travel could survive the unrelenting flow of humanity.... Read more...

Ministers in Brussels on Monday (14 September) failed to reach a unanimous decision on whether to back a European Commission plan to relocate 120,000 asylum seekers.... Read more...

Johannesburg - After two years of being given the run-around by the Department of Home Affairs, Nthabiseng Molefe`s children are finally on the government`s database.... Read more...

The knock-on effects of South Africa`s new visa rules are hurting the country`s universities.... Read more...

Home Affairs department to introduce an online appointments scheduling process in order to eradicate corruption and challenges faced by asylum seekers and migrants in Marabastad, west of Pretoria.... Read more...

ABSA announced yesterday that it`s planning to test out fingerprint authentication for its Visa-based credit cards... Read more...

The bushveld is a place where the human element indeed shrinks into utter insignificance, and grips you and subdues you and makes you one with yourself" �Jan Christiaan Smuts, South African Prime Minister � 1870 � 1950 In a recent blog post, Kate Collins wrote about a few of the reasons that make our country the incredible place that it is � a blog inspired by a talk she had attended at Londolozi by none other than Steuart Pennington, CEO of South Africa: The Good News.... Read more...

Heroes walk among us. People of integrity and moral fibre who reject the easier, softer route of acquiescence with evil. Those prepared to isolate themselves because they know going with the flow is wrong.... Read more...

The Chairman of the Jewellery Council of South Africa, Chris van Rensburg, has expressed his concerns saying that many jewellery and diamond companies, dealing specifically with tourists from China, will close their doors, should the visa regulation not change.... Read more...

South Africa Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba says the government is considering establishing asylum offices at the country's ports of entry, in an effort to improve the migration process.... Read more...

Spain`s Ministry for Home Affairs will give 823,500 euros to the Spanish Red Cross in 2016 � twice the amount provided in 2015 � for the development of social and humanitarian care programs at Internment Centers for Foreign Nationals, which will enable this institution to expand the services it provides to the Internment Centers for Foreign Nationals in Valencia, Murcia and Algeciras, as well as those in Madrid and Barcelona.... Read more...

The Speaker of the National Assembly, Baleka Mbete, has dismissed a request to have the country`s immigration regulations debated in the National Assembly.... Read more...

The taking of biometrics at the port of entry is on the cards, says Department of Home Affairs Deputy Minister, Fatima Chohan.... Read more...

Cape Town - With homes selling within days of coming onto the market, it seems cash is king for buyers wanting in on the Cape's scarce pool of property hot spots.... Read more...

Cape Town - A property in Cape Town that belonged to the Zimbabwean government was auctioned off for R3.76 million on Monday to cover a legal costs order it owed AfriForum over that country's land reform programme.... Read more...

Johannesburg - African policy makers worried that the US Federal Reserve`s liftoff will roil their markets even further, have room to breathe. For now.... Read more...

Alan Winde, Minister of Economic Opportunities, has submitted a comprehensive review of the impact of the visa regulations to the National Government, with a request that it be taken into account by the inter-ministerial committee convened to assess the new rules.... Read more...

Cape Town - South Africa's tourism industry has said, "enough is enough", stating new data which shows a steady decline in overseas visitor by as much as 14% according to the latest figures means it is time for the department of home affairs to rescind SA's onerous new visa rules.... Read more...

Johannesburg - South Africa is fighting to retain duty-free access for exports to the US worth as much as R23.4bn a year in a dispute that pits farmers in the two nations against each other.... Read more...

Hundreds of Zimbabweans who applied for special permits in South Africa are now living in fear as they are still waiting for their permits, a day before the programme ends Wednesday.... Read more...

where they were being kept was under heavy police guard. Photo: Yochanaan Coetzee. AT least 80 foreigners were detained at the Hosea Kutako International Airport yesterday after they entered the country 'illegally'. The group applied for permission to enter the country but did so without receiving authority from the Ministry of Home Affairs, police said yesterday.... Read more...

The Department of Home Affairs has launched its Smart ID pilot programme with FNB, Standard Bank, ABSA and Nedbank where you will be able to get your Smart ID from these banks provided you are a customer of the bank.... Read more...

TOURISM industry leaders are pinning their hopes for the scrapping of new visa rules on Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa, as new data on Thursday showed the regulations would shrink tourist numbers by 578,000 or 6% a year. Data from the... Read more...

WASHINGTON � US officials, anxious to repair a troubled "partnership" with SA, fear a deepening breach in relations if President Jacob Zuma signs the Private Security Regulation Amendments Bill in its present form.... Read more...

Sofia. Number of illegal migrants crossing the Bulgarian-Turkish border has decreased twice since Bulgaria built a fence along its southern border, Hungarian Magyar Nemzet newspaper writes.... Read more...

Cape Town - The smart identification card remained the most secure form of identification ever produced, Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba said.... Read more...

The new scheme to relocate asylum seekers from Greece and Italy to other EU member states, dialogue with Turkey on cooperation to stem and manage migration flows, and budget measures to respond to the unprecedented refugee crisis, were among the topics tackled in Tuesday morning`s debate with European Council President Donald Tusk and Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker on the outcome of the 23 September informal EU summit.... Read more...

The Department of Home Affairs has filed an extraordinary and unprecedented application before the Constitutional Court.... Read more...

An 18-year-old has complained to police about a "stressed" Home Affairs manager who he claims head-butted him twice when he inquired about his identity document at a Durban branch of the department.... Read more...

THERE are times when the Insider wants to grab the shoulders of some e-mails` authors with her fire-engine-red talons and give them a good shaking.... Read more...

THE Department of Home Affairs has filed an extraordinary and unprecedented application before the Constitutional Court.... Read more...

Cape Town - Cobus Kellermann`s Belvedere Management has collapsed, six months after being exposed for a Ponzi scheme.... Read more...

On Monday, panicked applicants who had not yet received their Zimbabwean Special Dispensation Permit (ZSP) started queuing outside the ABSA building in central Cape Town for help.... Read more...

Douglas Gibson says as a nation there are far too many who sit back and wait for govt to provide... Read more...

George � Less buying power due to the weakening rand has probably resulted in a loss of over R300m in international marketing funds for South African Tourism (SAT), CEO Thulani Nzima told Fin24.... Read more...

Greece's first migrant processing centre is to open over the next 10 days, allowing migrants and refugees to be flown to other EU countries - mostly of their preference - and have their asylum applications processed there.... Read more...

The number of illegal entry attempts to the UK between January and June has doubled since the same period last year and is over four times higher than in 2013.... Read more...

Cape Town - Four million South Africans stopped travelling in 2014 compared to 2013, Statistics South Africa revealed in its report on domestic travel.... Read more...

The European Union (EU) is set to relocate its first group of refugees from a camp in Italy to Sweden on Friday, a modest first step in the implementation of a refugee quota system that will move people from overcrowded camps in Italy and Greece to states across the EU.... Read more...

THERE are times when the Insider wants to grab the shoulders of some e-mails` authors with her fire-engine-red talons and give them a good shaking.... Read more...

THE High Commission of Zambia to South Africa wishes to advise Zambians travelling between Zambia and South Africa to take note of the new South African immigration laws which came into effect following the recent amendment of South Africa`s Immigration Act.... Read more...

Mobile apps may be able to assist tourists in planning itineraries, but tourist guides are able to offer a personal experience.... Read more...

Cape Town is a luxury, long-haul holiday destination and tourists can now benefit from low costs due to the weak rand.... Read more...

A man was bundled into a police truck on Tuesday morning for allegedly taking pictures while queuing at home affairs in Marabastad, Pretoria.... Read more...

Home Affairs says foreigners must be treated with dignity as they too have human rights.... Read more...

Imagine going online to order an identity document, paying by EFT, then popping into the bank at your local mall to collect it?... Read more...

Secretary of State for Home Affairs Theresa May delivers her speech to delegates in the third day of the Conservative Party annual conference at Manchester Central Convention Centre.... Read more...

On Tuesday in Parliament during the Home Affairs briefing, Fatima Chohan the Deputy Minister of Home Affairs said the department of Home Affairs wants to make late birth registrations tough in order to get rid of failed asylum seekers who try their luck for South African citizenship.... Read more...

MILLIONS of pounds of taxpayers` cash is being spent flying home failed asylum seekers on private jets... Read more...

Brussels: Turkey asked the European Union for 3 billion euros on Thursday, easier travel to the EU for its citizens and diplomatic favors in exchange for helping stem the flow of Syrian refugees to Europe, EU officials and diplomats said after talks in Ankara.... Read more...

Recent fighting between government forces and opposition RENAMO fighters in Mozambique is increasing the influx of asylum seekers into Malawi. More than 150 Mozambicans have entered Malawi in recent days as the conflict over the disputed election intensifies. But their fate is in limbo as the Malawi government plans to close down the refugee camp where 140 others are living.... Read more...

When other kids their age are at school learning, Thandeka Plaatjies, aged 10, helps her mother with chores and plays with her siblings - Thandiswa, age nine, and Luthando, age seven - outside their home in Westlake township.... Read more...

"BETTER data, better lives", is the slogan of official statistics organisations across the world as part of celebrating World Statistics Day on 20 October, guided by the fundamental principles of official statistics and the assertion by the United Nations (UN) Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon that "statistics are critical for evidence-based decision making across all cultural and historical backgrounds of countries, irrespective of their level of development".... Read more...

Migrating for work is one of the oldest and most common forms of migration in the world. According to the International Labour Organization (ILO) there are approximately 232 million migrant workers in the world today. For workers, migration represents an opportunity to find work, diversify skills and experience, and remit earnings to support families and households at home. For employers and host countries, migrant workers are an important source of labor that the domestic market cannot provide in terms of either numbers or skills or both. The UNGMD (global migration database) estimates that in 2013, approximately 31 million migrants originated from Africa, of who half remained on the continent.... Read more...

Cape Town - Lewis Group's intention to refund a total of R67.1m to customers for the cost of loss of employment insurance, is a good start, but not yet the end, according to a consumer watchdog... Read more...

JOHANNESBURG � South Africa will make its new visa rules easier for visitors with children and those from India, China and Russia, after tourism numbers dropped this year, the government said on Friday.... Read more...

Concessions recommended by the Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC) on Immigrations led by Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa and approved by Cabinet this week are a step in the right direction� says the Tourism Business Council of South Africa (TBCSA).... Read more...

Berlin/Brussels - Toughened rules governing asylum requests to stay in Germany came into effect on Saturday, a week earlier than planned.... Read more...

The Cabinet has decided to adopt measures to alleviate the unintended consequences of the controversial visa regulations which both Tourism Minister Derek Hanekom and Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba believe will address the dual challenges of SA`s security and the negative effect of the regime on tourism.... Read more...

NEW DELHI: India took up two key issues pertaining to mine-related work permits and South African transit visa in its talks with Namibia which will help forging stronger business ties with the African nation in the mining sector.... Read more...

Travellers to Zanzibar have been cautioned to stay indoors. The UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) on Wednesday warned travellers to Zanzibar, Tanzania, to stay in a safe location and avoid travelling into the centre of Stone Town if possible.... Read more...

JOHANNESBURG - Travelling between South Africa and Lesotho will soon be easier for many Basotho.... Read more...

TATA International, a subsidiary of the Indian Tata group of companies, has reached an agreement with the Department of Home Affairs to get the processing of the documentation required for its employees fast-tracked.... Read more...

DA MP says there has been a drop of R64.4m in holiday accommodation revenues in only three months .R64.4 million lost every three months due to biometrics in-person visa regulations... Read more...

Sometimes it takes a foreigner falling in love with South Africa and sharing their perspective of our beautiful country to really open our eyes to what is right in front of us... Read more...

BRUSSELS, Sept. 22 (Xinhua) -- Home affairs ministers of European Union (EU) member states gathered here Tuesday afternoon to resolve the dispute over the emergency relocation of 120,000 refugees.... Read more...

The Western Cape will welcome approximately 15 000 delegates to the Cape Town International Convention Centre in 2020 for the World Ophthalmology Congress.... Read more...

Monika Iuel, South African Tourism General Manager: International Marketing opening the Ubuntu Awards.... Read more...

JOHANNESBURG � The home affairs department has strongly denied reports that Bill Gates and his daughter were denied entry into South Africa because of strict new visa rules.... Read more...

JOHANNESBURG - Minister in the Presidency Jeff Radebe says cabinet has approved the submission of the Border Management Authority Bill to Parliament and says this will be the overarching authority on all matters at the country`s ports of entry.... Read more...

Johannesburg - Morning Live presenter Leanne Manas caused a storm in a teacup on Twitter on Friday when she tweeted that Microsoft founder Bill Gates and his daughter were prevented from entering the country because the young girl didn`t have an unabridged birth certificate.... Read more...

The home affairs minister has insisted that it is naive to blame falling tourism numbers solely on South Africa's new visa regulations.... Read more...

ABOUT 2,000 South Africans lost citizenship over a four-year period as a result of acquiring the citizenship of other countries, Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba said on Monday... Read more...

Unabridged Birth Certificate regulations cannot be enforced � and Home Affairs latest move proves this.... Read more...

Cape Town - There is now concrete data that confirms the adverse effects of SA's new regulations on the country's tourism industry, Enver Duminy, CEO of Cape Town Tourism, told Fin24 on Monday... Read more...

Pretoria - A comparison between June 2014 and June 2015 shows that, with the exception of France, the number of tourists decreased for all the other nine leading overseas countries, according to data released by Statistics SA on Monday.... Read more...

MIGRANTS are likely to make greater use of formal methods to send money to their home countries after Finance Minister Nhlanhla Nene signed the Financial Intelligence Centre Act exemption for low-value crossborder money transfers this month.... Read more...

Cape Town - The South African government must think seriously about liberalising the country's skies and addressing the impact of the current visa regulations, according to David Scowsill, president and CEO of the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC).... Read more...

The biometric data machines have not yet arrived at the South African consulates in Russia, India and China.... Read more...

Arrivals from emerging and traditional markets to South Africa are down.... Read more...

Dimitris Avramopoulos, EU official in charge of migration, says political backlash over migration 'means nothing' as he is not elected... Read more...

South Africa, which missed out on the commodities super cycle, is now also missing the tourism super cycle.... Read more...

September is a special month in South Africa: it`s Tourism Month and it`s Heritage Month, giving people the opportunity to enjoy and appreciate our rich natural and cultural heritage.... Read more...

New Delhi, Sep 29 (IANS): The South African High Commission here announced on Tuesday that its office here and their consulate general in Mumbai have started issuing ten year multiple entry Brics business visas to qualifying Indian business executives.... Read more...

Durban � Retail and retail property are among the most exciting and the most challenging property categories at the moment, according to Nomzamo Radebe, newly appointed president of the South African Council of Shopping Centres (SACSC).... Read more...

The spotlight was again on the game industry this week when a four-year-old sable antelope bull was sold for a staggering R27 million � a South African record.... Read more...

Johannesburg - South Africa`s new visa requirements could cost the economy about R7.5bn a year in lost tourism revenue and should be revoked immediately by the government, industry representatives said.... Read more...

In a bid to cope with the sheer number of applications for the new smart ID cards, the Department of Home Affairs has teamed up with three major banks.... Read more...

Two schoolboys had to obtain a court order allowing them to write exams and prevent the home affairs department from arresting and deporting them.... Read more...

Durban � The government and top tier South African universities have made provisions for time-constrained international students as exam dates were pushed back due to the #FeesMustFall campaign.... Read more...

In a reversal of policy, South Africa will collect visitor biometrics at its airports and accept visa requests by mail, in an effort to reverse a significant drop in the number of tourists over the past year, according to a report by Bloomberg Business.... Read more...

Durban - When a KwaMashu man was told by a Home Affairs official that he died 10 years ago, he thought he was having another psychotic attack.... Read more...

Specialist guides, itineraries and enhanced experiences are gaining in popularity as more travellers seek to engage with experts and specialists while on holiday. Sue van Winsen rounds up some of the best options.... Read more...

Biometric machines will be placed at South African embassies and ports of entry within the next three months.... Read more...

Durban � The government and top tier South African universities have made provisions for time-constrained international students as exam dates were pushed back due to the #FeesMustFall campaign.... Read more...

SOUTH Africa will next year set up a visa facilitation centre in Harare targeting Zimbabweans who wish to apply for study and work permits.... Read more...

The South African government has announced that it will relax its visa rules after a significant drop in the number of tourists coming to the country. According to the South African tourism leaders, the current rules make it very hard for foreigners to visit the country, causing the sector to lose approximately $540 million in revenues annually.... Read more...

Nigeria and South Africa are continuing consultations on resolving visa related issues affecting both sides.... Read more...

Joy over the review of the problematic travel visas into South Africa might have been prematurely.... Read more...

COMMENTATORS are treating the African National Congress (ANC) and Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba overpolitely over the visa debacle.... Read more...

Officials have begun to receive training on capturing biometric data at South Africa`s international airports.... Read more...

Cape Town � The Chairperson of the Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC) set up to look at migration, Minister Jeff Radebe, says government is reviewing South Africa`s migration policy in a bid to deal with the strain between locals and foreign nationals that has affected some communities.... Read more...

Minister in the Presidency for Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation, Jeff Radebe has announced that the South African cabinet has approved the introduction of a Lesotho dispensation as regards its nationals living in the country without proper travel documentation.Briefing the media on Thursday in Cape Town on the outcome of a biweekly cabinet meeting, the minister said: "This dispensation will assist in better management of the labour flow of Lesotho nationals who come to South Africa in violation of the country`s current immigration mechanisms."... Read more...

In a previous column (insert link), I argued that, while the Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Index had some merit in assessing tangible `hard` data, it is a very generic model by which to compare the competitiveness of tourism destinations, particularly insofar as establishing `uniqueness` and quality of experience.... Read more...

While tourist arrivals from the US continue to drop, the latest arrivals suggest the decline has slowed.... Read more...

CAPE TOWN � Home Affairs says it has been given three months in which to reopen its refugee reception centre in Port Elizabeth.... Read more...

CAPE TOWN - The Home Affairs Department says people planning to visit South Africa with their children will still need to carry their unabridged birth certificates.... Read more...

Cape Town - There was no need to fire home affairs minister Malusi Gigaba over visa regulations, Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa told Parliament on Thursday.... Read more...

WHEN I heard the Ministry of Home Affairs speaking through the Principal Secretary telling this nation the fiasco at borders involving children travelling to South Africa was finally over I celebrated!... Read more...

Durban � The government and top tier South African universities have made provisions for time-constrained international students as exam dates were pushed back due to the #FeesMustFall campaign.... Read more...

Cape Town � The Chairperson of the Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC) set up to look at migration, Minister Jeff Radebe, says government is reviewing South Africa's migration policy in a bid to deal with the strain between locals and foreign nationals that has affected some communities.... Read more...

Pretoria - International students studying in South Africa can breath a sigh of relief after Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba announced on Thursday that his department would waive visa regulations for those whose visas have expired.... Read more...

The Department of Home Affairs says it will act swiftly to re-open the PE Refugee Reception Office. The department has until early February next year to give effect to a Supreme Court of Appeal judgment.... Read more...

Johannesburg - South Africa has a brand perception problem which it needs to tackle honestly and openly, Southern Africa Tourism Services (SATSA) CEO David Frost said on Monday.... Read more...

South Africa experienced a decrease in the number of arrivals in August, compared to last year, according to Statistics South Africa's monthly tourism and migration figures.... Read more...

Cape Town - Cape Town's tourism industry should not rest on its laurels but keep up the good work and act on strategies aimed at strengthening year-round tourism, Executive Mayor of Cape Town Patricia de Lille said at Cape Town Tourism's annual general meeting.... Read more...

Permanent Secretary of Home Affairs, clarify to all Zimbabweans why you are deporting everyone going to visit at Hosea Kutako International Airport? To my understanding Zimbabweans have 90 days to come to Namibia per year on a visitors` visa. That is all being ignored now. Is it still about lack of water or xenophobia? Are the South Africans, Tswanas and Americans also being treated like this?... Read more...

JOHANNESBURG � Eighteen police officers and two Home Affairs officials have been arrested at a border post between South Africa and Botswana in the North West province.... Read more...

The Department of Home Affairs has denied that thousands of jobs have been lost due to South Africa's visa regulations.... Read more...

Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba has launched a new Home Affairs office in Somerset West outside Cape Town.... Read more...

JOHANNESBURG - A Durban Home Affairs official has been arrested for fraud.... Read more...

Cape Town - A new R650 million fuel terminal that will create about 350 new jobs has been launched in Cape Town.... Read more...

SAA recorded a 41% drop in children travelling after the requirement for minors to produce an unabridged birth certificate was introduced.... Read more...

Award-winning actor, Idris Elba has cancelled a planned trip to South Africa at the last minute after his daughter, Isan, failed to meet the new immigration requirements passed into law earlier this year.... Read more...

Cape Town � South Africa will grant a moratorium on deporting Lesotho nationals until December 2016.... Read more...

A Dutch traveller recently cancelled a trip to SA with his 13-year-old daughter because of SA`s regulations for children under 18 years.... Read more...

Cape Town - Hot on the heels of the tourism visa controversy, the DA raised alarm bells on Monday over the lack of speed in processing corporate work and general work permit applications.... Read more...

DA MP says Minister of Labour's term in office has been characterised by inaction and disinterest... Read more...

It`s been almost a week since the attacks on Paris which saw 129 deaths and 433 injured. The aftermath is likely to get worse as the French military lays siege on ISIS strongholds in search of answers, while the people of Paris wait until another threat from the terrorists themselves.... Read more...

Ethiopian Airlines will be looking at daily and even double-daily services in the near future, Mengistu Adelahu, Ethiopian Airlines` Manager for Traffic and Sales for Durban, announced at the launch of the new route in Durban this week.... Read more...

Turkish Airways is to increase its Istanbul-Johannesburg route by three flights.... Read more...

Johannesburg - Is Phineas Ndlovu a South African, a Lesotho national or a Zimbabwean? Is his real name even Phineas Ndlovu?... Read more...

Cape Town � South Africa will grant a moratorium on deporting Lesotho nationals until December 2016.... Read more...

We have taken note of recent statements concerning actions taken regarding concessions that Cabinet had made to ease the implementation of the amended immigration legislation and regulations. Let me hasten unreservedly to express our commitment to the success of the process.... Read more...

A FURIOUS Western Cape High Court judge has threatened to refer the refugee application debacle to the public protector after hauling the Home Affairs Department over the coals.... Read more...

Intelligence inputs last week warned of an aerial attack on Delhi. Mail Today then reported on November 28 that ISIS and other terror groups are planning a drone attack on the national capital sometime in coming days.... Read more...

Cape Town � The December holidays will soon be in full swing, and while for many this marks a joyous time spent with family and friends, some holidaymakers are in agony.... Read more...

Cape Town - The 2015/16 holiday season is upon us and millions of South Africans will take to the roads. Local authorities will (hopefully) be enforcing traffic laws as the nation's annual traffic-fine blitz begins.... Read more...

Changes to South Africa`s immigration regulations were announced a month ago but they have yet to be put into effect.... Read more...

Regulations for vehicles crossing SA`s borders are being actively enforced at the Swaziland border.... Read more...

The UK Ancestry Visa remains one of the most popular immigration routes to the UK. Provided of course that you are one of those persons fortunate enough to have a British born grandparent.... Read more...

Cape Town - Almost 200 000 newly issued smart ID cards are gathering dust at Home Affairs offices around the country.... Read more...

1. Does My Pet Need an Import Permit A veterinary import permit is needed to import Dogs & Cats into South Africa.... Read more...

Cape Town � Cape Town's mayoral committee said on Tuesday it had approved the stepping up of water restrictions to level two.... Read more...

The South African Police Service (SAPS) is actively implementing regulations that require drivers of cars with South African-registered plates to carry certified documents proving ownership. This requirement will be implemented at all South African border posts, according to an SAPS spokesperson for border control.... Read more...

The airline has been suspended with immediate effect.... Read more...

Extension of office hours at ports of entry... Read more...

Home Affairs is warning parents who do not take advantage of a late registration of birth campaign that they will face more stringent registration measures once the campaign comes to an end.... Read more...

THE Department of Home Affairs will introduce measures to help those travelling with minors to comply with its regulations on unabridged birth certificates.... Read more...

Stringent visa rules drawn up by Malusi Gigaba has resulted in lost revenue of about $540m a year.... Read more...

Every day, Zimbabwean nationals are extorted and detained without trial in prison and repatriation centres. One detainee describes the ordeal of wrongful arrest and detention.... Read more...

A child believed to be aged between seven and nine was among three people who were killed by a hippopotamus when they tried to cross the border illegally by wading across the Limpopo River .... Read more...

The catastrophe in Syria is threatening to derail the Schengen treaty, with European countries closing their borders following the crisis.... Read more...

All international travellers arriving at SA`s ports of entry will submit biometric data when the system has been rolled out.... Read more...

If you live in Gauteng, you can now apply for a smart ID. Previously, smart IDs were only issued to the elderly and people who had lost ID books.... Read more...

Home Affairs said unabridged birth certificates for minors under the age of 18 were a legal requirement and it will assist people to get them in time for their festive season travel plans.... Read more...

JOHANNESBURG - Zimbabwe`s revenue authority says it`s deployed extra staff to Beitbridge to handle the influx of travellers this festive season.... Read more...

South Africa, and Cape Town in particular, is well placed to attract the lucrative Muslim tourism market by providing Muslim-friendly beach resorts, family-friendly holidays and soft adventures, says Nahla Mesbah, Senior Associate at New York-based Dinar Standard strategic advisory firm.... Read more...

Johannesburg - President Jacob Zuma replaced Finance Minister Nhlanhla Nene with ANC MP David van Rooyen on Wednesday night.... Read more...

Durban saw the opening of its latest tourism attraction, GO WiLD, this weekend. Located at the Wavehouse, GO WiLD features uniquely crafted `fun` zones for different ages.... Read more...

Dear President Zuma, we have so much to thank you for today. Firstly, we must thank you for your leadership which allowed you to send Finance Minister Nhlanhla Nene packing with ne`er a "fare-thee-well" or a pat on the back. This is the kind of action man we want as our president.... Read more...

WERE it not for municipal by-laws, the area outside the Marabastad refugee reception centre run by the Department of Home Affairs could easily become a tent city akin to a makeshift refugee camp.... Read more...

The Kaza UniVisa project has once again been extended into 2016. Zambia and Zimbabwe will once again issue the Kaza UniVisa at their respective borders.... Read more...

Airport upgrade, removal of visa fees and construction of the Dongo Kundu are some of the ways the Kenya government will improve tourism... Read more...

Readers of the Cape Messenger should be apprised of the good news for 2016 which is that thanks to the valiant efforts of the ANC, Iqbal Surve and especially the Cape Times, the forces of imperialism in South Africa will be decisively defeated.... Read more...

SOUTHERN African Tourism Services Association (Satsa) CEO David Frost on Wednesday accused Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba of going on the fly with foreign arrivals data to convince the public that tourism numbers rose 8% over the festive season.... Read more...

A group of 287 people have been arrested for throwing stones and damaging property at the Marabastad Home Affairs department on Wednesday morning, Gauteng police said.... Read more...

Cape Town - South Africa's economy will not slip into recession, Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan said on Thursday, countering predictions by some economists that sharp currency weakness pointed to a contraction this year.... Read more...

Thomas Cook Airlines will launch a new direct service from Gatwick (LGW) to Cape Town (CPT), effective December 15, 2016 until March 20, 2017, on a trial basis.... Read more...

Members of the trade have responded to traveller statistics released by Home Affairs.... Read more...

Cape Town � US hip hop artist and actor Yasiin Bey, better known by his former stage name, Mos Def, was arrested on an immigration-related charge in Cape Town, according to a department of home affairs official... Read more...

Johannesburg - Despite concerns that South Africa's amended visa regulations would cause a slump in tourism, the Department of Home Affairs recorded a 7.6 percent increase in foreign arrivals over the festive season.... Read more...

Frost gave the following five reasons why the tourism industry is very concerned about the latest tourism numbers: � The industry questions the veracity of these numbers and the timing of their release. � The industry does not know the source of Home Affairs` "0.6% turnaways" number. Airlines haven`t been of much help. � Do these figures indicate total arrivals or tourism arrivals? � With our favourable exchange rate the mid-December to mid-January growth should be closer to 27%. � Uncertainty regarding the still looming unabridged birth certificate debacle.... Read more...

Cape Town - Yasiin Bey, the rapper and actor formerly known as Mos Def, has been arrested at Cape Town International Airport for travelling with a World Passport - but while this might sound like a fake passport - turns out it's not - at least not according to the Washington-based World Service Authority.... Read more...

The deepening economic crisis has resulted in a renewed exodus of Zimbabweans seeking greener pastures with most heading to neighbouring South Africa, the Zimbabwe Independent has learnt.... Read more...

THE old adage that says "there is no place like home" � which has been popular since 1822 when legendary English lyricist Sir Henry Bishop, composed the song Home! Sweet Home � resonates with many people the world over.... Read more...

South Africans choosing to work and live in another country, may be surprised to discover they're no longer citizens of South Africa should they choose to acquire the citizenship of their adoptive country, due to the stricter application of an old Citizenship Act.... Read more...

Four visa centres are currently open in China and another five will open this year.... Read more...

India is all set to overhaul its security cooperation agreement with China and further liberalise visa norms for the neighbouring country, a senior government official has told The Hindu.... Read more...

Many people are travelling to attend a wedding and some view the experience as an opportunity to celebrate with family and friends in a new and exciting destination.... Read more...

The DA said it was deeply concerned about the critical shortage of teachers in schools in the province.... Read more...

Like many Zimbabweans living and working in South Africa, I travelled from Cape Town to Harare in the December holidays. Luckily all my documents are in order, but for Zimbabweans who have overstayed their allotted time or who do not have the correct documents, the journey is a corruption nightmare.... Read more...

Thousands of fraudulent death and funeral insurance claims totalling millions of rands were exposed by the Department of Home Affairs when it gave access to its database to insurers.... Read more...

Cape Town - The battered rand is proving to be a boon for the tourism industry as it offsets some of the damage done by burdensome new visa laws.... Read more...

Cape Town - The number of Chinese tourists who visited South Africa in October 2015 increased by 85.6% to 7 902 compared to October 2014, Statistics SA said on Monday.... Read more...

An open visa policy would allow more economic growth and job creation as a result of increased tourism from key source markets, said Onne Vegter, Director at Wild Wings Safaris.... Read more...

It makes sense (of sorts) that tourism in South Africa today attracts far more foreign exchange than gold mining, once the mainstay of the South African economy.... Read more...

I want you to know that you have an exceptional employee, Nokohwaba Mtonjeni, in your Home Affairs department in Plett. Her calm, patient manner was a great help to me when my frustration was at an all-time high. Her knowledge and her remarkable problem-solving abilities are rare indeed.... Read more...

With a large local Malay community, Cape Town is well on its way to be an attractive destination to the Islamic market.... Read more...

SA NO longer has an immigration policy. This is not a criticism, but a fact. On May 26 last year, when the Immigration Act was amended, an entirely new paradigm of immigration regulation came into operation, unprecedented in its inflexibility and in its exclusionism. This is not a phenomenon that appeared out of nothing; it emerged from a history of administrative corruption, the violation of SA`s borders and the government`s frustrated response to it.... Read more...

Biometric capturing will definitely be introduced at South Africa`s primary international airports by the end of January, and as a result, other immigration controls, such as the Transit Visa, could be reviewed the Director General of the Department of Home Affairs, Mkuseli Apleni, has assured stakeholders.... Read more...

While markets punish the South African currency as its debt moves inexorably to junk status, the international tourist is smiling.... Read more...

Accredited tourism companies in China will be able to make visa applications for their clients, while biometrics will be taken on arrival.... Read more...

Pretoria � South Africa and Botswana have officially introduced a pilot project that will make travelling much easier for the cross-border community of Tshidilamolomo.... Read more...

PRESIDENT Jacob Zuma on Saturday came to the defense of South African Airways board chairperson Dudu Myeni.... Read more...

Durban - A UKZN professor has scored a victory in her court battle against the Department of Home Affairs to travel with her children without permission from their father.... Read more...

Pretoria � South Africa and Botswana have officially introduced a pilot project that will make travelling much easier for the cross-border community of Tshidilamolomo. Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba inaugurated the pilot of the border crossing point for the village of Tshidilamolomo in the North West, on Tuesday. The village straddles South Africa and Botswana due to what Minister Gigaba described as the "irrational borderlines" drawn by colonialists. The project flows out of a discussion between President Jacob Zuma and President Ian Khama, which began in 2011.... Read more...

SA will see growth in Japanese arrivals from October 2015 onward s, says Bradley Browner, President: Asia Pacific, SA Tourism.... Read more...

MBOMBELA � In an attempt to reduce the late registrations of births (LRB), home affairs will from January 1 next year introduce a new programme which will allow new-born babies to be issued with free birth certificates within 30 days.

... Read more...

A HOME Affairs legal officer in Pretoria has pleaded with the Western Cape High Court for mercy, saying she was "mortified" when she read a judgment handed down recently which described the department as dysfunctional and threatened to refer it to the public protector.... Read more...

Pietermaritzburg - After fighting a losing battle with the �Department of Home Affairs for nearly 13 years to obtain an unabridged marriage certificate, a local attorney has turned to the high court in desperation.... Read more...

Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba is on Tuesday launching the Transit Visa Biometrics System aimed at recording the movement of transit travellers on the Department's enhanced Movement Control System (eMCS).... Read more...

Rand rates will be a great incentive for South Africans to visit Zimbabwe, offering them value for money.... Read more...

The time to sell South Africa as a tourism destination in China is now The awareness around SA would be especially high following Chinese President Xi Jinping`s signing of trade agreements worth R94bn with SA, generating positive coverage about the country among Chinese consumers, said Bradley Brouwer, President: Asia Pacific, SA Tourism, at a trade seminar on Asian markets.... Read more...

Koreans long to get away from their daily environment and find some form of peace when on holiday.... Read more...

Bradley Brouwer, President: Asia Pacific, SA Tourism has urged the trade to reflect SA's offering with more detail to the Japanese market.... Read more...

There have been 765 applications for Bermuda status since a Supreme Court ruling that opened the way for certain holders of Permanent Residents` Certificates, the House of Assembly heard.... Read more...

"I am sick and tired and wish I could be resettled to another country. They should not treat people like animals," says a man trying to renew his refugee status. He is one of many complaining about the service at Home Affairs on Cape Town's foreshore.... Read more...

A senior home affairs official was arrested by the Hawks while she was accepting a R40,000 bribe.... Read more...

The time to sell South Africa as a tourism destination in China is now The awareness around SA would be especially high following Chinese President Xi Jinping`s signing of trade agreements worth R94bn with SA, generating positive coverage about the country among Chinese consumers, said Bradley Brouwer, President: Asia Pacific, SA Tourism, at a trade seminar on Asian markets.... Read more...

Koreans long to get away from their daily environment and find some form of peace when on holiday. `Rest` and `healing` have become keywords when targeting the Korean outbound tourism market. According to published data, Korea has the second highest average number of working hours among the 34 member states of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. The result is that Koreans long to get away from their daily environment and find some form of peace when on holiday.

... Read more...

Mike Sch�ssler recently wrote on MoneyWeb, 11 November 2015 "Welcome to the decline - South Africa � It is much easier to become poorer that richer".... Read more...

THE Democratic Alliance has lashed out at the ANC government for failing to move on the the visa changes they agreed to in October.

Shadow tourism minister James Vos issued a statement last night saying that UK news reports are giving South Africa a bad press.

Ten to 20 families a day denied boarding at Heathrow, says report... Read more...

The first part of my homecoming story was written 5 years after returning to our beautiful country and approximately 2 years after starting my recruitment business. Now, another 5 years has come and gone and I STILL LOVE SOUTH AFRICA.

... Read more...

The UK government`s immigration advisers are pushing for a clampdown on visas for skilled workers from outside the EU, in a move that would be a blow to global technology companies that operate in Britain.... Read more...

More immigration officials will be deployed to OR Tambo International Airport as large numbers of travellers are heading to various holiday destinations.... Read more...

The time to sell South Africa as a tourism destination in China is now The awareness around SA would be especially high following Chinese President Xi Jinping`s signing of trade agreements worth R94bn with SA, generating positive coverage about the country among Chinese consumers, said Bradley Brouwer, President: Asia Pacific, SA Tourism, at a trade seminar on Asian markets.... Read more...

Koreans long to get away from their daily environment and find some form of peace when on holiday.... Read more...

Mike Sch�ssler recently wrote on MoneyWeb, 11 November 2015 "Welcome to the decline - South Africa � It is much easier to become poorer that richer".... Read more...

THE Democratic Alliance has lashed out at the ANC government for failing to move on the the visa changes they agreed to in October.... Read more...

"Arrivals from Asia to the Western Cape have seen a sharp decline in 2014 and into 2015, most of this can be attributed to the impact of Ebola and VISAs. To try and help turn around this decline Wesgro is taking pro-active steps to re-ignite trade relationships and interest with the Asian travel market," says Judy Lain, Chief Marketing Officer of Wesgro.... Read more...

While safari remains a big focus for travellers out of the Nordic countries, which include Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden, Nordic travellers are increasingly looking for culture and history while travelling to Southern Africa, says Rune Engstr�m, from Destination Africa in Norway.... Read more...

JOHANNESBURG � The Home Affairs Department says delays experienced at different ports of entry should be expected.... Read more...

The tourism industry will continue to struggle until February, when some visa regulations will be eased, says the Federated Hospitality Association of SA.... Read more...

To comply with regulation 2(1)(a) of the Immigration Regulations, 2014 only MACHINE READABLE TRAVEL DOCUMENTS (MRTDs) will be accepted to enter South Africa with effect from 24 November 2015.... Read more...

Durban � The Department of Home Affairs has said reports of UK-based travellers experiencing problems entering South Africa because of immigration regulations were "baseless and inaccurate".... Read more...

Cape Town - South Africa can benefit from the American travel industry by looking online to reach this internet-savvy market, according to Mariette du Toit-Helmbold, owner of Destinate, a destination marketing agency.... Read more...

JOHANNESBURG � The Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs says visitors to the country must comply with immigration regulations for the safety of South African citizens and also for their own.... Read more...

A LOCAL father has blamed bureaucratic bungling by the Department of Home Affairs for his New Zealand-born wife being banned from entering South Africa for a year.... Read more...

Home Affairs sees nothing wrong with the immigration rules and finds that travellers' complaints are "baseless and inaccurate".... Read more...

PLANS to curb corruption within the Zimbabwe Republic Police traffic section are underway with a system being developed to ensure people charged for road offences pay electronically.... Read more...

Cape Town - South Africa was the most popular African destination for the super-rich during the 12-month period to September 2015, with about 11 000 multi-millionaires visiting the country. The term "multi-millionaires" refers to individuals with net assets of $10m (about R150m) or more.... Read more...

The suspension of Schengen rules, which was put in place as a precaution before the Valletta Summit on Migration and CHOGM, has now been lifted.

... Read more...

The Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs notes the non-compliance with the immigration regulations requirements experienced during the recent Operation Fiela in the Free State and in Limpopo at Boabab Tollgate. It is reported that children were travelling without required documentation in Free State while some 279 immigrants were intercepted in Limpopo without necessary documentation.... Read more...

HIGH SEASON: Tourists buying curios at the St Lucia iSimangaliso Wetland Park. A tourism association is claiming the delayed implementation of the changes to SA`s visa regulations hurt tourism last month.... Read more...

Pretoria - The High court in Pretoria came to the rescue of a desperate mother of three, who had been separated from her children for nearly the entire month of December, after Home Affairs banned her from entering the country, claiming her permit to remain here was fraudulent.... Read more...

Johannesburg - Cape Town intensified water restrictions as South Africa`s worst drought in more than two decades left the city`s dam levels lower than normal.... Read more...

The city of Cape Town has seen huge numbers of visitors.... Read more...

The pilot project of the KAZA univisa expired at the end of December.... Read more...

Otto Stehlik is the first person in the tourism industry to receive The Order of the Baobab award.... Read more...

Musina - Mulai is a Zambian girl, just three months old, whose parents are refugees in South Africa. She sleeps facedown on a rag, protected from the unforgiving Limpopo sun by a threadbare, dirty and rickety tent.... Read more...

Chinese tourists can now obtain a visa on arrival in Zimbabwe.... Read more...

The Department of Home Affairs has released stats showing traveller movements for the festive holiday period.... Read more...

At the end of October, arrivals from the US, UK and Germany were down year to date by 7%, 2% and 9% respectively.... Read more...

Chinese tourists will now be able to pay for services in Zimbabwe using the yuan.... Read more...

The weakening will result in higher rental rates, but the industry is anticipating an increase in car rentals from the international market.... Read more...

Cape Town - A precedent-setting judgment focusing on South Africa`s new immigration regulations could see foreigners with tourist visas who are living here with South African partners being given spousal visas without having to return to their home countries to apply for the documents.... Read more...

The folly of parliament passing poorly drafted legislation has cost thousands of jobs, seen state entities lose billions and caused both a run on pensions and a huge decline in international visitors.... Read more...

Cape Town - The South African husband of a Zimbabwean woman facing the prospect of being separated from her family indefinitely says a high court judgment in their favour handed down on Friday shows that the justice system works.... Read more...

Families torn as home affairs department denies foreign parents the right to stay with children According to the status quo, the Department of Home Affairs will not grant foreign parents the right to settle permanently in SA with their minor South African children.... Read more...

Parliament � The Home Affairs department is considering the use of family advocates to make it easier for single parents to travel in and out of the country with children, Minister Malusi Gigaba said on Tuesday.... Read more...

The Cape Town High Court on Friday ordered the Department of Home Affairs to renew asylum seeker permits of refugees whose applications it had refused because they initially applied at another refugee reception office.... Read more...

The Home Affairs database system that manages refugee and asylum documentation has been down for almost two weeks across the country.... Read more...

On Friday� 34 imams in Gauteng graduated as marriage officers� which allows them to perform the ceremony in terms of the Marriage Act and confers legal status on these unions.... Read more...

Adoption, like all child protection initiatives, is predicated on the principle of "the best interests of the child". Except when it isn`t. In some significant matters, government agenda has overridden this tenet, at times with disastrous and even tragic consequences.... Read more...

Cape Town � The Department of Trade and Industry (dti) has injected about R3.5bn into the clothing and textile industry, which has led to the retention of about 65 000 jobs and creation of an additional 7 000 new decent jobs, Minister of Trade and Industry Rob Davies told the clothing and textile industry (CTFL) Imbizo on Tuesday.... Read more...

Homesickness: The stages of missing South Africa Homesickness is a lot like grieving the loss of a former existence.... Read more...

US operators are keen to market South Africa, a panel revealed on Thursday at the United States Tour Operator Association (USTOA) workshop hosted by Satsa.... Read more...

In April this year in his address to the SA-Iranian Business Forum in Tehran, South African President Jacob Zuma stated that the country was open for business. The same concept formed an integral part for the State of the Nation address he delivered in parliament in Cape Town on the 11th February 2016.... Read more...

Scalabrini Centre wants Home Affairs Cape Town office to accept new applications by asylum seekers On Thursday, the Department of Home Affairs was back in the Western Cape High Court over the closure of the Cape Town Refugee Reception Office (RRO).... Read more...

Nigeria and South African Deal and Development of Visa Diplomacy As Basis of Citizen Diplomacy... Read more...

Over 50 people including South African Home Affairs officials have been arrested on their side of the Beitbridge border post in a development that has left Zimbabwean officials in panic mode.... Read more...

Government has no intention to construct a second border post between Zimbabwe and South Africa to help ease congestion at the Beitbridge Border Post.... Read more...

SOUTH Africans take for granted that they do not have to worry much about terrorism, but prospective visitors to the country need to be carefully appraised before being allowed in, Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba said on Thursday.... Read more...

The South African High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mr Lulu Mnguni, on Wednesday announced his government`s decision to commence the issuance of 5-year visas to Nigerian professionals, business people and other frequent fliers.... Read more...

Scalabrini Centre wants Home Affairs Cape Town office to accept new applications by asylum seekers On Thursday, the Department of Home Affairs was back in the Western Cape High Court over the closure of the Cape Town Refugee Reception Office (RRO).... Read more...

When heads of state from across Africa arrive in Kigali, Rwanda next month for the African Union (AU) Summit, they will be among the first Africans issued the new electronic African Union passport. The passport is meant to make travel on the continent much easier for Africans.... Read more...

The UK is eating itself alive. The consequences for the world will be profound. On Thursday the UK will vote in a referendum to decide whether to stay in the EU or leave the organisation of 28 member nations.... Read more...

In a move that has shocked civil society groups, the Department of Home Affairs marked yesterday's World Refugee Day by closing a much-needed refugee reception office.... Read more...

Taiwan`s ambassador backs SAITEX 2016 saying its boosts imports and exports between his country and South Africa.... Read more...

Pericles Anetos Tighter work permit legislation on the cards for asylum seekers IN HER small office in Betrams, Sister Kadia Prigol, as director of the Bienvenu Shelter for women and children, is at the forefront of the bureaucratic battle asylum seekers face.... Read more...

ONE in every 113 of the global population is on the move, says the UN. Levels of migration due to war and the quest for economic opportunities have reached new heights as the war in Syria rages on and the business of people smuggling thrives. While many of those fleeing face persecution or death, just as many are economic migrants desperate to escape poverty and make new lives for themselves.... Read more...

Harare � Zimbabwe`s telecoms regulator has threatened to disconnect mobile subscribers it says are spreading information via WhatsApp about the protests that have rocked the country.... Read more...

South Africans travelling abroad will in future be exempt from a controversial biometric system at the country's international airports says Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba.... Read more...

July 1. Anyone intending to come to Uganda for tourism, business, study, medical or other reasons are required to apply and obtain a visa online. Types of visas that can be applied for online include multiple-entry, diplomatic and official, ordinary, East Africa tourist visa and transit visa.... Read more...

CAPE TOWN � Two people have been arrested in Cape Town in connection with corruption in respects of fraudulent passports and permits, the directorate for priority crime investigation (Hawks) in the Western Cape said on Friday.... Read more...

Religious leaders have called on Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba to stop home affairs officials from administering marriages.... Read more...

Town � If you`ve walked through central Cape Town on the first Thursday of any given month, you`ll soon understand why the CBD has clinched the most-visited attraction title in South Africa for 2015.... Read more...

Tears at the airport as families denied boarding The implementation of the UBC regulation for minors has resulted in tears as families are denied boarding.... Read more...

Residents of Thaba Nchu in the Free State will no longer have to travel distances in order to apply for identity documents.... Read more...

Thousands of foreign prisoners due for deportation have been released into the community without being tagged, Theresa May has admitted, leaving the door wide open for their abscondment. In a letter sent while she was Home Secretary, Mrs May admitted that fewer than one in ten were being monitored.... Read more...

Windhoek � Children born by non-Namibian parents, who are on temporary residence permits, will no longer be allowed to register as Namibian citizens unless both parents are permanent residents in the country, according to Home Affairs Minister Pendukeni Iivula-Ithana.... Read more...

Pretoria � The Department of Home Affairs says it is delighted by the positive response on the part of the South African voters who seized the opportunity to go and collect their Identity Documents.... Read more...

Johannesburg - At least 66 000 identity documents were collected from the Department of Home Affairs offices after it extended operating hours to enable voters without IDs to cast votes during the local government polls.... Read more...

Sarah Emily Wild, discovered that the Department of Home Affairs changed her maiden surname to her husband`s surname without her permission.... Read more...

IN OCTOBER 2015, the South African Banking Risk Information Centre (Sabric) released its card fraud report which found that while credit card fraud decreased in 2015, debit card fraud is on the rise, accounting for over R257m in losses last year.... Read more...

Embassies are insisting travellers make applications for visas in person, despite an undertaking from the Department of Home Affairs to accept applications by post where no SA missions exist.... Read more...

IN OCTOBER 2015, the South African Banking Risk Information Centre (Sabric) released its card fraud report which found that while credit card fraud decreased in 2015, debit card fraud is on the rise, accounting for over R257m in losses last year.... Read more...

Embassies are insisting travellers make applications for visas in person, despite an undertaking from the Department of Home Affairs to accept applications by post where no SA missions exist.... Read more...

IN OCTOBER 2015, the South African Banking Risk Information Centre (Sabric) released its card fraud report which found that while credit card fraud decreased in 2015, debit card fraud is on the rise, accounting for over R257m in losses last year.... Read more...

South African Tourism has launched a food and wine campaign in Germany.... Read more...

Africa Check clarifies if SA is home to the highest number of unresolved asylum cases in the world.... Read more...

JOHANNESBURG - Home Affairs will soon make it compulsory for marriage officers to ask married women whether or not they want a surname change.... Read more...

Investors are overcoming doubts about risk and are investing in hotels in Africa, says Tim Smith, Managing Partner of global hospitality consultancy, HVS.... Read more...

The merger transaction between Tsogo Sun and Hopitality Property Fund was approved by the Competition Tribunal last week.... Read more...

Zimbabwean family man Forbes Maupa with his South African wife and children. Maupa was sent from pillar to post by home affairs officials for almost four years. Durban - The thought of kissing his wife and two children goodbye as the expiry date of his temporary spousal visa drew nearer had been replaying in Forbes Maupa's mind over and over.... Read more...

Zimbabwean family man Forbes Maupa with his South African wife and children. Maupa was sent from pillar to post by home affairs officials for almost four years.... Read more...

Two men born on the same day with the same name have the same ID number Luzuko Gijana (27) from Cofimvaba Magwala Village near Queenstown recently found out that someone else was using his name, surname and identification number.... Read more...

- Eleventh-hour reprieve for refugee family Johannesburg - A refugee family from the DRC who spent months on a Pretoria pavement before the parents were arrested and their children placed in care, have received a reprieve just hours before they were to be deported.... Read more...

The Department of Home Affairs has distanced itself from a Tutsi family from the Democratic Republic of Congo seeking refuge in South Africa. Speaking to TMG Digital on Friday afternoon� Home Affairs spokesperson Mayihlome Tshwete said the family is a matter being handled by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.... Read more...

People who don't get cold feet before they marry would probably not be so relaxed if they appreciated the extent of the bureaucracy involved, especially when marrying a foreigner.... Read more...

THE Department of Home Affairs, the Police Ministry and the Treasury have less than four weeks to sort out their differences over the Border Management Authority Bill, which has huge implications for the country`s tax-collection regime.... Read more...

South Africa`s immigration authorities have warned airlines that the queuing chaos at OR Tambo may well get worse.... Read more...

The Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa grand opening is scheduled for September next year.... Read more...

JOHANNESBURG � The Home Affairs Department has blamed the destruction of property at its Marabastad office in Tshwane on corrupt officials and asylum seekers.... Read more...

Johannesburg - The home affairs department on Thursday warned the public to not be mislead by "dubious characters" who were sending out a hoax message claiming to work for the department and could help with official documents.... Read more...

Cape Town - Foreign students at UCT have raised concerns about the possible impact of the shutdown of academic activities, which could extend the academic year beyond the expiry dates of their visas. All UCT campuses are closed until Friday after disruptions escalated earlier this week.... Read more...

Factbox Everything South African business travellers need to know about securing a business visa: Q: Which countries require business visas? South African passport holders don`t need business visas for Botswana� Kenya� Mozambique� Namibia� Zambia and Zimbabwe.... Read more...

Addis Ababa - The Ethiopian government has declared a state of emergency effective immediately following a week of anti-government violence that resulted in deaths and property damage across the country, especially in the restive Oromia region.... Read more...

The Department of Home Affairs has warned members of the public not to fall for hoax email messages from fraudsters who claim they work for the department.... Read more...

Cape Town - Cape Town is offering the Brexit-hit British top value as the cheapest long haul destination option for 2016.... Read more...

Pretoria � The Department of Home Affairs has warned members of the public not to fall for hoax email messages from fraudsters who claim they work for the department.... Read more...

Shadow Minister of Tourism, James Vos, says the e-visa system is the solution to the current visa issues.... Read more...

Malusi Gigaba says the process at the 11 application centres set up throughout the country will continue until December 31.(SABC)... Read more...

Johannesburg - Emerging Markets Newspaper, an affiliate of the IMF/World Bank Annual Meetings, named South Africa the Best country for Debt management/Sovereign Bond Issuance in Sub-Saharan Africa.... Read more...

In today`s experience economy, the emphasis is no longer on products, but on customers, says Emeritus Professor Ernie Heath.... Read more...

We previously published on this topic a few months ago and shed some light into the reason why artisans were being rejected when apply for a critical skills work visa.... Read more...

This may be a case of the chickens finally coming home to roost. The Minister`s comments this week may have not been what the community of Zimbabweans living in South Africa of the Special Dispensation permits had hoped to hear.... Read more...

Cape Town - Foreign students at UCT have raised concerns about the possible impact of the shutdown of academic activities, which could extend the academic year beyond the expiry dates of their visas. All UCT campuses are closed until Friday after disruptions escalated earlier this week.... Read more...

JOHANNESBURG � The Home Affairs Department has blamed the destruction of property at its Marabastad office in Tshwane on corrupt officials and asylum seekers.... Read more...

Passed in their present form, draft amendments to South Africa`s immigration regulations will result in children booked on flights to South Africa being denied boarding if they do not have an unabridged birth certificate.... Read more...

Pretoria � South Africa has welcomed the adoption of the New York Declaration for Refugees and Migrants and applauded the commitment by states to protect the human rights of all refugees and migrants regardless of status.... Read more...

Pretoria - James Biamungu - the Congolese refugee in search of human security - woke up in a bed on Saturday morning. It was the first time in months that he had not slept on a plank in the Pretoria Central Prison detention cells or on the pavement outside the offices of the UN building in Pretoria.... Read more...

I am a Zimbabwean married for 8 to my South African wife and stay in Soweto. I was however declared Undesirable last week and banned from coming to SA.... Read more...

Despite significant growth, David Frost, Satsa CEO, points out that over recent year`s South Africa`s tourism growth has stagnated.... Read more...

Cape Point is currently undergoing upgrades costing R34 million (�2.2 million).... Read more...

It can be hard trying to talk to officials, especially if you`re a foreigner, writes Georgina Crouth.... Read more...

DURING the recent discussions around the Namibian Citizenship Amendment Bill, it became clear that there is some confusion about the concept of ordinary residence. Even though the Namibian Citizenship Amendment Bill has now been withdrawn, there is sure to be future debate about what the rules on citizenship should be.... Read more...

Johannesburg - Convicted killer Janusz Walus is on the way to losing his South African citizenship, so if he's paroled he won't see much of South Africa.... Read more...

Razia van der Schuur wonders what games Home Affairs are playing after her husband`s application for Temporary Residence Visa was rejected four times in two years.... Read more...

Cape Town - Home Affairs plans to expand its Smart Card applications at bank branches by the end of October, following the success of the pilot project, Minister Malusi Gigaba said on Wednesday.... Read more...

The Department of Home Affairs is shutting down ID and passport services this weekend to upgrade its systems.... Read more...

Cape Town - A family is living in fear of being torn apart after Home Affairs denied a frail father the right to stay in South Africa with his wife and children.... Read more...

Cape Town - Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba has confirmed that the eHomeAffairs portal service has now been extended to accommodate citizens, 16 years and above, who want to apply online for the new Smart ID Card and Passports.... Read more...

SA passports can now be renewed online and collected at your local bank. Here's a step-by-step guide.... Read more...

Johannesburg - The growth of domestic tourism in South Africa depends on the accessibility and affordability of the country's tourist attractions.... Read more...

CAPE TOWN - Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba has encouraged foreign students in South Africa to consider working in the country to boost the country`s skills development.... Read more...

Johannesburg - Joseph Khoza could hardly contain his excitement after he finally received an ID book from the Department of Home Affairs after a 28-year-long struggle.... Read more...

THE largest public sector union in SA has threatened a nationwide strike should the Department of Home Affairs continue to push for the creation of a border management agency, despite the department maintaining that the working conditions of employees would be in the ambit of the public service.... Read more...

Limpopo - Proper birth registration has been identified as a major tool in the fight to prevent child trafficking and other social ills that include child labour, illegal adoption and sexual exploitation.... Read more...

Due to the rising number of women being unknowingly married to foreign nationals, the department of home affairs in East London is inviting single women to visit their offices to check their marital status.... Read more...

The requirements for entering South Africa differ from country to country and, as many parents coming into the country recently discovered, are subject to change from time to time.... Read more...

A shortage of officials to man the immigration desks at OR Tambo International Airport is continuing to cause delays more than two months after the capturing of biometric data was rolled out at the airport.... Read more...

Three officials from the department of home affairs in Queenstown are facing corruption charges after allegedly taking a bribe from a Malawian asylum seeker.... Read more...

THE almost 200 000 Zimbabweans currently on permits issued under the Zimbabwean Special Permit (ZSP) project have to seek alternative permits if they wish to extend their work, study or stay in South Africa beyond 2017, Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba said on Wednesday.... Read more...

Rustenburg - The end-September deadline set for Lesotho nationals to regularise their stay in South Africa by acquiring work permits will not be extended, Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba cautioned on Wednesday.... Read more...

JOHANNESBURG - Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba has warned that the implementation of a paperless system at refugee reception offices will see those who abuse the asylum application system deported.... Read more...

Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba on Sunday toured the revamped and technologically advanced Marabastad Refugee Reception Centre, west of Pretoria.... Read more...

PRETORIA: There is hope for stateless children born in South Africa who do not have any citizenship, with the Supreme Court of Appeal in Bloemfontein last week giving Home Affairs 18 months to streamline regulations that will make it easier for other stateless children to apply for citizenship.... Read more...

Malusi Gigaba says ridding the application process of queues decreases chances of collusion and corruption.... Read more...

HOME Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba has lashed out at two other government departments for contradicting his department on the contentious Border Management Authority Bill.... Read more...

Johannesburg - The South African Department of Home Affairs on Thursday confirmed that the the last day for Basotho nationals to apply for SA-issued Lesotho Special Permits (LSP) will be on Friday 30 September 2016.... Read more...

The Department of Home Affairs has dismissed as a hoax an article claiming that compulsory DNA testing has been introduced for registration of new births.... Read more...

The Minister of Home Affairs briefed the Committee on the outstanding concerns surrounding the Border Management Authority Bill which had been raised at a previous meeting. He described the three underlying principles on which the Cabinet had based the functioning of the BMA.... Read more...

Cape Town - The Mother City and Johannesburg in South Africa has been named in the Top 20 cheapest cities in the world for expatriate employees to live and work in, according to a global survey done by Mercer Global.... Read more...

The Women`s Legal Centre Trust is adamant it wants the Muslim Marriages Bill made into law, despite counter-arguments by respondents and fierce attempts to have the case dismissed.... Read more...

Ask bus passengers who travel or have travelled to South Africa and Zimbabwe what problems they face when they travel in Mozambique, they will tell you it is `hell`.Immigration officials, police officers and customs officials extort money from passengers either going or coming from South Africa and Zimbabwe at Zobwe, Dezda and Nyamapanda border posts... Read more...

A story in The Economist entitled "Drawbridges Up" discusses geopolitical openness in a post-Brexit world facing a continuing refugee crisis, along with the possibility of Donald Trump`s presidency. Immigration lawyer Gary Eisenberg sees similar barriers going up in South Africa.... Read more...

Tshwete said no such interview was conducted by the minister with what appears to be a fake website.... Read more...

In a very comprehensive judgment handed down today in the High Court of South Africa , Western Cape Division, Immigration Directive 21 of 2015 barring Refugees and Asylum seekers form applying for a change of status to any Visa or Permit in terms of the Immigration Act has been declared to be inconsistent with the Constitution of the Republic and invalid and set aside.... Read more...

PRETORIA: Gerhard Jordaan missed his dream holiday to Norway because the online service at OR Tambo Airport declined to accept his passport number.... Read more...

A six-year-old South Africa-born boy may face being deported from Australia if local authorities don't renew his passport.... Read more...

Jordaan alleged he had missed his flight because of the negligence of home affairs.... Read more...

Our most frequent visitors are from neighbours in Africa; our migration policies still favour former colonial powers; thousands try for refugee status here but few get it; and business migrants are increasingly coming from China.... Read more...

HOME Affairs director-general Mkuseli Apleni told Parliament`s home affairs committee on Tuesday that the department was close to ironing out its differences with other departments over the contentious Border Management Authority Bill.... Read more...

Johannesburg - South Africa should embrace international migration for development of the country, Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba has said.... Read more...

The detention of nine Zimbabweans who were returning to their home country in a minibus taxi last month was lawful, as they were undocumented, the department of home affairs has said.... Read more...

In a far reaching judgement dated 21 September 2016, the Cape Town High Court of South Africa handed down a very comprehensive judgement in the matter of Tashriq Ahmed & others vs The Department of Home Affairs .... Read more...

Xenophobia is alive and well, living in the Department of Home Affairs in Pretoria and secretly engaged to Donald Trump.... Read more...

Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba is calling for Basotho nationals living in SA to regularise their stay by 30 September.(SABC)... Read more...

SEVERAL decisions taken by the Department of Home Affairs related to refugees seeking permanent residence have been ruled unconstitutional in the Western Cape High Court.... Read more...

The Botswana Tourism Organisation is working towards introducing a new tourism development levy.... Read more...

JOHANNESBURG - The Home Affairs Department says 20 of its officials and six civilians have been arrested in Bloemfontein on charges related to fraud and corruption.... Read more...

The growth of SA's green economy comes amid uncertainties regarding the future of independent power producers in the country.... Read more...

Pretoria - Talks were ongoing regarding the relaxation or elimination of visa requirements for South Africans travelling to European Union (EU) member states, Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba announced on Tuesday.... Read more...

Cape Town - The South African Department of Home Affairs is doing everything in their power to legalise Lesotho nationals' stays in South Africa.... Read more...

Many still await documents that they need to complete application... Read more...

It is the view of the Department of Home Affairs that if managed effectively, international migration is a largely positive phenomenon, which can contribute to the development of our country and benefit our people as well as both the immigrants and their countries of origin.... Read more...

Despite the international attention that is currently focussed on migratory flows directed towards Europe and other Western countries, the continued flow of Ethiopian migrants and asylum seekers along the southern corridor to South Africa via Kenya, Tanzania and other southern African countries is significant.... Read more...

Hundreds of parents, mainly women, many of them Mozambican nationals, packed the Vhumbeni school hall to listen to Department of Home Affairs officials explain how they should go about dealing with immigration problems affecting their children`s education in the country.... Read more...

Home affairs says it`s given Basotho nationals enough time to regularise their stay in SA and no further extension will be allowed.... Read more...

Draft amendments to South Africa`s immigration regulations have not done away with the requirement for children to travel with an unabridged birth certificate.... Read more...

The Department of Home Affairs is dragging its feet in tackling issues affecting the immigration and tourism industries as a result of its laws, say industry experts.... Read more...

Africa`s President Jacob Zuma left Nairobi on Wednesday morning having concluded a first-ever State visit to Kenya by a South African president.... Read more...

Visa changes for South African nationals: All South African visitors to New Zealand will require visitor visas from the 21 November this year.... Read more...

Tens of thousands of illegal migrants were allowed to stay in the country after telling police that they were British or EU citizens, a report has found. In response, MPs have accused the police of "taking their eye off the ball" on immigration.... Read more...

Passed in their present form, draft amendments to South Africa`s immigration regulations will result in children booked on flights to South Africa being denied boarding if they do not have an unabridged birth certificate.... Read more...

Africa`s President Jacob Zuma left Nairobi on Wednesday morning having concluded a first-ever State visit to Kenya by a South African president... Read more...

IT`S just a year and half left before the Zimbabwe Special Permits expire on 31st July 2017 and the conditions are clear.... Read more...

The rarest skills in South Africa While some jobs are in high demand, others are very hard to find as well. Adzuna.co.za in South Africa has done some research on the most sought after skills by companies and their demand from job seekers, crowning those that push both factors the most to be the rarest skills in the country. By this logic, if a skill is in high demand but low in supply, this makes it rarer than skills which are low in both available candidates and low in demand.... Read more...

Pretoria - Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba was forced to apologise to customers who had been at the department`s centre in Centurion since the early hours of Wednesday, but had yet to be assisted as the system was down.... Read more...

The Southern African Tourism Services Association (Satsa) says it may be forced to take legal action against government in order to have strict laws around unabridged birth certificates scrapped... Read more...

In a front page expos� in the Pretoria News on 13 October 2016, Minister of Home Affairs, Malusi Gigaba, asked for forgiveness from "ordinary citizens" at the Centurion Home Affairs office for lengthy queues, poor communication and lack of professionalism. While this photo opportunity no doubt revealed real problems at one particular office, Minister Gigaba has so much more to apologise for.... Read more...

Pretoria � Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba has officially launched the department's contact centre at the department's head office in Pretoria.... Read more...

IMMIGRATION lobby groups have slammed the Home Affairs Department-contracted Global VFS for poor planning in not being able to cater for the "high volume" of visa applicants in the city.... Read more...

Pretoria - Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba has launched a new departmental contact centre that will bring immediate resolutions to customers` queries.... Read more...

� SA Home Affairs reviewing its ports of entries The South African Home Affairs Department is in the process of reviewing all its ports of entries to check whether there is a need to increase them.... Read more...

A task team will be set up to look into how traditional leaders can assist government to fast-track the early registration of children in rural communities.... Read more...

As many as 13 246 people were denied boarding to South Africa for the period June 2015 to July 2016 because of the requirement that minors travel with an unabridged birth certificate (UBC), according to statistics provided by the TBCSA presented in the Portfolio Committee on Tourism meeting in Parliament.... Read more...

Before new measures, immigration queues at OR Tambo were taking an average of three hours to clear.... Read more...

While the SA tourism industry has managed to rebound following a slump blamed on the country`s new visa regulation� thousands of visitors have been stopped from entering SA� leaving the tourism sector limping.... Read more...

The Department of Home Affairs wastes millions of Rands of Tax Payers` money due to numerous court battles, abject inefficiency and laziness, staff knocking off early, and more.... Read more...

The TBCSA has presented a contingency plan to alleviate the lengthy delays caused by the Department of Home Affairs staff shortages at major airports across the country. The implementation now relies on Home Affairs.... Read more...

Pretoria - South African couple Mukhrar and Tasleem Ahmed went on a pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia, but when they wanted to return, they were barred from entering South Africa.... Read more...

Johannesburg - South Africans need to "turbo-charge" their efforts, ideas and financial resources to create greater economic momentum, Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan said at the Discovery Leadership Summit 2016 in Sandton on Monday.... Read more...

Dear Honorable Minister Malusi Gigaba, We note with concern your pronouncements reported by Reuters news agency on Friday, 11 November stating that there are militant "sleeper" cells in South Africa. We note that you have not provided any proof to justify your statements, and have alluded to increased securitisation and surveillance of Muslim communities as a result.... Read more...

Johannesburg - At 23, Dineo Shakgane, a Soweto resident, is unable to open a bank account or apply to study further. She can`t buy a SIM card or even enter a reality show competition.... Read more...

Angolan refugees, some of whom have lived in South Africa for 20 years, have about two months left to apply for permanent residence or be deported back to their home country.... Read more...

Satsa CEO, David Frost will urge that the issue of the unabridged birth certificate requirement be taken to court, at the upcoming TBCSA board meeting.... Read more...

The holiday season is just around the corner. While for some this is the time to pause and relax, for others, the festive season can bring a lot of stress especially if you planning that holiday away from home.... Read more...

Following an incident reported by a tour operator, passengers at South African airports are advised to report cases of extortion by security staff to the nearest I-Help Desk.... Read more...

Whether it’s Irish labour or the Windrush generation, migration has always been driven by economic necessity One of the great myths of public life in the UK is that we are not allowed to talk about immigration, yet an objective observer might feel we talk about little else. At the heart of the debate, there has been a pervasive “post-truth” narrative that Labour governments operated an open-door immigration policy �" one that they maintain in opposition today.... Read more...

Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba Johannesburg - Travellers from New Zealand will, from January 16, need a visa to enter South Africa, Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba said on Tuesday.... Read more...

Pretoria �" Tourism remains key to South Africa’s economic development strategy and the substantial growth in tourist arrivals is testament to how dedication to marketing ‘destination SA’ is paying off.... Read more...

Home Affairs minister, Malusi Gigaba greeting Immigration officials during a walk about of the immigration section of OR Tambo International Airport before briefing media about the festive season plans for the Immigration department of Home Affairs, 8 December 2016.Picture: Neil McCartney... Read more...

South African women selling their hands in marriage to foreigners seeking residents’ permits beware: your actions are criminal.... Read more...

Cape Town - Plettenberg Bay on the Garden Route is one of only a handful of locations in South Africa where there is appetite for property that falls in the super luxury bracket, according to Hein Pretorius, broker principal of Lew Geffen Sotheby’s International Realty in the town dubbed SA’s “millionaire playground”.... Read more...

CAPE TOWN �" The Department of Home Affairs has stressed the importance of parents registering their children new births within 30 days of their birth.... Read more...

The recently released Tourism Satellite Account (TSA) for South Africa shows that the number of tourism jobs is consistently growing, while the tourism industy is continuing to make a 3% direct contribution to the GDP.... Read more...

The border controls such as this one in Hyllie, Malmö, has reduced refugee numbers. Photo: Johan Nilsson/TT Sweden’s Migration Agency accepted 77 percent of the record 112,000 asylum claims it processed in 2016, it has revealed in its end of year figures.... Read more...

Zimbabwe Minister of Home Affairs, Ignatious Chombo, signed the KAZA visa Memorandum of Understanding in Livingstone on December 21.... Read more...

Concerns have been raised about British propensity to travel to South Africa due to price increases. While local tour operators are expecting increased arrivals in 2017, the overseas trade suggest that price increases may deter tourists to certain destinations.... Read more...

OR Tambo International Airport immigration queues have been managed by an additional 92 staff members this past festive season. Following the deployment of 92 additional staff at OR Tambo International Airport between December 9 and January 14, Tourism Update understands that the temporary solution to the long queues has been managed effectively.... Read more...

A hearing on a new directive that threatens to entrench the power of Germany’s dominant tour operators, will take place later this month A hearing on the revised EU Package Travel Directive (PTD), which prevents independent travel agents from compiling customised travel arrangements with products sourced from different suppliers, takes place in Germany on January 23.... Read more...

JOHANNESBURG �" Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba says more than 100,000 Lesotho nationals have applied for a special permit Malusi Gigaba has urged Basotho people living in South Africa illegally to heed the call to legalize their stay in the country.... Read more...

Minister of Home Affairs Malusi Gigaba File picture: Oupa Mokoena/Independent Media Cape Town - The Department of Home Affairs has promised a crackdown on businesses not complying with legislation that at least 60% of its staff complement comprise South African citizens.... Read more...

A story that stating that President Donald Trump signed a visa-free travel agreement for South Africa was later slammed as fake news.... Read more...

In the Portfolio Committee on Tourism today, it became clear that there have been 600 000 fewer tourists since the introduction of visa regulations.... Read more...

Pretoria �" Every day scores of asylum seekers camp at the doorsteps of the Marabastad refugee reception centre in Pretoria, in pursuit of bona fide documentation to remain in the country.... Read more...

Minister urges the public to marry for love and says the Department is to make getting hitched much easier. The Minister of Home Affairs, Melusi Gigaba, announced on the evening of Valentine’s Day that the Department of Home Affairs is running a campaign to make getting married easier. This follows after the Department investigated and restricted over 4 000 fraudulent marriages last year alone.... Read more...

Couple alleged to have arranged marriages for Bangladeshis A “cash-for-citizenship” scheme, in which Port Elizabeth women accept as little as R200 to be married off to Bangladeshi men, has netted two suspects in the city who are thought to be the masterminds behind the scam.... Read more...

JOHANNESBURG �" The Home Affairs Department says it’s not fair to say there has been a lack of action from government in dealing with challenges around the documentation of foreign nationals in South Africa.... Read more...

JOHANNESBURG �" Eyewitness News has learn that the Tshwane Metro Police has declined at application for a march against foreigners, which was scheduled to take place on Friday... Read more...

Xenophobic unrest has flared up in parts of South Africa once again, with incidents of looting and violence reported in Johannesburg and Pretoria.... Read more...

President calls on citizens and non-citizens to exercise restraint, unite against criminality... Read more...

Home affairs minister Malusi Gigabe is in the process of finalising new legislation that the dept hopes will improve the current handling of migrants.... Read more...

The Department of Home Affairs is planning interventions into economic sectors where there appears to be widespread noncompliance in the employment of immigrants, Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba said on Tuesday.... Read more...

Human rights lawyers are urging the Department of Basic Education to issue a directive instructing all schools to immediately stop the practice of discriminating against foreign and undocumented children by refusing access and charging higher fees. The directive should also indicate that schools have a responsibility to help children obtain documents‚ Lawyers for Human Rights‚ the Centre for Child Law and Equal Education Law Centre said in a joint statement.... Read more...

Many applicants submitted fraudulent accountant letters purporting to confirm the availability of funds for business, Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba says... Read more...

Cape Town - The Federation of Unions of South Africa (Fedusa) said on Sunday it will join Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan is delegation on an overseas trip to sell the country as an investment destination. Fedusa is the only trade union federation that will be participating in this international roadshow.... Read more...

Special permits will expire at end of 2017, forcing Zimbabweans to apply for visas as the ‘government cannot offer permanent residence to so many’ Lobby groups representing Zimbabweans holding special permits said on Wednesday they were still waiting for clarity from the Department of Home Affairs on the status of their permits.... Read more...

A Free State farmer has come to the rescue of 110 children who cannot attend school because they do not have identity documents. The farmer Marieta Groenewald founded the Lethotheng Community Centre in Clocolan where the undocumented children are being educated.... Read more...

Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba says individuals visiting, transiting and residing in the territory of a country are entitled to the protection of the host country.... Read more...

Cape Town - Cape Town International Airport (CTIA) has not only been voted the best in Africa at the 2017 Skytrax World Airport Awards - but the airport which recently facilitated its highest volume of passengers in 2016 in excess of 10m passengers has managed to climb three spots higher than last year from 22nd to 19th in the top 100 list.... Read more...

SOUTH Africa will exercise its right to determine who comes and resides into its shores cognisant of its obligations to the region Home Affairs minister Melusi Gigaba said at the weekend.... Read more...

Cape Town - Travelling to the US has become a roller-coaster headache for most travellers - as the latest ban issued requires travellers on flights originating from 10 specific airports to the US to pack electronic devices bigger than a smartphone into their checked-in baggage.... Read more...

In the past few months our consultants have been receiving more and more distressed calls from clients who are calling as employers are terminating or suspending their employment due to their immigration documentation not being in order according to the employer.... Read more...

Home affairs minister Malusi Gigaba is expected to announce changes to the countries position on Zimbabwe special permits (ZSPs) before the end of the month �" with all indications that there is no room for extension according to a report by The Sunday Times.... Read more...

THE South African and Russian governments have introduced visa-free travel for their citizens as part of the marking of the 25th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the countries.... Read more...

Arrivals from New Zealand are down 15% for the month of January compared with the same month last year. This is according to stats released by Statistics SA on Monday.... Read more...

Many applicants submitted fraudulent accountant letters purporting to confirm the availability of funds for business, Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba says... Read more...

Getting your passport has become quicker and easier with the eHomeAffairs system which Minister of Home Affairs Malusi Gigaba launched a year ago. eHomeAffairs enables South Africans to submit their application and pay online, or if they live in Cape Town, Johannesburg or Pretoria, they can step into their local bank.... Read more...

Pretoria �" A new pact, approved by Cabinet this week, will provide an enabling environment across African states for the recognition of higher education qualifications, allowing for the mobility of learners, academics and workers across the continent.... Read more...

There would be no changes to South Africa’s strict immigration laws due to 15 cases of child trafficking at OR Tambo since January, the most recent being on March 29.... Read more...

JOHANNESBURG �" Newly appointed Home Affairs Minister Hlengiwe Mkhize says this has been an important week for her as she’s been familiarising herself with legislation and departmental policies.... Read more...

The department said it was difficult to issue a birth certificate where grounds for citizenship are not established whether in terms of birth descent or naturalisation.... Read more...

Pretoria �" The Department of Home Affairs says it applies the law when it determines and records the identity and status of persons. The statement follows media reports claiming that the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) may probe why children born to foreign parents are not automatically awarded citizenship.... Read more...

SAs tourism sector broke records last year with the number of arrivals jumping 12.8% to a little over 10m. But while this seems impressive it is far short of the potential for a sector earmarked by government as a key driver of growth and employment. I estimate SA could be doing 20% better in terms of foreign tourist numbers says David Frost CEO of the Southern Africa Tourism Services Association.... Read more...

Cape Town �" The SA Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) is to review why children born in South Africa to foreign parents are not automatically awarded citizenship by the Department of Home Affairs. Advocate Priscilla Jana deputy chairperson of the SAHRC said she been unaware that unabridged birth certificates were not issued to children born to foreign parents. We will look into this matter she said.... Read more...

Cape Town - A crackdown on companies employing more than 40% foreign labour is being vigorously pursued by the new minister of Home Affairs.... Read more...

Home affairs aims to ease entry for skilled migrants and to tackle asylum seeker and refugee backlogs Home Affairs Minister Prof Hlengiwe Mkhize has two immediate tasks to attend to in her new portfolio: making it easier for skilled migrants and investors to get through the system, and clearing the huge backlogs in processing asylum seeker and refugee applications.... Read more...

JOHANNESBURG - Newly appointed Home Affairs Minister Hlengiwe Mkhize says while there are a number of challenges facing her department, they are looking at immediate issues.... Read more...

Satawu is adamant that general secretary is still in the country. A powerful unionist in the tripartite alliance has been deported to Zimbabwe after the department of home affairs’ investigation into his nationality revealed he was living in South Africa without the necessary permits.... Read more...

JOHANNESBURG - Newly appointed Home Affairs Minister Hlengiwe Mkhize says the department has signed a contract with banks to conduct a trial phase, in which it will increase the number of service points made available to alleviate the long queues which often plague home affairs branches in Gauteng.... Read more...

MBOMBELA �" Twenty-six illegal immigrants who were arrested on Monday spent just enough time in court to walk past the dock and out the front of the Nelspruit Magistrate’s Court door, on Wednesday.... Read more...

Don’t get too attached to your ID book because in five years no one will have one. The Department of Home Affairs wants to replace all 38 million green booklets with smart ID cards by 2022.... Read more...

PORT ELIZABETH �" A Nigerian pastor charged with human trafficking and sexual assault was found to have been living in South Africa “illegally” after it was discovered that at least one of his permits was “issued fraudulently”, it emerged in the Port Elizabeth Magistrate’s Court on Friday.... Read more...

Cape Town - South Africa has over twice as many millionaires (HNWIs) as any other African country, because there are certain things that attract them, according to the South Africa 2017 Wealth Report by New World Wealth and Honeybee Communications.... Read more...

Government plans to track all South Africans who leave the country for longer than 3 months: report Government plans to track all South Africans who leave the country for longer than 3 months: report... Read more...

Transformation and skills development will be key priorities for newly appointed Minister of Tourism, Tokozile Xasa. Xasa, who was Deputy Minister for about nine years, and Deputy Tourism Minister, Elizabeth Thabethe, met with industry captains at a breakfast on the sidelines of Indaba on Wednesday morning.... Read more...

The ‘I Do Tourism’ campaign will remind South Africans that tourism is everyone’s business, says SA Tourism CEO, Sisa Ntshona. South African Tourism this week launched the ‘I Do Tourism’ (IDT) campaign at Indaba.... Read more...

Opposition parties say if Border Management Authority Bill were passed in its present form, it would usurp customs and excise function of South African Revenue Service The Department of Home Affairs was pushing for the Border Management Authority Bill to be passed through Parliament, Home Affairs Minister Hlengiwe Mkhize said just before her budget vote on Wednesday.... Read more...

Speech by Home Affairs Minister Hon. Prof Hlengiwe Mkhize On the occasion of the Budget Vote for the Department of Home Affairs Theme: Secure and Efficient Service to the People... Read more...

The Department of Home Affairs (DHA) will step up the digitization of records using the earmarked R10 million per annum received from National Treasury. This is the word from minister Hlengiwe Mkhize during a presentation of the DHAs budget vote in Parliament.... Read more...

The Federation of Unions of South Africa (Fedusa) and the Public Servants Association (PSA) are threatening to down tools at Home Affairs over working conditions.... Read more...

Cape Town This Cape Flats woman has been battling to get a new identity document from the Department of Home Affairs because she has no fingerprints.... Read more...

General work visas are proving virtually impossible to renew, since the implementation of the current immigration laws on 26 May 2014, when the Department of Labour took on a more significant role in the process.... Read more...

The issuing of tourist visas for Indian national is taking anything up to 20 days, if not longer. The inability by South Africa’s consular offices to process visa applications from Indian nationals timeously is forcing operators to postpone and rebook travel arrangements, all while pleading with suppliers to keep the ori... Read more...

One of the key issues not raised in all the discussions around the changes in South Africa’s Immigration laws since mid-2014, relates to the general processes and conduct of the Department of Home Affairs in the execution of its duties.... Read more...

PRETORIA �" Home Affairs Director-General Mkuseli Apleni says he is initiated an investigation and called on immigration officials implicated in the latest Gupta leaks to explain themselves.... Read more...

Arrivals from the United Kingdom dipped in March. Arrivals from the United Kingdom to South Africa dropped 8% year-on-year in March, while year-to-date arrivals from the UK are down 0.19%. The growth in overseas arrivals has also slowed when compared to January and February.... Read more...

Controversial German directive passes with reduced sting The EU package travel directive was passed into German law last week. The German travel trade were taken by surprise late last week when the controversial EU package travel directive (PTD), expected to drag on for some months yet, was passed by the German Bundestag.... Read more...

Pretoria �" Home Affairs director-general Mkuseli Apleni on Thursday announced that his department had been served with a notice to strike by unions representing front office staff.... Read more...

EDUCATION permanent secretary Sanet Steenkamp yesterday said some schools were registering children who only had baptism certificates or health passports to ensure that they are not left out. It is government policy that children must have a birth certificate to register for school but in certain circumstances exceptions have been made.... Read more...

Leaked emails show that a visa application for somebody connected to the Delhi Daredevils cricket team was expedited when the side made it to the semi-finals of the Champions League T20 tournament in South Africa in 2012. But only after he had contacted Ajay Gupta directly Much has been written about Malusi Gigabas time as home affairs minister. Particularly how a senior Gupta employee Ashu Chawla repeatedly asked officials to fast-track visas to benefit Gupta businesses. Now further leaks show that these officials were pulling favours even before he took up the post.... Read more...

The Department of Home Affairs and United Nations Commission on Human Rights (UNHCR) have announced that they will jointly commemorate World Refugee Day in eThekwini Municipality to promote social cohesion, tolerance and peaceful co-existence among refugees, asylum-seekers and host communities.... Read more...

Home Affairs agreed to enter negotiation with unions after the Bargaining Councils conciliation hearing on Thursday. without paying them overtime.... Read more...

Asylum seekers from Somalia face unexplained delays and shabby treatment at the foreshore office A number of refugees from Somalia say they keep getting turned away at the Customs House foreshore offices of Home Affairs when trying to renew their documents. This after they had travelled all the way from Pretoria since Home Affairs only allows people to renew their documents at the place they first applied for refugee status in South Africa.... Read more...

Will the Zimbabwe Special Permit be renewed? Zimbabwean immigrants want clarity as permit expires in six months... Read more...

South Africa has offered hope for refugees and asylum seekers promising to digitise its systems to make their lives easier. Home affairs deputy minister Fatima Chohan said the department would soon be introducing biometric smart cards for refugees similar to the new identity cards for South African citizens.... Read more...

Cape Town After engaging with stakeholders the Western Cape investment agency Wesgro has set out five ways in which investor confidence can be maintained in Cape Town and the Western Cape after SA recent credit ratings downgrades by ratings agencies.... Read more...

Rwandas permit hikes may be in response to the surge in high-end tourism development. The recent doubling of Rwandas gorilla permits from $750 to $1 500 has resulted in concerns from some operators over the potential impact of the increase.... Read more...

Johannesburg - The Home Affairs Department is being slapped with about 50 cases of litigation on a weekly basis, deputy director-general for institutional planning and support Thulani Mavuso said.... Read more...

This despite the fact that it will now become very expensive to process the arrests of undocumented migrants. Lawyers for Human Rights (LHR) has welcomed a unanimous Constitutional Court ruling upholding the rights of all detainees �" also alleged illegal immigrants �" to access our courts.... Read more...

Home Affairs prioritising immigration policy Cape Town �" Home Affairs had made improving South Africas international migration policy a priority Minister Hlengiwe Mkhize said on Wednesday.... Read more...

Thousands of Zimbabweans have to queue for hours in a desperate race against time to retain their legal status in South Africa. An estimated 200000 Zimbabweans working in South Africa use legal Special Dispensation Permits that expire on the last day of the year. However, former minister of Home Affairs Hlengiwe Mkhize offered a last-minute reprieve, allowing them to apply for a new work permit - the Zimbabwean Exemption Permit - by November 30.... Read more...

THE South African constitution, which outlaws the death sentence, has saved a Botswana citizen from possibly hanging if convicted of a murder charge in his country. Keitekile Jampe, with the help of Lawyers for Human Rights, turned to the high court in Pretoria for an urgent order that he be released from the Lindela Repatriation Camp in Krugersdorp, where he has been detained for more than 430 days pending extradition to Botswana. But Jampe said that if he goes back to his country of origin, he might be hanged. The Botswana police are looking for him in connection with a charge of murder.... Read more...

Institute for Race Relations CEO Frans Cronje said it was always a good thing to attract highly skilled migrants, particularly those who start businesses. The head of immigration at Immigration & Business Solutions, Sue-Allan Mehl, told The Citizen there was a serious skills shortage in South Africa in a number of fields. Yet it seems from the Gupta e-mails that the Department of Home Affairs barely understands its own paperwork, issuing visitors visas for people coming to work here and work visas for people in one capacity who are ultimately employed in another.... Read more...

Pretoria - Embattled SA Transport and Allied Workers Union (Satawu) Gauteng secretary Gift Ndwandwe has been placed on suspension in connection with information that he fabricated his South African identity. The investigation, undertaken by the Department of Home Affairs into the legality of his citizenship, revealed he faked his South African nationality and was actually a Zimbabwean national. The union’s national deputy general secretary Zacharia Mosothoane confirmed that Ndwandwe was suspended on Monday pending an internal probe to establish the truth regarding his alleged fraudulent activities.... Read more...

Home Affairs Principal Secretary (PS) Anthony Masilela and Acting Chief Immigration Officer Makhosi Simelane should be transferred from the ministry of home affairs. This was said in the House of Assembly when Zombodze Emuva MP Titus Thwala moved that the House adopt the report of the select committee investigating the influx of illegal immigrants, particularly of Asian origin.... Read more...

With the very large South African community living in the UK, it is no surprise that we receive many queries on the UK Visitor Visa. Grandparents, parents, friends, and family all want to visit those fortunate enough to live in the UK. There is also a large number of persons wanting to visit the UK to explore business and job opportunities, before making a final decision about moving to the UK. Do South Africans need a UK Visitor Visa to travel to the UK? South African nationals are regarded as visa nationals by the UK Government. All South African citizens thus need to apply for UK Visitor Visas, before traveling to the UK.... Read more...

CAPE TOWN - The Home Affairs Department says it`s on high alert on the country`s northern borders in the wake of political instability in Zimbabwe. Speaking at Parliament on Wednesday, Deputy Minister Fatima Chohan says the government is not anticipating a huge amount of movement of people at this time. The United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) in Southern Africa says it`s in constant contact with counterparts in Zimbabwe, who report that the situation is calm.... Read more...

LONG WAIT Desperate Zimbabweans seeking work permits queue for hours outside the Visa Facilitation Services office in Midrand Thousands of Zimbabweans have to queue for hours in a desperate race against time to retain their legal status in South Africa. An estimated 200,000 working Zimbabweans in South Africa use legal Special Dispensation Permits that expire on the last day of the year. However, former minister of Home Affairs Hlengiwe Mkhize gave a last-minute reprieve, allowing them to apply for a new work permit - the Zimbabwean Exemption Permit - by November 30.... Read more...

Zimbabweans whose seven-year special dispensation visas will run out in December‚ have been given a reprieve. Many had feared they would have to return to Zimbabwe‚ leaving their jobs and homes behind. However, the South Africa government announced that Zimbabweans on special dispensation visas‚ which were issued in 2010 and expire in December‚ can apply for new visas called Zimbabwe Exemption Permits (ZEP).... Read more...

Emigration from Zimbabwe is soaring as ordinary residents despair at the imploding economy and political instability‚ even before the current political turmoil. A month ago‚ the publication`s Harare correspondent Nhlalo Ndaba filed this report‚ which we republish today to bring perspective to the unfolding situation: Ahead of Zimbabwe’s general elections‚ scheduled to be held around August 2018‚ the economy is imploding and some professionals as well as ordinary Zimbabweans have lost faith in a political solution and are now looking for greener pastures.... Read more...

Dlodlo and her department have just over a week to detail their plan to deal with illegal immigrants in Joburg or face court action The City of Johannesburg said on Thursday that the Department of Home Affairs’s inaction on illegal immigration had led to “overwhelming prejudice and hardship” for the city.... Read more...

FORMER Christian pastor and Evil 8 paedophile ring member David Volmer will be turfed out of the country as soon as he is released from jail in WA. Volmer is one of dozens of WA child sex predators who have had their visas cancelled under the Turnbull Government’s hardline stance on deporting criminals on character grounds.... Read more...

UK Home Secretary Amber Rudd and the Minister of the Interior of France, Gerard Collomb, met in London on Friday and discussed a range of home affairs matters including joint efforts to fight terrorism, illegal migration, border security and efforts to tackle serious and organized crime.... Read more...

Deputy Minister of Home Affairs Fatima Chohan says machine-readable travel documents are more secure. Picture: Brenton Geach Cape Town - The government has introduced a new way to better manage its refugee and asylum seekers with an improved refugee travel document. The new machine-readable travel document for refugees has been designed and developed using the latest passport production technology and security standards.... Read more...

Home Affairs Deputy Minister Fatima Chohan says that the new documents are more secure and should facilitate safer travel for refugees. The Home Affairs Department has introduced a new machine-readable travel document for refugees.... Read more...

2016 was a bumper year for Chinese arrivals for various reasons, not the least of which was the very low selling price of some of the bottom-end packages offered. While Chinese arrivals in South Africa saw a dip in the first few months of this year, the industry reports that the market has now stabilised and is forecast for growth.... Read more...

Rwanda is among the countries that have taken a leading role in implementing the AU`s recommendations. From January 1, 2018, all travellers to Rwanda, regardless of nationality, will get a 30-day visa on arrival without prior application. Rwandans with dual nationality are now allowed to use National IDs on entry.... Read more...

`Any new route coming into an airport stimulates travel, trade and tourism,` says Terence Delomoney, GM of King Shaka International Airport. FlySafair recently launched a Durban-Port Elizabeth route, and a Durban-East London service will launch on November 27. Bookings are open for both routes.... Read more...

Johannesburg �` The Department of Home Affairs has dismissed as false, tweets claiming that the green, barcoded, South African identity book was reaching the end of its lifespan. `No such announcement has been made by the department. We wish to make it clear that the green barcoded ID book remains a legal form of identification and will continue to be until such time that the live capture system is rolled out to all home affairs offices to enable South Africans to apply for the smart ID cards at their nearest offices,` department spokesperson David Hlabane said.... Read more...

Cyber piracy in the tourism industry is fast becoming a major problem, with websites mimicking those of legitimate reserves and lodges. A concerned reader recently alerted Tourism Update to the growing prevalence of cyber piracy within the tourism sector, with companies creating websites that mimic those of reserves and lodges in order to mislead travellers into booking with them instead.... Read more...

The latest shuffling of ministers reflects the self-interest that is President Jacob Zuma’s primary consideration, outweighing the public good. What is to be made of Mkuseli Apleni’s retention as director-general (DG) of the home affairs department? Even though Apleni won the case against his suspension by then minister Hlengiwe Mkhize, President Jacob Zuma could have relocated him to some obscure department, especially if he believed his minister’s allegation against him. Mkhize had suspended Apleni, for alleged insubordination and incompetence. The court ruled that ministers don’t have powers to suspend or fire DGs, those powers resting with the president.... Read more...

Capetonians, bless them, have been a little smelly recently. The water-deprived residents have been walking about with unwashed hair as they’re restricted to two-minute showers and that’s on a good day and their town doesn’t smell so good either, City Press noted on a trip last week. Despite the water crisis that has seen residents of the country’s oldest city limited to using 81 litres a day each, the Western Cape provincial government is going into overdrive to save its tourism industry, which is also suffering in the drought.... Read more...

When Florette and Nsongoni Mulowayi renounced their Democratic Republic of Congo citizenship, it was with the promise of a new life in a country they `want to serve`. Their eldest son had already been granted citizenship, having been born in South Africa in 2011, and they thought awarding the same status to them and their baby would be a formality.... Read more...

Cabinet has approved the reopening of the application process for the current Zimbabwean Special Permit holders, under certain conditions. The initial Special Dispensation for Zimbabweans was approved in April 2009 to document Zimbabwean nationals who were in South Africa illegally.... Read more...

German arrivals continue to grow, even during SA’s winter months. German visitors to South Africa have increased by 15% according to the latest report released by Statistics SA. The German market has shown a steady increase over the last few months, with arrivals up by 24% for the month of June compared with June last year. Growth in May was 5% and April 15.91%.... Read more...

Cape Town �" National Treasury believes that the 183 day threshold for South Africans working outside the country should remain in the proposed amendments to the tax laws. National Treasury is in the process of repealing tax exemption laws on income earned by South Africans working overseas through two bills, the 2017 Taxation Laws Amendment Bill and the 2017 Draft Tax Administration Laws Amendment Bill. If planned new legislation goes through Parliament, South Africans who work overseas could be taxed locally for foreign earnings from March 1 2020.... Read more...

“My mom says I should be strong, but my feet always hurt from standing in the long queues” - grade 4 child Chido, Esther and Irvin, aged 12, ten and six respectively, are missing school. Instead of going to class they are queuing at the Desmond Tutu Refugee Centre in Pretoria to renew their asylum-seeking papers. “I grew up in these long queues, coming to get our asylum papers,” says Chido. Her family is originally from Zimbabwe but Chido was born in South Africa. To date her family has not yet been granted refugee status. She says t... Read more...

With the changes in law and variance in practice, there is a growing need for the assistance of specialised Immigration Practitioners. An immigration practitioner understands the Act and the processes to be followed to achieve, amongst other things, lawful outcomes. While any person is able to put together a visa or permit application, this person may not have the knowledge and/or expertise in understanding and complying with a legal process.... Read more...

As with any change there comes with it a lot of miscommunication and an increase in the number of failed applications. It appears that there has been a sharp increase in the number of visa and permit application being rejected and many prospective immigrants are left to wonder how on earth they can navigate this now even more complex immigration system. In this article we will unpack the reasons why some applications get rejected and when and how to do an appeal to have the decision reviewed.... Read more...

As more South Africans look to invest in property abroad, Spain’s golden visa programme is offering them one of the best deals in global real estate. With the Spanish property market in full growth phase and Spain’s GDP growth nearly double the Eurozone average at 3.2%, Spanish real estate is emerging as a strong investment for foreign nationals. For South Africans looking to buy property overseas, the benefits of investing in the Spanish market are two-fold; buyers can make a return on their investment and can easily rent their second home to either locals or the millions of tourists who visit Spain each year.... Read more...

Stats SA has released its latest tourism and migration report and the verdict on July arrivals is in. Total arrivals are up by 2% and overseas arrivals are up 10%, with Central and South America leading the charge at 90% year-to-date growth. Brazil arrivals continue to grow exponentially with a year-to-date increase of 119%, as 17 524 arrivals in 2016 increased to 38 460 arrivals in 2017. Argentina isn’t far behind Brazil, at an 89% year-to-date increase and a 71% month-to-month increase. While Mexico has shown a 42% year-to-date increase.... Read more...

So the Supreme Court of Appeal found earlier this week. The judgment comes after Home Affairs Minister Hlengiwe Buhle Mkhize and department director-general Mkuseli Apleni appealed a previous high court ruling that asylum seekers were entitled to apply for visitors and work visas while in the country. The matter was brought to the Western Cape High Court in 2003 by the Legal Resources Centre on behalf of 13 asylum seekers. It was settled, and an order, which came to be known as the “Dabone Order”, was agreed on between the parties. Following the Dabone Order, the director-general soon issued a directive that asylum seekers in possession of a permit could apply for one of the temporary residence permits, as well as permanent residency.... Read more...

The ruling by the Supreme Court of Appeal that the Cape Town Refugee Reception Office must be opened is a victory for asylum seekers. The court found that the director-general of the Department of Home Affairs had used his power unlawfully. On 29 September, the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) found the decision of the director-general of the Department of Home Affairs to close the Cape Town Refugee Reception Office to be unlawful and set the decision aside; overturning a High Court decision. The SCA ordered the Department of Home Affairs to re-open the office within six months. This is the second time that the closure of the Cape Town Refugee Reception Office has come before the Supreme Court of Appeal. The director-general (DG) first decided to close the office in 2012; however, the decision was set aside by the High Court and an order given that the office must be re-opened.... Read more...

South African visa efficiency major factor contributing to decline in Indian arrivals. This year, SA saw a lacklustre season for Indian arrivals �" surprising everyone after last year’s growth. Industry specialists share the factors that have resulted in this dip in the market. Johan Groenewald, MD of Royal African Discoveries, says there are a number of reasons why Indian arrivals are down. “The first thing we have to take into consideration is that 2016 was an exceptional year, the growth was remarkable, and so we shouldn’t expect to see the same numbers as last year.... Read more...

We all know these travellers. They’re the type that really want to get away from it all, but honestly don’t deserve the privilege. Thankfully, their ridiculous complaints, compiled by Klaudia’s Corner, make for a great pick-me-up on a Monday. 1. ‘They should not allow topless sunbathing on the beach. It was very distracting for my husband who just wanted to relax.’ 2.‘On my holiday to Goa in India, I was disgusted to find that almost every restaurant served curry. I don’t like spicy food.’ 3.‘We went on holiday to Spain and had a problem with the taxi drivers as they were all Spanish.’... Read more...

The Department of Home Affairs is duty-bound under administrative law to process overdue applications within a reasonable time After two successive quarters of decline, the South African economy spluttered back to life in the second quarter with 2.5% GDP growth quarter on quarter. However, the country’s inability to stimulate job creation is putting it on a collision course with a sustained recessionary period, which spells disaster.... Read more...

Immigration attorney to challenge in court the unlawful and arbitrary 10-year permanent residency regulation Almost seven years ago, I arrived in SA as a 24-year-old unemployed university graduate from Israel and the US. I had met my then South African partner while on holiday in Cape Town, and due to the US Defence of Marriage Act, which forbade US citizens from sponsoring same-sex partners for green cards, our only option was for him to sponsor me to move to SA as his life partner on a temporary residence visa.... Read more...

Zimbabweans who have fled economic hardship and political problems to fend for their families in South Africa have lost interest in the affairs of their country. They did not care who was sacked this week by President Robert Mugabe or who was appointed to his newly reshuffled Cabinet, saying their country’s woes required economic policies that would ease the hardships faced by their families back home.... Read more...

Proposed changes to SA immigration policy with see companies having to fork out more. With an overhaul of South Africa’s immigration system imminent and uncertainty over the impact of some of the proposed changes, concerns are being expressed and companies are advised to keep a close watch. Liesl Venter finds out more. The White Paper on Immigration released by the Department of Home Affairs in July this year will introduce significant changes to the immigration landscape and, while much is still up in the air, companies can expect to fork out more.... Read more...

Proposed changes to SA immigration policy with see companies having to fork out more. With an overhaul of South Africa’s immigration system imminent and uncertainty over the impact of some of the proposed changes, concerns are being expressed and companies are advised to keep a close watch. Liesl Venter finds out more.... Read more...

CAPE TOWN - A court ruling setting aside the suspension of the Home Affairs Director General (DG), Mkuseli Apleni, could have consequences for two other suspended DGs. The High Court found that unless delegated by the president, ministers do not have powers to suspend DGs.... Read more...

Pretoria - The Oppenheimer family`s company Fireblade on Friday won its legal battle in the Gauteng High Court, Pretoria when a judge declared that former Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba did indeed give the company the go-ahead to run a customs and immigration service at OR Tambo International Airport.... Read more...

Meeting Summary The Department of Home Affairs briefed the Committee on implementing the White Paper on International Migration including establishing one stop border posts (OSBP) and refugee processing farcicalities closer to the border. The DHA noted that in the 2016/17 financial year, it produced the White Paper on International Migration (WPIM) which was approved by the Cabinet on 29 March 2017 and gazetted on 28 July 2017 for public comment. The WPIM provided a new policy framework that would guide the comprehensive review of immigration and related legislation. Those elements of the WPIM that required administrative action was already being implemented. However, those elements of the WIPM that required major changes would not be implemented immediately pending the finalisation of a new legislation.... Read more...

August overseas arrivals grew by 9% year-to-date on 2016 figures, in comparison to July’s 10%. Stats SA’s latest tourism and migration report reveals that August 2017 saw slowed growth in arrivals in comparison to July 2017 �" August overseas arrivals grew by 9% year-to-date on 2016 figures, in comparison to July’s 10%.... Read more...

Non-SADC passport holders require a visa for Mozambique, which must be obtained prior to departure. MSC Cruises Immigration Officer on board MSC Sinfonia has advised that with immediate effect, all non-Southern African Development Community passport holders require a Mozambican visa.... Read more...

August overseas arrivals grew by 9% year-to-date on 2016 figures, in comparison to July’s 10%. Stats SA’s latest tourism and migration report reveals that August 2017 saw slowed growth in arrivals in comparison to July 2017 �" August overseas arrivals grew by 9% year-to-date on 2016 figures, in comparison to July’s 10%.... Read more...

Non-SADC cruise passengers visiting the Mozambique islands will need to obtain a visa prior to arrival. Non-SADC passengers onboard the MSC Sinfonia were previously granted visas onboard when stopping in Mozambique, however the Mozambican government informed the company on October 30 that this is no longer the case and that non-SADC passengers would have to obtain a visa prior to arrival.... Read more...

The Durban Tourism Accommodation app contains information of 732 eThekwini accommodations. In a bid to reduce fraudulent accommodation establishments, the tourism authority launched the Durban Tourism Accommodation app which contains information of 732 eThekwini accommodations, ranging from three to five star for potential visitors.... Read more...

Cape Town - On Thursday the Constitutional Court rejected an application by the Department of Home Affairs for leave to appeal, in a matter relating to the Cape Town Refugee Reception Office. The Department was appealing a decision by Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA). The SCA ruled in September that Home Affairs must `reopen and maintain a fully functional refugee reception... Read more...

Home Affairs Minister Ayanda Dlodlo has warned of a criminal syndicate operating on social media networks. This comes after a fake account bearing the name of the minister was created a week ago, as a platform to solicit money through a purported contract deal to the amount of R25 million. “The minister is not involved in any deal of the nature described in this fake correspondence. In addition, the department will also never ask people to pay money through social media for any of its services and anyone who comes across such requests should report these to the authorities,” Dlodlo said.... Read more...

LAHORE: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Immigration Wing arrested two passengers on charges of fake permits at Allama Iqbal airport on Monday.... Read more...

The Zambian government on Tuesday announced a temporary suspension on issuance of passports and national identity cards in Lusaka, the country`s capital, following an outbreak of cholera.... Read more...

East London - ANC president Cyril Ramaphosa has promised to resuscitate the country’s ailing economy while implementing the ruling party`s policies on free education and radical economic transformation.... Read more...

In terms of a court order granted by consent, Home Affairs agreed to immediately give effect to a ruling that the department must provide an immigration service to international travellers at Fireblade’s terminal.... Read more...

A court interpreter for the Department of Justice at the Galeshewe Court has pleaded guilty on two charges of corruption and defeating the ends of justice.... Read more...

Meanwhile refugees don’t have enough toilets at current offices Portable toilets have been removed at the Cape Town Refugee Office, forcing some refugees to use the filthy grounds outside. But a new refugee office for Cape Town is on the way, says Department of Home Affairs spokesperson David Hlabane.... Read more...

In terms of a court order granted by consent, Home Affairs agreed to immediately give effect to a ruling that the department must provide an immigration service to international travellers at Fireblade’s terminal.... Read more...

New data show that the number of foreign students studying in the United States has dropped for the first time in five years.... Read more...

Wesgro, Cape Town and the Western Cape’s official Tourism, Trade and Investment Promotion Agency, warmly welcomes the decision by the South African and Angolan governments to exempt each other’s ordinary passports from visa requirements.... Read more...

Home Affairs is “institutionally xenophobic”, Human Rights Commission told About 96% of refugee applications are rejected according to Lawyers for Human Rights, which has described the Department of Home Affairs as “institutionally xenophobic”.... Read more...

Immigration attorney to challenge in court the unlawful and arbitrary 10-year permanent residency regulation Almost seven years ago, I arrived in SA as a 24-year-old unemployed university graduate from Israel and the US. I had met my then South African partner while on holiday in Cape Town, and due to the US Defence of Marriage Act, which forbade US citizens from sponsoring same-sex partners for green cards, our only option was for him to sponsor me to move to SA as his life partner on a temporary residence visa.... Read more...

48 hours queuing is no guarantee for a visa or study permit at SA High commission says Nelisiwe Mabuza who started queuing on Tuesday morning at 2am and only got her documents on Thursday after going through trying conditions.... Read more...

Cape Town - The mother city was voted best city in the world for a fifth time by readers of The Telegraph in Britain.... Read more...

In terms of a court order granted by consent, Home Affairs agreed to immediately give effect to a ruling that the department must provide an immigration service to international travellers at Fireblade’s terminal.... Read more...

With the growth in tourists looking for unique and interesting experiences, motorbike tourism is a niche but growing market in Southern Africa, with the potential to grow even further.... Read more...

WINDHOEK, Jan. 5 (Xinhua) -- Namibia will from Jan. 8, 2018 issue biometric or electronic passports, an official in the home affairs ministry said Friday.... Read more...

If you are in South Africa , you must hold a valid visa for the duration of your stay and comply with the conditions of your vi... Read more...

If you think i have provided a bogus document or false or misleading information will i have the chance to talk about it... Read more...

SINGAPORE: It is `not possible to do away with immigration and custom checks for departing travellers`, Singapore`s Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said in response to a purported proposal mooted by Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak for a single checkpoint at the Johor Causeway.... Read more...

Demonstrators call for refugees to be welcomed to Australia. The country accepted more than 24,000 refugees on the humanitarian program in 2016-17.... Read more...

A London pal reminded me that Rob Hersov, scion of SA’s famous mining family, recently relocated his family back to South Africa. After more than a decade in the UK, Jacques Basson, creator of the Klipkouers podcasts, has done the same. Judging from conversations after December 18’s historic Ramaphosa victory, the homecoming revolution trickle is likely to become a flood.... Read more...

When it comes to South African tourism, our beaches, safari parks, Table Mountain and the Garden Route undoubtedly garner the most attention.... Read more...

With the growth in tourists looking for unique and interesting experiences, motorbike tourism is a niche but growing market in Southern Africa, with the potential to grow even further.... Read more...

Any document in a language other than English must be accompanied by a certified English translation.... Read more...

Scathing findings by a full bench of the high court against the minister are being reviewed by his lawyers.... Read more...

Different visas have different requirements. Not all offices accept applications for all visas.... Read more...

Recently sworn in President of South Africa, Cyril Ramaphosa, highlighted the importance of tourism and its potential for growth in his maiden State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Friday (Feb 16).... Read more...

The issue of a valid SOUTH AFRICAN visa in an expired passport has caused problems for numerous readers over the past year. Although a person can still use a valid visa in an expired passport, the situation is not ideal.... Read more...

Occasionally I get an email or a phone call from someone who has had his or her contract abruptly terminated or amended by the employer on the basis that their work permit is about to expire or has expired.... Read more...

Children �` South African, from other countries and stateless �` face being kicked out of the classroom, despite having a constitutional right to education and it being compulsory for all children to go to school.... Read more...

Johannesburg �` The Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) on Friday requested the Eastleigh Primary School to withdraw its letter that threatened foreign nationals that their children will be sent to the police station if their immigration documents weren`t updated.... Read more...

For a department that is focused on protecting borders, it seems virtual border protection is missing in action. The cyber realm is fast becoming the battleground of this century, and not the first time, Australia is missing the boat and trailing the field.... Read more...

Home Affairs has confirmed that it conducted verifications of certain individuals in the employ of media house ANN7.... Read more...

Arton Capital has released its latest Passport Index, with South Korea taking the lead with the world’s most powerful passport for the first time.... Read more...

Pretoria �` Eight Zimbabwean children who were found by police in Rustenburg in November last year will be repatriated to Zimbabwe, the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria ruled on Monday.... Read more...

A couple originally from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have found themselves stateless after renouncing their citizenship in order to be naturalised as South Africans.... Read more...

Democracy at work: The Republic of Somaliland fits the Montevideo Convention on the Rights and Duties of States definition that a state should have a permanent population, defined territory, a government and the capacity to enter into relations with other states.... Read more...

Immigration attorney and founder of Eisenberg & Associates, Gary Eisenberg, says when the department of Home Affairs introduced amendments of the immigration laws in May 2014, the light went out.... Read more...

The minister says he wants to reposition the department and help it to facilitate economic development inSA through its immigration policy.... Read more...

In Dutton’s Home Affairs, even the assistant minister can order terrorism control orders Before Dutton’s mega-department the attorney general was responsible for authorising control orders. Photograph: Mike Bowers for the Guardian... Read more...

For migrants who have watched the Gupta citizenship saga over the past week, rage does not begin to describe their feelings. This family got what many could not: they found the secret to getting home affairs to do their bidding.... Read more...

Durban - More than 1 000 refugees desperately awaiting citizenship documentation, are living in fear that they will be deported to their war-ravaged countries if the Department of Home Affairs does not get its house in order.... Read more...

Yes. In South Africa VFS, the officer taking your photograph... Read more...

Although you do not have to use a registered migration agent to lodge your visa application, they might be able to help you if your case is complex or you require immigration assistance.... Read more...

Your visa application could be refused for a number of reasons, such as:... Read more...

There are a few things you can do to protect yourself from email and internet scams... Read more...

We will tell you or VFS or Embassy will let you know by email or sms If the visa is granted, we will let you know... Read more...

Home Affairs Deputy Minister Fatima Chohan says the repositioning of Home Affairs within the security cluster allows the department to effectively contribute to crime fighting, among other services.... Read more...

Stats SA released the 2017 tourism arrival statistics this afternoon. South Africa welcomed 10.29 million foreign tourists (visitors who stayed overnight) in 2017. This is up only 2% over 2016.... Read more...

South Africa’s Minister of Tourism, Derek Hanekom, says increasing jobs and ease of access in the tourism sector is possible.... Read more...

South Africans travelling to certain European Union (EU) countries may now face stricter requirements when applying for a Schengen visa.... Read more...

Cape Town - Tourism in South Africa - and in Cape Town specifically - has been faced with many challenges but the economic opportunities remain far from exhausted. This is according to trends shared during Wesgro`s annual Global Economic Opportunities for the Cape 2018/19 event, held on Tuesday, 20 March ahead of the start of the new financial year in April.... Read more...

The roll-out programme for eVisas in South Africa will commence in the last quarter of the next financial year, by March 31, 2019, according to a written statement by the Department of Home Affairs, to Shadow Minister of Tourism, James Vos.... Read more...

Tourism Minister Derek Hanekom is to meet with Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba to put South Africa’s unresolved problematic visa regime back on the national agenda.... Read more...

South Africa’s Department of Home Affairs (DHA) confirmed that the first phase of the electronic visa system will be piloted by the end of March 2019. According to a Business Tech report, this will make it easier for tourists to enter the country thanks to the online visa and permit application process and capturing of applicants’ biometrics both locally and abroad.... Read more...

PRETORIA, SOUTH AFRICA �`: Finance Minister Malusi Gigaba during the South African Revenue Services preliminary revenue collection results announcement on April 03, 2017 in Pretoria, South Africa.... Read more...

The government`s plans to cut down the categories will lead to more application knock-backs, one agent has told SBS News.... Read more...

In court, Nicky Oppenheimer accused the Guptas of using their Denel connections to hijack the deal so they could take it over.... Read more...

Home Affairs Minister Gigaba believes the fallen Australian heroes have all the character traits this country needs.... Read more...

In Summary - UNHCR said that more than 20,000 refugees have registered to return to Burundi in the programme that targets at least 72,000 Burundians. - By March 22, at least 20,739 Burundian refugees from Tanzania were repatriated.... Read more...

The department said when visa applications were internally, there was gross incompetence that resulted in adjudication delays.... Read more...

Scores of asylum seekers turned away at Foreshore office Asylum seekers on Tuesday morning gather outside the Foreshore offices of Home Affairs. Many new applicants were expecting to be processed, but they were turned away despite a court order.... Read more...

Home Affairs minister Malusi Gigaba said the initiative would remove the need for the department to provide frontline services that tend to stretch government’s capacity.... Read more...

Dhaka: Thousands of students across Bangladesh staged protests and sit- ins Monday after clashes at the country`s top university left at least 100 people injured.... Read more...

South Africa`s Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba has approached Government to discuss immigration issues. Home Affairs and Culture Minister Dr Obert Mpofu confirmed the discussion with his South African counterpart.... Read more...

A Pakistani national has opened a case with police after a fellow countryman allegedly stole R70 000 from him, after promising to get him a visa and passport for his brother.... Read more...

Johannesburg �` The removal of a key lending criterium by a court last month is likely to open a flood of credit applications as consumers come under pressure from the tight economic environment, credit bureau TransUnion said on Monday.... Read more...

Cape Town - It seems more than ever that South African`s are wanting to explore and work in other countries. There has been an increase in popularity of South Africans heading to the United Kingdom - with the help of their ancestral visa.... Read more...

President Cyril Ramaphosa announced on Monday evening that South Africa would host a major investment conference in August or September 2018, which would aim to raise over R1trn in new investments over five years.... Read more...

“Instead of complying with the court order, (Home Affairs) is pretending to be compliant when they are not, and attempting to evade responsibility by blaming the Department of Public Works for their own inaction,” said Marike Keller from Sonke Gender Justice’s policy development and advocacy unit.... Read more...

The Department of Home Affairs has to date spent R874‚199 on legal costs pertaining to Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba’s defence of his decision in the Fireblade Aviation matter.... Read more...

The Congress of the People (Cope) is appealing to the members of the LGBTQIA+ community and the general public to support its proposed amendment of the Civil Union Act to remove a clause that permitted home affairs officials to recuse themselves from performing marriage ceremonies on religious and other grounds.... Read more...

Migration agents are predicting the government`s decision to merge a new visa for New Zealanders with the Skilled Independent (subclass 189) program will negatively impact Indian migrants.... Read more...

Cutting Australia`s migration rate would cost the budget billions of dollars, lower living standards and reduce jobs growth, according to a report delivered to the Federal Government.... Read more...

In South Africa, all roads lead to Mpumalanga for illegal immigrants. The Lowveld in particular has become the hot spot where mainly Pakistanis, Bangladeshis and Somalis find their way to the local home affairs department to acquire illegal identification documents and South African passports.... Read more...

Set to be hauled before Parliament to explain the naturalisation of the controversial Gupta family, who are at the centre of damning allegations of looting of state coffers running into billions of rand.... Read more...

JOHANNESBURG �` Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba says the department is addressing the issue of long queues at home affairs offices around the country, calling it a matter of great concern.... Read more...

The Border Management Authority Bill may finally have reached the National Council of Provinces, after being passed by the National Assembly in June in 2017.... Read more...

Durban - Home Affairs Minister, Malusi Gigaba paid a visit to two home affairs offices in KwaZulu-Natal on Monday. It is part of the minister`s plan to win the war on queues at the offices.... Read more...

But in real life, the 31-year-old woman from Soshanguve has never been married and has just two children.... Read more...

Farai (not his real name) is a 38-year-old Zimbabwean engineer who has been living in South Africa since 2009. But after visiting Zimbabwe during the holiday season, he was denied entry back into South Africa on 5 January.... Read more...

Home Affairs Department`s across the country will introduce a classification system in an effort to curb long queues and boost turnaround time.... Read more...

Companies may expect “a knock on the door” from the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) to conduct required audits and investigations on their employment practices of immigrant workers, the director from the DHA’s corporate account unit, Ben Makhalemele has warned.... Read more...

CAPE TOWN - The Departments of Home Affairs and Tourism are setting up a dedicated team of officials to fast-track progress in easing visa requirements for visitors in order to boost the number of tourists to South Africa.... Read more...

The Home Affairs Department wants to fast track the rollout of e-visas to increase the number of tourists visiting the country.... Read more...

As with any change there comes with it a lot of miscommunication and an increase in the number of failed applications. It appears that there has been a sharp increase in the number of visa and permit application being rejected and many prospective immigrants are left to wonder how on earth they can navigate this now even more complex immigration system.... Read more...

The Department of Home Affairs is working hand in hand with Tourism, in an effort to boost the number of tourists coming to South Africa. The controversial regulations around travelling with minors have also been addressed.... Read more...

Australia’s military cyber spy agency, the Australian Signals Directorate (ASD), could soon be receiving radical new espionage powers to monitor Australian citizens for the first time. If approved, the ASD may be able to secretly access the digital information of Australians including emails, health data, bank records, and text messages.... Read more...

In South Africa, unregistered people working as migration agents are not breaking the law but are unregulated and you have no recourse for poor advice which will have devasting consequences on your application and your future in South Africa .... Read more...

Register now to attend Meeting of Minds: ITWeb Artificial Intelligence 2018 at The Forum, Bryanston on 1 and 2 August. Jacques Ludik will join other industry leaders in discussing their experience of the best practices for artificial intelligence, machine learning, IOT and robotics.... Read more...

Cape Town - The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) on Wednesday issued its support for the outcomes of the meeting of G20 tourism in Buenos Aires, Argentina.... Read more...

CAPE TOWN - The Home Affairs Department’s failure to open a Cape Town Refugee Reception office is being challenged in court. It’s not the first time.... Read more...

Cape Town �` Over the past eight months events tourism in Cape Town has contributed an estimated R3bn to the local economy and enabled the creation of more than 20 000 temporary jobs.... Read more...

Cape Town - Travel and tourism is forecast to contribute more to the South African economy in 2018 than in any other year, according to new research released by the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) on Thursday.... Read more...

A line of asylum-seekers stand under the Nelson Mandela Boulevard bridge every day on the Foreshore in Cape Town �` a queue, I believe, partly manufactured by the Department of Home Affairs to make South Africans believe that we are inundated by “a deluge” of cross-border migrants.... Read more...

Kenyans are set to receive visas on arrival into South Africa in new rules as the country revises its immigration policy.... Read more...

A certain family of billionaires make travelling between the two countries look so easy.... Read more...

The issue of visas has continued to dominate local news over the past few weeks, with Australian home affairs minister Peter Dutton stating that he is now actively considering “several” applications from South African farmers for refugee or humanitarian status in Australia.... Read more...

On Wednesday, May 16, South Africa’s Minister of Home Affairs, Malusi Gigaba, launched a new automated biometric identification system that will offer a single source for biometric authentication for citizens.... Read more...

Financial Institutions are quick to implement digital platforms without accompanying cyber security as part of their focus. In addition to malware, a newer and bigger threat to the safety, security and value of cryptocurrencies has emerged�`in-browser... Read more...

Massive growth in Australia`s ballooning temporary migration is dwarfing the Government`s cuts to the permanent intake. Key points:... Read more...

In “A parallel, shadow regime has hijacked control of SA’s borders” (May 20), Gary Eisenberg claims that “control of our borders was ultimately wrestled by the Department of Home Affairs from more than 18 state departments and parastatals, including Sars, by Gigaba’s championing of the Border Management Authority Bill”.... Read more...

The road show is intended to give the government and implementers of the SEZ programme an opportunity to present value propositions to potential investors.... Read more...

Refugees and asylum seekers say that the Home Affairs offices on the Foreshore in Cape Town are more chaotic than ever since security vanished from the facility.... Read more...

To Home Affairs, we say shame on you for causing a young boy such emotional and psychological anguish.... Read more...

In an important victory for the rights of asylum seekers, the Constitutional Court has found that their temporary permits must automatically be extended while their case is under judicial review.... Read more...

A visa processing, VFS Global, has been on the receiving end of criticisms after a PREMIUM TIMES report revealed how the company extort Nigerians who seek its services.... Read more...

How to retain clients` business in the long run Clients are savvier than ever when it comes to technology and their businesses, so it’s no longer enough for MSPs and VARs to offer the most in-demand services and leave it at that.... Read more...

The Automated Biometric ID System will see quicker response times at ports of entry in SA.... Read more...

Cape Town International Airport (CTIA) has lost R25-million in retail revenue from duty-free shopping because of sluggish passport control and a shortage of staff.... Read more...

Windhoek �` The Ministry of Home Affairs and Immigration yesterday revealed it continues to battle the so-called `marriages of convenience`, mostly involving foreigners seeking to live in Namibia.... Read more...

The Democratic Alliance (DA) will request that Home Affairs Minister... Read more...

Man prevented from visiting sick mother‚ and from attending her funeral.... Read more...

The Democratic Alliance (DA) will request that Home Affairs Minister... Read more...

There were tears of joy as the High Court in Cape Town set aside a decision by the Department of Home Affairs to refuse a stateless family`s application for citizenship.... Read more...

Swaziland has officially changed its name to Eswatini. The change comes after King Mswati III made the announcement at the country’s celebration of its 50th year of independence in April.... Read more...

The airport says it incurs losses in duty-free shopping because international visitors spend close to two hours moving through passport control.... Read more...

The Democratic Alliance (DA) will request that Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba be summoned to Parliament to explain why the Cape Town and Port Elizabeth refugee reception offices have not been reopened.... Read more...

Chinese investors are concerned about the lengthy lead time it takes for South Africa to conclude investment deals and turn around projects, a top leader in the National Planning Commission said on Wednesday. According to Tshediso Matona, head of the National Planning Commission secretariat, the complexities associated with multi-approval plans have been singled out as a major disincentives by Chinese investors looking invest in the country.... Read more...

Dutch football legend Johan Cruyff famously said: `Football is a simple game. It is just very hard to play it simple.` The same rings true for President Cyril Ramaphosa’s plan to bolster investment in South Africa.[1] The president’s seemingly simple goal is made much harder by the country’s business environment, which has been deteriorating in recent years.... Read more...

Johannesburg - Home Affairs has been ¬accused of violating human rights after refusing to grant citizenship to children born to undocumented mothers, but whose fathers are South African. In a scathing judgment delivered at the North Gauteng High Court, Acting Judge Moses Mphaga has ordered the department to “forthwith register the birth” of a 4-year-old child of a Joburg father and a ¬Chinese female immigrant whose stay in the country is illegal.... Read more...

JOHANNESBURG �` Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba says that South Africans should not worry about the security of their personal details as the department moves towards eliminating paperwork by digitising all applications and records.... Read more...

London (CNN)Four years ago, thousands of foreigners living in the UK, many of them students, began receiving letters ordering them to leave the country or face deportation. For others, the first sign that their visa had been revoked was a knock on the door from immigration officials bearing an arrest warrant.... Read more...

As announced on Wednesday, 11 July, the Department of Home Affairs started upgrading its live-capture system last Friday, 13 July 2018, to enable automation of birth registration and re-issue of marriage and death certificates that are already in the national population register, and the printing of parents` details in children`s passports.... Read more...

THE Gauteng High Court, Pretoria, has issued a scathing indictment of the quality of administrative decision-making in South Africa’s asylum-seeker process.... Read more...

At a press conference to announce upgrades to the Home Affairs system, the minister let slip that despite the high unemployment rate, the department was severely understaffed. At a press conference where Minister of Home Affairs Malusi Gigaba and director-general Mkuseli Apleni announced a series of upgrades to the Home Affairs system, the minister said the department was understaffed by roughly 8 000 people.... Read more...

Terry Bell’s report, “Skilled Personnel: smuggled, exploited in SA” (City Press, July 15 2018), sheds light on refugee management complexities that are often simplified in self-serving diatribes. A typical example is Claire van den Heever`s `Humanitarian in appearance, inhumane in reality` (City Press, July 15 2018), which is far-fetched to say the least. South Africa does more with its limited resources in the service of all of humanity.... Read more...

Durban - Minister of trade and industry Rob Davies said on Monday that the South African government was committed to supporting the film industry in order to ensure that it continues to contribute to the country’s economic growth, creating jobs and telling South African stories to the world.... Read more...

According to the World Travel and Tourism Council, the South African tourism industry will continue to contribute positively to the economy year-on-year. As such, programmes targeted at young, international students making their way to the country for upskilling has become renowned... Read more...

The move comes as thousands of Zimbabweans are expected to make their way to their home country ahead of Monday elections.... Read more...

JOHANNESBURG - Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba has announced the appointment of Thulani Mavuso as the acting director-general (DG) of the department from the beginning of next month.... Read more...

The rainmaker Tourism and Hospitality Marketing Academy keeps you up to date with the most recent developments in Digital Presence Exposure, Optimisation, Reputation and Distribution Management.... Read more...

Street art is not only an expression of the artist`s creativity, but of the spirit of the city. Cape Town has launched a large-scale street art project aimed at encouraging community tourism and furthering a better understanding of public art.... Read more...

Cape Town - The University of Cape Town’s Refugee Rights Unit has called on the Department of Home Affairs to re-open its Refugee Reception Offices for first-time asylum applications.... Read more...

Johannesburg �` THE euphoria that greeted the announcement by South Africa regarding the extension of permits for thousands of Zimbabweans has turned into despair for scores of the migrants who are yet to receive their documents, almost a year after the process began. The uncertainty comes amid a lack of clarity after the exercise, which was initially anticipated to be concluded in a matter of weeks, has dragged on for 11 months.... Read more...

The Ministry of Nationality, Immigration and Gender Affairs advises nationals travelling to South Africa for medical purposes to always obtain Medical Visas before leaving the country.... Read more...

Johannesburg - Around 278 foreign nationals from around the world are currently receiving their South African naturalisation certificates from Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba at a naturalisation ceremony in Durban. Gigaba says that the department had decided in 2016 to conduct naturalisation ceremonies to officially induct naturalised South African citizens into the country.... Read more...

Johannesburg �` THE euphoria that greeted the announcement by South Africa regarding the extension of permits for thousands of Zimbabweans has turned into despair for scores of the migrants who are yet to receive their documents, almost a year after the process began. The uncertainty comes amid a lack of clarity after the exercise, which was initially anticipated to be concluded in a matter of weeks, has dragged on for 11 months.... Read more...

A Home Affairs official in Durban has been jailed for fraud and corruption after arranging a fraudulent ID for a Mozambican national. The Durban Commercial Crime Court`s sentenced 47-year-old Ntombentle Pako to eight years in prison - three of which have been suspended.... Read more...

Australians are shaking their heads. The nation just witnessed the most surreal week in Australian political history �` one in which a government was paralysed and a new prime minister anointed without even mentioning public interest or policy. Many a Liberal hand is bloodied by this internecine strife. The machinations, born of Tony Abbott’s visceral anger at Malcolm Turnbull, are yet another distraction from the need to focus on policies.... Read more...

SA’s easing of visa requirements for Chinese travellers is expected to come into effect in October. In July, the South African government signed several agreements with China, including a visa agreement that is likely to come into effect October 1.... Read more...

South Africa’s overseas visitors declined slightly in June, but remain consistent with seasonal trends. Statistics SA’s latest tourism and migration report, reflecting arrival numbers for June, reveals that South Africa saw marginal growth of 2.8% from June last year. However, overseas numbers in fact declined, reflecting a drop of 1.7% year-to-date arrivals.... Read more...

The Ministry of Home Affairs has issued a smokescreen tender advert for the printing of e-passports, in a corruption ridden transaction where the contract has already been given to a Belgian company Semlex closely connected to home affairs minter Stephen Kampyongo and state house aide Kaiser Zulu.... Read more...

We unpack the reasons behind a decline in arrivals from India in 2018 Statistics SA has released the arrival numbers for the first half of 2018, showing a decline in key markets. Among those, India has seen a 3.5% decline in arrivals this year compared with the same time last year. Tourism Update approached a number of industry experts to find out why, and how the market can overcome this. According to the trade, there are two main factors behind this decline.... Read more...

Parliament’s watchdog on home affairs is seeking answers as to why the department has not opened its two refugee reception offices. Cape Town - Parliament’s watchdog on home affairs is seeking answers as to why the department has not opened its two refugee reception offices.... Read more...

Knysna Tourism has taken the decision to close its offices, as Wesgro takes over the tourism promotion and destination marketing of the region, commencing November 1. Knysna Tourism’s Board of Directors have decided to close its offices with immediate effect, following Wesgro’s meeting with Knysna Municipality on Wednesday, where it was agreed in principle that the Agency would take over the constitutional mandate for tourism promotion and destination marketing of the region, from November 1.... Read more...

The Ministry of Home Affairs has disassociated itself from the speculation and allegations circulating on social media relating to corruption surrounding a tender for technical and financial proposals for the e-passport production through a Public Private Partnership (PPP) procurement, and that this tender has already been awarded.... Read more...

Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba must appear before the Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs next week for an inquiry into the naturalisation of members of the Gupta family. The committee set aside three days next week �` Wednesday to Friday �` to hold the investigation into the process followed in the naturalisation of the Guptas.... Read more...

The high number of people currently leaving the country means that South Africa is currently on track to break emigration records.... Read more...

Special dispensation was meant to regularise Zimbabweans but left many undocumented for years. In 2009, the South African government introduced a Dispensation of Zimbabwean Permit (DZP) to legalise the many Zimbabweans already inside the country because of the political and socio-economic situation at home.... Read more...

Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba will head to Parliament this week emboldened by an interim report that does not single him out in the Gupta naturalisation saga.... Read more...

Success is going from failure to failure without losing your enthusiasm.` This quote speaks to the one trait all successful entrepreneurs share: the ability to pivot when things go wrong.... Read more...

Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba will head to Parliament this week emboldened by an interim report that does not single him out in the Gupta naturalisation saga.... Read more...

Scheme has allowed hundreds of oligarchs and Putin allies to make UK their home Roman Abramovich: the Chelsea FC owner has already fallen foul of the clampdown, having withdrawn his application for a new visa.... Read more...

The future of payments ecosystems is taking shape in Africa as the continent paves the way for innovation that brings together retail, banking, financial services and mobile technology. It`s being fueled by a drive for financial inclusion - new ways to bring consumers, merchants and entrepreneurs into the formal economy.... Read more...

Port Elizabeth office not receiving new applicants, two years after deadline set by court More than two years after a deadline set by the courts, the Port Elizabeth Refugee Reception Office is still not fully operational, MPs were told last week.... Read more...

CAPE TOWN - A parliamentary inquiry into the naturalisation of the Gupta family has entered its second phase with witnesses being called on Wednesday to explain the circumstances under which family members were granted South African citizenship.... Read more...

The Desmond Tutu Refugee Reception Centre at Marabastad. Asylum-seekers outside the centre are falling prey to crime in full view of police. Jacques Naude African News Agency (ANA) PARLIAMENT has ordered the SAPS and Tshwane Metro Municipality to seek training from the SA Human Rights Commission for their police officers. “The local police stations need to be educated about issues of asylum-seekers jointly with the Home Affairs Department,” the chairperson of the home affairs portfolio committee, Hlomane Chauke, said yesterday.... Read more...

Overall, the sentiment is one of a positive but realistic outlook. The trade agree that South Africa is coming off the back of three remarkably strong years which, according to Monika Iuel, CEO of Private Safaris, was unprecedented: “The destination has just come out of a three-year boom, with unprecedented international arrival numbers and massive capacity challenges.” However, 2018’s numbers are not looking as positive. According to Tourism Business Council of South Africa (TBCSA) interim CEO, Tshifhiwa Tshivhengwa: “The first six months of the year have been disappointing. International numbers have declined, and domestic and corporate travel have also been affected by our poor economy.”... Read more...

The easing of the stringent water restrictions will restore international confidence in Cape Town as a destination for tourism and investment, say business leaders.... Read more...

President Cyril Ramaphosa on Wednesday asked the Jewish community to join hands with the government in taking the country forward, assuring those who owned land that a solution addressing land reform would be found.... Read more...

The situation at the Department of Home Affairs is chaotic, says parliamentary portfolio committee chairperson Paul Chauke �` from failure to properly implement years-old Supreme Court of Appeal rulings on refugee centres to lax security at departmental offices. Delays and deliberations by the Department of Home Affairs over instructions issued by the parliamentary portfolio committee on Home Affairs raises questions about Parliament’s ability to conduct oversight of the executive when it comes to managing immigration.... Read more...

Opinion: No justification for denying them maternity benefit or third-level fees for kids In 2015, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade published Ireland’s first official policy on diaspora issues, stating it is “important that moving or returning to this country is as easy a process as possible”.... Read more...

Gupta agents Ashu Chawla and Naresh Khosla fraudulently orchestrated South African work permits for Indian nationals by falsifying and backdating the Indian employment contracts on which these permits hinge. This administrative sleight of hand allowed the Guptas to import and employ foreign labour at the expense of local jobseekers, and conveniently sidestepped the onerous legal red tape meant to protect South African workers from being overlooked in favour of foreign employees.... Read more...

Statistics SA has released the final numbers for South Africa’s July tourist arrivals. Overall, 2018 thus far is fairing slightly below 2017, with overall arrivals dropping by 2%. Continuing from June’s poor performance, the European market has also shown a decline, delivering 876 884 arrivals so far in 2018, 2% down from last year.... Read more...

Rule changes for travelling minors to SA planned ahead of busy December holiday season and waivers will soon be announced - including changes to requirements for travelling minors in SA - to be officially gazetted in October. Cabinet received a joint report from the Ministers of Home Affairs and Tourism - Malusi Gigaba and Derek Hanekom - which laid out many visa-related reforms that will make it easier for tourists, business people and academia to visit South Africa.... Read more...

International arrivals to Mauritius showed steady growth in August 2018, with China up 10.7% for the month. The number of foreign visitors to Mauritius rose by 9.3% year-on-year to 109 471 in August 2018, compared with 100 191 for the same period in 2017, with notable growth from key source markets.... Read more...

South Africa’s Cabinet met on Wednesday (19 September 2018) at the Union Buildings in Pretoria to discuss the state of South Africa. In a follow-up statement published on Thursday, cabinet outlined its discussions and made a number of major proclamations on everything from the economy to new BEE laws.... Read more...

Pretoria - I always knew where I belonged then my ID was stolen and I was nowhere and I was no one. In my heart I am a South African. But for a short time I had nothing to prove this. This was terrifying, although I am in the lucky position to have an ID number and I am on the system. I was thus able to replace my most important document with relative ease.... Read more...

Cape Town - It`s no secret South Africa`s Green Mamba is not the strongest passport in the world. When it comes to visa-free travel, Saffas have access to some 100 countries across the world`s 200 modern borders, ranking as the third most powerful passport on the continent of Africa. But this does not even come close to the likes of Japan and Singapore, tied at 180 countries for the world`s most powerful passport, followed by Germany with access to 179 countries as the third most powerful passport globally.... Read more...

• President revamps rules in a bid to stimulate flagging economy • Existing rules blamed for drop in number of foreign visitors South Africa’s cabinet decided to loosen visa rules and scrap a controversial travel requirement for children as it seeks to attract more investment and tourists, according to two people familiar with the matter.... Read more...

The requirements for foreign minors travelling to South Africa are tobe simplified‚ home affairs minister Malusi Gigaba said at a media briefing on Tuesday. An international travel advisory to this end will be issued by the end of October after consultation with the Immigration Advisory Board.... Read more...

Gupta agents Ashu Chawla and Naresh Khosla fraudulently orchestrated South African work permits for Indian nationals by falsifying and backdating the Indian employment contracts on which these permits hinge.... Read more...

The week-long investment mission by South Africa to Japan has been described as successful, with several companies expressing their interest to invest in SA. The mission was led by the Department of Trade and Industry (the dti) and it included Presidential Investment Envoy, Phumzile Langeni and the CEO of Business Leadership South Africa, Bonang Mohale. The mission was part of government’s investment drive to attract $100 billion worth of investments in the next five years.... Read more...

Western Cape Education Department says Home Affairs is to blame Some Zimbabwean teachers in the Western Cape have gone unpaid for as long as nine months because Home Affairs is dragging its feet when it comes to verifying Zimbabwe Exemption Permits (ZEP). “Our problem, however, is that Home Affairs takes their time to verify these [ZEP] work permits. We follow up on numerous occasions,” said Bronagh Hammond, spokesperson for the Western Cape Education Department (WCED).... Read more...

Is history repeating itself with unabridged birth certificates? South Africa faces an embarrassment of spectacular proportions as publicity about the new birth certificate regime gives the impression that immigration officials are relaxing requirements. Irrespective of what the officials might do in SA, it is at airline check-in desks overseas where things will implode. The publicity could lead to tourists in large numbers arriving at airports and being denied boarding by airlines, who have to follow the letter of the law as gazetted in 2014, until it is actually amended.... Read more...

President Cyril Ramaphosa has assured potential investors that South Africa is working hard to provide a conducive environment for investors.... Read more...

South African Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba today announced amendments to the unabridged birth certificate and visa regulations. Here`s a round-up of the changes.... Read more...

In a country like South Africa, facing the problems that we do, there are issues that politicians should mention, discuss and handle with extreme care. The issue of non-South Africans, who are often referred to as “foreign nationals” or “illegal immigrants” is certainly one of them.... Read more...

Two unknown men donning department of home affairs name tags gained access to the hospital’s maternity ward with the intention of kidnapping mothers and newborns. A nurse has been praised for intercepting an attempted abduction of mothers and their babies at Addington Hospital in Durban, reports Zululand Observer.... Read more...

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.... Read more...

The government`s move to remove healthcare workers from the cap had a big impact More IT workers from overseas were able to take up jobs in the UK after the government relaxed the rules for skilled workers to enter the country last year.... Read more...

IMMIGRATION Changes to new immigrant legislation could mean that many long-term residents are no longer eligible to remain in South Africa. All indications are that the new law may be implemented in the next few months, but many provisions are vague and potentially ill-considered.... Read more...

than half (55%) of the gross losses due to crime reported to the SA Banking Risk Information Centre (Sabric) occur online. This is according to Sabric`s Digital Banking Crime Statistics report released on Thursday. Gross losses is a term used in the banking industry to refer to the total loss to the consumer as well as the bank. It, therefore, includes instances where the bank had refunded the client.... Read more...

Drone boats filled with explosives have reportedly been used to launch attacks against Saudi Arabia at sea. • On Sunday, the Saudi Royal Navy said it intercepted two boats laden with explosives traveling toward the country`s major port of Jazan, located north of Yemen. • And on Tuesday, Saudi border guards said they rescued a Saudi fishing boat that came under fire from unknown attackers while in Gulf waters.... Read more...

Transport MEC Mxolisi Kaunda and Mayor Zandile Gumede talk to Metro Police officers during the launch of Transport Month in the city yesterday. Zanele Zulu African News Agency (ANA) Durban - Forty-seven companies that hire an excessive number of foreign nationals have been identified by the Transport Department and are being dealt with.... Read more...

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`.... Read more...

Malawi plans to cut the cost of tourist visas and roll out a tourist visa application process online in a bid to boost tourism. Isaac Kapotola, Malawi’s Director at the Department of Tourism, said talks had been held with the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Department of Immigration and Citizenship Services (DICS) to reconsider the cost of visas.... Read more...

The Zimbabwe Embassy is engaging South Africa`s Home Affairs department to ensure that all those eligible for permits in that country access them by end of this month, the embassy`s consular-general, Batiraishe Mukonoweshuro has said. Zimbabwe and South Africa have a special agreement under the Zimbabwe Exemption Permits (ZEP) that allows Zimbabweans to work in the country.... Read more...

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.... Read more...

Overstaying one’s visa is a common occurrence among people who applied to extend their visa in South Africa and said visa not issued in time for travel . In recent months overstaying one visa has moved from being a minor inconvenience to a possible criminal offence with potentially serious ramifications. The changes brought about by the new immigration laws have made overstaying ones visa a very serious affair which needs a careful and smart approach to remedy.... Read more...

SECUNDA �` Although a local couple got married in 2016, according to the Department of Home Affairs, they are not married and must get married again. According to officer, couple’s only option is to get re-married. This comes after the department claims the register where their wedding is supposed to be registered, is lost.... Read more...

Fears about ‘frightening’ potential for private provider to create ‘fast and slow lanes’ Visa applicants who cannot afford the higher processing charges could end up coming to Australia on visitor visas to apply for other options onshore.... Read more...

ASYLUM seekers in South Africa yesterday secured a major legal victory after the Constitutional Court ruled that they were eligible to apply for visas or a temporary residence permit, even if their application for asylum was rejected. The apex court was handing down a judgment which was brought as an appeal against the decision of the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA), relating to applicants who had been refused visas or permits under the Immigration Act.... Read more...

A NEW visa scheme to solve the recruitment crisis in the hospitality, agriculture and retail sectors could be announced within weeks, the JEP can reveal. Non-EU nationals will be offered ten-month visas to work in the Island and must go back to their home country for at least two months before returning.... Read more...

Mmusi Maimane at the DA Federal Congress in Tshwane. Picture: MASI LOSI In the editorial DA is playing with fire on immigration (October 18), the word `populist` is used throughout to avoid engaging with the substance of the DA’s immigration policy. It is anything but `textbook Donald Trump`.... Read more...

Combating perceptions caused by the drought, Wesgro and partners launch several campaigns. Wesgro and its public and private sector partners have launched several campaigns to reverse negative perceptions caused by the drought and to return Cape Town and the Western Cape to tourists’ and investors’ bucket lists, says CEO, Tim Harris.... Read more...

Advocacy groups concerned Department of Home Affairs will miss deadline for opening REFUGEE advocacy groups are wary that the Refugee Reception Office in Cape Town won’t be opened as predicted by the Department of Home Affairs. Initially, the office was supposed to be opened in March this year, but the department missed that deadline.... Read more...

I am known for repeatedly making the call for positive leadership, to liberate our country’s incredible potential. What fascinates me is the criticism I receive �` for my naivety, in light, it is said, of the challenges we face.... Read more...

The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has long provided the lion’s share of support to independently produced and owned local film and television, the motivation being the sector’s ability to undergo accelerated economic growth. A key element of that support is various production incentives. These are monetary rebates for local spend on productions in the country for both South African and international productions.... Read more...

London �` If all goes according to plan, South Africa will be migrating fully to the use of an e-visa system for foreign travellers next year, Minister of Tourism Derek Hanekom told tour operators at the World Travel Market (WTM) London on Monday. A pilot programme will be rolled out soon with the support of the High Commission of New Zealand, he said. Hanekom also assured those present at his trade briefing that the negative impact of SA’s visa requirements �` especially related to children travelling �` will hopefully soon be something of the past as new visa regulations are expected to be Gazetted soon.... Read more...

A recent visit to Nauru revealed the effects of Australia’s offshore detention policy and its impact on mental health. Nauru �` She was 3 years old when she arrived on Nauru, a child fleeing war in Sri Lanka. Now, Sajeenthana is 8. Her gaze is vacant. Sometimes she punches adults. And she talks about dying with ease. “Yesterday I cut my hand,” she said in an interview here on the remote Pacific island where she was sent by the Australian government after being caught at sea. She pointed to a scar on her arm... Read more...

Durban - The Department of Home Affairs has advised new mothers to be extra vigilant and only seek the assistance of designated health officials at all times. This comes after two male fraudsters, who had official Home Affairs name tags, attempted to collect mothers from Addington Hospital with their newborns under the guise of registering and issuing birth certificates last month.... Read more...

Durban - The Pietermaritzburg matric pupil who waited seven months for his smart ID from the Department of Home Affairs was finally issued with it on Saturday morning... Read more...

On the basis of the limited information provided to the public to date, the business and risk case for privatising visa processing appears highly questionable, writes former Immigration deputy secretary Abul Rizvi. Privatisation of core government functions such as visa processing is high risk, especially when undertaken under the cloak of commercial-in-confidence secrecy.... Read more...

Durban - The Pietermaritzburg matric pupil who waited seven months for his smart ID from the Department of Home Affairs was finally issued with it on Saturday morning. The pupil, who cannot be named because he is a minor, tried to hang himself this month after he was told he could not sit for his final examinations without an identity document.... Read more...

On the basis of the limited information provided to the public to date, the business and risk case for privatising visa processing appears highly questionable, writes former Immigration deputy secretary Abul Rizvi. Privatisation of core government functions such as visa processing is high risk, especially when undertaken under the cloak of commercial-in-confidence secrecy.... Read more...

Dirco urges journalists to carry correct travel documents 12 Nov 2018 �` Mail and Guardian At a press briefing on Monday, Sisulu congratulated the South African high commissioner to Tanzania, saying “he [Thami Mseleku] worked overnight” to help former Mail & Guardian editor Angela Quintal and her Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) colleague Muthoki Mumo who were detained for five hours by Tanzanian authorities.... Read more...

Home Affairs must review naturalisation regulations says Public Protector. The Public Protector has ordered the Home Affairs Minister to review the 10-year period to apply for naturalisation and ensure it aligns with the five-year period in the Citizenship Act. The Public Protector received communication from 18 individuals who complained about the time it took for the department to finalise their applications for naturalisation. She received the complaints between 2014 and 2017.... Read more...

While Australian citizenship approvals have fallen to the lowest level since 2002-03, the number of citizenship applications awaiting processing is at a record high with migrants waiting longer than ever before to pledge their allegiance to Australia. Australian citizenship conferrals have plunged to a 15-year low as the backlog of applications yet to be processed mounts to a record high, causing longer waiting time for migrants wanting to pledge allegiance to Australia.... Read more...

The Zimbabwean Special Permits will be replaced by the Zimbabwean Exemption Permit. Image: GroundUp Over 180,000 Zimbabwean nationals living in South Africa have applied for official documentation to allow them to stay, work, study and conduct businesses legally in the country, the department of home affairs said on Thursday.... Read more...

The Chairperson referred to the appointment Visa Facilitation Services (VFS) for global visa and permit operations in South Africa and abroad and said the Committee had proposed that VFS operate on a month by month basis until it had completed its investigations on corruption allegations. The Committee was not satisfied that VFS should be given a contract without going through a public tender.... Read more...

Lawyers for Human Rights says the new regulations propose that foreign children be issued with a `confirmation of birth` and not a birth certificate CAPE TOWN - Legal groups have raised concern over the Home Affairs Department`s plan to discontinue birth certificates for foreign children born in South Africa.... Read more...

In Boksburg there are 2 507 uncollected smart cards and 59 green bar-coded IDs. The Department of Home Affairs (DHA) is currently experiencing an overwhelming number of uncollected ID nationally and the City of Ekurhuleni is no exception. According to recent figures released by DHA, in Ekurhuleni, there are approximately 19 150 smart IDs and 1 528 green bar-coded IDs that are left uncollected.... Read more...

More than 1 500 identity documents, both smart IDs and green barcoded IDs, are to be collected from the Department of Home Affairs in Kempton Park. The Department of Home Affairs is currently experiencing an overwhelming number of uncollected IDs nationally, and the City of Ekurhuleni is no exception. According to recent figures released by home affairs in Ekurhuleni, there are 19 150 smart IDs and 1 528 green barcoded IDs left uncollected at different offices.... Read more...

RIVONIA �` Following an oversight visit to Rivonia, Msimanga is concerned that there is a delay in issuing permits and visas. Solly Msimanga says the delay in issuing visas and permits is concerning. Solly Msimanga, current Tshwane mayor and candidate for Gauteng Premiere, said that delays in issuing visas and permits are worrying, following an oversight visit to Rivonia.... Read more...

In a move that is aimed at increasing the number of tourists coming into the country, government is planning to overhaul its visa regulations. The plan would ease up on visa regulations for minors travelling with single parents and guardians, says tourism minister Derek Hanekom. The move hopes to see the increase in the number of tourists as has been the case in Angola and Russia. Hanekom said the country is one of the most visited family tourist destinations and as such should make it easy for families to come into the country.... Read more...

We will tell you or VFS or Embassy will let you know by email or sms... Read more...

What are my options?... Read more...

Although you do not have to use a registered migration agent to lodge your visa application, they might be able to help you if your case is complex or you require immigration assistance.... Read more...

Yes. In South Africa VFS, the officer taking your photograph and fingerprints ( biometrics) will talk to you using an interpreter.... Read more...

Overstaying one’s visa is a common occurrence among people who applied to extend their visa in South Africa and said visa not issued in time for travel.... Read more...

When it comes to South African tourism, our beaches, safari parks, Table Mountain and the Garden Route undoubtedly garner the most attention.... Read more...

Last week we learned that hundreds of IT contractors across the Department of Home Affairs were told they were no longer needed, with just a few weeks notice, six weeks before Christmas.... Read more...

Johannesburg - Home Affairs officials and former prison warders are set to appear in court on Monday morning over allegations that they hatched an elaborate plan to assist in the illegal release of prisoners for a fee.... Read more...

Travelling from South Africa via the United Kingdom and feeling a little confused about whether or not you need a transit visa? The frequent changes to visa and immigration policies have made travelling to and transiting through the UK a rather confusing affair even for the most seasoned travellers.... Read more...

With reference to the article entitled ‘Uncollected IDs cause problems at Home Affairs’ in last week’s ZO Weekender edition, did anyone question why this is such a huge problem?... Read more...

Cape Town and the Western Cape want to specialise in attracting a tourist market expected to have buying power worth $3trn by the year 2021. The city and the province held the inaugural `Africa Halal Week` in Cape Town on Monday.... Read more...

Spousal visa challenge to head to the Constitutional Court. Should foreigners who marry in South Africa before the expiry of their three-month visitor visas be allowed to regularise their stay? In papers filed at the Constitutional Court, Home Affairs bluntly says “no” and maintains that allowing this would be an abuse of immigration laws on a “drastic scale”.... Read more...

Government has taken a decision to appeal the judgment handed down by the Western Cape High Court on Muslim marriages. The case was brought by the Women’s Legal Centre (WLC) and Ruwayda Esau.... Read more...

Behind the scenes in tourism, an epic struggle is taking place: for industry professionals, the rising costs of fuel and other commodities are putting pressure on their businesses. Besides the challenge in business, locals are also finding it harder to budget for travel for the same reasons. The rand has been on a rollercoaster in 2018, leaving the entire economy in a precarious situation.... Read more...

The Port Elizabeth Refugee Reception Office was officially reopened on Friday by Minister of Home Affairs Malusi Gigaba. The province has been without such a facility since the Department of Home Affairs unilaterally closed it in 2011, according to a GroundUp report.... Read more...

Government has taken a decision to appeal the judgment handed down by the Western Cape High Court on Muslim marriages. The case was brought by the Women’s Legal Centre (WLC) and Ruwayda Esau. The WLC had argued that by not recognising Muslim marriages under common law, the law ignored the reality that women often lack bargaining power in marriages and were not afforded legal protection.... Read more...

Billionaire businessman Nicky Oppenheimer and his son‚ Jonathan‚ have been summoned to appear in parliament on Tuesday to explain how their company Fireblade Aviation came to operate a private terminal at OR Tambo International Airport without an official agreement granting them permission to do so.... Read more...

Oppenheimers ‘astounded’ when Gigaba later changed his mind, denying he had ever approved the private terminal at OR Tambo International On Tuesday, the Oppenheimers insisted they obtained all the necessary approvals to operate a private terminal at OR Tambo International Airport and dismissed claims they had bribed senior government officials ahead of the deal being finalised.... Read more...

Oppenheimers ‘astounded’ when Gigaba later changed his mind, denying he had ever approved the private terminal at OR Tambo International... Read more...

By telling ‘untruths’ in court, Gigaba has contravened several ethics codes and the president will now have to take action Home affairs minister Malusi Gigaba violated the constitution and the Executive Ethics Code by lying in court, public protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane has found.... Read more...

President Cyril Ramaphosa is expected to announce a cabinet reshuffle on Thursday afternoon.... Read more...

The Department of Home Affairs has noted the 2017/18 Consolidated Audit Outcomes of National and Provincial Governments, released by Auditor-General Kimi Makwetu on Wednesday.... Read more...

Constitutional Court ruling overturns Home Affairs directive The Constitutional Court has ruled that asylum seekers whose refugee applications have been refused, can apply for a visa. Archive photo: Ashraf Hendricks If you are an asylum seeker and your application to be a refugee is refused, you are still allowed to apply for a visa. The Constitutional Court ruled this in a unanimous judgment handed down in October.... Read more...

The South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) has revealed its bold plan to recognise the qualifications held by refugees and asylum seekers.... Read more...

The Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs in Parliament adopted the Civil Union Amendment Bill on Wednesday. The bill, which will be presented to the National Assembly to pass, will afford same-sex couples the same rights as heterosexual couples.... Read more...

Over 180,000 Zimbabwean nationals living in South Africa have applied for official documentation to allow them to stay, work, study and conduct businesses legally in the country, the department of home affairs said on Thursday.... Read more...

The department of home affairs is deploying 425 additional staff members and will extend operational hours at the country`s busiest ports of entry during the festive season to deal with the increased number of travellers into and out of the country.... Read more...

ATA to host World Tourism Conference in Johannesburg next year. The African Travel Association (ATA) will host its 42nd annual World Tourism Conference in Johannesburg, South Africa, from April 29 to May 3, 2019.... Read more...

A frustrated tourism industry welcomes the gazetting of birth certificate amendments. Foreign families who arrive in South Africa from visa-free countries will no longer need to carry birth certificates for minors.... Read more...

Automatic border control system to go live at Cape Town International Airport. A R20m (€1.3m) automatic border control system is going live at Cape Town International Airport in March next year and, once functioning effectively, will be rolled out at OR Tambo International and King Shaka International Airport.... Read more...

IOL - 3 December 2018, Rustenburg - Lesotho has amended her constitution to allow for dual citizenship, Lesotho Home Affairs Minister Tsukutlane Au said on Sunday.... Read more...

Why it matters • One of the federal government`s anti-corruption agencies reported its highest-ever caseload. • Trends reported by other integrity bodies present a question for supporters of an agency. • Law enforcement integrity commission conducted more inquiries - but received fewer new cases.... Read more...

The unexpected release of new Home Affairs immigration regulations on Thursday (29 November) has come as a surprise to many, says immigration expert, Stefanie de Saude Darbandi of De Saude Attorneys.... Read more...

Representatives from the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) have attempted to water down concerns that the government`s proposed Assistance and Access Bill would impact Australian exporters.... Read more...

African Airways, lost more than 13% of its international seat capacity between March and September this year. This was the warning by Airports Company South Africa (Acsa) COO, Fundi Sithebe, during a panel discussion during the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) Africa Leaders Forum in Stellenbosch.... Read more...

Cape Town’s newly elected Mayor, Dan Plato, announced on Thursday (November 29), that the City’s water restrictions and associated tariffs would be lowered from Level 5 to Level 3 recovery restrictions, effective Saturday, December 1.... Read more...

Arton Capital, a provider of residency and citizenship solutions, has released its latest Passport Index �` a system that ranks travel documents by the number of countries that can be visited without having to apply for a visa.... Read more...

In an increasingly online world, cyber piracy and online scams are an ever-growing threat. Banks have had to become smarter to prevent phishing attempts and online banking fraud. Customers are making more purchases online and people are no longer wary of typing in their credit card details to make an online payment or purchase. It has become normal and commonplace, and many users do so without even a second thought to double check the authenticity of the site.... Read more...

The SA economy has officially emerged from recession, Stats SA announced on Tuesday morning, following a 2.2% rise in GDP growth for the third quarter of the year. The economic growth figures were broadly in line with the expectations of economists surveyed by Fin24 prior to publication, who had projected growth rates of between 0.8 and 2.6%. The rand firmed by as much as 1% shortly after the release of the results.... Read more...

The National Federation of Tourist Guides and Affiliates (NFTGA) was announced this week in Pretoria, South Africa, hailing the emergence of a united body and voice to represent tourist guides across the country.... Read more...

On 5 December, the tech start-up sector in the Western Cape came together to establish a panel of volunteers to raise the sector’s collective voice in the national policy dialogue regarding the immigration system. This took place at a Town Hall discussion organised by Silicon Cape, in partnership with LaunchLab and de Saude Attorneys, and hosted by Wesgro.... Read more...

With South Africans emigrating in record numbers, Canada is the surprising new destination for many South Africans. Over the past two years, South African residents have been in the top ten immigrants to Canada by country of origin under the Express Entry system.... Read more...

The Western Cape’s Minister of Economic Opportunities, Beverley Schäfer, has applauded the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC) for yet another successful year, following its Annual General Meeting which was held on Tuesday morning (December 11).... Read more...

Japan`s home prices may be rising, but the country still has more than 8 million unoccupied properties, so many that owners have started giving them away for free. In some cases, local governments are even offering subsidies for people willing to tear down homes and build new ones, according to The Japan Times.... Read more...

There has been much confusion surrounding the amendments to the unbridged birth certificate (UBC) requirements for visitors coming to South Africa from abroad, as gazetted on November 30, and coming into effect on December 1.... Read more...

You can now apply for your passport at selected banks. Are you travelling across the border this festive season? Do you need a South African tourist passport?... Read more...

The law will compel companies to comply with law enforcement demands to hand over data The Australian government has passed a controversial new law which will allow law enforcement to compel tech and telecoms companies to break their own encryption for messages if it`s believed a crime has been or will be committed.... Read more...

The number of Chinese nationals applying for refugee asylum in Australia has risen by 311 per cent in just one year, according to figures from the Department of Home Affairs.... Read more...

There has been much confusion surrounding the amendments to the unbridged birth certificate (UBC) requirements for visitors coming to South Africa from abroad, as gazetted on November 30, and coming into effect on December 1.... Read more...

A business visa may be issued by the Department of Home Affairs to a foreigner intending to establish or invest in a business in South Africa in which he or she may be employed, and to members of such foreigners’ immediate family providing that certain requirements have been met.... Read more...

South Africa seeks highly skilled individuals to live and work in SA. SA Migration Services will professionally help to arrange Work Visas for you if you qualify. Work Visas are regulated in terms of Section 19, Regulation 18 and items 18 (1), 19(2), 20, 21 and 22, of Schedule A.... Read more...

This type of South Africa Spouse or life partner permit is available to people in either heterosexual or same-sex relationships and can be applied for as either a spouse temporary residence permit or a permanent residence permit depending on the length of the marriage or relationship in question.... Read more...

Sarah McIver`s case does not appear to be linked to detention of 2 other Canadians... Read more...

Home affairs insists an unabridged birth certificate is not needed for parents travelling with children, but apparently nobody told customs officials.... Read more...

A retirement visa can be granted for 4 years to someone with a monthly pension, irrevocable annuity or retirement account of R37 000 from a net worth/combination of assets realizing R37 000 per month and wishes to retire temporarily or permanently in South Africa.... Read more...

Life Partner visa is issued to someone in long term relationship. This type of South Africa Spouse or life partner visa is available to people in either heterosexual or same-sex relationships and can be applied for as either a spouse temporary residence permit or a permanent residence permit depending on the length of the marriage or relationship in question.... Read more...

Citizenship Options... Read more...

CAPE TOWN �` Parliament will be pushing hard to complete it outstanding business before its term ends ahead of elections. This includes wrapping up its Gupta naturalisation inquiry to determine whether due process was followed in awarding citizenship to members of the controversial family to advance their state capture motives.... Read more...

CAPE TOWN - Deputy Minister for Home Affairs Fatima Chohan has urged expecting parents to be prepared for the birth of their babies by also considering what must happen afterward.... Read more...

The Department of Home Affairs (DHA) has announced that it will be extending its operating hours from 2 �` 11 January 2019 to keep up with demand over the busy holiday period.... Read more...

Despite South Africa’s amendment to the Immigration Act, airlines continue to deny children boarding to SA. The Department of Home Affairs has issued an advisory on its website that contradicts the relaxation of the regulations governing children travelling to SA.... Read more...

Home Affairs makes U-turn on consent letters for minors THE Ministry of Home Affairs and Immigration`s acting permanent secretary, Anette Bayer Forsingdal, issued a statement on Friday morning saying there is no legal requirement for adults travelling with minors to carry the children`s full birth certificates and consent letters from absent parents.... Read more...

HARARE (Reuters) - Several people were killed and some 200 arrested during protests in Zimbabwe on Monday, the government said, two days after it raised the price of fuel in an attempt to tame the worst economic crisis in a decade.... Read more...

The recent re-hashing of South Africa’s immigration regulations providing ‘clarity’ on the requirements for foreign minors to gain entry to the country has done nothing to help the destination market itself as a family-friendly destination.... Read more...

South Africa is a country in crisis, having been hit by several waves of bad news for the economy. With ongoing petrol hikes, a recession, a VAT hike and the impact of the drought, many businesses are now struggling.... Read more...

As of 17h00 on Wednesday, January 16, Zimbabwe’s Internet and email services are once again active. However, social media channels such as WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube still remain blocked. This followed a 24-hour connectivity blackout, where both social media and Internet access were blocked by service providers, allegedly mandated by Government to control riots being facilitated across the platforms. The unrest was triggered by a 150% price hike in both petrol and diesel.... Read more...

South Africa experienced a marginal increase in travellers over the festive season compared to the same period last year, the Department of Home Affairs says.... Read more...

The ever-changing graffiti canvas of Sao Paulo`s Vila Madalena is a once in a lifetime experience The name says it all. It`s the backdrop and set for insta-selfies and professional shoots alike.... Read more...

The City of Cape Town received 2.6 million international visitors in 2018. In 2018, 2,6 million international passengers were recorded by Cape Town International Airport, representing a 9,6% growth from 2017, despite the drought and other challenges experienced by the region. This growth came from long-haul carriers from outside the Southern African region.... Read more...

The Department of Home Affairs has called for comments on the White Paper on Home Affairs, which proposes changes to the department`s operations, strategy and legislation. The paper proposes solutions to the department`s `challenges`, including long queues at its centres and staff shortages, as well as changes to immigration policy. It also proposes the establishment of a National Identity System (NIH) to replace the National Population Registry.... Read more...

The home affairs department has clashed with unions over its attempts to get staff to work on Saturdays.. The department of home affairs plans to introduce new laws to strengthen its hand in getting its staff to work shifts, a move likely to run into stiff opposition from labour unions.... Read more...

South Africa’s tourist arrivals were sluggish for November 2018, however India has started to make a comeback with a 25.6% increase.... Read more...

I recently applied for my Smart ID card through the eHomeAffairs portal, and was surprised at how well it worked. I booked and paid for my ID application via the Home Affairs website, and selected Standard Bank Centurion �` which contains a Home Affairs office �` as my application point.... Read more...

Although you do not have to use a registered migration agent to lodge your visa application, they might be able to help you if your case is complex or you require immigration assistance.... Read more...

We will tell you or VFS or Embassy will let you know by email or sms... Read more...

Court rules on extension of temporary permits. In an important victory for the rights of asylum seekers, the Constitutional Court has found that their temporary permits must automatically be extended while their case is under judicial review.... Read more...

We wish to draw your attention to the fact that the White Paper on Home Affairs was published by the Minister of Home Affairs Siyabonga Cwele requiring comment in writing by the 18th February 2019.... Read more...

Victorian Education Minister James Merlino wants the few private schools using the surveillance tech to undertake rigorous privacy assessments and ensure students have explicit guardian or parental consent to participate.... Read more...

The technical specifications of the system `would not allow it`, the department has claimed. The Department of Home Affairs has told a Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security that the government`s identity-matching capability could not be used for mass surveillance, as its technical specs simply would not allow for it.... Read more...

Immigration law expert Stefanie de Saude Darbandi, representing a family from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), has helped bring about a change in immigration law by taking the case to the high court and Constitutional Court. This welcome development secures a change in the regulations relating to citizenship by naturalisation, allowing foreigners to apply for citizenship after five years’ permanent residence.... Read more...

The agreement by Oppenheimer-owned Fireblade Aviation to operate its private terminal at OR Tambo International Airport is all above board. This was the embarrassing back-pedal by Home Affairs before MPs on Tuesday, after months of a furore that traversed the courts and the Public Protector’s desk, leading ultimately to Malusi Gigaba’s resignation over findings that he had ‘told untruths’ in the judicial proceedings. It’s an episode that shows how politicking and political noise scuppers governance.... Read more...

IN a surprise turn of events, the Eastern Cape Department of Education has agreed to allow 37 children to attend schools despite them not having birth certificates. This change of heart comes as the department is due to face judges of the Constitutional Court to answer to the fact that the children have not attended school this year.... Read more...

We wish to draw your attention to the fact that the White Paper on Home Affairs was published by the Minister of Home Affairs Siyabonga Cwele requiring comment in writing by the 18th February 2019.... Read more...

For many years, asylum seekers attempting to claim benefits from the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) have routinely been turned away by the Department of Labour, despite having made contributions to the Fund during their employment.... Read more...

The `hype` created about the changes to the South African Income Tax Act relating to tax exemption of employment income earned abroad, is clouding its fairness - according to Hilary Dudley, managing director of Citadel Fiduciary.... Read more...

Immigrants are typically pushed or pulled to leave their home countries by a host of factors including economics, governance, conflict and war, climate change, and social networks abroad. However, a new analysis of a decade’s worth of Gallup data reveals that many people are spurred to move not only for their own wellbeing �` but for the sake of their children.... Read more...

Tenders are due to go out soon for the R7bn (€441m) expansion of Cape Town International Airport, with construction scheduled to start in February next year and completion due in 2025, according to GM, Deon Cloete.... Read more...

ABOUT 200 unsuspecting and desperate Zimbabweans left Harare via South Africa, Wednesday where they were promised to be issued with `Canadian` Visas before getting jobs. The 200 job seekers are reportedly going to work as child minders, cooks, carpenters, hairdressers, bakers and helpers in old peoples` homes to cover a temporary skills shortage in Canada.... Read more...

Fake jobs offers fool unsuspecting users into installing More_eggs back door Hackers are impersonating recruitment agencies on LinkedIn in a bid to target companies with backdoor malware. Researchers at Proofpoint found that the malware campaigns primarily targeted US companies in various industries including retail, entertainment, pharmacy, and others that commonly employ online payments, such as online shopping portals.... Read more...

2.4m records left exposed on unsecured AWS server A Dow Jones watchlist of more than 2.4 million entities that its clients should consider `high-risk` has been inadvertently leaked to the public, thanks to an incorrectly configured and unsecured Elasticsearch database.... Read more...

As South Africa finally eases its unpopular inbound unabridged birth certificate (UBC) requirements for minors, which have been detrimental to tourism, Namibia is now reinforcing the implementation of UBC requirements for minors travelling to and from its borders.... Read more...

South African Airways will launch direct flights between Johannesburg and Guangzhou on September 18. SAA will be the only carrier operating a direct service between Johannesburg and Guangzhou, with the flight operating three times a week with a flight time of 13 hours and 40 minutes. The flights will complement SAA’s service four times a week service to Hong Kong. An Airbus A340-300 will operate both the Guangzhou and Hong Kong routes.... Read more...

Hidden in South Africa’s immigration system is the secret to its overriding objective: legal chaos, the primary barrier to the entry of foreigners.... Read more...

From repeatedly recalling their ambassadors to nearly severing diplomatic ties, South Africa and Rwanda relations could among the most unpredictable on the continent.... Read more...

At least 40 children of refugees are struggling to get into Cape Town schools, say refugee rights organisations PASSOP and Voice of Africans for Change (VAC).... Read more...

Conducting a site visit of future upgrades to CTIA are (from left) Western Cape Economics Opportunity MEC Beverley Schäfer, the City of Cape Town’s Mayoral Committee Member James Vos and GM Deon Cloete.... Read more...

Pretoria - Winnie Nkuna could hardly contain her excitement after she finally received an ID card from the Department of Home Affairs after a 4-year struggle. Nkuna previously faced insurmountable problems as she was married without her consent.... Read more...

CAPE TOWN �` An immigration law firm who`s assisting a Zimbabwean mother banned from entering South Africa to see her critically ill son has called for changes to be made to certain immigration policies.... Read more...

South African President Cyril Ramaphos aarrives in the country today to co-chair the Bi- National Commission (BNC) with President Emmerson Mnangagwa whose administration is desperate for a cash injection to jump-start the country’s stuttering economy.... Read more...

The Department of Home Affairs intends to open the new Cape Town Refugee Reception Office in June 2019 on new premises in Maitland. In a progress report to the Legal Resources Centre (LRC), Home Affairs said vacant land in Maitland had been identified by the Department of Public Works and the proposed date of occupation of the office was 1 June 2019.... Read more...

General work visas are proving virtually impossible to renew, since the implementation of the current immigration laws on 26 May 2014, when the Department of Labour took on a more significant role in the process.... Read more...

A retirement visa can be granted for 4 years to someone with a monthly pension, irrevocable annuity or retirement account of R37 000 from a net worth/combination of assets realizing R37 000 per month and wishes to retire temporarily or permanently in South Africa.... Read more...

Fake jobs offers fool unsuspecting users into installing More_eggs back door Hackers are impersonating recruitment agencies on LinkedIn in a bid to target companies with backdoor malware. Researchers at Proofpoint found that the malware campaigns primarily targeted US companies in various industries including retail, entertainment, pharmacy, and others that commonly employ online payments, such as online shopping portals.... Read more...

Any local without an ancestral visas or dual citizenship knows travelling on a plain old green South African passport is no joke. Before even thinking about entering most countries around the world, we are required to pass the ultimate endurance test: a visa application.... Read more...

End in sight for birth certificate requirements for foreign minors travelling with both parents. Foreign minors travelling with both parents, who have the same surname, will soon no longer have to present a birth certificate when entering South Africa. This was stated in an updated advisory by the Department of Home Affairs (DHA), which was published on Friday March 22. It has taken the DHA almost four months to correct an advisory it issued on December 1, which was in direct conflict with the regulations it had gazetted the day before the advisory was published.... Read more...

The Constitutional Hill played host to a summit earlier this week with the University of Johannesburg (UJ) and the South African Institute for Advanced Constitutional, Public Human Rights, and International Law (SAIFAC). The summit was aimed at finding out if South Africans were welcoming to refugees as stipulated in the White Paper (PDF).... Read more...

In September last year, then minister of the home affairs, Malusi Gigaba announced that a new critical skills list is expected to be released in April 2019. The industry is in turmoil as business and providers scramble to submit visa applications prior to the list being published and certain categories removed. But there’s no need to panic, yet.... Read more...

IBM’s retrenchment of 2 000 employees can be viewed as refinement by a company that has been struggling for the past decade, an analyst said today.... Read more...

Cynical politicians in Europe and the United States claim, for the sake of winning votes, that immigrants are “invading” their countries, threatening to steal locals’ jobs, or worse. When it comes to Africa, nothing could be further from the truth, because, contrary to widespread belief, no mass exodus is occurring.... Read more...

Nontizana September says she was born in 1953 while Home Affairs claims she was born in 1973. Picture: Ayanda Ndamane/African News Agency (ANA) Cape Town - Confusion over her birth date has left Nontizana September destitute with little hope of escaping her life of poverty and pain.... Read more...

Minister, Aaron Motsoaledi, wants to bring the Home Affairs portfolio back online. Courtesy of #DSTV403... Read more...

Have you ever wondered “how do I renew my passport?” or “when is the best time to renew my passport?” If your SA passport is expired or will expire within the next 6-7 months, now is the time to renew it.... Read more...

At least 40 children of refugees are struggling to get into Cape Town schools, say refugee rights organisations PASSOP and Voice of Africans for Change (VAC).... Read more...

Biometric technology is the future of travel, but it is being applied in a fragmented way that means it can`t reach its full potential, Gloria Guevara, president and CEO of the World Travel and Tourism Council �` which represents the private sector �` said earlier this month.... Read more...

In a fair world, freedom of international movement would be a fundamental human right, and the obstacles put in its way removed.... Read more...

If you’re planning on making sunny South Africa home for the long haul, then you may want to consider permanent residency. You don’t necessarily need a previous visa to apply, and the freedom and rights you’re entitled to as a permanent resident far outweigh those granted to temporary residents.... Read more...

South Africa pumps more petrol than any other country on the continent �` some 11.7 billion litres per year, according to the Department of Energy. Diesel isn`t far behind.... Read more...

The Home Affairs portfolio is continuing its relentless empire-building, pressing for part-control of military intelligence �` and giving spies access to a vast new trove of corporate and personal information.... Read more...

A Shahpur resident living in South Africa was deported to India after officials at the Johannesburg airport found that that his visa was fake. He is currently in custody of Airport police.... Read more...

President Donald Trump reversed course on mass deportations of undocumented immigrants on Saturday, tweeting that he had decided to delay deportations by two weeks “at the request of Democrats.” The announcement came after he had tweeted a stern warning ahead of the anticipated deportations of 2,000 people to be carried out by Immigration and Customs Enforcement on Sunday.... Read more...

Scalabrini Centre hails court order as life-changing for refugees The Scalabrini Centre, represented by the Refugee Rights Unit at the University of Cape Town went to court in 2016 to get Home Affairs to allow dependents of asylum seekers to legalise their status. Photo: Tariro Washinyira... Read more...

President Cyril Ramaphosa delivered his reply to the state of the nation address debate on Wednesday (26 June), outlining some of his government’s short-term plans for 2019.... Read more...

We now live in a global economy, where countries often source skills and workforces from all over the world to fill gaps in the economy that may be lacking locally.... Read more...

• A new survey by HSBC shows that 62% of expats believe their quality of life has improved since moving to South Africa. Some 62% of expats who moved to South Africa saw an improvement in their quality of life compared to their home countries, according to a new survey by the international banking group HSBC. More than 18,000 expats across the world were interviewed for the survey.... Read more...

The South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) welcomed the judgment handed down this week by the High Court in Johannesburg in the case between the National Credit Regulator (NCR) and Standard Bank. The matter related to the interpretation of the National Credit Act (NCA).... Read more...

review is not a one size fits all solution and the debt counsellor must apply his mind to the individual solution required for each consumer. Debt review is a process that should be addressed by a duly registered debt counsellor (DC). Debt review is not a means to finance a consumer`s lifestyle, but to assist in repaying the consumer`s debt in full to his creditors. It is also not a means for creditors to enrich themselves and charge additional interest on the extended term as that is not providing relief.... Read more...

Rampahosa: Tourism is the new gold in Africa President Cyril Ramaphosa has made it clear that South Africa`s tourism industry is open for business, at the closing of Africa`s Travel Indaba concluded on 4 May.... Read more...

Two of the main opposition parties have criticised Home Affairs Department for its handling of refugees and asylum seekers.... Read more...

CAPE TOWN - Home Affairs deals with an average of 2,000 fraudulent marriages every year.... Read more...

Home affairs arrested almost 40 foreign nationals driving trucks illegally in a KwaZulu-Natal crackdown. This comes in the wake of violent protests in the trucking industry. Image: SUPPLIED... Read more...

Laws requiring foreigners married to South African citizens to leave the country to renew their visas have been declared constitutionally invalid.... Read more...

The Department of Home Affairs says the country’s new eVisa system will launch in November 2019, and it has added new nations to the list of countries that can enter South Africa visa-free... Read more...

A total of 13,263 illegal immigrants arrived in Spain between January and the end of June 2019. This is 4,037 fewer than in 2018, when a total of 17,300 had arrived by July 1. The number of illegal immigrants arriving in Spain during the first six months of 2019 has fallen by 23.3% when compared with the same period in 2018. According to the latest immigration figures, a total of 13,263 illegal immigrants arrived in Spain between January and the end of June 2019. This is 4,037 fewer than in 2018, when a total of 17,300 had arrived by July 1.... Read more...

The Department of Home Affairs and the Fair Work Ombudsman are investigating a luxury Blue Mountains hotel group after a Sun-Herald investigation found it is clawing back wages from migrant workers through overpriced accommodation and unpaid overtime.... Read more...

South Africa continues to lose critical skills. That’s according to a survey by consultant firm, Xpatweb. Courtesy #DStv403 JOHANNESBURG - South Africa continues to lose critical skills, that’s according to a survey by consultant firm, Xpatweb. There is a global shortage of skills in professions like artisans, doctors and nurses, as well as ICT practitioners.... Read more...

Not even one out of six asylum seekers seeking refuge in South Africa are granted refugee status.... Read more...

Although the UK is sometimes referred to as “the most surveilled country” in the world, it has taken the lead in setting minimum security requirements for surveillance cameras. But how will this make a difference internationally?... Read more...

Quick Guide: New Zealand (6 essentials to know) Want to go to New Zealand? Here are 6 important things South Africans should know before going.... Read more...

All single-entry visas applied for in foreign travellers’ countries of origin will be affected by the fee increases.... Read more...

Although many opponents of expropriation of land without compensation equates this with nationalisation, and the EFF`s policy is that land should be nationalised, the Constitution currently does not provide for this, one of the members of the presidential panel of experts on land reform and agriculture, Bulelwa Mabasa, explained on Sunday as the panel`s report was introduced to the public.... Read more...

Home Affairs’ insistence on proceeding with the Border Management Authority Bill will likely rile National Treasury and the police because both have raised objections about its blurring of mandates. Plus, South Africa is too broke to be setting up a new border agency... Read more...

Pretoria �` The Department of Home Affairs has noted reports on unauthorised changes of surnames for married women reflecting last names of their spouses as opposed to their preferred choices.... Read more...

Deputy home affairs minister zeroes in on immigration, visa requirements and modernising the department... Read more...

The Department of Home Affairs has released details on how to change your personal information in your I.D document and birth certificate. Here’s what you need to know.... Read more...

A column by Sarah Wild in which she describes her ordeal of having her surname changed without her consent after getting married has sparked an outrage on social media, with many women claiming to have experienced the same problem.... Read more...

Commonwealth authorities and Crown Casino will face an integrity investigation amid allegations about efforts to lure Chinese gamblers to Australia... Read more...

. How has the permanent residency application process been affected by the 2014 immigration regulation revisions? The 2014 immigration regulation changes affect everything from the fees associated with application process to the process itself. To learn more, have a look at our articles . Otherwise, be aware that all information below reflects the changes.... Read more...

INTERNATIONAL TOURISM is one of the bright lights of the Australian economy with almost 10 million international visitors to Australia last year and growing around 9% per annum. This contributes almost AUD $50 billion to the Australian economy per annum, about AUD $3.5 billion in foreign exchange per month and directly supports more than 100,000 Australian jobs.... Read more...

More South Africans are emigrating to the United States (US) in search of a better lifestyle and job opportunities. According to data provided by the US Citizenship and Immigration Services, between 2015 and 2017 around 10,200 South Africans obtained permanent resident status.... Read more...

JOHANNESBURG - The Forum for Immigration Practitioners of South Africa said government should relax immigration laws to make it easy for foreigners to be in the country legally. Over 400 undocumented foreigners were arrested in Johannesburg this past week.... Read more...

Foreign nationals with South African or permanent resident spouses do not have to leave the country to apply for spousal visas. The Constitutional Court handed down a judgment at the end of June that has important consequences for immigrants. A majority of the judges ruled that foreign spouses of South African citizens and permanent residents may apply for a spousal visa within South Africa and do not have to apply for such a visa overseas.... Read more...

Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi has blamed delays in the re-opening of the Cape Town Refugee Reception Office on the procurement of premises by the Department of Public Works. Motsoaledi revealed this in a written response to a question from DA MP Christopher Roos, who asked about the date for the re- opening. Roos wanted to know what lay behind the delays that resulted in Home Affairs missing the March 2018 court deadline to reopen the centre.... Read more...

Following a series of diplomatic blunders by Nigeria in the past three years, ADELANI ADEPEGBA writes that the immediate past Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, must turn over a new leaf if asked to head the same ministry... Read more...

INTERNATIONAL TOURISM is one of the bright lights of the Australian economy with almost 10 million international visitors to Australia last year and growing around 9% per annum. This contributes almost AUD $50 billion to the Australian economy per annum, about AUD $3.5 billion in foreign exchange per month and directly supports more than 100,000 Australian jobs.... Read more...

The Joburg mayor accused the department of slackness in dealing with illegal and undocumented immigrants in the city.... Read more...

South Africa seeks skilled individuals to live and work in SA.... Read more...

We, as South Africans, always complain about government service, however, I am extremely excited to report that my son arrived at Home Affairs on Wednesday morning on July 31 with an expectation of long queues, disinterested staff and very little help.... Read more...

Chantel* was only 15 years old when she hopped the Eswatini-South African border in early 2007. She says she lived her whole life in an orphanage in Manzini, never knew her biological parents and never saw her birth certificate... Read more...

No matter how conducive new legislation is to immigration, its success will depend on how it is implemented... Read more...

STOCKHOLM (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Water scarcity is one factor driving millions of people from their homes each year but is often not the only reason why they move, researchers told an international conference on Tuesday. In most cases, other economic and social problems like conflict, corruption or a lack of jobs contribute to the decision to leave, they said.... Read more...

NEW DELHI - Nearly two million people risk statelessness and detention after they were left off the final version of a registry of Indian citizens, part of a controversial exercise to identify suspected illegal migrants in the northeastern state of Assam. The National Register of Citizens released Saturday morning included the names of 31 million people and excluded 1.9 million... Read more...

A shortage of capable foreign language tour guides is hurting the South African tourism industry and preventing businesses from making progress in key markets.... Read more...

Hundreds of African migrants are finding themselves trapped in Mexico’s southern border region after new immigration rules no longer allow them safe passage to the U.S. The rule changes now say they must naturalize in Mexico or exit through its southern border.... Read more...

Stand up for wildlife protection, improve black ownership in the tourism space and make it easier for families to travel together, German businesses told stakeholders in SA`s tourism industry. German trade partners had an opportunity to raise their concerns about their experiences operating in SA`s tourism industry at a roundtable discussion at the 53rd Internationale Tourismus-Borse (ITB) world trade show in Berlin, Germany on Wednesday.... Read more...

I have news. “As from today [August 15], travellers from Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and New Zealand will no longer require a visa to visit SA for holidays, conferencing, and business meeting visits,” Aaron Motsoaledi, the minister of home affairs, declared.... Read more...

KwaZulu-Natal Health MEC, Nomagugu Simelane-Zulu says the department has decided to withdraw a circular stating that the hiring of foreign doctors would be put on hold. The Africa News Agency earlier reported that the internal circular released last week was signed by acting head of Health, Musa Gumede. Gumede said the decision was taken to prioritise South African doctors trained in Cuba. Simelane-Zulu says she has decided to do her own investigation into the matter.... Read more...

The Department of Small Business Development is working on a new law that will restrict foreigners from working in certain sections of the economy. In an interview with 702, small business development minister Khumbudzo Ntshavheni said that the legislation in line with other countries �` such as Nigeria and Zimbabwe �` that have regulations specifying the sectors where foreign nationals are not allowed to participate.... Read more...

The South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC or Commission) has released its Position Paper on Access to a Basic Education for Undocumented Learners, inclusive of findings and recommendations addressed to the State. The release of this Paper follows an extensive consultation process with relevant stakeholders. Thousands of children across the country face insurmountable barriers in accessing school on a continuous basis as a result of their undocumented status. In line with the current laws and policies, certain documentation must be submitted in order to enroll a child at school, and the failure to submit, or the inability to do so, results in the exclusion of the child.... Read more...

Two children, then aged eight and 14, from Sterkspruit in the Eastern Cape had to leave school in 2015 and sit at home after being chased out of their primary school because they did not have birth certificates. In Alexandria, also in the Eastern Cape, eight learners from a safe house for abandoned and orphaned children were expelled from a primary school for the same reason.... Read more...

Chantel* was only 15 years old when she hopped the Eswatini-South African border in early 2007. She says she lived her whole life in an orphanage in Manzini, never knew her biological parents and never saw her birth certificate. Abuse was rife. “The conditions were unbearable.... Read more...

About 2,000 Angolan former refugees, many of whom have lived in South Africa for decades, may have to leave at the end of 2021. According to the Scalabrini Centre, which has been fighting on behalf of the Angolans, the 2,000 former refugees have lived in South Africa for an average of 20 years. The year 2021 is the deadline for the end of the Angolan Special Permit - a temporary permit issued to Angolans whose refugee status ceased in 2013. Now, an Angolan committee has written to Home Affairs in a bid to clarify what will happen to them when the deadline comes in two years.... Read more...

But no word on status of arrivals deal. Vision-Box will continue to provide smartgates in the departure halls of Australia’s international airports until 2026 after the Department of Home Affairs extended its contract for a yet undisclosed value. The border technology provider revealed late on Thursday that it had secured a five-year extension to its six-year contract with the department inked back in April 2015. The existing contract �` which started life valued at $18 million, but has since grown to just over $41 million �` was not due to expire until June 2021.... Read more...

An immigration officer at the South African embassy in Hanoi, Vietnam, has been threatened with insubordination for refusing to overturn her decision that a Filipino national should not be given a visa to teach in this country. That application started during the xenophobic attacks in August in South Africa, when the immigration officer �` Mmatlou Machimana �` received an application from a Filipino national who had landed a job at the American International School of Johannesburg.... Read more...

Every child needs to go to school, Minister of Home Affairs Aaron Motsoaledi has said. He said when he asked the Department of Basic Education why immigrant children were barred from school, he was told the department was scared of home affairs inspectors. `That can`t happen in any modern democracy. I told them home affairs inspectors must not visit any schools unless there is a crime committed that needs home affairs. It`s more dangerous to have a child who is not in school.`... Read more...

The Department of Home Affairs is usually rejecting visa cases on a regular basis without giving any reason for it. The South African Court handed down an interesting judgement last week, which will hopefully if embraced by home affairs lead to clarity on many of the rejections that don’t make sense or one can see no thought was given to it .... Read more...

Enough, already �` hands up who has Brexit fatigue. The political purgatory as Britain attempts to leave the European Union is utterly exhausting. So if you want to get on with your life and escape the entire continent, where do you go?... Read more...

Privacy concerns about national facial recognition database A Liberal senator says the federal government must push on with legislation for facial recognition technology to prevent Australians losing $2.2 billion each year through identity theft.... Read more...

A huge bag of chicken and bunches of spinach were being prepared for hundreds of foreign nationals still camping out at the UN High Commission for Refugees` offices in Cape Town`s CBD on Monday in the hopes of being evacuated from South Africa. Some foreign nationals want to be evacuated from SA.... Read more...

The Minister of Home Affairs, Dr Aaron Motsoaledi, welcomes the arrest of immigration official Sam Lange who was arrested during a sting operation by the police, on 09 January 2020 and appeared in court on 13 January 2020.... Read more...

Some of the changes in the Refugee Act include preventing asylum-seekers from participating in political activity, clamping down on businesses and regulations on where they can work or go to school.... Read more...

South Africa has taken several measures to provide ease of access to Indian tourists.... Read more...

Minister of Home Affairs Aaron Motsoaledi says Refugee Act amendments tie up loose ends and reduce regulation abuse. Others say they curtail the human rights of refugees and asylum seekers. Minister of Home Affairs Aaron Motsoaledi has defended the new amendments to the Refugees Act that came into effect at the beginning of the year, saying they serve to tie up loose ends and fill gaps that led to regulation abuse. But they have been met with an avalanche of criticism citing human rights.... Read more...

South Africans will as from next month pay a fee of €80 (R1,283) instead of €60 (R962) when applying for a Schengen Visa from South Africa. The increase also affects children, who will now have to pay €40 (R642) instead of €35 (R561), as it is currently. South Africans will also be subjected to several changes in terms of visa application procedures, rules and benefits, starting from February.... Read more...

The Supreme Court of Appeal has declared Home Affairs`s prohibition on asylum seekers marrying unconstitutional If you are an asylum seeker whose application for asylum in terms of Section 21 of the Refugee Act has not been finalised, you are still permitted to enter into a marriage. The Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) affirmed this in a judgment handed down in October. Background... Read more...

A Zimbabwean transgender woman has successfully won her appeal at the South African High Court, stopping that country’s immigration department from deporting her. The High Court ordered her release from detention, stopped her deportation and ruled she could approach the Refugee Centre to submit her application for asylum. The court order also ordered the Ministry of Justice and Correctional Services and the Director of Public Prosecutions: Gauteng Local Division and National Prosecution Authority to pay the costs of the applicant’s application.... Read more...

Foreign refugees in South Africa have just been banned from political activity �` as SA builds `a paper wall` against immigration https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sx0CmJ0hVsQ Refugees - we can help you change from Asylum Seeker to Temporary Residence and Permanent Residence and not be caught out How can we help you , please email us to info@samigration.com or whatsapp me on +2782 373 8415, where are you now? check our website : www.samigration.com... Read more...

Marriages of convenience, which are mostly used by foreigners to gain SA citizenship will become a “dangerous game” to play in future, warns home affairs minister Aaron Motsoaledi. While the country has become a haven for bogus marriages Motsoaledi said a proposed new marriage statute will make it “very difficult” to marry someone in absentia, which is currently the main driver of the country’s fake marriages. So serious is he about stopping fraudulent marriages that his office has started revoking the citizenship of those found to have forged their unions.... Read more...

A case brought before court on behalf of a group of stateless people, claiming that they lost their South African citizenship by descent when the law was changed, has revealed absolute chaos at the Department of Home Affairs, which had to send a heavyweight legal team to the Constitutional Court on 13 February 2020 to plea for permission to have another chance to overturn a court order they claim will open the floodgates to millions of people who want citizenship to access grants.... Read more...

If you were born in South Africa to non-citizens you can apply to be a citizen Minister of Home Affairs Aaron Motsoaledi. The Concourt was unimpressed by his department’s handling of applications for citizenship by children born to foreign parents. Archive photo: Tariro Washinyira It has taken four years of legal battles, but now if you were born in South Africa to foreign parents you can apply for citizenship. It has been an “agonizing journey” for those who consider South Africa to be their only home.... Read more...

The CABINET has declared a State of Emergency in the country amid the Coronavirus pandemic. President Hage Geingob announced at the State House that the country will go into almost complete lock-down for the next 30 days. Some of the measures include the suspension of the issuance of visas on arrival at the Hosea Kutako International Airport (HKIA). There is also the implementation of a travel ban on foreign nationals, by air and sea, from affected countries.... Read more...

• Standard Bank is giving all of its business clients with a turnover of less than R20 million per year a debt repayment holiday of three months. • They don`t have to pay debt instalments until end-June, but interest and fees will still accrue during this time. • Businesses don`t need to apply for the holiday - they will get it automatically if they are not behind on payments and `in good standing` with the bank. • Students are also getting an automatic three-month repayment holiday, and no interest or fees will accrue during this time.... Read more...

In response to the rapid spread of COVID-19, Mozambique announced today (March 20) that it has, with immediate effect, suspended the issuing of visas to foreign nationals as well as cancelling those that have already been issued, said Mozambican President, Filipe Nyusi in a statement. Furthermore, it has implemented a mandatory 14-day quarantine for all travellers who have recently been outside the country. “Mozambique still has no confirmed case of COVID-19, even among Mozambicans abroad, stressing that prevention remains the main pillar to combat the spread of this virus in the country,” said Nyusi in a statement.... Read more...

The Department of Home Affairs is usually rejecting visa cases on a regular basis without giving any reason for it. The South African Court handed down an interesting judgement last week, which will help to better cooperation between home affairs and Immigration Consulting Agencies, as well as applicants in general.... Read more...

Airports Company South Africa (Acsa) has �` together with other aviation authorities �` implemented air travel restrictions as detailed by the Minister of Transport, Fikile Mbalula, in the International Air Services (Covid19 Restrictions on The Movement Of Air Travel) Regulations, 2020. The regulations, published today (March 20), ban passenger air travel from countries deemed high risk as per the President’s National Disaster declaration on Sunday (March 15). Countries affected are: South Korea, Italy, Spain, Iran, Germany, and United State of America, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, France and China.... Read more...

Before the lockdown in the country was even announced, South African married couple Jana and Martin were making arrangements to cut their three-month backpacking trip through Southeast Asia short.... Read more...

directed his officials to come up with a solution so Indians aren`t unfairly excluded from receiving partnership visas. The intervention has come after mounting anger and frustration from the Kiwi-Indian community at recent policy changes with some even walking away from the Labour Party.... Read more...

Business Insider SA - 05 April 2020 The first half of 2018 saw a huge surge in applications from South Africans looking to buy their way into second passports, mostly in Europe, numbers from an advisory company show.... Read more...

The German government on Friday started the repatriation of its citizens from South Africa. Strict travel regulations had been in place since a 21-day nationwide Covid-19 lockdown was announced. Previously, all flights were grounded, but the repatriation was permitted due to the revised regulations announced this week by the Minister of Transport Fikile Mbalula.... Read more...

Telkom reached an agreement with the Competition Commission to cut the prices it charges internet service providers (ISPs) to use its network. One technology analyst believes SA consumers can expect price cuts of between R100 to R200 on their monthly home-fibre bills as a result.... Read more...

The Covid-19 pandemic is set to realign the world`s social and economic structure, and fundamentally change the way people work and interact, personally and professionally. While the current social measures in place around the world are aimed at stemming the spread of the virus, there’s a good chance that there’ll be a residual adoption of elements of them as humanity adapts to ‘the new normal’ �` because the world will fundamentally never be the same again.... Read more...

The Department of Home Affairs has not confirmed the measures that have been put in place to deal with the arrival of asylum seekers,) Fears around the spread of the coronavirus have led to the South African government taking the extraordinary step of closing 35 of the country’s 72 ports of entry. After President Cyril Ramaphosa declared a state of disaster on March 15, some refugee reception offices have apparently also suspended issuing and renewing asylum permits while their staff wait to receive protective gear.... Read more...

The department of home affairs has outlined temporary measures regarding visas and permanent residence permits during the lockdown. Image: Alaister Russell People whose visas to work, study or conduct business in SA expired during the Covid-19 lockdown will not be penalised, home affairs said on Tuesday.... Read more...

The case against two British citizens who allegedly deliberately ignored border officials and sped off into South Africa from Eswatini on Saturday was postponed to 30 April in the Durban Magistrate`s Court on Tuesday.... Read more...

Desperate citizens stranded in South Africa have taken to jumping the Lesotho border risking their lives to get home. Reports from Lesotho claim that hundreds of Basotho are resorting to perilous and illegal border crossings having been stranded in locked down South Africa.... Read more...

THE country received 527 citizens returning from South Africa yesterday through the Beitbridge Border Post bringing the number of returnees from various countries to 3 134 since the country and other regional countries initiated national lockdowns to curb the spread of Covid-19.... Read more...

All around South Africa, migrants, refugees and asylum seekers who have mostly been left out of the government`s official response to the food crisis are going hungry. For Alice Munyanyiwa, a cup of tea has become a luxury she can barely afford.... Read more...

The government is working on a scheme to develop six, one-stop border posts with its neighbours to ensure greater efficiency in the movement of goods and people. Priority will be given to the Beitbridge border post connecting SA and Zimbabwe, which is the gateway for most of the land-based trade with the rest of Africa. This border post, the biggest, has long been plagued by lengthy delays, some lasting up to two weeks, which are extremely costly for business.... Read more...

In a statement released on Saturday, the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture and the Department of International Relations and Cooperation announced the repatriation of 29 musicians and artists who were stranded in Turkey. According to the statement, `the group was meant to fly home, when flights were grounded due to the coronavirus pandemic.`... Read more...

Most foreign-trained doctors spend months trying to register with the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA), but visiting Cuban healthcare workers waited just three days - and the HPCSA may have the power to make this possible for more foreign- trained doctors sitting on the sidelines of the Covid-19 response. On Monday, Gauteng welcomed 28 Cuban doctors to assist in the province`s response to the Covid-19 outbreak. The group is part of the 187 healthcare workers who arrived from the Caribbean nation on 27 April and are being deployed around the country. Cuba is known for its strong primary healthcare systems that helped it achieve one of the world`s highest life expectancies, according to World Bank data, despite spending less per person on health than many other nations. It also has a long-standing partnership with South Africa when it comes to health care. But the arrival of Cuban healthcare workers came as many foreign- trained doctors in South Africa said they were s... Read more...

Cape Town - Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi has revealed that his department has found an increase of more than 300 foreigners trying to enter the country during the Covid-19 pandemic lockdown amid the questions in the Beitbridge border post fencing.... Read more...

The department of home affairs has recommended the extension of the contract of its front-end visa handling operator until it is ready to launch a public-private partnership with a new service provider to undertake the work. The contract with VFS Global expires at the end of December but home affairs minister Aaron Motsoaledi told parliament’s home affairs committee on Tuesday that this was not enough time to finalise the public-private partnership, especially given the constraints imposed by the Covid-19 pandemic and lockdown.... Read more...

Pleas for DIRCO to help South Africans stranded abroad, or stuck in SA with jobs abroad, have increased as many run out of money, medicine and hope. The DA today issued a call for Dirco to liaise better with embassies in helping get citizens home; and AfriForum this morning issued urgent court papers in an effort to find solutions to the many problems facing South African citizens needing repatriation, including the fact that they are still required to spend a minimum of 14 days in quarantine in a state facility, while most have the ability and would prefer to isolate themselves.... Read more...

Mango Airlines will resume flights on Monday, June 15, between Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban. Travellers must present a travel permit and letter from their employer authorising business travel. This will be checked at the entrance to airports and again at check-in and boarding, says CEO, Nico Bezuidenhout. “Important enough to say it twice: if a traveller does not have a relevant permit for essential or business travel with the appropriate sign-off, the traveller will not be granted access to the airport and may subsequently forfeit the purchased ticket.”... Read more...

Pleas for DIRCO to help South Africans stranded abroad, or stuck in SA with jobs abroad, have increased as many run out of money, medicine and hope. The DA today issued a call for Dirco to liaise better with embassies in helping get citizens home; and AfriForum this morning issued urgent court papers in an effort to find solutions to the many problems facing South African citizens needing repatriation, including the fact that they are still required to spend a minimum of 14 days in quarantine in a state facility, while most have the ability and would prefer to isolate themselves.... Read more...

Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma (GCIS) • High Court Judge Norman Davis has given Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma 14 days to amend lockdown regulations, however, the national state of disaster is set to lapse before that deadline. • Davis has slammed some of the regulations, saying there are millions of South Africans who operate in the informal sector, who have lost their livelihoods. • Davis says in the case of hairdressers, a single mother and sole provider for her family is stripped of her rights of dignity, equality, to earn a living and to provide for the best interest of her children.... Read more...

The Covid-19 death toll has hit 848, after 56 more people died - 54 of whom were from the epicentre Western Cape. The number of cases rose by 3 267 to 40 792. The number of recoveries is 21 311. The government is set to appeal a court judgment handed down this week which declared the lockdown regulations for Levels 3 and 4 unconstitutional. This came as the government also announced that a state of disaster will be extended until 15 July. Here is what the courts found in the ruling.... Read more...

Mango Airlines will resume flights on Monday, June 15, between Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban. Travellers must present a travel permit and letter from their employer authorising business travel. This will be checked at the entrance to airports and again at check-in and boarding, says CEO, Nico Bezuidenhout. “Important enough to say it twice: if a traveller does not have a relevant permit for essential or business travel with the appropriate sign-off, the traveller will not be granted access to the airport and may subsequently forfeit the purchased ticket.”... Read more...

Cape Town - Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi has revealed that his department has found an increase of more than 300 foreigners trying to enter the country during the Covid-19 pandemic lockdown amid the questions in the Beitbridge border post fencing.... Read more...

Home Affairs Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi, has welcomed the arrest of a former departmental employee who appeared in court on charges of fraud and corruption. Kedibone Serumula, a former administrative clerk in Lephalale, Limpopo, was arrested on 30 June 2020.... Read more...

South Africans who wanted to travel for these reasons would be required to produce a letter from the embassy where they were headed, confirming the reason for their journey.... Read more...

• Registration on this portal does not constitute a reservation for the flight, it is only a record of your interest, which will determine the viability to operate the flight. • Confirmation if the flight operates will be latest 48 hours prior to scheduled departure date. • SAA reserves the right to reschedule or cancel flights based on demand.... Read more...

President Cyril Ramaphosa has signed the Border Management Authority Bill of 2020 into law. The new legislation is in force from today, 21 July 2020. The legislation addresses a need identified by government and diverse stakeholders in the economy for an integrated and well coordinated border management service that will ensure secure travel and legitimate trade in accordance with the Constitution and international and domestic law.... Read more...

Love follows its own script at the best of times, but the Covid-19 pandemic has added unexpected, devastating twists. As it is, life and love under any level of lockdown pose many challenges to a relationship. With the gradual lifting of restrictions in South Africa, the transitioning has been a rollercoaster ride of emotions, especially in a country where some regulations seem perplexing and contradictory. While those infected by the coronavirus and who have lost their lives or are at risk during the pandemic are foremost in our minds, spare a thought, too, for binational families and couples who have been separated by the pandemic.... Read more...

DRC asylum seeker not given adequate reasons for refusal of application: judge The high court has ordered home affairs` refugee centre in Cape Town to reconsider an asylum application by a Congolese woman who was accused of lying about her age. The Western Cape High Court has ordered the home affairs department`s refugee centre in Cape Town to reconsider an asylum application by a Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) national who was accused of lying about her age when she fled to South Africa.... Read more...

The Constitutional Court said two subsections of the South African Citizenship Amendment Act could be read so that those born to a South African parent, in or outside SA, could acquire South African citizenship. The Constitutional Court on Wednesday ordered the department of home affairs to register the births of four people that it declared were South African citizens, and that they be issued with IDs.... Read more...

People living in the UK legally are being left without proof of their immigration status because of soaring charges for visa appointments during the pandemic, lawyers have warned. Refugees and authorised migrants have been deprived of access to public services because they have been unable to afford appointments to obtain the required documentation since visa centres started reopening last month. Others have spent thousands of pounds on appointments being offered at a higher than usual cost, out of fear that any delay in submitting their biometrics will put their application in jeopardy.... Read more...

JOHANNESBURG, May 20: Twenty-six Indian scientists stranded in South Africa’s Cape Town due to the coronavirus lockdown will be heading back home this week. They had been on a mission to Antarctica and stuck in South Africa three months ago after the imposition of the lockdown. The scientists are among around 150 Indian nationals who will be returning home on a South African Airways (SAA) flight that will leave Johannesburg on Friday for Mumbai and Delhi. Indian Consul General in Johannesburg, Anju Ranjan, said over 1,000 Indian nationals had registered for the flight. Passengers had to be vetted by the Indian mission based on a criteria set by the South African Department of Home Affairs. “We had to select priority passengers depending on their need,” Ranjan said in a Facebook broadcast.... Read more...

The Department of International Relations and Cooperation (Dirco) has revealed that some of the South African citizens repatriated from Wuhan, where the coronavirus outbreak began, have requested assistance to return to the Chinese province. The group of 112 citizens, which included students, was the first successfully returned to South Africa as the globe grappled with the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.... Read more...

CANBERRA, Australia (AP) �` A woman has tearfully embraced her dying sister in Australia after weeks of bureaucracy wrangling over pandemic travel restrictions. Australia had rejected Christine Archer`s request for permission to fly from New Zealand four times before her story attracted media attention. Her only sister Gail Baker was diagnosed with incurable ovarian cancer in late March after both countries stopped international travel. Baker has perhaps weeks to live. Archer was eventually allowed to fly to Sydney and spent only a week in hotel quarantine before testing negative for the coronavirus. International travelers are usually quarantined for two weeks.... Read more...

South Africans who are considering to travel to countries of work or study will need to show the relevant documents before it is approved. This follows Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi`s announcement over the weekend that South Africans who work and study abroad can return to the countries where they are based from June 1, 2020. Motsoaledi, the Department of International Relations and Cooperation and the National Coronavirus Command Council, approved essential travel for South Africans who want to return to countries where they are based. Home Affairs said South Africans can only depart for work, study, family reunion, take up permanent residency or receive medical attention. No leisure travel will be permitted.... Read more...

Police in Zambia have arrested three people suspected of murdering three Chinese nationals, dragging the bodies into a factory and setting it alight. Home Affairs Minister Stephen Kampyongo has promised a full investigation into Sunday`s `barbaric` crime. It took place at the Chinese-owned Blue Star clothing factory. The attack comes amid a controversial crackdown in the capital, Lusaka, on Chinese businesses accused of discriminating against Zambians. There has also been tension over reports that Chinese factory managers have been forcing employees to sleep at work to stop the spread of coronavirus, the BBC`s Kennedy Gondwe reports from Lusaka.... Read more...

Stranded passengers told to register with Indian missions, download Aarogya Setu App The Ministry of Civil Aviation has issued a Standard Operating Protocol (SOP) for private aircraft and charter operations on international sectors in view of COVID-19 pandemic. However, the flights would be allowed subject to the clearance from the respective State/Union Territory Governments. The new guidelines follow the instructions of the Ministry of Home Affairs permitting private aircrafts and international charter operations to bring back many Indians who had travelled to different countries before the lockdown on various purposes - employment, tourism, business studies etc - and were stranded there.... Read more...

For South Africans contemplating a move to the UK, the visa centres in South Africa are open for new applications. With restrictions easing in Europe, visa offices are starting to reopen globally following the Covid-19 pandemic. The UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) has implemented a controlled, phased, reopening of Service Points.... Read more...

• a seven-year legal battle fought by Lawyers for Human Rights on behalf of four people born to SA parents outside the country. • The case centred on the Citizenship Amendment Act of 2010 and how it applied to people born outside of South Africa before January 2013. • Justice Sisi Khampepe slammed the Department of Home Affairs, describing its conduct in the matter as `brazenly incompetent`.... Read more...

The solemnisation and registration of civil marriages, customary marriages and civil unions are managed by the Department of Home Affairs. Civil marriages are governed by the Marriage Act and regulations issued in terms of the Act. South Africa also recognizes customary marriages through the Recognition of Customary Marriages Act, which became effective in November 2000. Civil unions are recognised in terms of the Civil Union Act (2006).... Read more...

An Asylum Seeker He is a person who has fled his or her country of origin and is seeking recognition and protection as a refugee in the Republic of South Africa, and whose application is still under consideration. In case of a negative decision on his application, he has to leave the country voluntarily or will be deported.... Read more...

Although you do not have to use a registered migration agent to lodge your visa application, they might be able to help you if your case is complex or you require immigration assistance. Registered migration agents are required to: • have a sound knowledge of migration law and procedure • act professionally and in a timely manner • abide by the Code of Conduct for registered migration agents • have appropriate insurance • be a fit and proper person to give immigration assistance and be a person of integrity (this will involve criminal history checks). If you have a problem with a registered agent, you can make a complaint to the Authority �` FIPSA.... Read more...

The Supreme Court of Appeal has declared Home Affairs`s prohibition on asylum seekers marrying unconstitutional If you are an asylum seeker whose application for asylum in terms of Section 21 of the Refugee Act has not been finalised, you are still permitted to enter into a marriage. The Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) affirmed this in a judgment handed down in October.... Read more...

A case brought before court on behalf of a group of stateless people, claiming that they lost their South African citizenship by descent when the law was changed, has revealed absolute chaos at the Department of Home Affairs, which had to send a heavyweight legal team to the Constitutional Court on 13 February 2020 to plea for permission to have another chance to overturn a court order they claim will open the floodgates to millions of people who want citizenship to access grants.... Read more...

Given the deteriorating socio-political and economic situation in SA, the number of South African families securing a Plan B in Mauritius is increasing exponentially in 2020. The following changes announced by the Mauritian Government as part of their Coronavirus budget speech makes it far easier for South Africans to emigrate to the island nation:... Read more...

• The Constitutional Court finalised a seven-year legal battle fought by Lawyers for Human Rights on behalf of four people born to SA parents outside the country. • The case centred on the Citizenship Amendment Act of 2010 and how it applied to people born outside of South Africa before January 2013. • Justice Sisi Khampepe slammed the Department of Home Affairs, describing its conduct in the matter as `brazenly incompetent`.... Read more...

“The Minister of Home Affairs, Dr Aaron Motsoaledi has, following consultations with the Department of International Relations and Cooperation and the NCCC, approved essential travel for South Africans who want to return to countries where they are based,” the department said. South Africans who wanted to travel for these reasons would be required to produce a letter from the embassy where they were headed, confirming the reason for their journey.... Read more...

The Department of Home Affairs has spent more than R20 million on deporting illegal immigrants.... Read more...

Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi has handed over the amended birth certificate of a minor child who was about to lose out on an R8 million foreign inheritance.... Read more...

Repatriation flights are on the rise with many citizens anxiously waiting to return home from their travel destinations. Do you need to book a repatriation flight or fly overseas for essential travel? We can assist you!... Read more...

Durban metro police swooped on a flat in Pinetown on Thursday afternoon, where they found fake international driving licences, South African visas, police clearance certificates and refugee permits.... Read more...

Johannesburg �` The Home Affairs Department has announced more services which will be available during level 2 of the lockdown.... Read more...

An Australian mother-to-be is `heartbroken` that her partner may miss the birth of their child as he remains stranded in New Zealand.... Read more...

Where can Americans and U.S. passport holders travel right now? Here’s a full list of countries that have reopened their borders for American tourists.... Read more...

Italy has now reopened for tourism and has recently updated the countries and nations that are permitted to visit, both with restrictions and without.... Read more...

Virgin Atlantic announced that any travel booked directly through the airline between August 24, 2020, and March 31, 2021, will come with complimentary coronavirus insurance.... Read more...

The Table Mountain Aerial Cableway will reopen to domestic tourists from September 1.... Read more...

The Department of Home Affairs and the State Information Technology Agency (Sita) faced criticism from the parliamentary portfolio committee on Home Affairs in a meeting on Tuesday 25 August.... Read more...

• South Africa`s borders remain closed to most travellers, and you still can`t apply for a new passport. • There is no way to extend the validity of passports, the government says. • But those who applied for passports at bank branches before lockdown, at the end of March, can now collect those documents at 20 such branches. • Collections are only available on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. • Here is the list of bank branches where you can collect your passport.... Read more...

Forced to stay in unbearable marriages and faced with the constant fear of being separated from their children, three foreign nationals have asked the Cape High Court to declare parts of the Immigration Act unconstitutional as it requires them to leave the country if they get divorced and leave their children behind.... Read more...

South Africa`s borders remain closed to most travellers, and you still can`t apply for a new passport. •There is no way to extend the validity of passports, the government says. •But those who applied for passports at bank branches before lockdown, at the end of March, can now collect those documents at 20 such branches. •Collections are only available on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.... Read more...

Pretoria - In A strong message to the rotten apples within Home Affairs’ ranks, law enforcement officials nabbed three officials from the department and their partners for allegedly issuing fraudulent IDs. The officials were arrested in separate operations in Emalahleni and Pretoria.... Read more...

Foreigners wishing to return to South Africa but stuck abroad are on the rise with many foreigners anxiously waiting to return to South Africa to join their spouse , life partner or children in South Africa . These are generally people who either went home to get documents or were just caught outside SA during Lockdown and they are not deemed to be a repatriation flight as in a South African or permanent resident travelling from their current location outside of South Africa and wishing to return home .Who is responsible for organising the return to South Africa flights/ ? Or the overland drive returns... Read more...

The Western Cape’s provincial minister of Finance and Economic Opportunities David Maynier says that the province will table a formal request with national government on the reopening of international travel.... Read more...

The Minister of Home Affairs, Dr Aaron Motsoaledi, applauded law enforcement officials who interrupted the alleged illegal activities of three Home Affairs officials and their external partners who were involved in issuing fraudulent identity documents. These officials were arrested in two separate operations in Emalahleni and in Pretoria.... Read more...

The Minister of Home Affairs Dr Aaron Motsoaledi welcomed the arrest of Mpumalanga Department of Human Settlement Head of Department Mr Keboni Masange by immigration officials on Tuesday, 1 September 2020, in Pretoria.... Read more...

South African citizens in the UK, with passports that are expiring, have inundated SAPeople with desperate messages after saying they have been unable to get hold of anybody at the SA Embassy in London for months. Phones have gone unanswered. Offices have been closed.... Read more...

The Minister of Home Affairs Dr Aaron Motsoaledi welcomed the arrest of Mpumalanga Department of Human Settlement Head of Department Mr Keboni Masange by immigration officials on Tuesday, 1 September 2020, in Pretoria.... Read more...

The Critical Skills Visa South Africa is for skilled workers whose occupation is on the Critical Skills Visa List for South Africa. This list reflects the occupations that are in demand in South Africa. The newly published `Skills or qualifications determined to be critical for the Republic of South Africa in relation to an application for a Critical Skills Visa or Permanent Residence Visa`... Read more...

A business visa may be issued by the Department of Home Affairs to a foreigner intending to establish or invest in a business in South Africa in which he or she may be employed, and to members of such foreigners’ immediate family providing that certain requirements have been met.... Read more...

An intra-company transfer work Visa may be issued by the Department to a foreigner who is employed abroad by a business operating in the Republic in a branch, subsidiary or affiliate relationship and who by reason of his or her employment is required to conduct work in the Republic.... Read more...

Under the General Work Visa there are very strict requirements. The South African government, although trying to promote work and trade in South Africa, recognize the need to give South Africans the chance to obtain employment ahead of any foreigner.... Read more...

Although you do not have to use a registered migration agent to lodge your visa application, they might be able to help you if your case is complex or you require immigration assistance.... Read more...

An alternative to the Retirement Visa route exists in the financially independent visa for which candidates would need to be able to demonstrate a net asset value totalling not less that R12 million. In addition, it would also be necessary to demonstrate proof of payment of R120,000 as a non-refundable sum to the Director General of Home Affairs. The application for a financially independent visa will lead to permanent residence.... Read more...

Life Partner visa is issued to someone in a long term relationship. This type of South Africa life partner visa is available to people in either heterosexual or same-sex relationships and can apply for a life partner temporary residence visa or a permanent residence depending on the length of the relationship in question.... Read more...

SAPeople has collaborated with the Democratic Alliance (DA) to petition South Africa’s Home Affairs Minister to resolve the passport renewal crisis that is currently brewing abroad.... Read more...

This type of South Africa Spouse or life partner permit is available to people in either heterosexual or same-sex relationships and can be applied for as either a spouse temporary residence permit or a permanent residence permit depending on the length of the marriage or relationship in question.... Read more...

President Cyril Ramaphosa has indicated the **National Coronavirus Command Council will consider submissions on the relaxing of Covid-19 restrictions. He says he is planning to address the nation in the next week. The president says the government has received submissions from the religious section, the tourism sector, sports fraternity and entertainers.... Read more...

Citizenship as a tool of exclusion was a staple of apartheid-era oppression in South Africa. It was with this in mind that the opening words of the Freedom Charter and later the preamble of the Constitution proclaimed, ‘South Africa belongs to all who live in it’.... Read more...

The draft Taxation Laws Amendment Bill (TLAB), which is open for public comment, will introduce changes for South Africans looking to take their retirement funds abroad. In an analysis of the proposed change, law firm ENSAfrica said that the changes primarily deal with formal emigration with the draft bill suggesting a much stricter process from 1 March 2021 onward. “Members of preservation funds and retirement annuity funds may withdraw from such funds if they formally emigrate from South Africa for exchange control purposes and their emigration is approved by the South African Reserve Bank,” said ENSAfrica.... Read more...

The DA says Zimbabwean teachers locked out of SA due to Covid-19 restriction should be allowed to return to SA. According to the provincial education department, four teachers who were locked out have since been assisted. The department says teachers who are still outside SA`s borders are on unpaid leave.... Read more...

While borders and other points of entry will reopen under level one, government has decided to retain the ban on travellers from the US, UK, Spain and Italy �` which are key markets for the revival of the tourism sector... Read more...

*Cabinet is expected to decide on Wednesday on the resumption of international travel. * *But there are strings attached. * *The NCCC has recommended strict visa requirements for anyone entering the country.... Read more...

Cape Town - The matter of the refugees currently housed in two tented camps in Cape Town took a turn on Tuesday after Parliament`s portfolio committee on home affairs was forced to postpone a briefing to discuss the issue.... Read more...

• South Africa is reopening its borders, at least partially, soon. • But that doesn`t mean foreign visitors will immediately stream into the country. • Despite relatively low and dropping new coronavirus case numbers, SA remains red-listed by many countries, which means quarantine for those who travel here when they return home. • SA now has to decide whether to accept risky tourists, as the tourism industry looks toward a multi-year recovery.... Read more...

The Department of Higher Education and Training has published its draft list of Occupations in High Demand which aims to establish the skills most in-demand across the country. The signiﬁcance of the list is that it will form the basis for the updated critical skills list by the Department of Home Affairs, which contains all the skills deemed in short supply in South Africa, said Xpatweb’s Marisa Jacobs.... Read more...

It has taken four years of legal battles �` but now, if you were born in South Africa to foreign parents, you can apply for citizenship. It has been an “agonizing journey” for those who consider South Africa to be their only home.... Read more...

For most Nigerian businessmen, holding a Nigerian passport raises a red flag and would often require extra documentation for validation. Nigeria is placed 95 on the annual Henley Passport Index which ranks the world’s passport according to the countries they can visit without a prior visa. Ranked 95, Nigerian passport holders can visit two fewer countries now than they could in 2010 without a visa.... Read more...

A streamlined, efficient and well-integrated civil service is the hallmark of a capable state, but South Africa has fallen in a number of areas, says President Cyril Ramaphosa. Writing in his weekly open letter to the public, Ramaphosa said that the government’s key priority is to build a ‘capable state’. “If we are to build a more capable state we have to seriously and urgently address the shortcomings in the organisation and the capacity of the public service,” he said.... Read more...

Concerns are growing about the number of refugees’ and asylum seekers’ documents expiring at the end of October. The Department of Home Affairs has not said how it intends dealing with the disruption caused by Covid-19, insofar as this paperwork is concerned. The Scalabrini Centre in Cape Town has written to home affairs asking for the department’s plan regarding documents held by refugees that are on the point of expiring.... Read more...

South Africans abroad are facing a passport renewal nightmare. SAPeople editor Jenni Baxter sat down with Adrian Roos MP (DA Shadow Deputy Minister of Home Affairs) and Justin Adams (DA Abroad UK and Europe Chairperson) to discuss the critical situation SA citizens abroad are facing in obtaining their South African passports from Home Affairs and the SA embassies.To assist South Africans abroad the DA, DA Abroad and SAPeople are petitioning the Minister of Home Affairs. Some of the points raised in the discussion include:... Read more...

The draft Taxation Laws Amendment Bill (TLAB), which is open for public comment, will introduce changes for South Africans looking to take their retirement funds abroad. In an analysis of the proposed change, law firm ENSAfrica said that the changes primarily deal with formal emigration with the draft bill suggesting a much stricter process from 1 March 2021 onward.... Read more...

The Public Servants Association of SA has lashed out at the department of home affairs for suspending a senior bureaucrat involved in investigating foreign nationals who allegedly obtained SA citizenship fraudulently.... Read more...

International visitors will be allowed back in the country from 1 October.... Read more...

* Travel to and from within continent allowed * Travel restricted from high infection countries * Govt yet to say which countries on restricted list * Business travel to be allowed under certain conditions (Adds details from govt gazette) JOHANNESBURG, South Africa will allow travel from Oct. 1 to and from all countries in Africa as well as other countries where levels of COVID-19 infections are not too high, a government minister said on Friday.... Read more...

The issuing of five-year residence permits to property investors from outside the European Union has all but ground to a halt. Based on Migration Policy Ministry data, in the year to early September only 368 so-called Golden Visas were issued, taking the sum of investors to have received these permits since the beginning of the program to 7,903.... Read more...

UAE’s Emirate Airline has been banned from operating in Nigeria. Emirates Airline has been added to the list of airlines which have been banned from operating in Nigeria. The ban will take effect from the 21st of September.... Read more...

The federal government has commenced visa processing on a reciprocity basis for applicants from countries that have reopened their international airspace and have begun issuing visas to Nigerian applicants.... Read more...

It has taken four years of legal battles �` but now, if you were born in South Africa to foreign parents, you can apply for citizenship. It has been an “agonizing journey” for those who consider South Africa to be their only home.The department of home affairs’ opposition to the court bid by five adults, representing others in a similar situation, for the vindication of their rights, was dealt a death blow by the Constitutional Court last week. The court simply ruled that it would not hear any further argument on the matter.... Read more...

Court finds Intestate Succession Act discriminates against unmarried life partners
02 October 2020 - 07:33 By Tania Broughton and GroundUp

Jane Bwanya, a former domestic worker who was “swept off her feet” six years ago by a relatively wealthy businessman, has succeeded in changing the provisions of the Intestate Succession Act, which had barred unmarried partners in a heterosexual union from inheriting.... Read more...

The Minister of Home Affairs Dr Aaron Motsoaledi convened an inclusive meeting involving senior immigration officials and ports of entry managers to address the challenges arising from the implementation of Regulations pertaining to travel into the Republic, including opening the tourism industry and promoting trade in order to stimulate economic recovery.... Read more...

There are many benefits to having dual citizenship, including greater global mobility, economic opportunities, better quality of life and improved personal security, says Sandra Woest at Sable International. However, acquiring second citizenship can be a lengthy process as residence in the country is usually a requirement. Business owners and private investors looking to gain an alternative nationality often turn to investment migration because it is quick and generally hassle-free, Woest said.... Read more...

To apply for a permanent residency visa in Australia, you must pass the good character test. The Department of Home Affairs (DoHA) has the discretional power to refuse and cancel a visa if the applicant does not satisfy DoHA that they pass the character test.... Read more...

Announcement same date , for ease I produce relevant section , I called around and total confusion at airports , if for example a UK person flew to Turkey , a low risk country and stated for 2 weeks , they should be able to come to Sa as a low risk country person and as a leisure traveller ? at odds with covid19business email requirements , what is your assessment... Read more...

The Minister of Home Affairs, Dr Aaron Motsoaledi, convened an inclusive meeting involving senior immigration officials and ports of entry managers to address the challenges arising from the implementation of Regulations pertaining to travel into the Republic, including opening the tourism industry and promoting trade in order to stimulate economic recovery.... Read more...

South Africa’s list of high-risk countries, where tourists remain banned from entering the country, has been criticised for being arbitrary and potentially damaging to the local tourism sector. The list of 60 countries includes the likes of the United States and the United Kingdom, which are sources of some of the biggest tourism spend in the country �` while all of Africa is free to travel across borders.... Read more...

Italian teenager Sara Passarini has lived in Australia for half of her life, but it could be 2062 before she finds out if she will be accepted as a permanent resident here.... Read more...

The Home Affairs Department has reminded citizens that there are foreign nationals who are in the country legally and are allowed to conduct business in terms of the applicable laws of the country The Department of Home Affairs has initiated the deportation process of 20 foreign nationals, who were part of hundreds others, who had camped outside the offices of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Cape Town, back in 2019.... Read more...

Following the move to Level 1 lockdown, prisoners who have been waiting since March to return to their home countries, have finally seen the first light of their long overdue release dates. A mix of scepticism and fear colour the days after Home Affairs officials first visited South African prisons this month to commence the repatriation process of qualifying offenders.... Read more...

President Lazarus Chakwera has called for the introduction of special permits for Malawians working in the informal sector in South Africa. The Malawi leader made the request during a meeting with South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa and various members of his Cabinet in Pretoria.... Read more...

Limits on the number of Australians who can return have spurred a growing uproar over the country’s hard-line approach to the coronavirus.... Read more...

Brussels / Berlin (dpa) �` After the bloody attacks in France, Austria and Germany, EU interior ministers are today discussing a common line in the fight against terrorism.... Read more...

Cape Town - Human trafficking in South Africa and the rest of the continent is continuing unabated despite the coronavirus, resulting in hundreds of victims unable to get assistance, according to Interpol.... Read more...

The Home Affairs Inspectorate officials, supported by SAPS, the City of Cape Town, the Departments of Social Development and Health are currently performing an operation at the temporary shelter called Wingfield in Maitland, Cape Town.... Read more...

East London, when GroundUp visited people said they had been queuing outside the Department of Home Affairs since 5am. People are still having to queue for hours, and sometimes all night, for social grants or documents from the Department of Home Affairs, in spite of warnings by health officials that this is contributing to the spread of Covid-19 in the Eastern Cape.... Read more...

The Supreme Court of Appeal has dismissed an appeal by the minister of home affairs, who was ordered by the high court in Pretoria last year to grant citizenship to two brothers born in SA of foreign parents in the 1990s.... Read more...

The Trade and Tourism Minister says extra quarantine capacity at Howard Springs means more Australians stranded overseas can return home.... Read more...

Mauritius’s borders will effectively remain closed for leisure travel during the peak December- January period, following its government’s decision to extend quarantine regulations until January 15, 2021. The move is another blow to outbound agents and operators who are missing out on December holiday bookings to South Africa’s favourite island destination.... Read more...

Officials fear widespread chaos when smaller vehicles start arriving at the border BULAWAYO �` Home affairs minister Kazembe Kazembe met with his South African counterpart Aaron Motsoaledi in Beitbridge on Friday ahead of the re-opening of the border to normal traffic on December 1.... Read more...

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) �` Travel agencies in countries across the Middle East and Africa say the United Arab Emirates has temporarily halted issuing new visas to their citizens, a so-far unexplained ban on visitors amid both the coronavirus pandemic and the UAE`s normalization deal with Israel.... Read more...

The United Kingdom (UK) government has announced a new points-based visa route to encourage international students to study and live in the UK.... Read more...

Scalabrini court victory for people seeking asylum in South Africa Home Affairs has been interdicted from implementing certain provisions of the Refugees Act and new Regulations (both implemented on 1 January 2020), which sought to return asylum seekers back to their home country where they could be face detention without trial, rape, torture, or death, merely because he or she was a month late in renewing a visa.... Read more...

British citizenship could be more attainable than you think, writes Mishal Patel of Sable International. Amendments to the UK’s laws and new rulings make it possible to claim nationality from your parents, grandparents and in some cases even your great-grandparents.... Read more...

Cape Town - The Home Affairs Department is investigating close to a million `blocked` identity documents that were found to be suspicious, duplicate or fraudulently issued with falsified supporting documents. This was revealed by Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi when he was responding in writing to Parliamentary questions from EFF MP Lorato Tito.... Read more...

Pretoria - The Department of Home Affairs has been interdicted from implementing certain provisions of the Refugees Act as well as new regulations which make provision for asylum seekers to be sent away if they are a month late in renewing their permits.... Read more...

President Cyril Ramaphosa’s cabinet has approved a draft One-Stop Border Policy (OSBP) for public consultation. In a post-cabinet briefing on Friday (4 December), government said that the creation of the OSBP seeks to ‘harmonise the movement of people and goods between South Africa’s land ports of entry and its neighbouring countries’.... Read more...

Appeals - rejected applications, Undesirable Declaration Waivers, V-listing and Legal Immigration Services Our dynamic team of immigration consultants provide specialist advice on temporary residence visas, permanent residence permits, appeals on rejected applications, undesirable declaration waivers, V-listing and legal immigration services. Get in touch with us if you’d like a professional yet personal experience provided by our experienced consultants.... Read more...

The country`s second-highest court says the Acts fail to recognise marriages under Sharia Law The Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) in Bloemfontein has declared the Marriage Act 25 of 1961 and the Divorce Act 70 of 1979 to be inconsistent with sections of the constitution... Read more...

Cape Town �` Unemployed and desperate for work, innovators from Cape Town`s townships are making money by standing in queues for people at Home Affairs, SA Social Security Agency (Sassa) offices and clinics, for a price of R50. Waking up as early as 3am, 21-year-old Bahle Ngqula from Nyanga said he started the initiative when he lost his job at the start of the lockdown.... Read more...

Israel bans SA visitors amid new Covid-19 variant concerns News 24 - 20 December 2020 Israel on Sunday said it was barring entry to foreign citizens travelling from Britain, Denmark and South Africa after a new strain of coronavirus was detected in the three countries. It also announced tough rules for Israelis returning home from those nations, saying that they would be confined in army-run hotels serving as quarantine centres, in a joint statement by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu`s office and the health ministry.... Read more...

Cape Town �` Unemployed and desperate for work, innovators from Cape Town`s townships are making money by standing in queues for people at Home Affairs, SA Social Security Agency (Sassa) offices and clinics, for a price of R50.... Read more...

What is a Ministerial Waiver / Exemption and how does it work Upon application to the Minister of Home Affairs, the Minister may under terms and conditions determined by him or her allow distinguished visitors or members of his/her family to be administered and sojourn in South Africa and or waive any prescribed (regulatory) requirements for good cause and/or grant any foreigner or category of foreigners the rights of permanent residence for a specified or unspecified period when special circumstances exist justifying such a decision.... Read more...

British Airways plans to suspend the direct flight route between Durban and London from March 2021. A total of 13 destinations are expected to be halted in light of the pandemic.... Read more...

In masks and accompanied by their attorney, their baby and witnesses, the man and woman who fought and beat Home Affairs over a ban on refugee marriages finally got hitched in Port Elizabeth on Thursday. An ecstatic, smiling Zizipho, carrying a small bouquet of white flowers and wearing a pretty white dress with yellow flowers, said one happy word when the ceremony was over and she was married to Pastor Emmanuel Ochogwu: “Finally.”... Read more...

One would think that living in Africa as an expat would be cheaper than living in Europe or America. Not necessarily so.... Read more...

Major News and hope : We are one of the few organisations getting Emptions & waivers approved !!!!... Read more...

Overstaying one’s visa is a common occurrence among people who applied to extend their visa in South Africa and said visa not issued in time for travel.... Read more...

The Government has revised the list of high risk countries based on a risk categorization model.... Read more...

In an easing of travel restrictions, travellers to Namibia now only need a negative PCR test. This comes after the country opened to all international travel via Hosea Kutako International Airport in Windhoek on September 1.... Read more...

A self-employed salon and internet café operator based in Piet Retief, Mpumalanga, has been sentenced to an effective six years behind bars for selling fake tertiary qualifications.... Read more...

As more than 100 home-bound, desperate Australians boarded a rescue flight at London`s Heathrow Airport on Thursday in Melbourne the Torres family from Colombia prepared for another day of purgatory on their `holiday`, six months-long and counting.... Read more...

Minister of Home Affairs Aaron Motsoaledi after briefing Parliament. Every child needs to go to school, Minister of Home Affairs Aaron Motsoaledi has said.... Read more...

Undocumented children, including children of illegal foreigners, can now attend public schools, thanks to the Eastern Cape High Court in Makhanda.... Read more...

South African diplomats abroad, though many of them are good at doing their job, are constantly seeing their efforts undermined by colleagues who are alleged criminals and cadres making exorbitant demands who never think about doing the job they were put there to do, as repeated and urgent queries by South Africans in different countries are met with unanswered phones and emails and dead-ends.... Read more...

CAPE TOWN - Home Affairs officials have embarked on a verification process of refugees and asylum seekers accommodated in a temporary camp in Bellville, set up for the group who had been protesting for several months in the Cape Town CBD, demanding to be moved to another country.... Read more...

The Department of Home Affairs (DHA) has moved to salvage the controversial multimillion-rand Automated Biometric Identification System (ABIS) tender and slapped technology services company EOH with a R44 million penalty over delays in the implementation of the project.... Read more...

Vehicle-tracking company Tracker says it has recently become aware of a car theft scam which is being used by a syndicate in South Africa. Customers are being contacted by the scamsters who are pretending to work for Tracker. They advise the customer that there is something wrong with their tracking device and that they need to come out to repair or replace the device.... Read more...

Pretoria - After 16 years of being “married” to a man she has never met, and then struggling to rectify the situation, the Gauteng High Court, Pretoria, has ordered Home Affairs to amend its records to state that the woman was in fact not married.... Read more...

COVID-19 pandemic last March, international flights got temporarily banned, leaving no choice to travelers all over the world but to stay where they are. Things aren’t exactly getting better, but the increase of cases and mortality rate has become relatively slower as compared to the first few months of quarantine. Given the comparatively finer situation, airlines have found their own compromises in order to make travelling in the sky much safer, while, of course, preventing the spread of the virus from one place to another.... Read more...

Several airlines denied boarding to some international passengers on flights bound for South African airports last week, even though South Africa’s borders had reopened.... Read more...

The Durban Refugee Reception Centre has been closed since lockdown was instituted in March. Since then, the documentation of thousands of refugees and asylum seekers has expired.... Read more...

One truck driver, who spent five days at the border, alleged some drivers bribe officials to skip the long screening lines. The All Truck Drivers Foundation said law enforcement needed to beef up security at night.... Read more...

As we stand on the cusp of the old year of 2020 and we stand ready to welcome the new year 2021 . we pause and reflect on some of the challenges of 2020 as well as the successes.... Read more...

Diplomats who have finished their four-year terms in Brussels, Milan and Geneva are asking to stay on in their postings until Covid-19 poses no more travel risks.*... Read more...

South African businesses are increasingly setting up businesses in the UK, sometimes as a hedging strategy in the uncertain economic climate in South Africa, and often because they want to tap into the global trade opportunities the UK is well-positioned for.... Read more...

The United Kingdom (UK) government has announced a new points-based visa route to encourage international students to study and live in the UK.... Read more...

Fellow South Africans, In just four days from now, we will be ushering in a new year. This is traditionally a time of festivity and celebrating. Unfortunately, for us here in South Africa and for others around the world, there is little cause for celebration this year. Yesterday, we passed the mark of more than one million confirmed coronavirus cases in our country. Nearly 27,000 South Africans are known to have died from COVID-19. The number of new coronavirus infections is climbing at an unprecedented rate. More than 50,000 new cases have been reported since Christmas Eve.... Read more...

The chronic traffic congestion at Beitbridge border post has been cleared, says the department of home affairs.... Read more...

The Rand West City municipality senior manager who was arrested for working in SA illegally has been deported to Zimbabwe.... Read more...

There are many benefits to having dual citizenship, including greater global mobility, economic opportunities, better quality of life and improved personal security, However, acquiring second citizenship can be a lengthy process as residence in the country is usually a requirement. Business owners and private investors looking to gain an alternative nationality often turn to investment migration because it is quick and generally hassle-free, Woest said. These citizenship... Read more...

Fellow South Africans, In just four days from now, we will be ushering in a new year. This is traditionally a time of festivity and celebrating. Unfortunately, for us here in South Africa and for others around the world, there is little cause for celebration this year.... Read more...

JOHANNESBURG - Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma on Tuesday said that international travel has not changed under the country’s level 3 lockdown. Briefing the media, the minister said the 18 land borders, which were partially operational, would be fully operational.... Read more...

Cyber crime costs the global economy over $1 trillion, or just more than 1% of global GDP, a figure which is up more than 50% from a 2018 study that put global losses at close to $600 billion.... Read more...

Once you touch down in Australia, the Government does allow exemptions from hotel quarantine in some instances The case of a 53-year-old Australian dual citizen and her son who were incorrectly allowed to travel to Victoria and avoid hotel quarantine after flying into Sydney has put the spotlight back on quarantine exemptions.... Read more...

JOHANNESBURG - Home Affairs Minister, Aaron Motsoaledi, says travellers using fake COVID-19 test certificates will face the full might of the law after 17 fake certificates were discovered.... Read more...

The SANDF will be deploying helicopters to hover above the Limpopo River and SAPS will be in boats. This is according to the Home Affairs Minister. eNCA`s senior reporter Aviwe Mtila was there and filed this report.... Read more...

At least 500 undocumented Zimbabweans are being arrested daily, trying to enter the country illegally. That`s according to Home Affairs Minister, Aaron Motsoaledi.... Read more...

A business visa may be issued by the Department of Home Affairs to a foreigner intending to establish or invest in a business in South Africa in which he or she may be employed, and to members of such foreigners’ immediate family providing that certain requirements have been met.... Read more...

South African Citizen by Descent: Anybody who was born outside of South Africa to a South African citizen. His or her birth has to be registered in line with the births and deaths registration act 51 of 1992.... Read more...

A retirement visa can be granted for 4 years to someone with a monthly pension, irrevocable annuity or retirement account of R37 000 from a net worth/combination of assets realizing R37 000 per month and wishes to retire temporarily or permanently in South Africa.... Read more...

A Relative`s Visa may be issued by the Department to a foreigner who is a member of the immediate family of a citizen or a resident, providing that such citizen or resident provides the prescribed financial assurances.... Read more...

The latest visa extension brings the total amount of leeway afforded to foreigners since the beginning of the outbreak to more than 12 months. • Foreigners who have been unable to leave South Africa due to lockdown measures will now have their visas automatically extended to 31 March 2021.... Read more...

Cogta Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma and Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi updated South Africans on the new Covid-19 restrictions, regulations and their enforcement on Tuesday.... Read more...

The UK remains the preferred destination for South Africans looking for great employment opportunities, a high standard of education and a good quality of life. Choosing the right visa can make the process of applying much simpler and can lead to a more successful application. These are your top UK visa options as a South African. Applying for a UK ancestral visa... Read more...

KARACHI: The Civil Aviation Authority on Monday eased travel restrictions for inbound passengers travelling from the United Kingdom and South Africa.... Read more...

Did you know that you may apply for permanent residence if you are a relative ( parent ) of citizen or permanent residence holder within first level of kinship . In other words you can apply via your child .... Read more...

Johannesburg - Minister of Home Affairs Dr Aaron Motsoaledi says his department is on course to appoint border control guards including border management commissioners in their drive to bring to end illegal movement of people into South Africa.... Read more...

The courts have pronounced on this section of the Act “ Section 4(3) of the Act, which came into operation on 1 January 2013, sets out requirements for citizenship by naturalisation, as follows:... Read more...

WhatsApp is delaying by three months the rollout of a new policy that some critics said would turn over user data to Facebook. • Users originally were set to opt in or out of the policy change on February 8 and will now not have to until May 15.... Read more...

Israel, Turkey, Germany, Saudi Arabia, Denmark, the UK and Vietnam have all halted air travel to and from South Africa. • The suspension of flights follows the detection of 501.v2, a mutated SARS-CoV-2 variant which holds a higher transmission rate.... Read more...

Did you know that you may apply for permanent residence if you are a relative ( parent ) of citizen or permanent residence holder within first level of kinship .... Read more...

Israel, Turkey, Germany, Saudi Arabia, Denmark, the UK and Vietnam have all halted air travel to and from South Africa. • The suspension of flights follows the detection of 501.v2, a mutated SARS-CoV-2 variant which holds a higher transmission rate.... Read more...

A Rwandan asylum seeker told GroundUp she has been to the Western Cape Metro North Education District, but officials refused to help her enrol her child without a study permit.... Read more...

The DHA has suspended the application for smart IDs, with the exception of matriculants applying for IDs. A long queue outside the Department of Home Affairs in Port Shepstone on Monday this week. Most in the queue were there to register deaths. The Department of Home Affairs (DHA) has announced the suspension of several services rendered under level 3 lockdown as the number of death certificates being issued by the department has been on the increase.... Read more...

Like many businesses in South Africa , Covid 19 has had a devasting effect on how they function in terms of staffing and how many people are allowed inside the office at a time .... Read more...

Often our team is confronted by feedback such as I noticed on social media that people complained on Facebook and Google , but when you look at our statistics for example on Facebook we have 150,000 likes and on Google 330 reviews with a 94 % approval rate and this tells us that we are doing a very good job and of course there is always room for improvement .... Read more...

The DHA has suspended the application for smart IDs, with the exception of matriculants applying for IDs. A long queue outside the Department of Home Affairs in Port Shepstone on Monday this week. Most in the queue were there to register deaths. The Department of Home Affairs (DHA) has announced the suspension of several services rendered under level 3 lockdown as the number of death certificates being issued by the department has been on the increase.... Read more...

EXTENSION OF VALIDITY OF ASYLUM SEEKER AND REFUGEE PERMITS TO 31ST of MARCH 2021 1. Validity of asylum seeker and refugee permits Following the announcement by the President of the Republic of South Africa to put the country on adjusted alert level 3, the Minister of Home Affairs issued the Direction on the 14th of January 2021 regarding services that will be provided by the Department of Home Affairs. The Directions in paragraph 2.1 thereof made reference to the extension of the validity of visas and permits that were issued by DHA... Read more...

The Department of Home Affairs (DHA) is looking to conclude its biometrics tender by the end of the year. So says Siya Qoza, DHA ministerial spokesperson, after the department received a preliminary forensic investigation report into the awarding of the botched Automated Biometric Identification System (ABIS) tender.... Read more...

Failure to resolve ICT challenges at Home Affairs contributes to long queues The Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs has expressed its disappointment in the failure of the Department of Home Affairs to resolve the perennial Information Technology (IT) challenges that continue to hamper its ability to deliver quality services.... Read more...

2020 was an unpredictable year, to say the least. Each new week seemed to hold its own uncertainties and concerns. And in 2021, the world is still adjusting. In such times, it is important for tenants of residential property to know what their rights are in terms of premature cancellation of lease agreements that may be necessitated by COVID-19, the pursuant lockdown regulations and general change of personal circumstances.... Read more...

What is a permanent resident permit in relation to South Africa? South African law provides for two kinds of visa categories temporary and permanent. A temporary status is called a visa and a permanent residence dispensation is called a permit.... Read more...

Undocumented migrant children attend a class at the Refugee Social Services at the Diakonia Centre in Durban. (Photo: Leila Dougan / Daily Maverick) Less Citizenship as a tool of exclusion was a staple of apartheid-era oppression in South Africa.... Read more...

Cape Town �` A Western Cape High Court judgment will come as a relief to many asylum seekers who have been unable to renew their visas for valid reasons.... Read more...

The UK remains the preferred destination for South Africans looking for great employment opportunities, a high standard of education and a good quality of life.... Read more...

JOHANNESBURG - The Public Protector said the Home Affairs minister must consider amending naturalisation regulations to ensure compliance and effective administration of the law. This formed part of the remedial action set down in a report, which made adverse findings against former minister Malusi Gigaba regarding the naturalisation of the Guptas, albeit that it cleared him of abusing his power.... Read more...

Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi is reviewing some of the permits which were granted irregularly over the years. The Department of Home Affairs says the minister will leave no stone unturned in uncovering the `dubious` visas, permits and special citizenships that were irregularly granted. * The department says Motsoaledi will `unpack the full details of his ntervention` in the coming days.... Read more...

Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi is reviewing some of the permits which were granted irregularly over the years. The Department of Home Affairs says the minister will leave no stone unturned in uncovering the `dubious` visas, permits and special citizenships that were irregularly granted.... Read more...

Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi is reviewing some of the permits which were granted irregularly over the years. The Department of Home Affairs says the minister will leave no stone unturned in uncovering the `dubious` visas, permits and special citizenships that were irregularly granted. * The department says Motsoaledi will `unpack the full details of his ntervention` in the coming days.... Read more...

In a satisfying victory for our Pro Bono & Human Rights Practice, on Wednesday 25 November, the Supreme Court of Appeal (the SCA) resoundingly dismissed the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) appeal against the judgment of the Gauteng High Court in the matter of the Minister of Home Affairs and Others v Jose and Another (169/2020 [2020] ZASCA 152 (25 November 2020). The High Court had found in the brothers’ favour and ordered the Minister to grant them citizenship within 10 days of its order.... Read more...

The Home Affairs Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi is scheduled to be at Lebombo Border Post, Deputy Minister Mr Njabulo Nzuza at Beitbridge and Director General Mr Tommy Makhode at Maseru Bridge and Ficksburg on Monday, 15 February 2021 when the land ports of entry reopen. The Minister, Deputy Minister and the Director General are visiting the four busiest land ports to monitor the implementation of plans to process travellers through the ports.... Read more...

Home to both lively landscapes and a highly diverse and fascinating culture, South Africa stands out as a place of opportunity for many potential retirees. Bask in a glowing sun while out on the golf course or relax in the shade on a beach. If you are a foodie or oenophile, you can enjoy this country’s culinary treats and excellent wines. Between all the things to do and see, this southernmost African nation, where English is widely spoken, can sound like a dream. So, if you’re considering how to retire in South Africa here are a few areas to look into first. A financial advisor can help you determine if your U.S.-based assets will cover expenses in the Rainbow Nation. Cost of Living and Housing... Read more...

• After being closed for more than a month, SA`s twenty biggest land border posts will reopen on Monday. • New rules have been implemented to prevent the `super-spreader` congestion at these posts. Twenty South African land borders that have been closed for more a month, will re-open on Monday. On Saturday, cabinet gave the go-ahead for the reopening for these border posts:... Read more...

• End-to-end encryption is a security tool used by some apps and services �` including WhatsApp, Signal and Facebook Messenger �` to provide a greater level of privacy. • Messages sent using this tool are encrypted before they leave the sender’s phone or computer, with a key unique to the devices at either end of an exchange.... Read more...

The UK has announced stricter travel rules with harsher punishments for non-compliance, which will come into effect on Monday 15 February. This extends to travellers from South Africa, who will have to foot the bill for their mandatory quarantine stay at around R3,500 a day.... Read more...

Edwin Okey Chikata Ijeoma, a professor of public sector economics at the University of Fort Hare, had his citizenship revoked by the ministry of home affairs after he fraudulently relied on a bigamous marriage to a South African woman to obtain naturalisation and citizenship.... Read more...

Home affairs minister launches probe into permits issued since 2004 Home affairs minister Aaron Motsoaledi has appointed a team of experts to review several categories of permits and visas issued since May 2004, when the Immigration Act came into force, until December 2020 to determine if they were granted regularly. All permanent residence permits, corporate permits (especially in the mining industry), study visas, work permits for professionals, citizen naturalisation and retirement visas issued over this period will be examined.... Read more...

Home affairs minister Aaron Motsoaledi has appointed a team of experts to review several categories of permits and visas issued since May 2004, when the Immigration Act came into force, until December 2020 to determine if they were granted regularly.... Read more...

The opposition Democratic Alliance has tabled its Ease of Doing Business Bill which is aimed at cutting and reducing red tape associated with doing business in South Africa.... Read more...

The notification introduces a series of restrictions that dramatically curtails the rights and liberties of OCIs in India.... Read more...

UK Primer Minister Boris Johnson has announced a phased plan for easing England`s lockdown. • International travel is still, however, barred. • England has, meanwhile, began vaccinations.... Read more...

CAPE TOWN - Asylum applications could be streamlined with the launch of the Asylum Backlog Project. It`s a joint endeavour by the Home Affairs Department and the UN Refugee Agency.... Read more...

Employment and Labour minister Thulas Nxesi says that his department will introduce a new labour migration policy that regulates foreign workers in South Africa.... Read more...

Why only 1 office and remote working during lockdown Covid 19 Like many businesses in South Africa , Covid 19 has had a devasting effect on how they function in terms of staffing and how many people are allowed inside the office at a time.... Read more...

New bill looks set to create serious challenges for skilled foreigners already working in SA Thousands of skilled people working in SA could face visa renewal challenges, or even be forced to leave the country, if their job descriptions have been cut from the latest SA critical skills list, which has just been released for public comment.... Read more...

The Department of Home Affairs will be offering birth registration services this Human Rights Day weekend at health facilities nationwide. The registration weekend is held to assist parents to register their children within 30 days of birth as is required by the law.... Read more...

As of the 2019/20 financial year, the Refugee Appeal Authority of SA says the backlog stood at more than 153 000. The new deal with the **United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees will see around R147 million given to RAASA and technical support to eliminate this backlog. The number of people now who must be cleared via this backlog is 163 000.... Read more...

Since arriving in South Africa two decades ago, Primrose Modisane has never been outside of Gauteng. She says once she gets her ID she would like to go back to school to finish matric, open a bank account and get her driver’s licence.... Read more...

According to Carshif Talip, expertise leader, Urban Planning and Land Infrastructure at Zutari, a `smart city` is much more than a city that is digitally enabled and brimming with technology. It is a city that leverages innovation to achieve its desired outcomes, Talip says, and here innovation does not necessarily mean only technology.... Read more...

Home Affairs still does not serve new applicants in Cape Town despite a Supreme Court of Appeal ruling that says it must reopen and maintain a fully functional refugee reception office. Still no functional refugee reception office in Cape Town nor evidence of future progress.... Read more...

Money talks if you want permanent residency in Australia. There has never been a better time for rich foreign investors to buy residency in Australia, after the federal government quietly pushed ultra-wealthy applicants to the front of the line.... Read more...

ABUJA, March 22 (Reuters) - Nigeria suspended the airline Emirates from flying into or out of its territory last week after the carrier imposed additional COVID-19 test requirements on passengers from the country, the aviation minister said on Monday.... Read more...

After a disputed election, bitter relations between political parties and a hung Parliament will test governance processes. On 4 March, Ghana’s Supreme Court unanimously ruled to uphold the second term victory of president Nana Akufo-Addo in the 7 December 2020 general elections. Akufo-Addo’s opponent and immediate past predecessor John Dramani Mahama, who had challenged the results in court and argued for a rerun, criticised the decision.... Read more...

Businessman with links to Belarus strongman Alexander Lukashenko was arrested by Congolese police in Lubumbashi on Wednesday after meeting with former president Joseph Kabila.... Read more...

Pandemic-based US visa and entry bans, originally imposed by former American President Donald Trump, have actually become tougher in some respects under Biden. In the Schengen Area, UK and Ireland it has become more difficult to receive National Interest Exceptions (NIEs) and thereby avoid the long COVID-19 backlog of visa applications.... Read more...

Good news for South Africans, the days of standing on those long queues and spending hours at Home Affairs will soon be a thing of the past!... Read more...

*Self-styled prophet Shepherd’s ‘lover’ helped him and his wife reach the Beit bridge border* Self-proclaimed Malawian prophet Shepherd Bushiri allegedly fled South Africa through Zimbabwe with the assistance of his 27-year-old “lover”.... Read more...

If your asylum seeker permit or refugee status has expired, or is due to expire, during lockdown (from 15 March 2020 onwards), it is considered to have been extended up to, and including, 30 June 2021. This was officially confirmed by Directions and Amended Directions Gazetted by the Department of Home Affairs. You can read these Directions and Amended Directions... Read more...

Home affairs minister Aaron Motsoaledi has issued directions extending the validity period of legally issued visas that expired during the Covid-19 lockdown period.... Read more...

Whoever said that immigration is a piece of cake clearly paid an arm and a leg for the slice. The immigration process is incredibly case specific to the point that if it is not handled properly, it can immediately end with a negative outcome. Today, we discuss the reasons why you, as a person or as an organisation, should make use of an immigration consultancy for all the nitty gritty details that the immigration process has to offer.... Read more...

“The notarial contract is a formal agreement entered into by a South African citizen/permanent resident and a foreign partner, notarised by a South African notary, setting out the details of their rights and privileges in terms of their relationship... Read more...

While accommodation establishments grapple with record low occupancy levels, slow recovery, and health and safety protocols, there is another worry looming in the background �` how do you protect yourself from potential COVID-19 litigation? Is an accommodation establishment liable if a guest falls ill? And what steps can an establishment take to make sure they are never on the wrong side of a negligence claim? Insurers offer cover for pretty much any incident, accident or sudden illness on your property; they no longer offer liability cover for COVID-related cases �` leaving clients vulnerable to a potential lawsuit.... Read more...

Many South African families have been forced to live apart for up to a year now as a result of New Zealand’s extended border closure and the halting of its visa issuing processes. There is however good news on the horizon for South Africans who have been desperately trying to get to New Zealand. The country’s immigration department has revealed a timeline for the expected dates of its visa processing restart.... Read more...

In a move to prevent the introduction of SARS-CoV2-variants, the German Government on 30th January 2021 has imposed a general ban on travel and entry from countries with widespread occurrence of such virus variants (referred to as areas of variant of concern). These include South Africa, Eswatini and Lesotho.... Read more...

CAPE TOWN - Asylum applications could be streamlined with the launch of the Asylum Backlog Project. It`s a joint endeavour by the Home Affairs Department and the UN Refugee Agency. It aims to eliminate the backlog in South Africa’s asylum system by 2024.... Read more...

A critical skills survey conducted by Xpatweb highlights the most in-demand ‘scarce’ skills in the country, which has led to businesses seeking talent recruitment from abroad.... Read more...

Foreign diplomats are allegedly selling illicit liquor, cheating SARS of taxes totalling more than R100 million every month. Investigations by tax authorities have singled out diplomats from Ghana, Rwanda, Guinea, Burundi and Lesotho for being involved in tax crimes involving the sale of duty free liquor.... Read more...

South African students are bad at maths compared to other countries. This is clear from results of South African learners in the International Mathematics and Science Study. The results show that South Africa’s performance is far from competitive in relation to other countries.... Read more...

VFS Global, the visa outsourcing and technology services company, has issued an update on restarting visa application services in India since June 2020. Currently, the visa application process (in various categories) for over 40 governments has resumed at select visa application centres across India.... Read more...

In a landmark move the US Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has updated its advisory policy, opening up travel for US citizens that have been fully vaccinated.... Read more...

The Home Affairs Department has been sending the siblings from pillar to post, demanding that they provide DNA evidence that they are related to the woman they call their grandmother. The North West Home Affairs Department has come under heavy criticism for failing to assist two young men who have been struggling to get their identity documents for years.... Read more...

• The US has added further exemptions for foreign travellers looking to enter that country amid its ongoing travel ban. • Under the National Interest Exceptions protocol, certain visa holders and exchange visitors may travel to the US. • This applies to specialised teachers and au pairs in South Africa. • It also includes immigrant and fiancé(e) K-1 visas, which require a US citizen sponsor.... Read more...

Overstaying one’s visa is a common occurrence among people who applied to extend their visa in South Africa and said visa not issued in time for travel . In recent months overstaying one visa has moved from being a minor inconvenience to a possible criminal offence with potentially serious ramifications. The changes brought about by the new immigration laws have made overstaying ones visa a very serious affair which needs a careful and smart approach to remedy.... Read more...

The Immigration Act and the Department of Home Affairs abhors fraudulent documents. Section 29(1)(f) provides ; The following foreigners are prohibited person and do not qualify for a port of entry visa, admission into the republic , visa or a permanent residence permit … anyone found in possession of a fraudulent visa, passport , permanent residence permit or identification document.... Read more...

Upon application to the Minister of Home Affairs, the Minister may under terms and conditions determined by him or her allow distinguished visitors or members of his/her family to be administered and sojourn in South Africa and or waive any prescribed (regulatory) requirements for good cause and/or grant any foreigner or category of foreigners the rights of permanent residence for a specified or unspecified period when special circumstances exist justifying such a decision.... Read more...

The Supreme Court of Appeal has dismissed an appeal by the minister of home affairs, who was ordered by the high court in Pretoria last year to grant citizenship to two brothers born in SA of foreign parents in the 1990s.... Read more...

Bank of America Securities says Clicks was the most sought-after company by foreign investors in terms of meeting requests The Bank of America Securities says its Sun City investor conference this month broke all previous records in terms of investor attendance.... Read more...

A penthouse in the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town sold for R45 million. The low interest rate seemed to have little impact on the luxury housing market, but this seems to be changing.... Read more...

A life partner permit is an application based upon the individuals relationship with a South African for permanent residence. Who should apply for a life partner permit South Africa? Applications for a life partner permit should be made by those individuals who are in a permanent relationship with a South African citizen or Permanent Residence holder.... Read more...

Relatives permit visa for immigration to South Africa Considering immigration to South Africa and have relatives already here? Below we discuss the relatives permit / visa option, how to apply and who qualifies.... Read more...

Still no functional refugee reception office in Cape Town. Home Affairs still does not serve new applicants in Cape Town despite a Supreme Court of Appeal ruling that says it must reopen and maintain a fully functional refugee reception office.... Read more...

Applying for Critical Skills Work Visa for South Africa The critical skills work visa was a very welcome addition, in June 2014, to the types of work visas that a prospective immigrant may consider to apply for.... Read more...

General Work Visa A General Work Visa South Africa, is one of 5 types of work visa categories that you can make a work visa application under. Unlike the others types of work visa, the general work visa requires that the employer has made every attempt to try to fill their vacant position with either a South African Citizen or permanent resident. Below we give you 10 important facts you need to know about a General Work Visa South Africa.... Read more...

A penthouse in the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town sold for R45 million. * *The low interest rate seemed to have little impact on the luxury housing market, but this seems to be changing.* * *There has also been in increase in foreign buyers looking for and buying property in SA.* * *The March Lightstone Residential Property Index shows that annual house price inflation was 4.0% at the end of February 2021 signifying a positive increase from the previous month.*... Read more...

Ten South African diplomatic missions are set to be axed to save costs. The South African government is expected to cut 10 of its diplomatic missions abroad, as a money-saving measure.... Read more...

The Department of Home Affairs has committed to opening the Cape Town Refugee Reception Office (CTRRO) in ten months. This has been accepted by the Scalabrini Centre and others who took the matter of the office’s closure to court. This comes as the department conceded that it was in breach of a Supreme Court of Appeal ruling that it needed to reopen the centre, and never did.... Read more...

When South Africa’s COVID-19 alert status was lowered to level 1 at the beginning of March, the Department of Home Affairs also reopened branches around the country. This included the reopening of its eHomeAffairs service, which lets South African citizens get their smart ID card and passport through participating branches from Absa, FNB, Nedbank, Standard Bank, Discovery, and Investec. In the first week that the service relaunched, I tested it to renew my expired passport.... Read more...

The four-year Zimbabwe Exemption Permit lapses in December and the South African government has not yet indicated if it will renew it. Thousands of holders of the Zimbabwe Exemption Permit (ZEP) are living in uncertainty because the South African government has not yet indicated whether it will renew their permits. About 180 000 Zimbabweans hold ZEPs. The four-year permit expires on 31 December 2021.... Read more...

The Covid-19 pandemic and provisions of the Disaster Management Act have reduced already-slow Home Affairs processes to a crawl �` impacting thousands of people and creating a backlog that could take years to clear. The impact of the Covid-19 pandemic is set to further delay and derail Home Affairs processes, with potentially tens of thousands of people negatively impacted as a result.... Read more...

Scalabrini court victory for people seeking asylum in South Africa Home Affairs has been interdicted from implementing certain provisions of the Refugees Act and new Regulations (both implemented on 1 January 2020), which sought to return asylum seekers back to their home country where they could be face detention without trial, rape, torture, or death, merely because he or she was a month late in renewing a visa.... Read more...

This means that : A refugee can apply for permanent residence if he or she has been living in South Africa on a refugee status permit for a minimum of five consecutive years.143 For a recognized refugee to receive a permanent residence permit, the standing committee for refugee affairs must have certified that that person will remain a refugee “indefinitely.”... Read more...

Upon application to the Minister of Home Affairs, the Minister may under terms and conditions determined by him or her allow distinguished visitors or members of his/her family to be administered and sojourn in South Africa and or waive any prescribed (regulatory) requirements for good cause and/or grant any foreigner or category of foreigners the rights of permanent residence for a specified or unspecified period when special circumstances exist justifying such a decision.... Read more...

New bill looks set to create serious challenges for skilled foreigners already working in SA Thousands of skilled people working in SA could face visa renewal challenges, or even be forced to leave the country, if their job descriptions have been cut from the latest SA critical skills list, which has just been released for public comment.... Read more...

A new campaign has been launched by the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) calling on governments around the world to restart international travel and enable the world to ‘Reunite’ once again.... Read more...

Home Affairs has been interdicted from implementing certain provisions of the Refugees Act and new Regulations (both implemented on 1 January 2020), which sought to return asylum seekers back to their home country where they could be face detention without trial, rape, torture, or death, merely because he or she was a month late in renewing a visa.... Read more...

Major News and hope : We are one of the few organisations getting Emptions & waivers approved !!!! Apply Now for Temporary and Permanent Residence even with EXPIRED LOCKDOWN PERMITS... Read more...

The German authorities have announced that the country will be lifting its travel warning for most countries previously imposed due to the COVID-19 pandemic situation.... Read more...

Use a registered Immigration Consultancy / Practitioner it is absolutely Vital . Whoever said that immigration is a piece of cake clearly paid an arm and a leg for the slice. The immigration process is incredibly case specific to the point that if it is not handled properly, it can immediately end with a negative outcome. Today, we discuss the reasons why you, as a person or as an organisation, should make use of an immigration consultancy for all the nitty gritty details that the immigration process has to offer.... Read more...

When South Africa’s COVID-19 alert status was lowered to level 1 at the beginning of March, the Department of Home Affairs also reopened branches around the country.... Read more...

Investment raised through golden visas fell 81 percent in May, year-on-year, to €27,7 million, according to Lusa based on SEF data. In May last year, the investment had reached €146.1 euros.... Read more...

South Africa encourages permanent residency if you are serious about staying in South Africa on a long terms permanent basis there are many categories you can apply under.... Read more...

Delta Air Lines is set to make a return to South Africa on August 1, saying there is rapidly growing demand States-side for holidays in South Africa, which it sees as a highly sought-after destination.... Read more...

Home Affairs minister Aaron Motsoaledi says that his department has concluded its e-visa pilot process and now plans to officially roll the system out later this year.... Read more...

EXECUTIVE AUTHORITY STATEMENT Minister for Tourism In the financial year 2020/21, the tourism sector operated mostly under travel restrictions imposed in varying degrees in various countries of the world to curb the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic.... Read more...

Chairperson: Mr M Chabane (ANC) (Acting) Meeting Summary The Department of Home Affairs (DHA) virtual briefing on its 2021/22 Annual Performance Plan and budget emphasised its underfunding and the challenges that COVID-19 has brought.... Read more...

They would like to invest millions in SA, but some have been waiting more than six years for permanent residence permits.... Read more...

`Home Affairs also says that you must be a South African citizen or permanent residence permit holder with a valid South African ID The following question is part of Groundup`s Answers to your questions series and comes from a reader who wants to know if an abandoned child can get a birth certificate from Home Affairs.... Read more...

The Covid-19 pandemic and provisions of the Disaster Management Act have reduced already-slow Home Affairs processes to a crawl �` impacting thousands of people and creating a backlog that could take years to clear.... Read more...

There is a widely recognised dissonance between the progressive, inclusive vision of South Africa’s constitution and xenophobia experienced by foreign nationals across South Africa. It can be tempting to describe this tension as one between good, inclusive laws and bad, xenophobic citizens.... Read more...

The Western Cape provincial government has formally requested the introduction of a ‘remote working’ visa for South Africa. In a letter addressed to both the minister of tourism and the minister of home affairs, the Western Cape’s provincial minister of finance and economic opportunities David Maynier said that the visa will allow international visitors to stay longer and work remotely while travelling in South Africa.... Read more...

South Africans are enjoying a level of success that is nothing short of remarkable in gaining permanent residency in Canada under the Start-Up Visa program.... Read more...

There is a ban on travelling to India using the land ports till July 14 Bangladeshi nationals who are stranded in India will be able to return home on Sunday, Tuesday and Wednesday of every week.... Read more...

Xpatweb has released its 2020/21 Critical Skills Survey Report, which details the eight most sought-after jobs in the IT sector right now. The survey is conducted annually across a wide range of multi-national and corporate companies in South Africa to determine and assess the pressure points that human resource and global mobility practitioners face in sourcing critically skilled individuals when seeking to fill posts locally.... Read more...

Deciding on moving to another country isn`t a choice you make overnight. While South Africa offers vast travel options and has some of the most welcoming people, many South Africans migrate to other countries for better opportunities and travel options. Here are three countries popular within the South African market:... Read more...

Cape Town �` A heartbroken matriculant from Kensington High School initiated a petition to request that the Department of Home Affairs establish a matric ID or citizenship helpline for stateless children who are yet to write their finals.... Read more...

Cape Town - The Department of Home Affairs (DHA) has yet to publish guidelines for their refugee offices despite Minister Aaron Motsoaledi’s pledge in mid-June that this would happen. In mid-June, during a debate in the National Council of Provinces (NCOP), Motsoaledi told provincial premier and constitutional standing committee chairperson Ricardo Mackenzie (DA) that the process was ongoing.... Read more...

Some South African students studying at Wuhan University in Hubei province in China have not received their stipends for the past three months. Photo: Wuhan University/LinkedIn... Read more...

The investment captured through `gold` visas fell 81% in May, in homologous terms, to 27.7 million Euros, according to the calculations made by Lusa based on SEF data.... Read more...

Service provider has 48 hours to repair system crashes The department of home affairs, which processes millions of documents each year, bought a cheap package of network services that takes its service provider up to two days to repair when the system crashes... Read more...

The UK Immigration rules require that certain immigration routes must fulfil an English Language requirement. In this post, we discuss specifically discuss the requirements that applicants have to meet for some UK family and partner visa applications.... Read more...

The world is finally opening up as COVID cases are dropping and the situation seems to be improving by the day. While many countries still haven`t opened doors for Indian travellers, some of the nations have stepped up and eased the restrictions for India.... Read more...

Johannesburg - Court woes have continued to pile up for the Home Affairs senior official accused of aiding controversial pastor-turned-fugitive Shepherd Bushiri to irregularly obtain permanent residency. The Labour Court in Johannesburg has dismissed Ronney Marhule’s application for leave to appeal its earlier judgment that went against him.... Read more...

Nades and Priya Murugappan made a fundamental mistake when they separately fled to Australia from Sri Lanka almost a decade ago. The pair, who met at the meatworks in Biloela on Queensland`s Capricorn Coast and now have two children, lived in the town for four years.... Read more...

On the 26th of May 2014 the Department of Home Affairs (the ‘Department’) showed its intent to amend the existing immigration laws that had been in effect since the 1st of July 2005.... Read more...

The Immigration Act and the Department of Home Affairs abhors fraudulent documents. Section 29(1)(f) provides ; The following foreigners are prohibited person and do not qualify for a port of entry visa, admission into the republic , visa or a permanent residence permit … anyone found in possession of a fraudulent visa, passport , permanent residence permit or identification document... Read more...

Your expression of interest of a business visa has reference and we have provided you with an overview of the basic requirements A Business Visa is issued to foreign nationals wishing to invest in or purchase a business in South Africa.... Read more...

With a spotlight on corruption at immigration level, in the form of falsified visas and bribery, this has only made the topic more sensitive. With unemployment figures at an all-time high and South Africa facing numerous economic challenges, the department of home affairs (DHA) and the department of labour are again taking steps to curb the employment of illegal foreign nationals living in the country.... Read more...

With a spotlight on corruption at immigration level, in the form of falsified visas and bribery, this has only made the topic more sensitive.... Read more...

With unemployment figures at an all-time high and South Africa facing numerous economic challenges, the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) and the Department of Labour are taking steps to curb the employment of illegal foreign nationals living in South Africa, says Jo-lene Da Silva-Vergottini, expatriate solutions advisor at Xpatweb.... Read more...

The family of an elderly Limpopo woman whose identity was altered after she was wrongfully declared dead, has won a case against the Home Affairs Department at the High Court in Pretoria.... Read more...

The party said it has been inundated with complaints from outraged citizens that are unhappy about the service at various home affairs offices. The DA says its recent oversight visits to home affairs offices in Benoni and Edenvale in Ekurhuleni, Gauteng have revealed several concerning shortcomings.... Read more...

Constitutional Court ruling overturns Home Affairs directive. The Constitutional Court has ruled that asylum seekers whose refugee applications have been refused, can apply for a visa. Archive photo: Ashraf Hendricks/GroundUp If you are an asylum seeker and your application to be a refugee is refused, you are still allowed to apply for a visa. The Constitutional Court ruled this in a unanimous judgment handed down in October.... Read more...

In court papers, , an immigration practitioner since 2007, said that 10 years ago, residence applications were handled in less than six months. There can be few better, two-word phrases to sum up South African state incompetence and inertia than “home affairs”. The department is a byword for corruption, long queues and inefficiency. Now, it emerges, it is also potentially stifling economic growth by slowing down the already long and tedious process for permanent residence permits.... Read more...

Acting Judge MB Mokoena set aside the minister’s refusal to grant an exemption and a permanent residence permit to Frederick Ngubane and gave the minister 90 days to reconsider his application. The High Court in Pretoria has granted an order to a stateless man, allowing him to work and live in South Africa while the home affairs minister reconsiders his application for permanent residence. Acting Judge MB Mokoena set aside the minister’s refusal to grant an exemption and a permanent residence permit to Frederick Ngubane and gave the minister 90 days to reconsider his application.... Read more...

Without a sound immigration policy in place, our economy is at serious risk of a severe skills shortage. The United Nations estimates that one in every 113 people worldwide are migrants. That’s more than 250 million people who have left their country of birth to seek better opportunities or apply their skills in other countries.... Read more...

This despite the fact that it will now become very expensive to process the arrests of undocumented migrants. Lawyers for Human Rights (LHR) has welcomed a unanimous Constitutional Court ruling upholding the rights of all detainees �` also alleged illegal immigrants �` to access our courts. The Constitutional Court ruled that sections 34(1)(b) and (d) of the Immigration Act were inconsistent with the constitution and therefore invalid and gave parliament 24 months to issue new legislation to correct the defects in the act.... Read more...

The German federal government agency and research institute responsible for disease control and prevention Robert Koch Institute has removed several third countries from the list of virus variant areas, which has prompted the German authorities to facilitate entry restrictions for arrivals from these countries.... Read more...

The Home Affairs Office in Roodepoort, South Africa. The Department of Home Affairs is a custodian, protector and verifier of the identity and status of citizens and other residents in South Africa.... Read more...

Bongo’s removal is among several changes ANC chief whip Pemmy Majodina announced on Thursday Bongani Bongo, who is facing corruption and fraud charges, has been removed as chairperson of parliament’s home affairs portfolio committee.... Read more...

While a travel rule would be a `game changer`, both Home Affairs and Austrac believe more technology development is required before the rule is implemented. The Department of Home Affairs on Friday said it agrees with submissions from industry that government currently does not have the technological capability for implementing a travel rule for cryptocurrencies. A travel rule, if rati... Read more...

The South African Department of Home Affairs has announced that it is inviting qualifying Angolan nationals to apply for an Angolan Exemption Permit. This is good news for the many Angolan families who have lived and worked in South Africa for over two decades and were left without a definite route to status in South Africa, when the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) issued a cessation of refugee status for Angolans in 2013. As an interim solution to this dilemma, South African introduced the Angola Special Permit in 2017, affording the holder a visa valid for four years.... Read more...

If a foreign national arrives in South Africa unlawfully and takes as long as 15 months to apply for asylum, are they barred from doing so? Is the person liable for deportation or should they be given an opportunity to at least apply for asylum? The Constitutional Court recently considered these questions. Background... Read more...

The Hawks say Nomabandla Manjezi and her partner recruited young women and paid them between R200 and R300 each to marry Bangladeshi nationals. A 47-year-old suspect was on Tuesday convicted for fraud and corruption for arranging fraudulent marriage certificates between South African women and foreign nationals. The Hawks have welcomed the conviction handed down to Nomabandla Manjezi by the Specialised Commercial Crimes Court in Port Elizabeth. Hawks spokesperson, Lieutenant-Colonel Philani Nkwalase, said Manjezi was found guilty on four counts of corruption and two counts of fraud. The matter was postponed to 18 February for sentencing.... Read more...

This comes after it was reported that pupils without birth certificates were denied entry into schools. The minister of basic education, Angie Motshekga, said migrant pupils should neither be refused entry to schools in the country nor removed from them if they do not have proper documentation. This comes after it was reported that pupils without birth certificates were denied entry into schools.... Read more...

Holders of the ZEPs given a year to migrate to other permits The Zimbabwean Exemption Permit is coming to an end. • The Zimbabwean Exemption Permit which expires on 31 December will not be renewed Cabinet announced on Thursday. • About 182,000 Zimbabweans who hold the permit have been given a year’s grace to migrate to other permits to allow them to stay in South Africa. • The Cabinet decision is disappointing for many who now face an uncertain future.... Read more...

She is relocating with her nuclear family, a husband, new baby and A to pursue a new life in a secure location with free education and health-care programmes and a much lower unemployment rate than in South Africa.... Read more...

The Department of Home Affairs is gearing up for the test phase of an online appointment booking system. • It already has an online system which allows uploading of documents and filling in of applications, and an online full service partnership with banks.... Read more...

• The Department of Home Affairs is gearing up for the test phase of an online appointment booking system. • It already has an online system which allows uploading of documents and filling in of applications, and an online full service partnership with banks. • It is doing this amid post freezes due to Treasury cuts, and the growing queues for service outside its offices. The Department of Home Affairs is gearing up to test an in-house online appointment booking system. It was doing this amid the growing queues for vital identity documents the department issued.... Read more...

The Department of Home Affairs will pilot a new appointment system in 2022 in a bid to cut down on excessive queueing and corruption. Briefing parliament on Tuesday (30 November), the department said that the appointment system has been finalised and will be deployed in selected offices in the current financial year. It initially plans to pilot the system in five high-volume offices, it said. The system is integrated with the national population register to allow clients to use their ID number to book a slot. This will prevent agents illegally operating in home affairs offices from blocking slots to sell them on.... Read more...

New restriction for entry to Zimbabwe apply to all travellers and are effective immediately. Vaccination does not feature in the regulations. PCR testing at Robert Mugabe International Airport (Harare), Joshua Nkomo International Airport (Bulawayo) and Victoria Falls international Airport (Vic Falls) upon arrival is now mandatory, followed by a minimum quarantine period of 10 days. The Health Ministry says it will establish airport PCR testing laboratories, and the PCR test will be done for a nominal fee, yet to be gazetted.... Read more...

Epping office expected to open in September 2022 Asylum seekers protest back in 2012 outside the original Cape Town Home Affairs’ refugee reception office in Maitland. Archive photo: Veronica Washaya • In its latest report to the High Court, Home Affairs says it now expects to reopen a refugee reception office in Cape Town in September 2022. • In a decision that the court found irrational and unreasonable, Home Affairs closed its office in 2012. • It has taken a protracted legal battle to get Home Affairs this far. • Currently refugees can only apply for asylum in Durban, Musina or Pretoria. The Department... Read more...

Some South African banks are threatening to freeze accounts of Special Zimbabweans Exemption Permit holders if they don’t provide new documents in January 2022. One of the permit holders, who requested anonymity, said he received a notice from Capitec Bank informing him that his work permit is expected to expire and therefore he has to renew it in order to have an active bank account. The letter reads in part, “… Your work permit expires in January. Visit your nearest branch with your new permit to keep your account active …” In a message posted on YouTube, Ngqabutho Mabhena, chairperson of the Zimbabwe Community in South Africa, said his organization is engaging banks to ensure that ZEP holders’ accounts are not closed since all the permits expire at the end of this month.... Read more...

Epping office expected to open in September 2022 Asylum seekers protest back in 2012 outside the original Cape Town Home Affairs’ refugee reception office in Maitland. Archive photo: Veronica Washaya • In its latest report to the High Court, Home Affairs says it now expects to reopen a refugee reception office in Cape Town in September 2022. • In a decision that the court found irrational and unreasonable, Home Affairs closed its office in 2012. • It has taken a protracted legal battle to get Home Affairs this far. • Currently refugees can only apply for asylum in Durban, Musina or Pretoria.... Read more...

On 19 March 2021 in a GOVERNMENT NOTICE there was published in the appropriate government gazette by the DEPARTMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION AND TRAINING and it was called NATIONAL REGISTER OF ARTISANS REGULATIONS. 2020 SKILLS in terms of the DEVELOPMENT ACT, 1998 (ACT 97 OF 1998) they published the National Register of Artisans Regulations 2020,... Read more...

Motsoaledi frustrated with slow progress on home affairs network upgrade Minister says nothing has been done to modernise systems despite the dire need to reduce long queues The department of home affairs is to introduce a self-managed appointment system for its servic... Read more...

Home Affairs - New Intercompany Concession just announced The department will with immediate effect allow holders of legally issued intra�`company transfer visas who are currently residing in the Republic of South Africa to apply for another term of 24 months for the /C7 visa that they currently hold.... Read more...

The Department of Home Affairs (DHA) has begun implementation of its electronic visa system (e-Visa) to 15 countries. The implementation would be released in a phased approach, starting with Kenya and Cameroon, said DHA Chief Director of Port Control, Rika Anker, in a letter to the airline industry on Monday (September 6). She noted that only short-term e-Visas would be issued initially for a period of 90 days or less. “Other e-Visa categories will be added later during the implementation process.”... Read more...

terms section 26C of the Skills Development Act 97 of 1998 as amended, the Minister of Higher Education is required to establish a register of artisans. This register unfortunately could not be implemented as the regulations were not yet in place to establish this register, therefore the NAMB letters were acceptable as they pointed to the absence of the National Register of Artisans. In the absence of a clear framework on how to recognize foreign artisans in the republic it meant that the Department of Home Affairs was left to its own devices hence the constant changes in approach.... Read more...

Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi has written to his Cabinet colleague, Arts and Culture Minister Nathi Mthethwa, asking him to take disciplinary action against his director-general, a former Home Affairs official linked to the Gupta naturalisation saga. The Home Affairs minister has tried to make it easy for the arts and culture minister by even supplying the recommended charges. “You don’t escape disciplinary proceedings by going to different departments,” Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi told MPs on Tuesday.... Read more...

South African Citizenship • SA Visa / • Citizenship Citizenship Options • South African Citizen by Descent • South African Citizen by Naturalisation: • Automatic loss of Citizenship • Resumption of South African citizenship • Deprivation of Citizenship • South African Citizen by Naturalisation: • Automatic loss of Citizenship • Resumption of South African citizenship • Acquisition of the citizenship or nationality of another country... Read more...

South Africa Working Visas / South Africa Working Visas South Africa Working Visas South Africa seeks highly skilled individuals to live and work in SA. SA Migration Services will provide professional assistance to arrange your work visa for you if you qualify.... Read more...

General Work Visa Under the General Work Visa there are very strict requirements. The South African government, although trying to promote work and trade in South Africa, recognize the need to give South Africans the chance to obtain employment ahead of any foreigner.... Read more...

Critical Skills Work Visa The Critical Skills Visa South Africa is for skilled workers whose occupation is on the Critical Skills Visa List for South Africa. This list reflects the occupations that are in demand in South Africa. The newly published `Skills or qualifications determined to be critical for the Republic of South Africa in relation to an application for a Critical Skills Visa or Permanent Residence Visa`... Read more...

Inter Company Transfer Visa An intra-company transfer work Visa may be issued by the Department to a foreigner who is employed abroad by a business operating in the Republic in a branch, subsidiary or affiliate relationship and who by reason of his or her employment is required to conduct work in the Republic. An important factor is that the applicant has to have been employed with the company abroad for a period of not less than 6 months.... Read more...

South African Business Visa A business visa may be issued by the Department of Home Affairs to a foreigner intending to establish or invest in a business in South Africa in which he or she may be employed, and to members of such foreigners’ immediate family providing that certain requirements have been met. The Act calls for investment of R5,0 million in a business and you need to make sure you employ 60% South African citizens or permanent residents to get both a temporary and permanent business visa, you can get these visas with less capital investment - sometimes for as low as R600,000 investment using our expert team at SA Migration.... Read more...

Financially Independent An alternative to the Retirement Visa route exists in the financially independent visa for which candidates would need to be able to demonstrate a net asset value totalling not less that R12 million. In addition, it would also be necessary to demonstrate proof of payment of R120,000 as a non-refundable sum to the Director General of Home Affairs. The application for a financially independent visa will lead to permanent residence.... Read more...

Life Partner Visa Life Partner visa is issued to someone in a long term relationship. This type of South Africa life partner visa is available to people in either heterosexual or same-sex relationships and can apply for a life partner temporary residence visa or a permanent residence depending on the length of the relationship in question.... Read more...

South African Permanent Residence South Africa encourages permanent residency if you are serious about staying in South Africa on a long terms permanent basis there are many categories you can apply under.... Read more...

South African Spousal Visa This type of South Africa Spouse or life partner permit is available to people in either heterosexual or same-sex relationships and can be applied for as either a spouse temporary residence permit or a permanent residence permit depending on the length of the marriage or relationship in question.... Read more...

South African Retirement Visa A retirement visa can be granted for 4 years to someone with a monthly pension, irrevocable annuity or retirement account of R37 000 from a net worth/combination of assets realizing R37 000 per month and wishes to retire temporarily or permanently in South Africa.... Read more...

A Relative`s Visa may be issued by the Department to a foreigner who is a member of the immediate family of a citizen or a resident, providing that such citizen or resident provides the prescribed financial assurances.... Read more...

South African Volunteer Visa Most volunteer programs are for 3 months to 3 years. This allows volunteers to come into South Africa on a normal tourist visa and work in the country. However, some volunteers will come into the country on programs that last for more than 3 months. This is where SA Migration can assist.... Read more...

SA Visa - Visitors Visa The maximum duration for this Visa is 3 months. If a longer stay is required the applicant must apply in advance abroad or he can extend the visitor’s Visa locally, confirming the purpose of stay. A valid return air / bus ticket, proof of sufficient financial means, the application fee andmust be accompany an application for extension. Pease note that a visitor’s Visa can only be extended once for a maximum of 3 months.... Read more...

180 000 Zimbabweans Face Deportation SA Halts Visa Renewals Zimeye - 2 November 2021 By A Correspondent-The South African Cabinet will soon announce a decision on the renewal of the Zimbabwe Exemption Permits (ZEP) for nearly 180 000 Zimbabweans based in the neighbouring country. Zimbabweans have benefitted from special permits since 2010 when the Dispensation of Zimbabweans Project (DZP) was introduced.... Read more...

How can a mother with an expired visa register her children? Groundup �` 06 November 2021 The following question is from a reader who needs information about registration papers for children born in South Africa to a Zimbabwean mom whose visa has expired. How can a mother with an expired visa register her children? The short answer There are a few possible options, but the best route may be to get legal help.... Read more...

The critical skills work visa offers those applicants who practice within designated professions and who have 5 years appropriate post qualification experience, the opportunity to apply immediately for permanent residency. If you are seeking to make an application under the critical skills category but do not possess 5 years post qualification experience please see here for more details on the critical skills work visa. Below we discuss how to go about applying for a critical skills work visa.... Read more...

REFUGEES AND ASYLUM SEEKERS PERMIT Change To Temporary Residence Major News and hope : We are one of the few organisations getting Emptions & waivers approved !!!! Apply Now for Temporary and Permanent Residence even with EXPIRED LOCKDOWN PERMITS The Constitutional Court in November last year handed down a judgement in the Ahmed matter as well as a Court Order opening the door for Asylum Seekers and Refugees to apply to change their status to that of a mainstream Visa under The Immigration Act.... Read more...

Appeals - rejected applications, Undesirable Declaration Waivers, V-listing and Legal Immigration Services Our dynamic team of immigration consultants provide specialist advice on temporary residence visas, permanent residence permits, appeals on rejected applications, undesirable declaration waivers, V-listing and legal immigration services. Get in touch with us if you’d like a professional yet personal experience provided by our experienced consultants.... Read more...

South African Permanent Residence South Africa encourages permanent residency if you are serious about staying in South Africa on a long terms permanent basis there are many categories you can apply under. • Hold a General Work Visa for five years and have a permanent job offer.... Read more...

South African Spousal Visa This type of South Africa Spouse or life partner permit is available to people in either heterosexual or same-sex relationships and can be applied for as either a spouse temporary residence permit or a permanent residence permit depending on the length of the marriage or relationship in question.... Read more...

River Valley has resulted in deportations and increased hostility towards those who cannot get valid documents because refugee offices remain closed. Two months after her husband was deported to Zimbabwe by South African authorities, Chipo Munetsi, 39, of Moses Mabhida township in Kirkwood, Eastern Cape, is still struggling to come to terms with his absence. She is battling to cope with running their hair salon, which is based in a shipping container.... Read more...

South African Retirement Visa A retirement visa can be granted for 4 years to someone with a monthly pension, irrevocable annuity or retirement account of R37 000 from a net worth/combination of assets realizing R37 000 per month and wishes to retire temporarily or permanently in South Africa. A South African Retired Person`s permit is ideal for people want to retire in South Africa temporarily or permanently subject to the financial criteria or parameters being satisfied. This South African visa category is designed for those intending to retire in the country or wishing to have a long stay in South Africa with the need to renew the visa or permit. This retirement visa is not based on age but rather on assets, rental income and / or bank accounts generating income.... Read more...

South African Business Visa we can add more rotation text Department of Home Affairs to a foreigner intending to establish or invest in a business in South Africa in which he or she may be employed, and to members of such foreigners’ immediate family providing that certain requirements have been met. The Act calls for investment of R5,0 million in a business and you need to make sure you employ 60% South African citizens or permanent residents to get both a temporary and permanent business visa, you can get these visas with less capital investment - sometimes for as low as R600,000 investment using our expert team at SA Migration.... Read more...

WASHINGTON, Sept 20 (Reuters) - The United States will reopen in November to air travelers from 33 countries including China, India, Brazil and most of Europe who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19, the White House said on Monday, easing tough pandemic-related restrictions that started early last year. The decision, announced by White House coronavirus response coordinator Jeff Zients, marked an abrupt shift for President Joe Biden`s administration, which said last week it was not the right time to lift any restrictions amid rising COVID-19 cases. The United States had lagged many other countries in lifting such restrictions, and allies welcomed the move. The U.S. restrictions have barred travelers from most of the world including tens of thousands of foreign nationals with relatives or business links in the United States.... Read more...

Our dynamic team of immigration consultants provide specialist advice on temporary residence visas, permanent residence permits, appeals on rejected applications, undesirable declaration waivers, V-listing and legal immigration services. Get in touch with us if you’d like a professional yet... Read more...

Zimbabwean nationals in South Africa with Zimbabwean Exemption Permits (ZEP) should note an important 0development regarding ZEPs. Zimbabwean Exemption Permit. AdobeStock The South African Government will no longer issue extensions to Zimbabwean citizens holding Zimbabwean Exemption Permits (ZEP). The South African Government announced the decision on the ZEPs at the end of November 2021.... Read more...

GRACE PERIOD FOR ZEP HOLDERS The good news is that the SA Government will grant a grace period of twelve months to all ZEP holders following the expiry of these permits on 31 December 2021. ZEP holders thus have twelve months to regularise their stay in South Africa. ZEP holders can regularise their stay by finding alternative means to stay in South Africa legally by December 2022.... Read more...

Zimbabwe has brought down its passport backlog from 400,000 last August to about 185,000. But accessing travel documents quickly is a prohibitively expensive process for most Vitalis Tsikwa is dejected as he steps onto the dusty red soil outside the Makombe building in Harare, Zimbabwe. `They told me to come and do the application to get my passport on December 15 because they wanted to clear a backlog,` Tsikwa tells the FM. `I wanted an emergency 24-hour passport … I thank God that I didn’t have immediate travel plans.`..... Read more...

What are the UK citizenship good character requirements? The good character test is a mandatory requirement for anyone over the age of 10 who is applying for naturalisation or registration as a British citizen. If you fail to meet the requirements, your application will be refused, Dunn said. “There are major crimes that would obviously hurt your chances at getting UK citizenship but there are other, less clear examples. “All applicants are assessed based on criteria set out in the UK... Read more...

Permanent Residency Permit (PRP) applications for South Africa have been on hold since March 2020 when the president declared the country to be in a national state of disaster, and the arrival of the Omicron variant could push things out even further, warn immigration experts. When the Department of Home Affairs was forced to down tools, PRP applications quickly began piling up, says Moeketsi Seboko, immigration manager at Xpatweb. “Foreign nationals hoping to settle in the country more permanently were shocked by the delays because it prevented them from being able to open bank accounts or renew car licenses, among other things. In fear that they would not be allowed back into South Africa, they were also reluctant to leave the country.... Read more...

Applying for your Section 11(2) Visitors Visa with Work Conditions This visa must be applied for abroad in your country of residence. Applications must be logged and processed by the responsible South African Embassy or consulate. The Section 11 (2) Permits requires an approval letter which is a once off non-renewable permit allowing one to work in South Africa and cannot be changed into another type of permit in South Africa.... Read more...

Statistics South Africa has published its mid-year population estimates for 2021, showing that the country’s population continues to grow, to 60.1 million people. The country recorded a net increase of 520,628 people between estimates in 2020 and 2021, Stats SA said. StatsSA also provided a breakdown of demographics, including the estimated shifts among different racial population groups. Black South African estimates increased by 486,602 over the period, while the country’s coloured population grew by 47,228. The Asian/Indian population group added 4,109 over the last year. South Africa’s white population, however, declined by 17,311 people between 2020 and 2021, Stats SA said.... Read more...

Under new rules, workers in the UK who hold a student, youth mobility scheme or intra-company transfer visa are now allowed to switch to a Skilled Worker visa without having to leave the UK, says Darren Faife, managing director, business immigration at Sable International. Faife takes a closer look at the conditions needed to make this switch. Switching visas The Youth Mobility Scheme visa, previously known as the T5 Youth Mobility Scheme visa, is often referred to as the UK working holiday visa and is a great way to gain international work experience as well as travel throughout the EU. This visa allows young people (aged 18-30) from certain countries to live, work and travel in the UK for up to two years.... Read more...

The Curious Case of the 1997 Exemption Permits 2021 has started on a busy note in terms of the South African immigration landscape. The Border Management Agency began its work having been signed into law by the president in December, a draft critical skills list has been published and now the Minister has vowed to take steps to review and investigate visas and permits irregularly issued over the years and its only February.... Read more...

Court ruled that a delay in applying for refugee status does not affect a person’s right to apply for recognition as a refugee The Constitutional Court has ordered the South African government not deport an Ethiopian national until the finalisation of his application for recognition as a refugee.... Read more...

ANALYST: IMMIGRATION SYSTEM HAS LOST ALL CREDIBILITY DUE TO CORRUPTION Not worth the paper they were printed on Review follows high-profile people investigated by dept’s corruption unit. That Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi is moving to review a raft of dodgy permits allegedly issued by corrupt officials is a welcome intervention but may be “too little, too late” to salvage the credibility of the immigration system, says a political analyst.... Read more...

Court ruled that a delay in applying for refugee status does not affect a person’s right to apply for recognition as a refugee The Constitutional Court has ordered the South African government not deport an Ethiopian national until the finalisation of his application for recognition as a refugee. The judgment, delivered in December, is important for undocumented immigrants who have not timeously applied for refugee status. In 2020 Desta Abore, an Ethiopian national, was arrested for entering and living in South Africa without the relevant documents in violation of the Immigration Act. He pleaded guilty at the time and the Eshowe Magistrates Court sentenced him to 50 days in prison or to pay a R1,500 fine. He paid the fine, but was not released. Abore then approached the Durban High Court for an order declaring his detention unlawful. He also wanted to prohibit the government from deporting him until he had been allowed to apply for refugee status under the Refugee Act.... Read more...

Not worth the paper they were printed on Review follows high-profile people investigated by dept’s corruption unit. That Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi is moving to review a raft of dodgy permits allegedly issued by corrupt officials is a welcome intervention but may be “too little, too late” to salvage the credibility of the immigration system, says a political analyst.... Read more...

The South Africa Department of Home Affairs will begin a Citizen Authentication System which is set to verify permits and Visas issued to foreigners since 2004. The operation is aimed at fishing out individuals who fraudulently acquired permits to stay in the country. The Home Affairs Minister Aaaron Motsoaledi said the need to review the permits came after realising a trend emerging from the outcomes of cases involving prominent people investigated by the Department’s Counter Corruption Unit, which investigates wrongdoing by departmental officials.... Read more...

Home Affairs minister Aaron Motsoaledi is leaving no stones unturned in his quest for rooting out corruption. Vukani Kusile Foundation’s Solly Masilela said: “It will take time for the clean-up to be a success because corruption and maladministration of the immigration laws and regulations is too entrenched and linked to other departments, such as the department of international relations and cooperation. It is a step in the right direction though.”... Read more...

Home Affairs minister Aaron Motsoaledi is leaving no stones unturned in his quest for rooting out corruption. Vukani Kusile Foundation’s Solly Masilela said: “It will take time for the clean-up to be a success because corruption and maladministration of the immigration laws and regulations is too entrenched and linked to other departments, such as the department of international relations and cooperation. It is a step in the right direction though.” Masilela added that the SA immigration system had taken such a knock that SA-issued documents were not worth the paper they were printed on.... Read more...

Pretoria - The Department of Employment and Labour’s inspection and enforcement services, accompanied by the Department of Home Affairs and the SAPS in the Western Cape, has announced week-long mega blitz inspections targeting the hospitality sector including hotels, bed and breakfast facilities, and restaurants. Government’s announcement of the labour law enforcement blitz comes a day after leader of the EFF Julius Malema hogged the public discourse after visiting restaurants in Gauteng to “inspect” the ratio of local and non-South African employees.... Read more...

By A Correspondent- A South African Constitutional Court ruling late last year could provide some reprieve for Zimbabweans battling possible deportation after the expiry of their special exemption permits last month. Nearly 200 000 Zimbabweans living in South Africa on a Zimbabwe Exemption Permit (ZEP) have been given a 12-month grace period to regularise their papers or risk detention and deportation. This followed a cabinet resolution not to renew the permits when they expired last month.... Read more...

This month, South Africa’s Minister of Finance, Enoch Godongwana, has announced that the government will launch its new eVisa (Electronic Visa) system in March 2022. The system will simplify international visitors’ visa applications to South Africa, and thereby invigorate both South Africa’s tourism sector and the wider economy. At the time of launch, citizens of 15 countries will be eligible to apply for the eVisa. Namely, these are visitors from:... Read more...

Permanent Residency Permit (PRP) applications for South Africa have been on hold since March 2020 when the president declared the country to be in a national state of disaster, and the arrival of the Omicron variant could push things out even further, warn immigration experts. When the Department of Home Affairs was forced to down tools, PRP applications quickly began piling up, says Moeketsi Seboko, immigration manager at Xpatweb.... Read more...

ActionSA is one of the group engaging in this operation aimed at stopping illegal businesses owned by foreigners from operating in South Africa. In one of the operation, ActionSA visited a warehouse situated in Palmridge where immigrants produce and sell fake South African documents. Some of the documents found in the custody of the business owners include Visas, different types of permit documents, business operation permit, municipality permits, birth certificates etc. This will definitely serve as a deterrent to individuals who undermine our local laws and also ensure that documentation fraud is reduced to its barest minimum.... Read more...

• As of the 2019/20 financial year, the Refugee Appeal Authority of SA says the backlog stood at more than 153 000. • The new deal with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees will see around R147 million given to RAASA and technical support to eliminate this backlog. • The number of people now who must be cleared via this backlog is 163 000. The Department of Home Affairs has signed an agreement with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR ) to eliminate delays and a backlog in decisions for asylum seekers.... Read more...

The UNHCR and Home Affairs have announced a US$9.6 million asylum seeker backlog project On Monday, The Department of Home Affairs, the Refugee Appeals Authority and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) launched a US$9.6 million asylum seeker backlog project. The UNHCR said: “Problems in the asylum system led to some claims being stuck for over a decade waiting to be heard. Of the 266,694 refugees and asylum-seekers in South Africa, two-thirds of them do not have access to the full rights and privileges of refugee status.” In a previous statement the UNHCR said: “The project will eliminate the backlog over the next four years, and strengthen the system to ensure another one does not form. During the time frame, the appeals of 153,391 people will be heard.”... Read more...

• As of the 2019/20 financial year, the Refugee Appeal Authority of SA says the backlog stood at more than 153 000. • The new deal with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees will see around R147 million given to RAASA and technical support to eliminate this backlog. • The number of people now who must be cleared via this backlog is 163 000. The Department of Home Affairs has signed an agreement with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR ) to eliminate delays and a backlog in decisions for asylum seekers.... Read more...

The minister said he and Makhode were keeping a close eye on all cases of alleged fraud, corruption and maladministration. A full-scale operation targeting senior officials suspected of corruption and gross negligence costing taxpayers millions of rands is under way at the home affairs department. This was confirmed to City Press by Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi in an interview following the recent suspension of three senior officials accused of failing to execute court orders, resulting in three warrants of arrest being issued to Motsoaledi and his director-general, Livhuwani Makhode.... Read more...

Pretoria - The Department of Employment and Labour’s inspection and enforcement services, accompanied by the Department of Home Affairs and the SAPS in the Western Cape, has announced week-long mega blitz inspections targeting the hospitality sector including hotels, bed and breakfast facilities, and restaurants. Government’s announcement of the labour law enforcement blitz comes a day after leader of the EFF Julius Malema hogged the public discourse after visiting restaurants in Gauteng to “inspect” the ratio of local and non-South African employees.... Read more...

Under the revised points-based immigration system post-Brexit, there’s never been a better time to capitalise upon the business growth opportunities presented by the United Kingdom, says Darren Faife, managing director, Business Immigration, Sable International. The new system offers South African businesses an excellent opportunity to expand their operations to the UK. In addition, business owners can also apply to obtain residency and sponsor their family members to live in Britain. Previously, small business owners especially struggled to qualify for visas to the UK. While the Sole Representative visa was an option for senior staff from large corporations, there were limited options for business founders and entrepreneurs, noted Faife.... Read more...

Under new rules, workers in the UK who hold a student, youth mobility scheme or intra-company transfer visa are now allowed to switch to a Skilled Worker visa without having to leave the UK, says Darren Faife, managing director, business immigration at Sable International. Faife takes a closer look at the conditions needed to make this switch. Switching visas The Youth Mobility Scheme visa, previously known as the T5 Youth Mobility Scheme visa, is often referred to as the UK working holiday visa and is a great way to gain international work experience as well as travel throughout the EU. This visa allows young people (aged 18-30) from certain countries to live, work and travel in the UK for up to two years.... Read more...

Cape Town - For as little as R300 you can buy safe passage into the country as corruption and greed permeates South Africa’s border control. The Department of Home Affairs has confirmed it takes just a few hundred rands as desperate and corrupt officials accept bribes from foreign nationals that need various documents. Documents like citizenship and asylum papers can go for up to R200 000 but the Department of Home Affairs warned against the practice. After a series of corrupt officials were arrested last week, Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi said: “If you are conducting your illegal operation at the Department of Home Affairs, law enforcement is coming for you. You are going to face the full might of the law.” Motsoaledi said they were hot on the trail of corrupt officials and that undercover teams, along with the Hawks would unearth the corrupt.... Read more...

Immigration is not going to happen overnight. In fact, there is a common misconception that in a couple of weeks, one can pack up all their stuff and head out the door to a better life. Immigration takes months �` and more often than not �` years to achieve. Just the documentation collection stage alone can take a few months due to the number of documents required to even be considered for this type application. And that’s all assuming that you have the correct, up to date document list for all the necessary pieces of information requested by a foreign government.... Read more...

Don’t be caught up in fraud �` it messes up your immigration status Although you do not have to use a registered migration agent to lodge your visa application, they might be able to help you if your case is complex or you require immigration assistance.... Read more...

Despite the warning issued to corrupt Home Affairs Officials on daily basis with respect to issuing South African documents to unqualified individuals, it seems these scrupulous elements are hell bent on engaging in criminal activities. View pictures in App save up to 80% data.... Read more...

The minister said he and Makhode were keeping a close eye on all cases of alleged fraud, corruption and maladministration. A full-scale operation targeting senior officials suspected of corruption and gross negligence costing taxpayers millions of rands is under way at the home affairs department. This was confirmed to City Press by Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi in an interview following the recent suspension of three senior officials accused of failing to execute court orders, resulting in three warrants of arrest being issued to Motsoaledi and his director-general, Livhuwani Makhode.... Read more...

• As of the 2019/20 financial year, the Refugee Appeal Authority of SA says the backlog stood at more than 153 000. • The new deal with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees will see around R147 million given to RAASA and technical support to eliminate this backlog. • The number of people now who must be cleared via this backlog is 163 000. The Department of Home Affairs has signed an agreement with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR ) to eliminate delays and a backlog in decisions for asylum seekers.... Read more...

Hospitality blitz: departments of labour, home affairs and SAPS announce Western Cape mega blitz... Read more...

The South Africa Department of Home Affairs will begin a Citizen Authentication System which is set to verify permits and Visas issued to foreigners since 2004. The operation is aimed at fishing out individuals who fraudulently acquired permits to stay in the country.... Read more...

Section 30(1)(h) of the Immigration Act of South Africa and Regulation 27(3) of the Immigration Regulations. A person will be declared ‘undesirable’ and will receive a ban regardless of the reason for the overstay. The ban applies to any person who has overstayed, adults and children. The ban and being declared ‘undesirable’ also affects people who leave South Africa while their application for a visa (or visa extension) is pending, if their current visa has expired.... Read more...

South Africa will consider the adoption of remote-working and start-up visas as part of a push to attract more skilled workers. In his state of the nation address on Thursday evening (10 February), president Cyril Ramaphosa said that the government was also introducing other visa reforms to make it easier for people to enter the country. “The world over, the ability to attract skilled immigrants is the hallmark of a modern, thriving economy.... Read more...

Ten foreign nationals were allegedly kidnapped on 26 January 2022 while travelling along the N1 from Musina in Limpopo. • The alleged mastermind behind the kidnapping of foreign nationals was arrested in Centurion during an intelligence-led operation. • The arrest was in connection with the kidnapping of 10 Bangladeshi men in January.... Read more...

A business visa may be issued by the Department of Home Affairs to a foreigner intending to establish or invest in a business in South Africa in which he or she may be employed, and to members of such foreigners’ immediate family providing that certain requirements have been met. The Act calls for investment of R5,0 million in a business and you need to make sure you employ 60% South African citizens or permanent residents to get both a temporary and permanent business visa, you can get these visas with less capital investment - sometimes for as low as R600,000 investment using our expert team at SA Migration.... Read more...

Manager says he is used to addressing angry crowds at Durban office More than 100 people still waiting in line to be served at Home Affairs in Umgeni Road in Durban demanded that they be helped when the office closed early on Thursday. Photo: Nokulunga Majola Chaos erupted outside the Home Affairs office in Umgeni Road, Durban on Thursday when scores of people demanded assistance after the office closed early at 3:30 pm.... Read more...

Economists tell us the employment of foreign nationals in SA is less than 3% of our workforce Home Affairs Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi. Picture: FREDDY MAVUNDA Once again we see a move by government to restrict employment practices (“Job reservation is on the cards, government confirms,” February 13). Economists tell us the employment of foreign nationals in SA is less than 3% of our workforce. How this restriction is going to tackle SA’s record unemployment is therefore a mystery.... Read more...

The formal sector normally use documented migrants and register them appropriately, but sectors in `obscure places` of in SA employ un-documented migrants, says the DEL. • The Department of Employment and Labour briefed Parliament`s Portfolio Committee on Tourism about migration trends. • Especially since 2000, there has been a `dramatic influx` of mainly undocumented migrant workers, a worrying trend for the DEL. • These migrants are particularly concentrated in the informal sector. Migrants constitute about 4% of the population in South Africa and 7% of the country`s labour force, according to the Department of Employment and Labour (DEL). The department made a presentation to Parliament`s Portfolio Committee on Tourism on Tuesday.... Read more...

Employment and Labour Minister Thulas Nxesi released the National Labour Migration Policy for public comment on Monday afternoon. • This will introduce new employment quotas on foreign workers, as well as ban foreigners from starting small businesses in some sectors. • `Migrants are in particular concentrated in informal sector �` a worrying trend,` government said in a statement. Government will introduce new employment quotas on foreign workers, as well as ban foreigners from starting small businesses in some sectors. On Monday, Employment and Labour Minister Thulas Nxesi introduced the National Labour Migration Policy (NLMP) and Employment Services Amendment Bill for public comment.... Read more...

Section 30(1)(h) of the Immigration Act of South Africa and Regulation 27(3) of the Immigration Regulations. A person will be declared ‘undesirable’ and will receive a ban regardless of the reason for the overstay. The ban applies to any person who has overstayed, adults and children. The ban and being declared ‘undesirable’ also affects people who leave South Africa while their application for a visa (or visa extension) is pending, if their current visa has expired.... Read more...

South Africa is the destination of choice for many people from the continent and the world. As a result of this the country’s ports receive millions of travellers annually entering for various reasons. However, on occasion a traveller is refused entry having been deemed ineligible for entry into the Republic for one or more reasons. Often persons who find themselves in this position are summarily sent back to their country of embarkation without being informed of their rights if any under our law and how to exercise these rights. In this week’s piece we will explore what the Immigration Act provides for persons in this position as well as what our courts have concluded in cases involving persons who have been refused entry.... Read more...

Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi says they are trying to clamp down on illegal foreigners through their inspectorate, but statistics show there are close to 4 million foreigners in the country. Motsoaledi said the inspectorate had been able to deport 14 113 undocumented foreign nationals between April and December last year. This followed 211 inspections in the country. But during another operation on the borders between January last year and this January the department deported 14 337 people who were trying to get into the country illegally.... Read more...

The department of home affairs will this month start recruiting 10,000 youths to digitise its paper system. The mass recruitment was announced by President Cyril Ramaphosa during his state of the nation address last month. Responding to parliamentary questions after the Sona, home affairs minister Aaron Motsoaledi said more than R222bn had been requested from the Treasury for the project. The amount was expected to cover equipment and salaries.... Read more...

As Thami Swartbooi fought to get back her stolen identity, her life stood still. She wasn’t able to get her driver’s licence and wasn’t able to vote in any post-2006 elections. She also wasn’t able to marry her partner after he had paid lobola. In 2019, Thami Swartbooi spoke to Drum about her battle that had stretched for well over a decade to get her identity back after it was stolen. This is her story.... Read more...

South Africa is the destination of choice for many people from the continent and the world. As a result of this the country’s ports receive millions of travellers annually entering for various reasons. However, on occasion a traveller is refused entry having been deemed ineligible for entry into the Republic for one or more reasons. Often persons who find themselves in this position are summarily sent back to their country of embarkation without being informed of their rights if any under our law and how to exercise these rights. In this week’s piece we will explore what the Immigration Act provides for persons in this position as well as what our courts have concluded in cases involving persons who have been refused entry.... Read more...

Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi says they are trying to clamp down on illegal foreigners through their inspectorate, but statistics show there are close to 4 million foreigners in the country. Motsoaledi said the inspectorate had been able to deport 14 113 undocumented foreign nationals between April and December last year. This followed 211 inspections in the country. But during another operation on the borders between January last year and this January the department deported 14 337 people who were trying to get into the country illegally.... Read more...

Section 30(1)(h) of the Immigration Act of South Africa and Regulation 27(3) of the Immigration Regulations. A person will be declared ‘undesirable’ and will receive a ban regardless of the reason for the overstay. The ban applies to any person who has overstayed, adults and children. The ban and being declared ‘undesirable’ also affects people who leave South Africa while their application for a visa (or visa extension) is pending, if their current visa has expired.... Read more...

Section 30(1)(h) of the Immigration Act of South Africa and Regulation 27(3) of the Immigration Regulations. A person will be declared ‘undesirable’ and will receive a ban regardless of the reason for the overstay. The ban applies to any person who has overstayed, adults and children. The ban and being declared ‘undesirable’ also affects people who leave South Africa while their application for a visa (or visa extension) is pending, if their current visa has expired. what happens if i overstay my visa? In 2014, the Department of Home Affairs introduced new immigration regulations, which effectively `ban` foreign nationals who overstay in the Republic from re-entering South Africa for a set period of time. The immigration laws in South Africa state that a person who overstays in the Republic after the expiry of their visa will be declared as `undesirable`. This person would receive a document,... Read more...

The formal sector normally use documented migrants and register them appropriately, but sectors in `obscure places` of in SA employ un-documented migrants, says the DEL. • The Department of Employment and Labour briefed Parliament`s Portfolio Committee on Tourism about migration trends. • Especially since 2000, there has been a `dramatic influx` of mainly undocumented migrant workers, a worrying trend for the DEL. • These migrants are particularly concentrated in the informal sector.... Read more...

With every second South African youth with a post-matric education becoming an employer, we will have enough jobs for even more foreign nationals, writes Alex Mabunda. One of the things I always look forward to, driving to and from work, is listening to talk radio, more so when it is an open line, where listeners share their views on various current affairs topics. In recent weeks, with everything that is happening in the country, the issue of migration and youth joblessness has dominated the airwaves.... Read more...

Whoever said that immigration is a piece of cake clearly paid an arm and a leg for the slice. The immigration process is incredibly case specific to the point that if it is not handled properly, it can immediately end with a negative outcome. Today, we discuss the reasons why you, as a person or as an organisation, should make use of an immigration consultancy for all the nitty gritty details that the immigration process has to offer.... Read more...

Whoever said that immigration is a piece of cake clearly paid an arm and a leg for the slice. The immigration process is incredibly case specific to the point that if it is not handled properly, it can immediately end with a negative outcome.... Read more...

With every second South African youth with a post-matric education becoming an employer, we will have enough jobs for even more foreign nationals, writes Alex Mabunda. One of the things I always look forward to, driving to and from work, is listening to talk radio, more so when it is an open line, where listeners share their views on various current affairs topics.... Read more...

South Africa seeks highly skilled individuals to live and work in SA. SA Migration Services will provide professional assistance to arrange your work visa for you if you qualify. Work Visas are regulated in terms of Section 19, Regulation 18 and items 18 (1), 19(2), 20, 21 and 22, of Schedule A. There are three common types of Work Visas: • General Work Visa • Inter Company Transfer Visa • Critical Skills Visa... Read more...

• Employment and Labour Minister Thulas Nxesi released the National Labour Migration Policy for public comment on Monday afternoon. • This will introduce new employment quotas on foreign workers, as well as ban foreigners from starting small businesses in some sectors. • `Migrants are in particular concentrated in informal sector �` a worrying trend,` government said in a statement. Government will introduce new employment quotas on foreign workers, as well as ban foreigners from starting small businesses in some sectors. On Monday, Employment and Labour Minister Thulas Nxesi introduced the National Labour Migration Policy (NLMP) and Employment Services Amendment Bill for public comment.... Read more...

• Anti-xenophobia activists marched in the streets of Johannesburg to demand the home affairs minister be fired. • The march was in response to Operation Dudula. • The crowd marched from Peter Ross Park to the Museum of Africa. Activists and various organisations came out in numbers to march against the recent xenophobic attacks and also handed in a memorandum at the Hillbrow police station which called for the home affairs minister to step down. The memorandum was first handed to the police at Hillbrow and later at the Johannesburg Central police station, where Nhlanhla Lux, the leader of Operation Dudula, is currently being held.... Read more...

The formal sector normally use documented migrants and register them appropriately, but sectors in `obscure places` of in SA employ un-documented migrants, says the DEL. iStock • The Department of Employment and Labour briefed Parliament`s Portfolio Committee on Tourism about migration trends. • Especially since 2000, there has been a `dramatic influx` of mainly undocumented migrant workers, a worrying trend for the DEL. • These migrants are particularly concentrated in the informal sector.... Read more...

Are you planning to emigrate to Portugal? The Portuguese Golden Visa might be the best option for you. Here’s what you need to know to apply. The ultimate guide to a Portuguese Golden Visa The Portuguese Golden Visa enables third-country nationals to obtain a temporary residence permit to live and work in Portugal. Portuguese, EU and EEE nationals are not eligible for the Portuguese ARI/Golden Visa scheme. Why you should apply for the Portuguese Golden Visa residence permit? You are able to renew it if you stay physically in Portugal for a period of at least 7 days a year during the validity of your Golden Visa.... Read more...

Pretoria - The South African authorities failed to recognise the rights of a refugee who is legally in the country, the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court has found. He had to spend 21 days in appalling conditions behind bars - simply because both the police and Home Affairs refused to look at his valid refugee permit. Roy Kamushinda then instituted a R200 000 in damages claim against the police in the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court.... Read more...

South African Business Visa A business visa may be issued by the Department of Home Affairs to a foreigner intending to establish or invest in a business in South Africa in which he or she may be employed, and to members of such foreigners’ immedi... Read more...

The declaration of undesirability On the 26th of May 2014 the Department of Home Affairs (the ‘Department’) showed its intent to amend the existing immigration laws that had been in effect since the 1st of July 2005. Without any transitional period, the Department made it patently clear that a foreigner who overstays, as set out in the Immigration Regulations 2014, would no longer be sanctioned by a mere fine on departure, but rather by a compulsory and non-discretionary declaration of undesirability and on ban on any such foreigner from returning to South Africa for up to 5 years.... Read more...

A Pakistani kingpin allegedly behind a syndicate falsifying passport documents was arrested in a late night sting operation. The Department of Home Affairs and the Hawks raided a Home Affairs office in Krugersdorp in Gauteng, where 30 suspects were arrested.... Read more...

Qualifying Angolans invited to apply for exemption permit The Department of Home Affairs has invited qualifying Angolan nationals to apply for the Angolan Exemption Permit. Those who qualify for the exemption permit include: • Angolans who were issued with the Angolan Cessation Permit (ACP) but did not apply for the Angolan Special Permit (ASP); • Angolans who were issued with the Angolan Special permit, and • All Angolan refugees or asylum seekers who were issued with Section 24 or Section 22 permits before 31 August 2013 -- the date when the Tripartite Commission Agreement was signed, marking the end of the Civil War in Angola.... Read more...

• Employment and Labour Minister Thulas Nxesi released the National Labour Migration Policy for public comment on Monday afternoon. • This will introduce new employment quotas on foreign workers, as well as ban foreigners from starting small businesses in some sectors. • `Migrants are in particular concentrated in informal sector �` a worrying trend,` government said in a statement. Government will introduce new employment quotas on foreign workers, as well as ban foreigners from starting small businesses in some sectors. On Monday, Employment and Labour Minister Thulas Nxesi introduced the National Labour Migration Policy (NLMP) and Employment Services Amendment Bill for public comment. The NLMP will introduce quotas on the total number of documented foreign nationals with work visas that can be employed in agriculture, hospitality and tourism, as well as construction, along with other sectors.... Read more...

The South African government has added new requirements for the Director (Enterprise Organization) and Corporate General Manager categories on the 2022 Critical Skills list.... Read more...

The formal sector normally use documented migrants and register them appropriately, but sectors in `obscure places` of in SA employ un-documented migrants, says the DEL. iStock • The Department of Employment and Labour briefed Parliament`s Portfolio Committee on Tourism about migration trends. • Especially since 2000, there has been a `dramatic influx` of mainly undocumented migrant workers, a worrying trend for the DEL. • These migrants are particularly concentrated in the informal sector.... Read more...

NO ROOM FOR GRAFT: Home Affairs Minister Dr. Aaron Motsoaledi welcomes the arrest of a female official accused of taking a bribe A home affairs department female officer allegedly caught taking a R500 bribe from a refugee who wanted to extend his asylum permit is expected to appear in court today. The Refugee Status Determination Officer based at the Desmond Tutu Refugee Reception Centre in Marabastad, Pretoria, was nabbed on Tuesday. She allegedly took the bribe to extend the validity of the asylum permit of a Bangladeshi national, whose application for international protection was being appealed at the Refugee Appeals Authority of South Africa. The offic... Read more...

Cape Town - A Western Cape High Court judge has ordered the Department of Home Affairs to release a Venezuelan woman from a holding cell at the Cape Town International Airport and to allow her into the country pending her application for a judicial review of her immigration status.... Read more...

As Thami Swartbooi fought to get back her stolen identity, her life stood still. She wasn’t able to get her driver’s licence and wasn’t able to vote in any post-2006 elections. She also wasn’t able to marry her partner after he had paid lobola. In 2019, Thami Swartbooi spoke to Drum about her battle that had stretched for well over a decade to get her identity back after it was stolen. This is her story. She lived a full life, with a promising career at a bank and a happy home. She and her partner had big dreams �` they were looking forward to a future together as husband and wife and her little girl was growing up fast.... Read more...

NO ROOM FOR GRAFT: Home Affairs Minister Dr. Aaron Motsoaledi welcomes the arrest of a female official accused of taking a bribe A home affairs department female officer allegedly caught taking a R500 bribe from a refugee who wanted to extend his asylum permit is expected to appear in court today. The Refugee Status Determination Officer based at the Desmond Tutu Refugee Reception Centre in Marabastad, Pretoria, was nabbed on Tuesday. She allegedly took the bribe to extend the validity of the asylum permit of a Bangladeshi national, whose application for international protection was being appealed at the Refugee Appeals Authority of South Africa.... Read more...

Often news breaks of the arrest of home affairs officials and foreign nationals running one scam or another meant to bypass immigration laws. When a police team pounced on a gang of robbers at The Hill, southern Johannesburg, a worrying dimension was added to the story. Police released the nationality of the men arrested in the raid, and it emerged that most of the thugs were foreign nationals.... Read more...

The Curious Case of the 1997 Exemption Permits 2021 has started on a busy note in terms of the South African immigration landscape. The Border Management Agency began its work having been signed into law by the president in December, a draft critical skills list has been published and now the Minister has vowed to take steps to review and investigate visas and permits irregularly issued over the years and its only February. It has been my expectation that the immigration in the post COVID-19 era would be characterised by a dramatic increase in enforcement activities of DHA. Already we have seen a more rigorous entry process and screening which is identifying those who are not complying with their respective visa conditions.... Read more...

SA Migration - Immigration Consultants Why would I hire an Immigration consultant to apply for a Visa? This was the question in the mind of Tanuj, when he was planning to apply for a South African PR visa for the very first time. In fact, this is the question that comes in the mind of every Visa applicant when he goes on to apply for a foreign visa. Well, let’s first find out what happened to Tanuj?... Read more...

Appeals - rejected applications, Undesirable Declaration Waivers, V-listing and Legal Immigration Services Our dynamic team of immigration consultants provide specialist advice on temporary residence visas, permanent residence permits, appeals on rejected applications, undesirable declaration waivers, V-listing and legal immigration services. Get in touch with us if you’d like a professional yet personal experience provided by our experienced consultants.... Read more...

Calls have reignited for an overhaul of the Department of Home Affairs after a cable breakage shutdown services across the country. The breakage, which connects to the State Information Technology Agency (SITA), caused the department’s services to come to a standstill on Friday. It managed to restore its online service only yesterday afternoon. Home Affairs Ministry spokesperson Siya Qoza said the department will be extending operating hours today to compensate for the time lost. Due to the network outage, Qoza said the department ran limited services which included passport collections, and handwritten death certificates for burial purposes.... Read more...

Since the lockdown began asylum seekers and refugees have been denied crucial services by government. Terrence is a Zimbabwean refugee in South Africa. He has tried seven times to renew his status through the Home Affairs online portal, but he has never received a response, he says. His papers expired in October 2020, but Home Affairs announced that asylum seeker and refugee permits that expired after 15 March 2020 have been extended up to and including 30 April 2022. This was because Home Affairs had closed its refugee reception offices since lockdown. Terrence wants to officially marry his customary law wife. So he went in person to the Regional Home Affairs office in central Johannesburg, only to be told by a supervisor to bring “a valid document” because his asylum document had expired.... Read more...

An explosive report prepared by the Department of Home Affairs’ top brass has lifted the lid on the extent to which the recently uncovered fake passport syndicate has penetrated the department, which is a “serious” security breach for the republic. On Thursday, members of the Home Affairs Counter Corruption Branch and Hawks arrested a Pakistani man at the Cape Town International Airport for suspected fraudulent activities that include the production of bogus passports.... Read more...

Since the lockdown began asylum seekers and refugees have been denied crucial services by government. Terrence is a Zimbabwean refugee in South Africa. He has tried seven times to renew his status through the Home Affairs online portal, but he has never received a response, he says. His papers expired in October 2020, but Home Affairs announced that asylum seeker and refugee permits that expired after 15 March 2020 have been extended up to and including 30 April 2022... Read more...

CAPE TOWN - Calls have grown for an overhaul of the Department of Home Affairs after a cable breakage shutdown services across the country. The breakage, which connects to the State Information Technology Agency (SITA), caused the department’s services to come to a standstill on Friday. It managed to restore its online service only on Sunday afternoon. Home Affairs Ministry spokesperson Siya Qoza said the department will be extending operating hours on Monday to compensate for the time lost.... Read more...

An immigration officer and an Ethiopian who tried to set up a huge illegal-permit operation were each sentenced to 15 years behind bars. Image: belchonock/123rf.com An immigration officer who paid R150,000 to get 5,000 blank permits for fraudulent use by foreign nationals has been sentenced to 15 years in jail, the home affairs department said on Wednesday. The immigration officer, Nasi Seqola, was nabbed alongside an Ethiopian national who was working with her. The Ethiopian, Biru Yosef Alem, was in possession of a permanent r... Read more...

Since lockdown asylum seekers and refugees have been denied crucial services Immigrants are struggling to document their status because of the continued closure of in-person services at Home Affairs refugee reception offices. • Refugees and asylum seekers are facing a myriad of problems because Home Affairs has not provided crucial in-person services for two years. • Despite a blanket extension of permits various government departments and private sector facilities are not accepting valid documents, not even some Home Affairs officers. • There are numerous complaints of problems with the Home Affairs online system introduced for permit renewals.... Read more...

The Bank of America Securities` annual Sun City Conference had more investors upbeat about SA this year. • There was a much more upbeat sentiment about South Africa among international investors as this year`s Bank of America Securities annual Sun City Conference. • Some 92 institutions from outside of South Africa attended, and requested more than 500 meetings with local companies. • High commodity prices and rising interest rates have made SA more attractive as other emerging markets peers fade.... Read more...

The opposition Democratic Alliance will submit an advisory note to Home Affairs minister Aaron Motsoaledi highlighting deficiencies in the country’s critical skills list and how it can be improved to match South Africa’s current development needs. The department published its latest critical skills list for South Africa in February 2022 outlining the jobs which are in short supply in the country. While the list has largely been welcomed, the DA said that there are... Read more...

Home Affairs Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi is committed to working on the illegal immigration issue in South Africa He said borders are the biggest cause of concern as there is less focus on them and criminals often seek asylum in the country The Home Affairs Minister added that foreign nationals who are in South Africa legally have nothing to fear... Read more...

Check all information directly with VFS / DHA or a registered immigration practitioner or immigration lawyer this circulating in your community , it is not factually correct , this is for SA MIGRATION holders . If you are unskilled Department of Labour will definitely not grant a waiver , get professional advice from a registered immigration practitioner... Read more...

Every year on 6 April, the prices of most UK visas increase as the Home Office revises pricing,. Immigration Health Surcharge “If you are moving to the UK for more than six months, you will also need to pay the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS),” said Dunn. The IHS allows the use of the National Health Service (NHS) as soon as you arrive in the UK. “Paying this surcharge gives you access to free basic medical care while you are in the UK.” Below is a table that shows the fees charged by UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI):... Read more...

Listening to Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi and some of his Cabinet colleagues talking about the immigration question, you could be forgiven for believing that they were powerless folk. It is as if the crisis of illegal immigration and the pressure it puts on public resources and services just miraculously happened. You would also swear that nobody foresaw the violent backlash from working class South Africans against foreign nationals. Motsoaledi was on JJ Tabane’s show Power to Truth on TV channel eNCA this week, pontificating about this crisis. It is really bizarre that government seems to be waking up to this tinderbox issue only now that the populists and vigilantes are fanning the flames of hate towards immigrants and taking the law into their own hands.... Read more...

JOHANNESBURG - Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi said that migration in South Africa had been a crisis for more than a decade now. The department has set up a Border Management Authority, however, there are no boots on the ground yet. The Home Affairs Department has set up a Border Management Authority, however, there are no boots on the ground yet. Minister Motsoaledi has explained why the authority has not started working yet. In September, Nakampe Masiapato, was appointed commissioner and David Chilembe as deputy commissioner, however, six months later, there was still no deployment of guards. Speaking on 702, Motsoaledi said that it would take time before there were any results.... Read more...

Citizenship Options South African Citizen by Descent South African Citizen by Naturalisation: Automatic loss of Citizenship Resumption of South African citizenship Deprivation of Citizenship South African Citizen by Naturalisation: Automatic loss of Citizenship Resumption of South African citizenship Acquisition of the citizenship or nationality of another country... Read more...

The South African immigration crisis has been worsening. Each and everyday there are illegal immigrants news of how they tried to enter the country of the illegal activities that they have recently been involved in. This afternoon news broke that an immigration officer at the OR Tambo airport was arrested after letting a Bangladeshi citizen illegal into the country. View pictures in App save up to 80% data.... Read more...

Every year on 6 April, the prices of most UK visas increase as the Home Office revises pricing,. Immigration Health Surcharge “If you are moving to the UK for more than six months, you will also need to pay the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS),” said Dunn. The IHS allows the use of the National Health Service (NHS) as soon as you arrive in the UK.... Read more...

Mandy Wiener chats to Amnesty International South Africa executive director Shenilla Mohamed on the recent xenophobic attacks. Amnesty International South Africa says the state is failing South Africans and migrants by not dealing with crime and allowing impunity to continue around xenophobic attacks. The organisation adds that authorities need to step up and deal with these xenophobic attacks on vulnerable migrants who have become scapegoats for communities unhappy with the levels of crime.... Read more...

Dear Fellow South African, Twenty-five years ago, our new democratic Constitution came into effect. In adopting this Constitution, we affirmed our commitment to a society based on democratic values, social justice and human rights. We were also making a complete break with our past. This was a past of race-based social engineering that manifested itself through influx control, job reservation, group areas and the dreaded dompas. When our forebears drafted the Freedom Charter in 1955, whose principles have been incorporated in our constitution, and declared that South Africa belongs to all who live in it, they were seeking a society free from ethnic chauvinism, tribalism, racism and sexism.... Read more...

The website of the Department of Home Affairs should stop giving the misleading impression (similar to other government departments) of a department under control, says the writer. The outcry from miscellaneous members of the South African public against the lacklustre services by officials of the Department of Home Affairs is amplifying. The list of grievances includes disheartening queues, which commence beyond entrances of the majority of the branches of Home Affairs, key machinery being intermittently offline, fallible plenipotentiaries prone to bribery, and most recently, the growing calls for the resignation of Minister Aaron Motsoaledi.... Read more...

Government is waging a war against illegal immigrants coming into the country. Over 200 Zimbabwean nationals were arrested at the Beitbridge Border Post. This is as Home Affairs cracks down on illegal crossings between South Africa and Zimbabwe. eNCA`s Manqoba Mchunu was there. Courtesy #DStv403 https://www.youtube.com/watch?... Read more...

Cape Town - The termination of the National State of Disaster is a light at the end of the tunnel for refugees and asylum seekers struggling with the online extension system implemented by the Department of Home Affairs (DHA). Following the president’s announcement of the end of the national state of disaster last week, head of strategic litigation and advocacy at the UCT Refugee Rights clinic Sally Gandar said this was good news for refugees and asylum seekers as the termination would enable refugee reception offices (RROs) across the country to promptly resume the full services that were on halt for the past two years.... Read more...

‘Most of us have been standing here since 3am’ says 60-year-old man. Over 100 people braved the cold morning drizzle to queue outside the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) in Mitchells Plain on Wednesday. Most were there to apply for identity documents or register births. At 7am, Home Affairs officials started asking people near the front of the line what assistance they needed. At 8am, security sanitised and allowed the first ten people inside the gate.... Read more...

South Africa Working Visas South Africa seeks highly skilled individuals to live and work in SA. SA Migration Services will provide professional assistance to arrange your work visa for you if you qualify. Work Visas are regulated in terms of Section 19, Regulation 18 and items 18 (1), 19(2), 20, 21 and 22, of Schedule A. There are three common types of Work Visas: • General Work Visa • Inter Company Transfer Visa • Critical Skills Visa... Read more...

South African Retirement Visa A retirement visa can be granted for 4 years to someone with a monthly pension, irrevocable annuity or retirement account of R37 000 from a net worth/combination of assets realizing R37 000 per month and wishes to retire temporarily or permanently in South Africa.... Read more...

South African Business Visa A business visa may be issued by the Department of Home Affairs to a foreigner intending to establish or invest in a business in South Africa in which he or she may be employed, and to members of such foreigners’ immediate family providing that certain requirements have been met. The Act calls for investment of R5,0 million in a business and you need to make sure you employ 60% South African citizens or permanent residents to get both a temporary and permanent business visa, you can get these visas with less capital investment - sometimes for as low as R600,000 investment using our expert team at SA Migration.... Read more...

What is a Ministerial Waiver / Exemption and how does it work Upon application to the Minister of Home Affairs, the Minister may under terms and conditions determined by him or her allow distinguished visitors or members of his/her family to be administered and sojourn in South Africa and or waive any prescribed (regulatory) requirements for good cause and/or grant any foreigner or category of foreigners the rights of permanent residence for a specified or unspecified period when special circumstances exist justifying such a decision.... Read more...

South Africa is the destination of choice for many people from the continent and the world. As a result of this the country’s ports receive millions of travellers annually entering for various reasons. However, on occasion a traveller is refused entry having been deemed ineligible for entry into the Republic for one or more reasons. Often persons who find themselves in this position are summarily sent back to their country of embarkation without being informed of their rights if any under our law and how to exercise these rights. In this week’s piece we will explore what the Immigration Act provides for persons in this position as well as what our courts have concluded in cases involving persons who have been refused entry.... Read more...

Foreign Artisans now required to register before applying for visa. National Register of Artisans now in effect Applying for critical skills work visa in South Africa as an artisan has been a challenge for the longest time. In 2014 when the current amendments to the Immigration Act were gazetted several gaps were identified in the Act which included the absence of a SAQA accredited professional body to register artisans. ECSA was not an option due to their minimum NQF criteria of 5 which was a notch above the rating being given by SAQA for artisans. There was a time letters issued by the National Artisan Moderation Body, (NAMB), were sufficient and then they were not. There was a time when registration with the South African Institute of Draughting was good enough and then it wasn’t.... Read more...

The Immigration Act and the Department of Home Affairs abhors fraudulent documents. Section 29(1)(f) provides ; The following foreigners are prohibited person and do not qualify for a port of entry visa, admission into the republic , visa or a permanent residence permit … anyone found in possession of a fraudulent visa, passport , permanent residence permit or identification document. Section 49(14) and 49(15) makes the use or attempted use of or uttering of any fraudulent document for the purpose of entering remaining in or departing from and residing in the republic a criminal offence, of which a person on conviction is liable to imprisonment of up to 15 years.... Read more...

What can I do if my application for refugee status has been rejected and I have been given a ‘must leave’ letter? If your asylum application is rejected, this means that the DHA does not recognise you as a refugee. You will receive a letter stating that you must leave the country or file an appeal usually within 30 days of being told of the rejection. Depending on the reasons for the rejection of your application, you will need to appeal to the Refugee Appeal Board or the Standing Committee for Refugee Affairs.... Read more...

Members of the African Travel & Tourism Association (ATTA) are being called on to develop more niche holiday packages and to help raise awareness about Africa’s diverse product line-up in preparation for China’s big international travel restart. According to the Chinese Tourism Academy, 800 000 Chinese tourists visited Africa in 2018, while specialists in FIT and small group travel based in China have reported a significant increase in demand in the past five years. But borders have been shut due to COVID-19 restrictions since early 2020, stalling progress.... Read more...

THE CONSEQUENCES OF OVERSTAYING YOUR VISA Section 30(1)(h) of the Immigration Act of South Africa and Regulation 27(3) of the Immigration Regulations. A person will be declared ‘undesirable’ and will receive a ban regardless of the reason for the overstay. The ban applies to any person who has overstayed, adults and children. The ban and being declared ‘undesirable’ also affects people who leave South Africa while their application for a visa (or visa extension) is pending, if their current visa has expired. what happens if i overstay my visa?... Read more...

‘Most of us have been standing here since 3am’ says 60-year-old man. Over 100 people braved the cold morning drizzle to queue outside the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) in Mitchells Plain on Wednesday. Most were there to apply for identity documents or register births. At 7am, Home Affairs officials started asking people near the front of the line what assistance they needed. At 8am, security sanitised and allowed the first ten people inside the gate.... Read more...

THE CONSEQUENCES OF OVERSTAYING YOUR VISA Section 30(1)(h) of the Immigration Act of South Africa and Regulation 27(3) of the Immigration Regulations. A person will be declared ‘undesirable’ and will receive a ban regardless of the reason for the overstay. The ban applies to any person who has overstayed, adults and children. The ban and being declared ‘undesirable’ also affects people who leave South Africa while their application for a visa (or visa extension) is pending, if their current visa has expired. what happens if i overstay my visa?... Read more...

Cape Town - The termination of the National State of Disaster is a light at the end of the tunnel for refugees and asylum seekers struggling with the online extension system implemented by the Department of Home Affairs (DHA).... Read more...

Government is waging a war against illegal immigrants coming into the country. Over 200 Zimbabwean nationals were arrested at the Beitbridge Border Post.... Read more...

Citizens often have to take off several days to sort out their documentation at Home Affairs. London-based lawyer Reinhardt Biermann details his journey of first trying to sort out his passport in the UK before it expired in May, before coming to South Africa, where the process wasn`t much better. As is the case for many South Africans, as well as foreigners, I recently had to apply for documentation at the Department of Home Affairs (DHA).... Read more...

With a spotlight on corruption at immigration level, in the form of falsified visas and bribery, this has only made the topic more sensitive. With unemployment figures at an all-time high and South Africa facing numerous economic challenges, the department of home affairs (DHA) and the department of labour are again taking steps to curb the employment of illegal foreign nationals living in the country. With a spotlight on corruption at immigration level, in the form of falsified visas and bribery, this has only made the topic more sensitive.... Read more...

R e c o g n i s ed R e f u g e e ( S e c t i o n 2 4 P e r m i t ) This means that : A refugee can apply for permanent residence if he or she has been living in South Africa on a refugee status permit for a minimum of five consecutive years.143 For a recognized refugee to receive a permanent residence permit, the standing committee for refugee affairs must have certified that that person will remain a refugee “indefinitely.”... Read more...

With the lifting of the national state of disaster, the Department of Home Affairs says it will now reopen in-person services for refugees. Since 26 March 2020 there has been no way for refugees to apply for asylum. after closing in-person services due to the Covid pandemic, the Department of Home Affairs has announced it is reopening its Refugee Reception Offices. Since 26 March 2020, there has been no way for refugees to apply for asylum, and people who already had refugee or asylum-seeker status were unable to renew or replace their permits and papers. The “family joining” process �` granting refugee status or a similar secure status to family members accompanying a recognised refugee �` had also stopped. Consequently, refugees have struggled to access basic services, enrol their children in schools, open bank accounts or legalise their presence in the country.... Read more...

With the lifting of the national state of disaster, the Department of Home Affairs says it will now reopen in-person services for refugees. Since 26 March 2020 there has been no way for refugees to apply for asylum. after closing in-person services due to the Covid pandemic, the Department of Home Affairs has announced it is reopening its Refugee Reception Offices.... Read more...

Today, the Nationality and Borders Bill will return to the House of Commons, where MPs will vote yes or no on amendments added in the House of Lords. One of these amendments was tabled by me and supported by peers across the Lords. If passed, it will give people seeking asylum the right to work after they have waited six months or more for a decision on their claim. It’s a common-sense change. It would be a boost for the Treasury, recruiters and not least asylum seekers themselves, who often wait years for a decision on their claim while battling poverty, isolation and mental ill health.... Read more...

SA Visa / Citizenship Citizenship Options South African Citizen by Descent South African Citizen by Naturalisation: Automatic loss of Citizenship Resumption of South African citizenship Deprivation of Citizenship South African Citizen by Naturalisation: Automatic loss of Citizenship Resumption of South African citizenship Acquisition of the citizenship or nationality of another country... Read more...

There are a number of factors to consider when you are deciding on an easy country to emigrate to from South Africa in 2022. Overview Many South Africans look into emigration opportunities in 2022 and in the years past. No matter what the reasoning behind your decision is, emigration is a big decision and there are various aspects about different destination countries that you will have to consider in order to establish what the easiest option for you would be. Reasons for migrating... Read more...

Almost 200,000 Zimbabwean nationals will be affected and they don’t hold much hope of getting the relevant visa The pending exodus of Zimbabwean teachers is set to hit South African schools. The teachers are part of the 200 000 Zimbabweans who hold the Zimbabwe Exemption Permit. The permits will not be renewed by the Ministry of Home Affairs. home affairs minister Aaron Motsoaledi announced at the end of 2021 that extensions to the permits would not be granted and the affected Zimbabwean nationals would be allowed until the end of this year to get visas.... Read more...

The special visa for job seekers provides a win-win situation for all stakeholders related to the job market. The UAE`s new visa rule would assist the government in finding fresh talent, help job seekers save time, and provide companies with increased flexibility in their human resource (HR) practices. The new type of entry visa, titled `explore job opportunities`, by the government provides easy entry for young talents and skilled workers to explore new job opportunities without requiring a host or sponsor in the UAE.... Read more...

A showdown is looming between the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) and JSE-listed tech group EOH, as they are set to go to arbitration over the controversial R400 million biometrics contract. The parties have counter-claims on the multimillion-rand Automated Biometric Identification System (ABIS) contract sourced by the DHA that is yet to go live, five years later. The final implementation of the system would provide a single source of identification for citizens across state institutions and private sector entities. As the matter heads to arbitration, the DHA is seeking to be reimbursed some of the monies paid to EOH, while the tech company has a similar claim on the department. The initial ABIS contract, with a price tag of R400 million, was awarded by the DHA to the tech company in partnership with IDEMIA in 2017, after a tender process marred by controversy.... Read more...

Lawyers for Human Rights has said that no child may be prevented from attending school simply because they do not have documentation. Picture: Jacques Naude/African News Agency (ANA) Pretoria - Lawyers for Human Rights has once again stressed that no child may be prevented from attending school simply because they do not have birth certificates, IDs, permits or passports. Thandeka Chauke, a lawyer at the organisation, said that under the Constitution, every child in South Africa had the right to go to school, irrespective of whether they had documentation.... Read more...

South Africans who want to travel to the UK as tourists need to apply for a UK Standard Visitor Visa. It is also important to note that the processing time of UK Visitor Visas is currently about six weeks. So, it is important to plan and apply for your Visitor Visa in time. Sa Migration have answered some of the most Frequently Asked Questions on the UK Standard Visitor Visa below. Will I be allowed to work while in the UK on the UK Visitor Visa? The Home Office is very strict on the rule that you cannot do paid or unpaid work for a UK company or as a self-employed person while on a visitor visa in the UK.... Read more...

Are you looking to make a career move in 2022? Why not consider a career in the UK under the Skilled Worker visa route. The Skilled Worker Immigration Route is one of the most popular immigration routes for South Africans coming to the UK. There are, however, many misconceptions about how the route works in practice. The consultants at Sa Migration have subsequently compiled some answers to the most Frequently Asked Questions on the Skilled Worker Visa Route. Do I first need to secure employment before I can apply for the Skilled Worker Visa?... Read more...

Almost 200,000 Zimbabwean nationals will be affected and they don’t hold much hope of getting the relevant visa The pending exodus of Zimbabwean teachers is set to hit South African schools. The teachers are part of the 200 000 Zimbabweans who hold the Zimbabwe Exemption Permit. The permits will not be renewed by the Ministry of Home Affairs.... Read more...

Parliament’s portfolio committee on home affairs is pushing the government to end long queues at Home Affairs offices across the country once and for all. The Department of Home Affairs presented its Annual Performance Plan for the 2022/23 financial year to the committee this week, noting that system downtime and connectivity issues remain a significant hurdle that still needs to be addressed. “The committee remains concerned by the long queues at home affairs offices and the continued downtime caused by internet connectivity challenges,” said chairperson Mosa Chabane.... Read more...

Provide the courier document return with the requested information. Applying for a nonimmigrant visa costs $160 and will be finished by July 31. Visit the consular section of your state and schedule a meeting.... Read more...

The Irish authorities have decided to permit travellers from all countries under Ireland’s visa regime the possibility to apply for short-term multiple-entry visas with a validity of five years. Up until now, the majority of short-stay visa applicants could only apply for multiple entry visas with a maximum validity of three years. The move was announced by the country’s Minister for Justice Helen McEntee on Friday, April 23, calling the move a positive measure, in particular for people who visit Ireland regularly, in particular for business or family reasons.... Read more...

Stripping someone of their British citizenship is contentious, so a new clause allowing the government to revoke it without notice has reinvigorated the debate on how the Home Office views citizenship. Analysis by Laura Hutchinson of Dods Political Intelligence Before the government stripped London-born Shamima Begum of her British citizenship in 2019 for joining Islamic State in Syria, many were unaware the home secretary had such powers at their disposal. In fact, aspects of this authority have existed in some form since 1914. New powers included in the nationality and borders legislation have brought the subject back under parliamentary scrutiny, with concerns raised about the impact this practice could have on ethnic minorities.... Read more...

South African Citizenship • Citizenship Citizenship Options • South African Citizen by Descent • South African Citizen by Naturalisation: • Automatic loss of Citizenship • Resumption of South African citizenship • Deprivation of Citizenship • South African Citizen by Naturalisation: • Automatic loss of Citizenship • Resumption of South African citizenship... Read more...

Despite the fact that South Africa has cancelled work permits for Zimbabwe migrants, people still flock into South Africa to seek greener pastures. THE South African (SA) government recently decided to cancel the Zimbabwean Exemption Permit (ZEP) or the Zimbabwean Special Dispensation Permit (ZSP), which has been in place, in various forms, since 2009. As part of managing the cancellation, the almost 180 000 ZEP holders were granted a 12-month grace period until December 31, 2022. Most of the ZEP holders are unlikely to qualify for the recently published SA critical skills list or the business visa.... Read more...

• Government says eight of its 26 Operation Vulindlela reforms are completed. • The aim of the reforms is to improve the investment environment. • But business warns that even successful reforms are still tied up in red tape. Operation Vulindlela - the joint delivery unit in the Presidency and National Treasury established to speed up economic reform - has made some progress, says Business Unity SA (BUSA), but the impact is limited as reforms remain trapped in red tape. There is a broad consensus that the business environment requires structural reforms to encourage new investment. The unit has five objectives, with specific reforms linked to each.... Read more...

With our any reasonable doubt, fear or favour, it is clear now that operation Dudula had made the sleeping departments to wake up with immediate effect and start working. Fe weeks ago in Diepsloot, Gauteng province, Operation Dudula engaged with a war between them as South Africans and foreigners.... Read more...

The Department of Home Affairs is working on a number of new technologies which it says will help speed up travel times. In its recently tabled annual performance plan for 2022/2023, the department said this will include the introduction of new biometric solutions at both the country’s airports and land borders. The country is also introducing new visas and an e-gate systems which are expected to cut down on processing time. Biometric Movement Control System (BMCS) The department is in the process of developing a Biometric Movement Control System (BMCS) which will enable the capturing of fingerprint and facial biometric data of all travellers who enter or exit South Africa.... Read more...

Pretoria - In an ongoing clampdown on the use of fraudulent South African documents, a Bangladeshi national was arrested while trying to leave the country on Wednesday night via the OR Tambo International Airport with a fraudulent South Africa passport. “We have traced where this passport was issued and which corrupt home affairs official issued it. The corrupt official who issued it is one of those who are on the radar of the department’s counter corruption branch, hence another arrest is imminent,” said Home Affairs Minister Motsoaledi.... Read more...

Four Bangladeshi nationals are facing charges of murder, kidnapping and attempted extortion after they allegedly kidnapped their compatriot and later killed him Pretoria - Three Bangladeshi nationals have been granted R10 000 bail by the Vanderbijlpark Magistrate’s Court after they were arrested on charges of murder, kidnapping and attempted extortion.... Read more...

At a Glance • The Department of Home Affairs is providing an automatic extension of status until June 30, 2022, for applicants currently in South Africa with pending visas and waivers, due to processing delays in adjudicating long-term visa applications. • The processing delays are a result of a measure put in place in January, where the Department of Home Affairs required all long-term visa applications to be adjudicated in Pretoria, instead of at the South African consular posts. Due to understaffing, there is now a backlog of applications. • Employers should ensure that they plan their employees’ start dates at least six months in advance to accommodate the lengthier processing times to meet their projected assignments or local employment start dates.... Read more...

The special permits for Zimbabweans make it easier for Zimbabwean nationals to legalise their stay in South Africa by cutting red tape and dispensing with most of the ordinary visa requirements. There are nearly 200 000 Zimbabweans in South Africa who are living on borrowed time. They are in the country on a special visa, the Zimbabwean Exemption Permit (ZEP). This visa category was introduced more than a decade ago to accommodate an influx of refugees who were fleeing political persecution and economic devastation in Zimbabwe.... Read more...

Foreign street vendors have left Pan Africa Mall in Alexandra township South Africa after members of the South Africa Police Services and the Department of Home Affairs descended at the area to intensify their presence at the mall following clashes between locals and foreign nationals.... Read more...

AS part of an extension of the Presidential Employment Stimulus programme, a significant number of unemployed young people would be put to work digitising paper records WITH more than 300 million paper records dating back to the 1800s, the South African Department of Home Affairs (DHA) is ripe for digitisation.... Read more...

Learners from Itumeleng school in Gauteng have been struggling to get their IDs from Home Affairs for years. The state is denying learners their rights, says lawyer. The future is uncertain for 18-year-old Dudu Setoe who has never had a birth certificate or an Identity Document (ID) despite many back-and-forths to Home Affairs offices. Although Setoe recently came first in an in-house athletics competition, she is unable to compete provincially or nationally because she can’t present these crucial documents.... Read more...

Home Affairs minister Aaron Motsoaledi says that unions have taken his department’s plans to cut long queues at home affairs offices across the country to the negotiation table �` effectively putting them on ice. Responding to a parliamentary Q&A this week, the minister lamented a drop in service levels at home affairs offices after extended operating hours over weekends were dropped.... Read more...

Home Affairs minister Aaron Motsoaledi says that the Branch Appointment Booking System being piloted at select branches is yielding positive results. Responding to a parliamentary Q&A, Motsoaledi said that the system has allowed South Africans to bypass long queues. “Clients are serviced within the timeslot booked and confirmed, and the offices are able to plan for those who have booked the day prior to the scheduled appointments,” he said. The system is currently being trialled in select high-volume offices and has been integrated with the national population register to allow clients to use their ID numbers to book a slot. This prevents agents illegally operating in home affairs offices from blocking slots to sell them on.... Read more...

Good day. Once again we gather at another side of corruption involving corruption related to Home Affairs. Once again I restate my commitment that I will not tire to fight corruption wherever it rears its ugly head. My message is clear: If you commit any sort of crime anywhere within Home Affairs, we are coming for you!!! Once again we gather at another side of corruption involving corruption related to Home Affairs.... Read more...

The South African government has urged Zimbabwe Exemption Permits (ZEPs) holders to apply for other relevant work-related visas without delay. Last year, South Africa announced it would no longer be extending the ZEPs when they expire on 31 December 2022. Holders of the current permits will have to leave the country by the end of the year if they fail to get other visas. Department of Home Affairs (DHA), Director General, Tommy Makhode, recently urged ZEPs holders to apply for other visas provided for in South Africa’s immigration laws whilst there was still time. Said Makhode:... Read more...

Making money might be easy but keeping it is hard, the simplest way to bank your money is to lay it under your mattress but that`s way too inconvenient and unsafe, You could easily lose it to fire, floods and you will be the number one target of house robbers. So the best way to store/bank your money is to deposit into a your bank account, but in order to open a bank account in most banks you will need a South African ID. This makes it hard for foreigners to have bank accounts. So let`s look at ways that foreigners can get a bank account in south africa online without any hustle... Read more...

Four people were transported to the Home Affairs in White River where they would each give up their identities for R500 for passport fraud. The Department of Home Affairs’ efforts to curb corruption within the department are finally paying off. This comes after a senior Home Affairs official in the White River office in Mpumalanga and four South African citizens, who are allegedly part of the passport fraud syndicates, were arrested on Thursday.... Read more...

If you’re one of the growing number of South Africans looking for a second residency or citizenship, there’s a country out there with your name on it. But make sure you do your homework, as residency and citizenship options are constantly evolving and changing. One recent change saw Portugal, which offers a residency programme popular with South Africans, limit the purchase of qualifying residential property to its low density designated interior regions and increase the minimum investment applicable to its many other qualifying investment options.... Read more...

Jobs portal CareerJunction has published its Employment Insights for April 2022, showing which job skills are most in-demand in South Africa right now. The insights report replaces CareerJunction’s previous job supply and demand index, taking a more detailed look at the job sectors in the country that are currently hiring, and which positions are most sought after.... Read more...

If you’re from a non-EU country you will need a visa in order to stay in Spain for longer than 90 days, but knowing which type of permit is best for you can be tricky. Here`s how to find the right one for you based on your circumstances. If you are a citizen of a non-EU country then you may benefit from the 90-day rule, allowing you to visit Spain for 90 days out of every 180 without needing a visa. Countries including the UK, USA, Canada and Australia all benefit from this rule. Citizens of certain countries require a visa even for a short trip. However, the tricky part comes when you want to move to Spain and spend longer than just those three months. What are your visa options, whether you want to move to Spain to retire, to work or even to set up your own business?... Read more...

Cape Town - Home Affairs Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi has announced the department would open offices in shopping malls across the country to take pressure off other offices. Motsoaledi told Parliament on Tuesday the project would start with Menlyn Mall in Pretoria and the equipment would be installed in September.... Read more...

South Africa aims to attract close to 29,000 Indian visitors in 2022, a 64 percent year-on-year increase over 2021, said Neliswa Nkani, hub head, MEISEA, South African Tourism. Among the many international markets eyeing Indian visitors to boost tourism is South Africa, which expects double-digit growth in arrivals from India in 2022 over 2021.... Read more...

This means that : SaMigration- 30/05/2022 A refugee can apply for permanent residence if he or she has been living in South Africa on a refugee status permit for a minimum of five consecutive years.143 For a recognized refugee to receive a permanent residence permit, the standing committee for refugee affairs must have certified that that person will remain a refugee “indefinitely.” On March 30, 2004, the Standing Committee for Refugee Affairs published a decision intended to circumscribe the conditions under which certification shall be issued, namely: “…Where the appellant is likely to remain a refugee for the foreseeable future and the “foreseeable future” should be one year.” Once the South African government has awarded you refugee status. The government will issue you with an identity card which shows that you are a refugee. You will be issued with a renewable Refugee Permit which is referred to as a Section 24 Permit.... Read more...

Major News and hope : We are one of the few organisations getting Emptions & waivers approved !!!! Apply Now for Temporary and Permanent Residence even with EXPIRED LOCKDOWN PERMITS The Constitutional Court in November last year handed down a judgement in the Ahmed matter as well as a Court Order opening the door for Asylum Seekers and Refugees to apply to change their status to that of a mainstream Visa under The Immigration Act.... Read more...

The Immigration Act and the Department of Home Affairs abhors fraudulent documents. Section 29(1)(f) provides ; The following foreigners are prohibited person and do not qualify for a port of entry visa, admission into the republic , visa or a permanent residence permit … anyone found in possession of a fraudulent visa, passport , permanent residence permit or identification document. Section 49(14) and 49(15) makes the use or attempted use of or uttering of any fraudulent document for the purpose of entering remaining in or departing from and residing in the republic a criminal offence, of which a person on conviction is liable to imprisonment of up to 15 years.... Read more...

South Africa is the destination of choice for many people from the continent and the world. As a result of this the country’s ports receive millions of travellers annually entering for various reasons. However, on occasion a traveller is refused entry having been deemed ineligible for entry into the Republic for one or more reasons. Often persons who find themselves in this position are summarily sent back to their country of embarkation without being informed of their rights if any under our law and how to exercise these rights. In this week’s piece we will explore what the Immigration Act provides for persons in this position as well as what our courts have concluded in cases involving persons who have been refused entry.... Read more...

President Cyril Ramaphosa has rebuked those who promote xenophobia in South Africa. • In his Africa Day speech, he said Africans were not the enemies of South Africans. • Ramaphosa called for dialogues to end xenophobia and intolerance.... Read more...

The Department of Employment and Labour, in conjunction with Home Affairs Immigration Officers, and the Hawks, on Wednesday raided two factories in Johannesburg, which were suspected of flouting labour laws. According to the Department Employment and Labour, the owners who mostly are Chinese, were suspected, among others, of flouting labour laws and employing foreign nationals who do not have work permits. During the raids, the Immigration Officers verified the status of the employees, while the Department of Labour Inspectors conducted workplace inspection, checking compliance with labour laws. In both factories raided, the authorities were shocked to discover the appalling conditions which the employees were working under.... Read more...

The raids at two Spar outlets and a large Meat World butchery followed an anonymous tip-off about `unscrupulous employers` breaking the law. Police officers during a raid at the Elarduspark Spar in Pretoria, where they, along with the department of employment and labour, Sars and several other government departments, conducted a joint operation to investigate noncompliance of several laws.... Read more...

At least 25 illegal foreign nationals has been arrested for contravening the Immigration Act, Cape Town Police said on Thursday. The labour and home affairs departments accompanied by the police raided several Cape Town businesses alleged to be employing illegal immigrants after receiving complaints. The raids were conducted in China City in Milnerton and Canal Walk in Century City. Twenty five illegal foreign nationals were arrested for contravening the Immigration Act.... Read more...

• Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi says his department is chasing down syndicates selling fake IDs and passports. • In many cases, Home Affairs officials are directly involved. • Last month, a senior official was arrested for his involvement in a passport fraud syndicate. The net is closing in on syndicates manufacturing and selling fake South African passports and IDs. Following the arrest of a kingpin who allegedly sold fake IDs and passports, the Department of Home Affairs is chasing down those behind the syndicates. According to Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi`s response to a written parliamentary question from IFP`s Liezl van der Merwe, fake IDs and passports were flagged domestically and across the country`s borders.... Read more...

A startup called Noveto has come up with technology to deliver sound right to your ears without your wearing any device at all. • The technology uses focused sound waves.... Read more...

South African businesses of all sizes, including educational institutions, have been particularly hard hit by an onslaught of cyber-attacks, although this is not always public knowledge, according to Kerry Curtin, cyber risk expert at Aon South Africa.... Read more...

It appears that Liberty was hacked through a compromised email which is notoriously difficult to secure, says Dominic White, Chief Technical Officer at cybersecurity consultancy SensePost.... Read more...

HM Revenue & Customs has removed more than 20,000 malicious websites in the past year, but warns people to stay alert to the threat from online fraudsters... Read more...

Following the move to Level 1 lockdown, prisoners who have been waiting since March to return to their home countries, have finally seen the first light of their long overdue release dates.... Read more...

Cape Town - The Department of Home Affairs (DHA) says while it respects the decision by New Zealand to enforce a visa restriction for South Africans, it finds the move rather unfortunate - "given the vast improvements to DHA systems over the years".... Read more...

Enterprise software is expensive and investing in the latest and greatest ERP software could become a vicious circle that requires huge investment. Businesses that rely on outdated legacy ERP software systems risk losing more than just their money. Legacy software is often no longer updated or maintained, usually in favour of more modern or new offerings.... Read more...

South African business travellers beware: countries on the continent are tightening their requirements for business visas.... Read more...

Personal data on 198 million voters, including analytics data that suggests who a person is likely to vote for and why, was stored on an unsecured Amazon server.... Read more...

Homeland Security has served Twitter with a subpoena, demanding the account information of a data breach finder, credited with finding several large caches of exposed and leaking data.... Read more...

Cape Town � Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe's government has reportedly indicated, for the first time, that it may hand back land to some white farmers whose farms were forcibly taken away from them during the height of the country`s controversial land reform programme.... Read more...

When the sensor detects the presence of a vehicle in a parking bay, a signal is sent to the back office computer and to the hand-held units carried by parking marshals.... Read more...

Cape Town - A heritage tourism route tracing former president Nelson Mandela`s journey in the Western Cape will be submitted to Cabinet for approval next month.... Read more...

Johannesburg - The investment pipeline into South Africa remains robust, according to the acting head of investment promotion and inter-departmental clearing house at the Department of Trade and Industry (dti) Yunus Hoosen.... Read more...

Blantyre � The Malawi government has reportedly expressed concern over the increase in the number of Malawians travelling to South Africa without proper travel documents.... Read more...

`It`s so easy to find tools,` warns Interpol`s head of cyber strategy Hacking tools made readily available through dark web markets are making cyber crime as a service increasingly popular, according to Interpol`s head of cyber strategy. Cyber security professionals have warned of an increasing number of malware authors and hackers who, rather than attacking victims themselves, are instead acting as cyber arms dealers, selling toolkits that can be used by anyone to launch cyber attacks on targets.... Read more...

There was a four-fold increase in attacks against iPhones and devices using Safari during the last two weeks of September, says Check Point. Apple iPhones are under attack from crypto-mining malware. This is according to Israeli-based cyber security firm Check Point Software Technologies in its Global Threat Index for September 2018, which reveals a near-400% increase in crypto-mining malware attacks on Apple iPhones.... Read more...

Although the Department of Home Affairs claimed new visa regulations were needed to protect tens of thousands of children who were trafficked in South Africa, it now appears it was a gross exaggeration.... Read more...

BLOEMFONTEIN - The Danish gun shop owner charged with sexual assault and contravention of the Health Act after allegedly performing several genital mutilation procedures on women over the past five years, abandoned his bail application in the Bloemfontein Magistrates Court on Monday.... Read more...

Cape Town - The Test Kitchen is Africa's best restaurant, once again garnering international recognition and placing a spectacular 22nd in the 2016 World`s 50 Best Restaurant Awards.... Read more...

Andrew Donaldson on Malusi Gigaba's brave efforts to fight off those free-spending foreigners... Read more...

The accommodation for failed asylum seekers cost �6.4m to run last year but only housed 14 families for an average of three nights each An accommodation centre for failed asylum seekers is more costing than the world`s most exclusive hotels, taking just 14 families last year at a cost of more than �450,000 each.... Read more...

Last year GroundUp reported the poor service offered to asylum seekers and refugees by the Department of Home Affairs' foreshore offices. We revisited the offices today. The situation remains unchanged.... Read more...

We are all familiar with the hyperbole of technology: digital can change the world for the better by making it faster, smarter and more connected. The sentiment is true, but digital technology is not a genie ready to pop out of the lamp and grant our wishes. For all the good that it can do, digital actually does nothing, just as a hammer doesn`t actually drive the nails in.... Read more...

Cape Town � Nobody enjoys the admin or queues that tend to go with the department of home affairs or banks � yet it is the combination of the two institutions that have a number of South Africans wildly excited � following the announcement in October 2015 that they would be able to apply for their passports at certain banks.... Read more...

The deep web entices most of us and intimidates some of us. However, it is browsed by almost all of us. Given that traditional search engines, such as Google, Yahoo, etc., can search only a small portion of the internet, renders the deep web a very enticing resource. The dark web is an important subset of the deep web, that can only be accessed via means of special software such as the Tor browser.... Read more...

PRETORIA - Drastic measures were being implemented to tighten the noose around corrupt home affairs officials, minister Malusi Gigaba said on Friday.... Read more...

Dubbed The Tourism Terminator, Minister of Home Affairs Malusi Gigaba`s bureaucratic assault on the tourism industry should see off Johannesburg`s status as gateway to Africa.... Read more...

South Africa`s big cellphone operators could end up making money �` potentially, and over time, rather a lot of money �` thanks in part to the chaos the United States unleashed this week when its trade restrictions cast doubt over whether Huawei will be able to continue using Google software and services.... Read more...

China has reportedly summoned global technology companies for talks to warn they could face dire consequences if they co-operate with the Trump administration’s ban on sales of key American technology to Chinese companies.... Read more...

Home Affairs must review naturalisation regulations says Public Protector. The Public Protector has ordered the Home Affairs Minister to review the 10-year period to apply for naturalisation and ensure it aligns with the five-year period in the Citizenship Act. The Public Protector received communication from 18 individuals who complained about the time it took for the department to finalise their applications for naturalisation. She received the complaints between 2014 and 2017.... Read more...

Mobile malware? Some mobile security threats are more pressing. Every enterprise should have its eye on these seven issues this year.... Read more...

01 Feb 2016 � The Telegraph Robber and drug dealer cannot be held in immigration detention because he does not want to comply with Home Office removal efforts, judge says... Read more...

Imagine a world without OPEC. This is what the sponsors of legislation introduced in both houses of Congress seem to want. Versions of the `No Oil Producing and Exporting Cartels Act`, or the NOPEC bill, are working their way through the Senate and the House of Representatives, and are likely to find much more support from the White House than they have in the past �` Presidents George Bush and Barack Obama both threatened to veto similar legislation.... Read more...

South Africa`s big cellphone operators could end up making money �` potentially, and over time, rather a lot of money �` thanks in part to the chaos the United States unleashed this week when its trade restrictions cast doubt over whether Huawei will be able to continue using Google software and services.... Read more...

The EU`s competition watchdog fined Google €4.3 billion (R68 billion) last week for abusing the dominance of its mobile operating system, Android. Google secretly tried to settle with the European Commission a year before the fine was imposed, Bloomberg reports. Google lawyers reportedly started talking to EU counterparts about settling the Android probe in June 2017, after Google had been fined for its shopping service.... Read more...

China has reportedly summoned global technology companies for talks to warn they could face dire consequences if they co-operate with the Trump administration’s ban on sales of key American technology to Chinese companies.... Read more...

At a press conference to announce upgrades to the Home Affairs system, the minister let slip that despite the high unemployment rate, the department was severely understaffed. At a press conference where Minister of Home Affairs Malusi Gigaba and director-general Mkuseli Apleni announced a series of upgrades to the Home Affairs system, the minister said the department was understaffed by roughly 8 000 people.... Read more...

Google has revealed a new tool that will allow users to view messages in Google Maps. The feature will display conversations people have had with Business Profiles on Google.... Read more...

Legacy systems pose real challenges to small business, often because they’ve outlived their usefulness and no longer provide a worthwhile return on investment (ROI). Hence, they’re best upgraded or replaced.... Read more...

The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) today questioned the role of the Home Affairs Ministry`s permanent secretary Kevin Mahoney in the government `cash-for-passports` scheme, asking if he merely acted as a "postman."... Read more...

At a press conference to announce upgrades to the Home Affairs system, the minister let slip that despite the high unemployment rate, the department was severely understaffed. At a press conference where Minister of Home Affairs Malusi Gigaba and director-general Mkuseli Apleni announced a series of upgrades to the Home Affairs system, the minister said the department was understaffed by roughly 8 000 people.... Read more...

A cardiac test powered by artificial intelligence has the potential to save the UK’s health service hundreds of pounds per heart patient Technology that uses artificial intelligence (AI), data analytics and 3D imaging to perform non-invasive cardiac tests has been deployed in 28 NHS hospitals over the past six months.... Read more...

Cape Town - SA's new visa regulations requiring unabridged birth certificates will result in the country simply not being seen as a family destination over time, Western Cape Minister of Economic Opportunities Alan Winde said on Tuesday... Read more...

Cape Town � Facing the queues at immigration control is about the least fun part of any international adventure.... Read more...

Blantyre - Malawi, which once battled to shelter more than a million Mozambican refugees fleeing that country's brutal civil war, has gradually found itself in the same quagmire once again. Unlike the huge numbers of refugees it hosted during the conflict between 1977 and 1992, Malawi is currently hosting about 6 000 Mozambicans, but the figure increases daily. The old foes, the Mozambique Liberation Front (Frelimo) and the Mozambique National Resistance (Renamo), have reignited a guerrilla war being fought without any regard for civilian welfare and human rights. While on paper Mozambique is a peaceful nation, in some provinces like Tete, which lies on the border with Malawi, fierce gun battles are almost a nightly occurrence and civilians have not been spared... Read more...

Mobile malware? Some mobile security threats are more pressing. Every enterprise should have its eye on these seven issues this year.... Read more...

Mkhwebane found the child had SA citizenship because his father was South African and said that home affairs had erred by not investigating the complaint. Home affairs has two weeks to reinstate the ID number of a four-year- old child born in Polokwane and issue him with a new birth certificate.... Read more...

• a seven-year legal battle fought by Lawyers for Human Rights on behalf of four people born to SA parents outside the country. • The case centred on the Citizenship Amendment Act of 2010 and how it applied to people born outside of South Africa before January 2013. • Justice Sisi Khampepe slammed the Department of Home Affairs, describing its conduct in the matter as `brazenly incompetent`.... Read more...

• Telkom says 5G will cost a lot more in South Africa than 4G �` and it has no plans to launch the technology in South Africa. • 5G promises to be more reliable and up to be 20 times faster than 4G. • Rain, Vodacom, and MTN all plan to roll out 5G in South Africa in 2019, but are being delayed by available spectrum. Telkom, the country’s fourth-largest mobile operator, believes 5G data connections for cellphones will cost considerably more than 4G �` and it has no immediate plans to add the much-vaunted technology to its network.... Read more...

This means that : A refugee can apply for permanent residence if he or she has been living in South Africa on a refugee status permit for a minimum of five consecutive years.143 For a recognized refugee to receive a permanent residence permit, the standing committee for refugee affairs must have certified that that person will remain a refugee “indefinitely.... Read more...

The City of Ekurhuleni is assisting with transport for the elderly. More than 1 500 identity documents, both smart IDs and green barcoded IDs, are to be collected from the Department of Home Affairs in Kempton Park. The Department of Home Affairs is currently experiencing an overwhelming number of uncollected IDs nationally, and the City of Ekurhuleni is no exception.... Read more...

Americans must make tough sacrifices to get our vacations back. It’s not fun, but it’s the right thing to do �` and the fastest way to start traveling again.... Read more...

A social grant scam linked to almost 400 fake birth certificates issued by the Department of Home Affairs in Gauteng has led to the arrest of a senior administrative official on Tuesday.... Read more...

Europe opened its internal borders six weeks ago. Bookings are up, but there’s a big difference between booking a trip and actually taking one. It was just under six weeks ago that Europe opened its internal borders in the hopes of salvaging a summer season of travel. So it’s worth asking now how that season is looking.... Read more...

The solemnisation and registration of civil marriages, customary marriages and civil unions are managed by the Department of Home Affairs. Civil marriages are governed by the Marriage Act and regulations issued in terms of the Act. South Africa also recognizes customary marriages through the Recognition of Customary Marriages Act, which became effective in November 2000. Civil unions are recognised in terms of the Civil Union Act (2006).... Read more...

Cape Town - Staff opening suspicious emails represent one of the weakest links amid a rise in global malware attacks, according to a software security expert. Speaking exclusively to Fin24 at the Gartner Symposium in Cape Town this week, Michael White, product manager at information technology company Veeam, said educating staff would help curb the spread of malware.... Read more...

GENERAL PROCEDURE: APPLICATION FOR ASYLUM An Asylum Seeker He is a person who has fled his or her country of origin and is seeking recognition and protection as a refugee in the Republic of South Africa, and whose application is still under consideration. In case of a negative decision on his application, he has to leave the country voluntarily or will be deported.... Read more...

South Africa is expected to see at least six new banks and banking services launch in the coming months, including the likes of Discovery Bank and Bank Zero �` a mutual bank co-founded by former FNB CEO Michael Jordaan.... Read more...

Europe, Canada, USA, Australia, and others are now running training exercises to prepare for the outbreak of cyberwar. Locked Shields is the largest simulation and TechRepublic takes you inside.... Read more...

Gauteng`s manager of home affairs� Albert Matsuang� told MPs that there "were more than 60 cases of fraud and corruption" connected to the new card system.... Read more...

Founded in 2017, My Washbay is a local tech startup that is focused on digitising and reinventing the car wash industry by providing a tech-based service for car wash owners, adding value for its customers.... Read more...

Home Office announces roll-out of programme which can fine landlords up to �3,000 for failing to check immigration status of prospective tenants... Read more...

Confidence in African digital payment solutions is essential to minimising fraud and corruption while improving the free flow of funds to boost business and economic activity. Their value is illustrated in statistics released by the South African Banking Association (SABRIC) in June 2020.... Read more...

ALOYSIA Basson cannot precisely recall how young she was when she moved to Namibia with her parents from South Africa, but since she was baptised at Gabis in 1947, she always believed herself to be Namibian.... Read more...

New research reveals SamSam ransomware campaign has generated almost $6 million for attacker and appears to be the work of a single hacker who shows no sign of slowing down. The long-running SamSam ransomware campaign, active since early 2016, has apparently earned its perpetrators nearly $6 million in ill-gotten gains -- and the pace of the campaign is picking up. According to Sophos` new report, titled `SamSam: The (Almost) Six Million Dollar Ransomware,` the evidence shows the campaign is unlike `traditional` ransomware campaigns, which spread through phishing or other shotgun approaches that aim to maximize the number of infections.... Read more...

A new report from Check Point Research uncovers an extensive malvertising campaign known as `Master134` and implicates several online advertising companies in the scheme. Check Point Research uncovered an extensive malvertising campaign that has ties to legitimate online advertising companies. Check Point`s report, titled `A Advertising Campaign of Secrets and Lies,` detailed how a threat actor group used more than 10,000 compromised WordPress sites and multiple exploit kits to spread a variety of malware, including ransomware and banking Trojans.... Read more...

The Department of Homeland Security has renewed its concerns over potential power grid cyberattacks. DHS officials held a briefing this week to discuss the threat of Russian hackers targeting utility companies and industrial control systems in an apparent effort to compromise and potentially cripple U.S. critical infrastructure, according to a report from The Wall Street Journal. The report also claimed the hackers, who were linked to the Russian threat group Dragonfly, last year gained access to the control rooms of U.S. electric companies during an extensive hacking campaign.... Read more...

Here`s something to chew on: if minister Malusi Gigaba had not issued the stricter visa regulations or if he had scrapped them as soon as he knew the damage they were doing, South Africa wouldn`t even wonder today whether we can afford the R2bn or so we now need for tertiary education.... Read more...

The impact of mobile technology is likely to be even more profound in the future, with 5G �` or the fifth generation of mobile communications technologies �` expected to have an even greater societal levelling effect than its predecessors, says Dejan Kastelic.... Read more...

6 May is observed internationally as World Password Day. This day is seen as an opportunity to promote better password habits while highlighting the critical need for improved cybersecurity. World Password Day originates from the security researcher Mark Burnett as he realised that the passwords most people were using were hopelessly inadequate.... Read more...

A report commissioned by the Cape Innovation & Technology Initiative (CiTi), Wesgro, and the Allan Gray Orbis Foundation - with the support of the Western Cape Government - reveals that the greater Cape Town area, including Stellenbosch, is Africa`s tech capital. The report, by Endeavor Insight, entitled Evaluation & Network Analysis of the Cape Town-Stellenbosch Tech Sector, aimed to discover the current state of the Cape tech entrepreneur community and identify where the opportunities for growth lie. The report is based on interviews with 150 local technology entrepreneurs and research into more than 450 local tech founders and their companies in the Cape Town and Stellenbosch area.... Read more...

EE and Virgin Media fined for breaking consumer protection rules Ofcom has imposed fines totalling £13.3m on EE and Virgin Media, saying both providers levied excessive charges on customers who ended their contracts early regulator Ofcom has imposed fines of £6.3m on EE and £7m on Virgin Media for overcharging phone and broadband customers who were trying to leave their contracts early.... Read more...

Clickatell, an authorised WhatsApp Business Solution Provider, and banks across Africa are partnering to roll out their chat banking capabilities on WhatsApp across the continent, which will make it easier for businesses to build a significant presence.... Read more...

`E-commerce`s rise, especially now, reinforces the point that consumer trust and legitimacy of online retailers are paramount, especially in an era of heightened risk and uncertainty,` says Craig Lubbe, CEO for Bidorbuy.... Read more...

Ukheshe Technologies and Infobip have recently developed South Africa`s very first WhatsApp payment gateway for use by Telkom. In addition to being South Africa’s first digital wallet platform, the solution is also the first WhatsApp channel to enable payments using QR.... Read more...

Cape Town - The importance of South African tourism industry, particularly its role in economic growth, job creation, attracting foreign exchange and its capacity to grow SA's GDP is vital.... Read more...

Qantas to introduce service in October. International travellers flying out of Australia will no longer have to physically check into their flight under changes to the border clearance process unveiled today. The federal government has begun allowing airlines to issue electronic boarding passes for international flights, as part of its ‘seamless traveller’ initiative.... Read more...

Running a small business is no easy task, especially during the digital migration. We have seen many companies switch from fixed business IT infrastructure to mobile, more easily accessible cloud options. But what does this change mean for small businesses?... Read more...

The first annual Microsoft Work Trend Index should be a wake-up call for bosses and software developers alike to improve employee experiences as offices reopen.... Read more...

Clickatell, an authorised WhatsApp Business Solution Provider, and banks across Africa are partnering to roll out their chat banking capabilities on WhatsApp across the continent, which will make it easier for businesses to build a significant presence.... Read more...

Xpatweb has released its 2020/21 Critical Skills Survey Report, which details the eight most sought-after jobs in the IT sector right now. The survey is conducted annually across a wide range of multi-national and corporate companies in South Africa to determine and assess the pressure points that human resource and global mobility practitioners face in sourcing critically skilled individuals when seeking to fill posts locally.... Read more...

Takealot is South Africa’s largest online shopping platform, with over 2,000 employees and sales of around R1 billion per month. Takealot is owned by Naspers and operates the country’s top ecommerce platforms �` Takealot.com, Superbalist.com, and Mr D Food.... Read more...

Every Home Affairs branch in South Africa has the explicit duty to provide the option for same-sex couples to get married or form a civil union, and so each office should be compelled to have at least one marriage officer who is willing to officiate the process. By JAMES LOTTER.... Read more...

iPhone maker in rude health as its rising share prices hit a landmark valuation... Read more...

Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba Johannesburg - Travellers from New Zealand will, from January 16, need a visa to enter South Africa, Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba said on Tuesday.... Read more...

Cybercrime is ranked globally as the second most perpetrated economic crime. South Africa is a hotspot for cybercrime with 29% of the respondents to the Global Economic Crime and Fraud Survey 2018 by PWC responding that they had experienced cybercrime in the past two years. What types of cybercrimes are the top ones in South Africa?... Read more...

• SA technology analyst Arthur Goldstuck believes outages at the cybercrime company Cloudflare were likely to blame for Facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram`s network issues. • He believes Cloudflare`s DNS servers went down which affected certain services on the social media platforms. • SA banks can similarly be disrupted because of their heavy reliance on the internet to deliver services, he warned. The network issues on Facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram on Wednesday were likely caused by US internet-service hosting platform Cloudflare, technology analyst Arthur Goldstuck said. Outages on Cloudflare have been responsible for similar outages of popular South African websites such as Takealot and News24 in the past week.... Read more...

SMS-based two-factor authentication is `not as secure as we thought` the company admits Reddit has announced it had suffered a `serious attack` in June after a malicious actor intercepted its employees` SMS-based two-factor authentication (2FA) setup.... Read more...

Local government all over the world is synonymous with bureaucracy and red tape processes. Think of any municipal government in your city or town and the words `paperwork` and `inefficiencies` come to mind. Tasks that s... Read more...

Harare � A US$263m hard cash injection into Zimbabwe's economy has not been enough to ease liquidity woes bedevilling the country and prevent financial institutions from running out of cash, central bank governor Dr John Mangudya said on Friday.... Read more...

review is not a one size fits all solution and the debt counsellor must apply his mind to the individual solution required for each consumer. Debt review is a process that should be addressed by a duly registered debt counsellor (DC). Debt review is not a means to finance a consumer`s lifestyle, but to assist in repaying the consumer`s debt in full to his creditors. It is also not a means for creditors to enrich themselves and charge additional interest on the extended term as that is not providing relief.... Read more...

JOHANNESBURG - The headlines following President Cyril Ramaphosa’s meeting yesterday with State visitor German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier speak volumes for the emphasis they place on what is most worrying for investors, world leaders and ordinary South Africans.... Read more...

Analytics has become an overwhelming challenge for many organisations, and demands built-in intelligence and the right architectures, says IBM.... Read more...

AI can be used to automatically detect and combat malware -- but this does not mean hackers can also use it to their advantage. More security news... Read more...

Artificial intelligence (AI) is in the spotlight - and with good reason. South African businesses have been adopting this technology to gain a competitive advantage over their industry rivals while decreasing their operational costs and enhancing customer service. Although the uptake of AI technology has been gaining momentum, there are still concerns and barriers that need to be addressed if it is to be used successfully.... Read more...

US military personnel on active duty have been banned from using devices and applications which utilize GPS.... Read more...

In the last few months, IT teams have delivered more solutions to remote working problems than ever before. What’s more, they have delivered them at tremendous pace, proving that when push comes to shove, you can make a sizable business decision and deliver it if you really need to.... Read more...

The refugee reception office in Port Elizabeth will have to be reopened, following a court judgment this week.... Read more...

Health minister Zweli Mkhize tests a mattress in one of the newly built Covid-19 wards at Clairwood Hospital in Durban. Mkhize visited urban and rural hospitals in KwaZulu-Natal to check the state of readiness as the pandemic approaches its expected peak in the province. Image: Sandile Ndlovu... Read more...

SA`S NEW travel rules prevented our minor children from attending a family funeral. My wife and children were on holiday in Florence, Italy, and I had returned early to our home in Singapore when we received the tragic news that our three-year-old niece had passed away. We wanted to return to SA immediately, in time for the funeral last Friday.... Read more...

Lin was allegedly tricked into signing legal guardianship of the child over to her mother-in-law in China.... Read more...

The pandemic threatening our global economy has significantly impacted online behavior and the security of businesses and individuals.... Read more...

Statistics SA`s analysis of tourist arrivals between 2013 and 2014 fails to take into account that 2013 tourist arrival figures included transit passengers, while for 2014 these were excluded.... Read more...

FLAWS: ANC treasurer-general Zweli Mkhize says elitist business models and a sluggish economy are limiting jobs.... Read more...

Cape Town - A Western Cape Cape High Court judge is facing a legal conundrum after three illegal immigrants arrested during a national clampdown � Operation Fiela � turned to the courts to test the lawfulness of their detention... Read more...

Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, telecommuting was gaining momentum. Analysis from FlexJobs and Global Workplace Analytics shows that remote work grew 44 percent in the last five years and is predicted to increase even more post-pandemic... Read more...

THE media and the public will now be allowed to attend asylum seekers` appeals when conducted following the adoption of the Refugee Amendment Bill.... Read more...

The Ministry of Nationality, Immigration and Gender Affairs advises nationals travelling to South Africa for medical purposes to always obtain Medical Visas before leaving the country. In an interview with Mmegi, the ministry’s permanent secretary Dr Temba Mmusi said SA, which is a sovereign state, took the decision and the basis for the decision was not known.... Read more...

Funds raised through ‘gold’ visas fell by 43% in July, year-on-year, and fell by 37% compared to June, to €56 million, according to accounts made by Lusa based on SEF statistics.... Read more...

THE media and the public will now be allowed to attend asylum seekers` appeals when conducted following the adoption of the Refugee Amendment Bill.... Read more...

The last few months have seen enterprise IT changes at lightning speed. The pace is unlikely to slow.... Read more...

THE media and the public will now be allowed to attend asylum seekers` appeals when conducted following the adoption of the Refugee Amendment Bill.... Read more...

With two-thirds of businesses using managed services, learn about what managed IT services are and how they’re being used Managed IT services are growing at a rapid rate, with a recent survey estimating that almost 69% of small to medium-sized businesses (SMBs) hire at least one type of IT service provider.... Read more...

The Tether logo is seen on a smartphone in this arranged photograph taken in Washington, D.C., U.S., on Tuesday, Dec. 5, 2017. Tether, which started trading in 2015, is described as a stable alternative to bitcoin`s wild price swings.... Read more...

Last Friday was a day to remember. Students will remember it for their victory over the government, President Jacob Zuma will remember it as the day he was forced to cave in, and the African National Congress for their inability to successfully hijack a march.... Read more...

The last few months have seen enterprise IT changes at lightning speed. The pace is unlikely to slow.... Read more...

Almost every day, someone calls me to inquire about how to deal with a compromised identity. It has become so common that I have come to the point of just assuming everyone has had their identity compromised in some way, shape or form after the last few years of large-scale data breaches].... Read more...

Many people look for more privacy when they browse the web by using their browsers in privacy-protecting modes, called “Private Browsing” in Mozilla Firefox, Opera and Apple Safari; “Incognito” in Google Chrome; and “InPrivate” in Microsoft Edge.... Read more...

Pretoria - The life of a teenager changed this week after the Centre for Child Law in Pretoria assisted him in forcing the Department of Home Affairs to register him as a South African citizen.... Read more...

Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, telecommuting was gaining momentum. Analysis from FlexJobs and Global Workplace Analytics shows that remote work grew 44 percent in the last five years and is predicted to increase even more post-pandemic... Read more...

As attackers begin to use multiple command and control systems to communicate with backdoors and other malware, how can organisations ensure that they detect such methods and that all C&C systems are removed, including `sleepers` designed to be activated at a future date.... Read more...

The Department of Home Affairs is pleased to announce the relaxation of some international travel requirements for children going through South African ports of entry. The revised conditions are contained in the Government Gazette titled “Draft First Amendment of the Immigration Regulations, 2014 made under the Immigration Act”.... Read more...

• Melissa Inkster was due to fly home from the Democratic Republic of Congo • Her flight to Australia was cancelled on Saturday due to caps on flight arrivals • The mum-of-two, who left Australia in March, is now stranded alone in Kinshasa... Read more...

Pretoria - Economist Dawie Roodt has written an open letter on Facebook, saying he will not emigrate after being seriously hurt in an armed robbery at his home recently.... Read more...

German Airlines` decision to offer direct flights between Frankfurt and Cape Town, set to boost tourism between the two regions.... Read more...

The Department of Home Affairs is pleased to announce the relaxation of some international travel requirements for children going through South African ports of entry. The revised conditions are contained in the Government Gazette titled “Draft First Amendment of the Immigration Regulations, 2014 made under the Immigration Act”.... Read more...

The Minister of Home Affairs, Aaron Motsoaledi, recently announced a further extension of visas for foreign nationals in South Africa. However, in the words of the Democratic Alliance (DA), he has “bizarrely refused” to make any provision for South Africans abroad whose passports will expire as a result of the extended lockdown.... Read more...

JOHANNESBURG � The Southern African Tourism Services Association (Satsa) said its standing ready to help Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa`s inter-ministerial task team that's now going to investigate the impact of the new visa regulations.... Read more...

A young South African girl risks losing out on an R8m inheritance because of `lackadaisical, wilful and mala fide` actions of home affairs officials who refuse to implement an order of court.... Read more...

The Democratic Alliance (DA) in the Eastern Cape wants a temporary Home Affairs office dedicated to the issuing of death certificates in East London.... Read more...

Lagos - Nigeria finally has a government after a wait of more than five months but the new ministers have their work cut out to reverse a damaging slump in Africa's leading economy.... Read more...

5G is expected to reach more than 40% global population coverage and 1.5 billion subscriptions for enhanced mobile broadband by the end of 2024. This will make 5G the fastest generation of cellular technology to be rolled out on a global scale, according to the latest edition of the Ericsson Mobility Report.... Read more...

Johannesburg, The travel industry has criticised the government's new visa requirements, saying they'll negatively affect tourism. But there are those who've welcomed the new legislation regarding travelling with children. Video: eNCA... Read more...

Alex Younger says the UK needs to decide how comfortable it is with `Chinese ownership of these technologies` The Chief of the Secret Intelligence Service (SIS), Alex Younger, has expressed concern over China`s involvement in the UK`s technology infrastructure.... Read more...

According to Gartner, IT spending in South Africa will total R276.6bn in 2018, a 4.3% increase from 2017. All IT segments are on track to achieve growth this year, with data centre systems and servers returning to growth.... Read more...

Cyber-espionage campaign is thought to be the work of Ke3chang, an ATP hacking group that has been active for ten years.... Read more...

Africa’s 15 Best Countries for Business The African continent is buzzing with potential. Rich in natural resources, a hardworking population, and huge gaps and opportunities for anyone who wants to succeed in business. Yes there are challenges, but there is also huge potential for growth in almost any sector.... Read more...

The tech industry is becoming more vocal about its worries about a cyberwarfare arms race. But are the right people listening? Two days last year finally woke the world up to the dangers of cyberwarfare, according to Microsoft`s President Brad Smith: 12 May and 26 June.... Read more...

David Meintjes, managing director at Connection Telecom, asks the question, `Can President Ramaphosa breathe new life into South Africa`s Digital Economy?` David Meintjes, managing director at Connection Telecom Early 2018 represented a new beginning and elicited a collective sigh of relief for millions of South Africans, ushering in an end (or the beginning of an end, at least) to a tumultuous era during which the shortcomings of our national government were thrown into sharp focus for millions of citizens.... Read more...

The personal details of 24 million South Africans have been leaked to an alleged fraudster. In theory, criminals could use these details to attempt to gain access to various accounts. South African banks are now starting to contact affect customers. They’re advising customers to change passwords �` and not only banking ones.... Read more...

A frank guide to the Internet`s unindexed underbelly -- the deep and dark Internet.... Read more...

Everything you need to know about the frightening future of digital conflict... Read more...

Surveillance isn`t just the purview of nation-states and government agencies -- sometimes, it is closer to home. Our digital selves, more and more, are becoming part of our full identity. The emails we send, the conversations we have over social media -- both private and public -- as well as photos we share, the videos we watch, and the websites we visit all contribute to our digital forms.... Read more...

Cyber-espionage campaign is thought to be the work of Ke3chang, an ATP hacking group that has been active for ten years.... Read more...

Africa has become the new hunting ground for cyber criminals and fraudsters looking to exploit user vulnerabilities.... Read more...

Whether an attack should be considered as an act of cyberwarfare depends on a number of factors. These include the identity of the attacker, what they are doing, how they do it -- and how much damage they inflict.... Read more...

Under Telegram`s new privacy policy, it could hand over user IP and phone details given the right court order. On Tuesday, Russian communication regulator Roskomnadzor indicated it may consider unblocking encrypted messaging app Telegram. However, there`s a rather significant catch: Telegram will have to hand over the keys to its users` encrypted chats.... Read more...

Pretty much every single nation with the money and the skills is investing in cyberwarfare and cyberdefence capabilities. According to US intelligence chiefs, more than 30 countries are developing offensive cyber attack capabilities, although most of these government hacking programmes are shrouded in secrecy. This has lead to concerns that a secret cyber arms race has already begun.... Read more...

This special report from ZDNet and TechRepublic takes an in-depth look at today`s security threats and provides advice to defend against attacks.... Read more...

THREE Burundian men who were allegedly denied entry into Namibia where they wanted to seek asylum, are understood to have been detained in Zambia. Their ages are not known.... Read more...

Special dispensation was meant to regularise Zimbabweans but left many undocumented for years.... Read more...

- The department of home affairs and the department of tourism are said to be reviewing the unintended consequences of SA's new child travel rules, implemented on 1 June 2015 in an effort to combat child trafficking.... Read more...

Big industrial control systems or military networks are often considered the main targets in cyberwarfare but one consequence of the rise of the Internet of Things may be to bring the battlefield into our homes.... Read more...

Whether their actions are inadvertent or intentional, your employees represent a large security vulnerability. Here are recommendations from security experts on how to safeguard your business by keeping your workforce aware of the risks.... Read more...

Does your ageing laptop need a boost? We look at the software tweaks and hardware upgrades that will give your computer a new lease of life Whether you`ve just bought a new computer or you`ve been using your existing one for a while, you may notice over time that it starts slowing down and tasks that used to take seconds now take a lot longer. This is natural behaviour for any computer, whether it`s a Windows 10 machine, Windows 8, MacBook or Linux laptop.... Read more...

Apart from logistics, there are myriad use cases for almost every other industry, so if you are not using location intelligence, are you even relevant?... Read more...

� Scores of civil servants and public officials subscribed to Ashley Madison � Officials in the Home Office and Immigration Service used the website � Hackers dumped millions of subscriber email accounts onto the 'dark web' � Some civil servants used their specially secure work email accounts... Read more...

WhatsApp has warned users that by using a free backup service offered by Google, messages will no longer be protected by end-to-end encryption. Earlier this month, WhatsApp and Google struck a deal to stop WhatsApp backups from counting towards Google Drive storage quotas.... Read more...

Long queues and systems that are constantly offline have long plagued Home Affairs offices. It`s affected many people. Home Affairs says it will be using this weekend to resolve issues just like these. Reporter Mawande Kheswa has more. Courtesy #DStv403 There are over 400,000 uncollected IDs at Home Affairs offices nationwide.... Read more...

Pretoria � Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba has urged employees at the Department of Home Affairs to put the public first and to help improve the department.... Read more...

The UK government has unveiled innovative partnerships with African countries to boost innovations in technology across the continent. Theresa May is leading an ambitious trip to Africa this week on her first visit to the continent as prime minister.... Read more...

Long queues and systems that are constantly offline have long plagued Home Affairs offices. It`s affected many people. Home Affairs says it will be using this weekend to resolve issues just like these. Reporter Mawande Kheswa has more. Courtesy #DStv403 There are over 400,000 uncollected IDs at Home Affairs offices nationwide.... Read more...

•*The licence grace period has been extended.* •*Vehicle, learners` and driving licences which expired between 26 March 2020 and 28 February 2021 will be valid until 31 August.* •*Third party services could renew your vehicle licence on your behalf.... Read more...

Long queues and systems that are constantly offline have long plagued Home Affairs offices. It`s affected many people. Home Affairs says it will be using this weekend to resolve issues just like these. Reporter Mawande Kheswa has more. Courtesy #DStv403 There are over 400,000 uncollected IDs at Home Affairs offices nationwide.... Read more...

•*The licence grace period has been extended.* •*Vehicle, learners` and driving licences which expired between 26 March 2020 and 28 February 2021 will be valid until 31 August.* •*Third party services could renew your vehicle licence on your behalf.... Read more...

Long queues and systems that are constantly offline have long plagued Home Affairs offices. It`s affected many people. Home Affairs says it will be using this weekend to resolve issues just like these. Reporter Mawande Kheswa has more. Courtesy #DStv403 There are over 400,000 uncollected IDs at Home Affairs offices nationwide.... Read more...

Johannesburg - The United Kingdom`s recent vote to leave the European Union coupled with the UK leadership race have had a major impact on the pound.... Read more...

You know it as Wi-Fi, but wireless networks can do so much more for your small business than allow you to connect to free internet from a café or enable you to check your emails from home. When it comes to your business, wireless networks can allow devices to stay connected to the internet and your business’ network �` like your server �` without the need for cables.... Read more...

Long queues and systems that are constantly offline have long plagued Home Affairs offices. It`s affected many people. Home Affairs says it will be using this weekend to resolve issues just like these. Reporter Mawande Kheswa has more. Courtesy #DStv403 There are over 400,000 uncollected IDs at Home Affairs offices nationwide.... Read more...

The Minister of Home Affairs, Dr Aaron Motsoaledi, applauded law enforcement officials who interrupted the alleged illegal activities of three Home Affairs officials and their external partners who were involved in issuing fraudulent identity documents. These officials were arrested in two separate operations in Emalahleni and in Pretoria.... Read more...

Long queues and systems that are constantly offline have long plagued Home Affairs offices. It`s affected many people. Home Affairs says it will be using this weekend to resolve issues just like these. Reporter Mawande Kheswa has more. Courtesy #DStv403 There are over 400,000 uncollected IDs at Home Affairs offices nationwide.... Read more...

The Western Cape’s provincial minister of Finance and Economic Opportunities David Maynier says that the province will table a formal request with national government on the reopening of international travel.... Read more...

Long queues and systems that are constantly offline have long plagued Home Affairs offices. It`s affected many people. Home Affairs says it will be using this weekend to resolve issues just like these. Reporter Mawande Kheswa has more. Courtesy #DStv403 There are over 400,000 uncollected IDs at Home Affairs offices nationwide.... Read more...

Researchers developed aIR-Jumper, an exploit that leverages lights within security cameras to extract data. Learn how this attack works and how to prevent it with expert Nick Lewis. Researchers at Ben-Gurion University in Israel developed a proof-of-concept exploit called aIR-Jumper that uses lights within security cameras for both data exfiltration and infiltration of air-gapped networks. How does this attack work? Should enterprises take any preventative steps with their security cameras?... Read more...

ISP billing framework Splynx has integrated with payment gateway Sage Pay to assist telecoms in receiving payments even faster. Splynx, which boasts close to 100 active clients in South Africa, is fully integrated with different network equipment vendors, payment gateways, and accounting systems, of which Sage Pay is their latest partner integration. Moreover, it is worth noting that Splynx already have integrated more than 15 payments gateways among them Bitpay, Payfast, PayU, PayPal, Authorize Stripe, Wepaym, GoCardless.... Read more...

Long queues and systems that are constantly offline have long plagued Home Affairs offices. It`s affected many people. Home Affairs says it will be using this weekend to resolve issues just like these. Reporter Mawande Kheswa has more. Courtesy #DStv403 There are over 400,000 uncollected IDs at Home Affairs offices nationwide.... Read more...

A long-serving doctor at Livingstone Hospital in Port Elizabeth has been barred since May from working after the department of home affairs failed to renew her work permit.... Read more...

Long queues and systems that are constantly offline have long plagued Home Affairs offices. It`s affected many people. Home Affairs says it will be using this weekend to resolve issues just like these. Reporter Mawande Kheswa has more. Courtesy #DStv403 There are over 400,000 uncollected IDs at Home Affairs offices nationwide.... Read more...

JOHANNESBURG - The Home Affairs Department has refuted claims that it`s dragging its feet in implementing changes to its visa regulations... Read more...

Long queues and systems that are constantly offline have long plagued Home Affairs offices. It`s affected many people. Home Affairs says it will be using this weekend to resolve issues just like these. Reporter Mawande Kheswa has more. Courtesy #DStv403 There are over 400,000 uncollected IDs at Home Affairs offices nationwide.... Read more...

Moody’s has changed its outlook for SA’s banking system from negative to stable, the ratings agency said in a report issued on Tuesday. Moody’s rates seven commercial banks in SA, which accounted for 9% of banking assets as at December 2017. The rating for banks is currently below investment grade at Baa3 with a stable outlook.... Read more...

Health Secretary Matt Hancock wants the NHS to be `fax free` by 31 March 2020 The NHS will be banned from buying fax machines from January 2019 as the government has told it to phase out the machines entirely by 31 March 2020.... Read more...

Under the General Work Visa there are very strict requirements. The South African government, although trying to promote work and trade in South Africa, recognize the need to give South Africans the chance to obtain employment ahead of any foreigner.... Read more...

Long queues and systems that are constantly offline have long plagued Home Affairs offices. It`s affected many people. Home Affairs says it will be using this weekend to resolve issues just like these. Reporter Mawande Kheswa has more. Courtesy #DStv403 There are over 400,000 uncollected IDs at Home Affairs offices nationwide.... Read more...

We`ve talked about what a VPN is, but do you actually need one? Recap: What is a VPN?... Read more...

Long queues and systems that are constantly offline have long plagued Home Affairs offices. It`s affected many people. Home Affairs says it will be using this weekend to resolve issues just like these. Reporter Mawande Kheswa has more. Courtesy #DStv403 There are over 400,000 uncollected IDs at Home Affairs offices nationwide.... Read more...

Lock down your Wi-Fi network and find devices that are stealing your bandwidth �` and, potentially, your data The days of worrying about your data allowance are largely a thing of the past, courtesy of faster broadband speeds and generous tariffs. But that doesn`t mean you should forget about who`s using your Wi-Fi. Whether you`re a home or small-business user, identifying who and what is on your network is as important as ever.... Read more...

An alternative to the Retirement Visa route exists in the financially independent visa for which candidates would need to be able to demonstrate a net asset value totalling not less that R12 million.... Read more...

Long queues and systems that are constantly offline have long plagued Home Affairs offices. It`s affected many people. Home Affairs says it will be using this weekend to resolve issues just like these. Reporter Mawande Kheswa has more. Courtesy #DStv403 There are over 400,000 uncollected IDs at Home Affairs offices nationwide.... Read more...

Johannesburg - South Africa`s economy regained the position of Africa`s largest in dollar terms more than two years after losing it to Nigeria as the value of the nations` currencies moved in opposite directions.... Read more...

Long queues and systems that are constantly offline have long plagued Home Affairs offices. It`s affected many people. Home Affairs says it will be using this weekend to resolve issues just like these. Reporter Mawande Kheswa has more. Courtesy #DStv403 There are over 400,000 uncollected IDs at Home Affairs offices nationwide.... Read more...

Whether tourists are just stopping over for a night or two in transit or on business, or spending longer on a dedicated trip to explore the city, there are several highlights that should be included in any Johannesburg itinerary. Tour operators tell us their top Jo`burg must-dos.... Read more...

Long queues and systems that are constantly offline have long plagued Home Affairs offices. It`s affected many people. Home Affairs says it will be using this weekend to resolve issues just like these. Reporter Mawande Kheswa has more. Courtesy #DStv403 There are over 400,000 uncollected IDs at Home Affairs offices nationwide.... Read more...

You might call this the pinnacle of high-resolution images. It is the brainchild of a setup called Jinkun Tech, or Bigpixel Technology Vorporation, and it was taken from atop the Oriental Pearl Tower in Shanghai.... Read more...

Long queues and systems that are constantly offline have long plagued Home Affairs offices. It`s affected many people. Home Affairs says it will be using this weekend to resolve issues just like these. Reporter Mawande Kheswa has more. Courtesy #DStv403 There are over 400,000 uncollected IDs at Home Affairs offices nationwide.... Read more...

The Department of Home Affairs announced on Tuesday that a home affairs front office clerk had been arrested in King Williamstown� Eastern Cape� for facilitating fraudulent marriages involving illegal foreign nationals.... Read more...

Parliamentary Public Accounts Committee says armed forced need to plug skills gap. The UK parliament’s Public Accounts Committee has said that the armed forces need to take on more cyber specialists to plug a growing skills gap.... Read more...

Long queues and systems that are constantly offline have long plagued Home Affairs offices. It`s affected many people. Home Affairs says it will be using this weekend to resolve issues just like these. Reporter Mawande Kheswa has more. Courtesy #DStv403 There are over 400,000 uncollected IDs at Home Affairs offices nationwide.... Read more...

As virtual currencies plumbed new depths on Wednesday, the MVIS CryptoCompare Digital Assets 10 Index extended its collapse from a January high to 80%. The tumble has now surpassed the Nasdaq Composite Index’s 78% peak-to-trough decline after the dot-com bubble burst in 2000.... Read more...

Long queues and systems that are constantly offline have long plagued Home Affairs offices. It`s affected many people. Home Affairs says it will be using this weekend to resolve issues just like these. Reporter Mawande Kheswa has more. Courtesy #DStv403 There are over 400,000 uncollected IDs at Home Affairs offices nationwide.... Read more...

The Department of Home Affairs` deputy director general of immigration services has denied any knowledge of corruption relating to the issuing of the Gupta dynasty`s visas to stay in South Africa, as alleged in the GuptaLeaks emails.... Read more...

In December, the US Department of Justice indicted three former Credit Suisse bankers for their role in bringing Mozambique’s economy to its knees. State-owned entities drowning in billions of dollars in debt, bloated infrastructure projects, kickbacks paid into UAE bank accounts, and government guarantees imperilling the entire economy: if any of this sounds familiar, keep reading. `50 million chickens.`... Read more...

Long queues and systems that are constantly offline have long plagued Home Affairs offices. It`s affected many people. Home Affairs says it will be using this weekend to resolve issues just like these. Reporter Mawande Kheswa has more. Courtesy #DStv403 There are over 400,000 uncollected IDs at Home Affairs offices nationwide.... Read more...

On 17 June 2020, the Scalabrini Centre of Cape Town, represented by Norton Rose Fulbright South Africa Inc, will be heard in the Western Cape High Court regarding certain sections of South Africa’s recently-changed, controversial refugee laws.... Read more...

Long queues and systems that are constantly offline have long plagued Home Affairs offices. It`s affected many people. Home Affairs says it will be using this weekend to resolve issues just like these. Reporter Mawande Kheswa has more. Courtesy #DStv403 There are over 400,000 uncollected IDs at Home Affairs offices nationwide.... Read more...

How much Mbps (read speed) do you really need from your new fibre connection for your household? This article breaks it down and with an easy-to-use chart to help you understand what you should sign yourself up for. Complaints like `its buffering`, `but I watch Netflix in HD` or `Jannie is a gamer and I need a fast connection` are all valid, but we find that most of the time people grossly overestimate the amount of speed a household really needs.... Read more...

Long queues and systems that are constantly offline have long plagued Home Affairs offices. It`s affected many people. Home Affairs says it will be using this weekend to resolve issues just like these. Reporter Mawande Kheswa has more. Courtesy #DStv403 There are over 400,000 uncollected IDs at Home Affairs offices nationwide.... Read more...

The malware is currently being distributed through the RIG exploit kit. The RIG exploit kit, which at its peak infected an average of 27,000 machines per day, has been grafted with a new tool designed to hijack browsing sessions. The malware in question, a rootkit called CEIDPageLock, has been distributed through the exploit kit in recent weeks.... Read more...

Long queues and systems that are constantly offline have long plagued Home Affairs offices. It`s affected many people. Home Affairs says it will be using this weekend to resolve issues just like these. Reporter Mawande Kheswa has more. Courtesy #DStv403 There are over 400,000 uncollected IDs at Home Affairs offices nationwide.... Read more...

Microchips are a fact of modern life. They are in our washing machines and coffee makers, our cars, credit cards, even our cats and dogs.... Read more...

Long queues and systems that are constantly offline have long plagued Home Affairs offices. It`s affected many people. Home Affairs says it will be using this weekend to resolve issues just like these. Reporter Mawande Kheswa has more. Courtesy #DStv403 There are over 400,000 uncollected IDs at Home Affairs offices nationwide.... Read more...

•Rich people in various countries seem to be reconsidering where they actually want to live after the coronavirus, says consultancy Henley & Partners. •Judging by enquiries about investment migration, that is. •South Africa is among those countries. •But Americans are suddenly way more keen to leave their country than South Africans.... Read more...

Long queues and systems that are constantly offline have long plagued Home Affairs offices. It`s affected many people. Home Affairs says it will be using this weekend to resolve issues just like these. Reporter Mawande Kheswa has more. Courtesy #DStv403 There are over 400,000 uncollected IDs at Home Affairs offices nationwide.... Read more...

The total is more than triple the Tories' target - and comes after the party tried to bury the figures under their House of Lords announcement... Read more...

Long queues and systems that are constantly offline have long plagued Home Affairs offices. It`s affected many people. Home Affairs says it will be using this weekend to resolve issues just like these. Reporter Mawande Kheswa has more. Courtesy #DStv403 There are over 400,000 uncollected IDs at Home Affairs offices nationwide.... Read more...

South Africa has successfully launched into space the continent’s most advanced nanosatellite to date �` the ZACube-2. The ZACube-2 will provide cutting edge remote sensing and communication services to South Africa and the region. “This satellite will help us monitor our ocean traffic as part of our oceans economy and also monitor veld fires and provide near real-time fire information ensuring a quick response time by disaster management teams.... Read more...

Long queues and systems that are constantly offline have long plagued Home Affairs offices. It`s affected many people. Home Affairs says it will be using this weekend to resolve issues just like these. Reporter Mawande Kheswa has more. Courtesy #DStv403 There are over 400,000 uncollected IDs at Home Affairs offices nationwide.... Read more...

Pretoria � Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba has urged parents to register the birth of their children within 30 days.... Read more...

Defence and military veterans minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula. Efficient, powerful and cost-effective cyber defence and solutions should be implemented to protect SA`s critical information infrastructure.... Read more...

Long queues and systems that are constantly offline have long plagued Home Affairs offices. It`s affected many people. Home Affairs says it will be using this weekend to resolve issues just like these. Reporter Mawande Kheswa has more. Courtesy #DStv403 There are over 400,000 uncollected IDs at Home Affairs offices nationwide.... Read more...

In wealthy Casale San Nicola, protesters express the sort of anger and mistrust felt across country trying to cope with arrival of 80,000 migrants , where well-off Italians escape the chaos of the capital and retreat into their multi-million euro villas nestled between cypress trees, seems like an unlikely flashpoint for the migrant crisis in Italy.... Read more...

Ever since the Covid-19 hard lockdowns began in all seriousness across the world earlier this year, the world has been abuzz with talk of how the crisis has changed the world, and at the centre of much of the debate has the sudden forced move to working from home for many office employees, and the rapid and successful adaptation to online interactions with colleagues, clients and business partners, online events and webinars, and more.... Read more...

Long queues and systems that are constantly offline have long plagued Home Affairs offices. It`s affected many people. Home Affairs says it will be using this weekend to resolve issues just like these. Reporter Mawande Kheswa has more. Courtesy #DStv403 There are over 400,000 uncollected IDs at Home Affairs offices nationwide.... Read more...

A recent flood of cyberattacks has crippled multiple businesses and government institutions around the world. By way of example, earlier this year, websites related to religion, voluntary programmes, charity, and several other areas were compromised to selectively trigger a drive-by download attack resulting in a malicious programme set up on the targets’ devices and subsequently, multiple businesses around the world were compromised.... Read more...

Long queues and systems that are constantly offline have long plagued Home Affairs offices. It`s affected many people. Home Affairs says it will be using this weekend to resolve issues just like these. Reporter Mawande Kheswa has more. Courtesy #DStv403 There are over 400,000 uncollected IDs at Home Affairs offices nationwide.... Read more...

The past couple of months should lay to rest any doubt over whether South African organisations are under sustained attack from cybercriminals. Over the past three months we’ve seen well-known local healthcare and financial organisations falling victim to cyberattacks and data breaches, and in some cases being forced offline.... Read more...

Long queues and systems that are constantly offline have long plagued Home Affairs offices. It`s affected many people. Home Affairs says it will be using this weekend to resolve issues just like these. Reporter Mawande Kheswa has more. Courtesy #DStv403 There are over 400,000 uncollected IDs at Home Affairs offices nationwide.... Read more...

While `conversational commerce` is not a new concept, the phenomenon is gaining momentum, driving innovation and customer experience in an ever-changing e-commerce landscape.... Read more...

Long queues and systems that are constantly offline have long plagued Home Affairs offices. It`s affected many people. Home Affairs says it will be using this weekend to resolve issues just like these. Reporter Mawande Kheswa has more. Courtesy #DStv403 There are over 400,000 uncollected IDs at Home Affairs offices nationwide.... Read more...

New evidence reveals widespread airtime theft and fraudulent WASP subscriptions on Vodacom’s network and shows that the company failed to act decisively against the criminals. The latest evidence follows an industry investigation which revealed airtime theft on a mass scale from Vodacom’s prepaid customers. What sets the latest evidence apart is that it comes from a prominent company which uses machine-to-machine communications and IoT devices with prepaid SIMs from Vodacom.... Read more...

Long queues and systems that are constantly offline have long plagued Home Affairs offices. It`s affected many people. Home Affairs says it will be using this weekend to resolve issues just like these. Reporter Mawande Kheswa has more. Courtesy #DStv403 There are over 400,000 uncollected IDs at Home Affairs offices nationwide.... Read more...

Facebook is again being sued for allegedly spying on Instagram users, this time through the unauthorised use of their mobile phone cameras. The lawsuit springs from media reports in July that the photo-sharing app appeared to be accessing iPhone cameras even when they weren’t actively being used.... Read more...

Long queues and systems that are constantly offline have long plagued Home Affairs offices. It`s affected many people. Home Affairs says it will be using this weekend to resolve issues just like these. Reporter Mawande Kheswa has more. Courtesy #DStv403 There are over 400,000 uncollected IDs at Home Affairs offices nationwide.... Read more...

Berlin - Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Saturday that her country won't stop anyone from seeking asylum, as thousands of migrants desperate to leave Hungary made their way westward to Germany and Austria.... Read more...

Long queues and systems that are constantly offline have long plagued Home Affairs offices. It`s affected many people. Home Affairs says it will be using this weekend to resolve issues just like these. Reporter Mawande Kheswa has more. Courtesy #DStv403 There are over 400,000 uncollected IDs at Home Affairs offices nationwide.... Read more...

Berlin - Hundreds of migrants streamed into Germany on Sunday to cheers and "welcome" signs, joining the thousands who arrived the previous day as Austria called for an emergency EU summit on the continent's worst refugee crisis since World War II.... Read more...

Crop spraying drones help Chinese farmers fly into the future Drones were used to spray cotton fields with pesticide in Xinjiang, covering an area of more than 400,000 hectares. Farmers benefit significantly by replacing manual farming with machinery as drones are able to cover 40 times the area a human woul...... Read more...

The Criminal Procedure Amendment Bill seeks to **expunge certain criminal records that result from an admission of guilt payment. Justice and Correctional Services Minister Ronald Lamola said the Covid-19 pandemic put the brakes on the introduction of the legislation.*... Read more...

Long queues and systems that are constantly offline have long plagued Home Affairs offices. It`s affected many people. Home Affairs says it will be using this weekend to resolve issues just like these. Reporter Mawande Kheswa has more. Courtesy #DStv403 There are over 400,000 uncollected IDs at Home Affairs offices nationwide.... Read more...

Wondering about the Internet of Things? Here`s our guide to all things connected The Internet of Things (IoT) has become quite a buzz word in recent years, exploding in popularity as businesses attempt to collect more information from their users and consumers use smarter devices to power their homes.... Read more...

Long queues and systems that are constantly offline have long plagued Home Affairs offices. It`s affected many people. Home Affairs says it will be using this weekend to resolve issues just like these. Reporter Mawande Kheswa has more. Courtesy #DStv403 There are over 400,000 uncollected IDs at Home Affairs offices nationwide.... Read more...

Cabinet at its meeting on Wednesday approved the extension of the Lesotho Special Permits (LSP) by another four years. The Department of Home Affairs introduced a Lesotho Special Permit in 2015 and the current dispensation expires on 31 December 2019.... Read more...

Long queues and systems that are constantly offline have long plagued Home Affairs offices. It`s affected many people. Home Affairs says it will be using this weekend to resolve issues just like these. Reporter Mawande Kheswa has more. Courtesy #DStv403 There are over 400,000 uncollected IDs at Home Affairs offices nationwide.... Read more...

'We would lose even more critical skills and we would be making it harder for globally experienced South Africans to return home'... Read more...

Japanese government wants to secure IoT devices before Tokyo 2020 Olympics and avoid Olympic Destroyer and VPNFilter-like attacks. The Japanese government approved a law amendment on Friday that will allow government workers to hack into people`s Internet of Things devices as part of an unprecedented survey of insecure IoT devices.... Read more...

Johannesburg - Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi says his department is working around the clock to ensure the registration of a public-private partnership for visa facilitation services occurs timeously. He was responding to a written parliamentary question posed by DA MP Adrian Christopher Roos, who asked the department about progress it had made in the appointment of a new service provider for the public- private partnership.... Read more...

Long queues and systems that are constantly offline have long plagued Home Affairs offices. It`s affected many people. Home Affairs says it will be using this weekend to resolve issues just like these. Reporter Mawande Kheswa has more. Courtesy #DStv403 There are over 400,000 uncollected IDs at Home Affairs offices nationwide.... Read more...

CBS News reports that a new satellite network which will ensure commercial aeroplanes can be tracked from anywhere will launch soon. On 11 January, the final 10 of 66 replacement satellites were transported into space by SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket.... Read more...

CAPE TOWN - Gauteng police have discovered more than 300 undocumented foreign nationals occupying a 21-storey building in Hillbrow. Three suspects, two women and a man, were arrested for hijacking the building after police officers were able to locate the rightful owner. Scores of buildings in the inner city of Johannesburg have apparently been hijacked, which means they`ve been taken over from absent owners and many of them are being used for crimes likes drug abuse.... Read more...

Long queues and systems that are constantly offline have long plagued Home Affairs offices. It`s affected many people. Home Affairs says it will be using this weekend to resolve issues just like these. Reporter Mawande Kheswa has more. Courtesy #DStv403 There are over 400,000 uncollected IDs at Home Affairs offices nationwide.... Read more...

Acting director-general Thulani Mavuso admits his department has a ‘contingent liability’ of civil actions. The department of home affairs (DHA) is facing more than R2 billion in civil claims because of its service delivery inefficiency, as its legal costs continue to escalate. Acting director-general Thulani Mavuso admitted his department had a “contingent liability” of civil actions totalling R2.015 billion.... Read more...

Long queues and systems that are constantly offline have long plagued Home Affairs offices. It`s affected many people. Home Affairs says it will be using this weekend to resolve issues just like these. Reporter Mawande Kheswa has more. Courtesy #DStv403 There are over 400,000 uncollected IDs at Home Affairs offices nationwide.... Read more...

One of the creators of the AI research company famed for building the pioneering AlphaGo AI spells out the technology`s impact and future development. The 2016 victory by a Google-built AI at the notoriously complex game of Go was a bold demonstration of the power of modern machine learning.... Read more...

The Internet of Things (IoT) industry is a growing sector across the world, and South Africa is no exception. Whether it’s simple solutions such as connected electricity meters or advanced tracking systems with GPS functionality, IoT devices and networks can enable cost-effective, scalable products. One of the biggest companies involved in the IoT space is SqwidNet, which is the licensed Sigfox network provider in South Africa.... Read more...

Finding jobs in South Africa can be quite cumbersome. Nonetheless, there are tips on how to get a job in South Africa as a natural-born citizen and an immigrant that you can use to land a good job. These tips are essential for all active job seekers in South Africa. By law, jobs in SA have to be advertised nationally first, and if a South African citizen is not available to do the job, it is then opened up worldwide. Job SA hunt is, however, a real hustle here in South Africa.... Read more...

Long queues and systems that are constantly offline have long plagued Home Affairs offices. It`s affected many people. Home Affairs says it will be using this weekend to resolve issues just like these. Reporter Mawande Kheswa has more. Courtesy #DStv403 There are over 400,000 uncollected IDs at Home Affairs offices nationwide.... Read more...

A look at the technology enabling businesses to analyse data packets in real-time Network Intelligence (NI) encompasses the data, technology, algorithms and techniques used to collect, analyse and visualise network information in a connected business. NI represents the capacity of the network to combine active and passive techniques to monitor the links between cloud apps and service performance, drawing together processes from packet capture, deep packet inspection (DPI) and business intelligence.... Read more...

South Africa has a competitive advantage in renewable energy and could become a major destination for electricity-intensive industries once the wind and solar sector is ramped up. Engineer and researcher Tobias Bischof-Niemz, a former chief engineer at Eskom, said on Tuesday that South Africa had superb wind and solar resources, and a big enough supply of land to construct these power supplies at scale. “These three things give South Africa a huge competitive advantage, which can never be taken away.”... Read more...

Long queues and systems that are constantly offline have long plagued Home Affairs offices. It`s affected many people. Home Affairs says it will be using this weekend to resolve issues just like these. Reporter Mawande Kheswa has more. Courtesy #DStv403 There are over 400,000 uncollected IDs at Home Affairs offices nationwide.... Read more...

The US Diplomatic Mission to South Africa received information that extremists may target US citizens, businesses and interests in SA.... Read more...

Long queues and systems that are constantly offline have long plagued Home Affairs offices. It`s affected many people. Home Affairs says it will be using this weekend to resolve issues just like these. Reporter Mawande Kheswa has more. Courtesy #DStv403 There are over 400,000 uncollected IDs at Home Affairs offices nationwide.... Read more...

Our IT system is your specialist Mobile & Cell phone application service provider. Our SMS software solution allows your customers to view their personalised monthly bill. All documents are created in device response HTML format. You can contact your customers via an SMS bill that includes a unique and secure link to their monthly invoice or statement. The format and length of the bill is up to you, both summary and full bills are supported.... Read more...

Long queues and systems that are constantly offline have long plagued Home Affairs offices. It`s affected many people. Home Affairs says it will be using this weekend to resolve issues just like these. Reporter Mawande Kheswa has more. Courtesy #DStv403 There are over 400,000 uncollected IDs at Home Affairs offices nationwide.... Read more...

It has been a bad decade for South Africa’s mining industry. Once the country’s flagship industry, revenues have flatlined, operating costs have jumped, and the environment is fraught with political and regulatory upsets.... Read more...

Ransomware has been one of the most prolific cyber threats facing the world throughout 2019, and it`s unlikely to stop being a menace any time soon.... Read more...

Long queues and systems that are constantly offline have long plagued Home Affairs offices. It`s affected many people. Home Affairs says it will be using this weekend to resolve issues just like these. Reporter Mawande Kheswa has more. Courtesy #DStv403 There are over 400,000 uncollected IDs at Home Affairs offices nationwide.... Read more...

How to secure your inbox, enhance your mail and unlock secret codes Even with the rise of social networks and messaging apps, email is still the most popular means of online communications and remains essential for registering with websites, confirming your identity and receiving important information.... Read more...

Security experts have given an insight into how a targeted ransomware attack took down the network of a food and drink manufacturer after hackers took advantage of common security vulnerabilities. The crooks used a phishing attack and took advantage of a number of vulnerabilities �` from old hardware to default passwords �` to first deploy Emotet and Trickbot malware before delivering the Ryuk ransomware and attempting to extort a fee from the victim to restore the network.... Read more...

Long queues and systems that are constantly offline have long plagued Home Affairs offices. It`s affected many people. Home Affairs says it will be using this weekend to resolve issues just like these. Reporter Mawande Kheswa has more. Courtesy #DStv403 There are over 400,000 uncollected IDs at Home Affairs offices nationwide.... Read more...

A honeypot created by Cybereason to lure cybercriminals and analyze their methods showed that ransomware attacks infiltrate their victims in multiple stages.... Read more...

Long queues and systems that are constantly offline have long plagued Home Affairs offices. It`s affected many people. Home Affairs says it will be using this weekend to resolve issues just like these. Reporter Mawande Kheswa has more. Courtesy #DStv403 There are over 400,000 uncollected IDs at Home Affairs offices nationwide.... Read more...

JOHANNESBURG � Tourism Minister Derek Hanekom says it's unfortunate that he and his Home Affairs counterpart Malusi Gigaba have been seen to be at loggerheads over new visa rules.... Read more...

Gmail confirms private Gmail messages can be read by third parties Google reassures users it`s secure and within their best interests Google has responded to The Wall Street Journal highlighting how common it is for third-party developers to view user Gmail messages.... Read more...

A honeypot created by Cybereason to lure cybercriminals and analyze their methods showed that ransomware attacks infiltrate their victims in multiple stages.... Read more...

Long queues and systems that are constantly offline have long plagued Home Affairs offices. It`s affected many people. Home Affairs says it will be using this weekend to resolve issues just like these. Reporter Mawande Kheswa has more. Courtesy #DStv403 There are over 400,000 uncollected IDs at Home Affairs offices nationwide.... Read more...

Smart Compose in Gmail is downright creepy. I`ll finish my own sentences, thank you very much. I clicked an option in Gmail called Enable Experimental Access. It`s innocuous enough--why not try something new? Anyone can try it. It`s listed right under settings... Read more...

Long queues and systems that are constantly offline have long plagued Home Affairs offices. It`s affected many people. Home Affairs says it will be using this weekend to resolve issues just like these. Reporter Mawande Kheswa has more. Courtesy #DStv403 There are over 400,000 uncollected IDs at Home Affairs offices nationwide.... Read more...

A cap on immigration into the UK could be responsible for the nursing crisis in the NHS, according to a parliamentary report.... Read more...

Long queues and systems that are constantly offline have long plagued Home Affairs offices. It`s affected many people. Home Affairs says it will be using this weekend to resolve issues just like these. Reporter Mawande Kheswa has more. Courtesy #DStv403 There are over 400,000 uncollected IDs at Home Affairs offices nationwide.... Read more...

Victorian Education Minister James Merlino wants the few private schools using the surveillance tech to undertake rigorous privacy assessments and ensure students have explicit guardian or parental consent to participate. The Australian government in August last year kicked off a trial that saw surveillance cameras placed in classrooms to monitor if students were in attendance. The now-completed trial took place in a few private schools in the state, and the funding was accounted for at a federal level. According to the Digital Rights Watch -- a charity aimed at educating on and upholding the digital rights of Australians -- the next phase of the trial was to roll out the program to state-run schools. The initiative would involve the placement of cameras within classrooms that scan the faces of students and then compare the images against photos kept on file. Any instances of missing students would then be reported.... Read more...

Long queues and systems that are constantly offline have long plagued Home Affairs offices. It`s affected many people. Home Affairs says it will be using this weekend to resolve issues just like these. Reporter Mawande Kheswa has more. Courtesy #DStv403 There are over 400,000 uncollected IDs at Home Affairs offices nationwide.... Read more...

The executive body of the EU is considering plans to operate a visa programme based on the US system. British citizens may have to apply for visas to travel to Europe after the UK leaves the EU, under plans being considered by officials.... Read more...

Long queues and systems that are constantly offline have long plagued Home Affairs offices. It`s affected many people. Home Affairs says it will be using this weekend to resolve issues just like these. Reporter Mawande Kheswa has more. Courtesy #DStv403 There are over 400,000 uncollected IDs at Home Affairs offices nationwide.... Read more...

Koreans long to get away from their daily environment and find some form of peace when on holiday. `Rest` and `healing` have become keywords when targeting the Korean outbound tourism market. According to published data, Korea has the second highest average number of working hours among the 34 member states of the Organization

for Economic Co-operation and Development. The result is that Koreans long to get away from their daily environment and find some form of peace when on holiday.... Read more...

Drone boats filled with explosives have reportedly been used to launch attacks against Saudi Arabia at sea. • On Sunday, the Saudi Royal Navy said it intercepted two boats laden with explosives traveling toward the country`s major port of Jazan, located north of Yemen. • And on Tuesday, Saudi border guards said they rescued a Saudi fishing boat that came under fire from unknown attackers while in Gulf waters. • Experts have expressed concern over the Yemeni rebel group having access to this remote type of weaponry.... Read more...

Long queues and systems that are constantly offline have long plagued Home Affairs offices. It`s affected many people. Home Affairs says it will be using this weekend to resolve issues just like these. Reporter Mawande Kheswa has more. Courtesy #DStv403 There are over 400,000 uncollected IDs at Home Affairs offices nationwide.... Read more...

Its investigation tool also provides enhanced protections against Drive and Gmail threats Google has unveiled two new tools to help businesses have more visibility of how their employees collaborate and use applications. Work Insights is a tool that offers businesses insights into how its G Suite productivity group of apps is being used by employees, including how they`re collaborating on projects.... Read more...

Long queues and systems that are constantly offline have long plagued Home Affairs offices. It`s affected many people. Home Affairs says it will be using this weekend to resolve issues just like these. Reporter Mawande Kheswa has more. Courtesy #DStv403 There are over 400,000 uncollected IDs at Home Affairs offices nationwide.... Read more...

We live in exponential times. So says Justin Doo, territory manager, Middle East, Turkey & Africa at Okta, who presented on `Delivering truly digital experiences`, at the ITWeb Cloud Summit, held yesterday at The Forum in Bryanston.... Read more...

Court finds Intestate Succession Act discriminates against unmarried life partners... Read more...

Long queues and systems that are constantly offline have long plagued Home Affairs offices. It`s affected many people. Home Affairs says it will be using this weekend to resolve issues just like these. Reporter Mawande Kheswa has more. Courtesy #DStv403 There are over 400,000 uncollected IDs at Home Affairs offices nationwide.... Read more...

A man whose father fled Burundi during political turmoil and genocide there in 1994, has been given a fresh start at applying for asylum in South Africa after he was embroiled in a dispute with authorities for about a decade over a missed appointment.... Read more...

Long queues and systems that are constantly offline have long plagued Home Affairs offices. It`s affected many people. Home Affairs says it will be using this weekend to resolve issues just like these. Reporter Mawande Kheswa has more. Courtesy #DStv403 There are over 400,000 uncollected IDs at Home Affairs offices nationwide.... Read more...

In the eyes of the state Vusi*, 7, doesn't exist. He has no birth certificate or ID number. For the past five years his father has tried to register his birth with the Department of Home Affairs and now - with the Centre for Child Law - he and his son have approached the courts.... Read more...

This type of malware could hit you hard in the pocket... Ransomware has hit the news over the last two years in a way not seen since the “ILOVEYOU” virus of the start of the millennium. The effects of ransomware are very visible, only DDoS attacks come anywhere near in terms of noticeable effects. One of the most high profile attacks came in 2017 when the WannaCry ransomware hit the NHS and left many systems out of action for days.... Read more...

A man whose father fled Burundi during political turmoil and genocide there in 1994, has been given a fresh start at applying for asylum in South Africa after he was embroiled in a dispute with authorities for about a decade over a missed appointment.... Read more...

Long queues and systems that are constantly offline have long plagued Home Affairs offices. It`s affected many people. Home Affairs says it will be using this weekend to resolve issues just like these. Reporter Mawande Kheswa has more. Courtesy #DStv403 There are over 400,000 uncollected IDs at Home Affairs offices nationwide.... Read more...

VSOFT TEST Article by Ralph... Read more...

Viruses, Trojans, and ransomware are all malware, but what does that mean? Malware is everywhere and it is the most dreaded word in computing. The term is short for malicious software and is the general name used to explain programs that can infect and damage computers, smartphones, tablets or whole IT systems.... Read more...

Long queues and systems that are constantly offline have long plagued Home Affairs offices. It`s affected many people. Home Affairs says it will be using this weekend to resolve issues just like these. Reporter Mawande Kheswa has more. Courtesy #DStv403 There are over 400,000 uncollected IDs at Home Affairs offices nationwide.... Read more...

Here are some easy-to-apply rules to help keep your client’s data - and business operations - safe Of all the various different types and families of ransomware, the most commonly-encountered is crypto-ransomware.... Read more...

Cyber criminals are finding ever more devious ways to lock your files. We explain how to protect your devices from the latest threats Ransomware hit the headlines a few years ago as one of the most dangerous types of malware yet. It takes control of a victim`s device, encrypts their files and then demands money in order to remove it.... Read more...

Long queues and systems that are constantly offline have long plagued Home Affairs offices. It`s affected many people. Home Affairs says it will be using this weekend to resolve issues just like these. Reporter Mawande Kheswa has more. Courtesy #DStv403 There are over 400,000 uncollected IDs at Home Affairs offices nationwide.... Read more...

NCSC: Attackers compromised channel providers` software updates in 2017... Read more...

Long queues and systems that are constantly offline have long plagued Home Affairs offices. It`s affected many people. Home Affairs says it will be using this weekend to resolve issues just like these. Reporter Mawande Kheswa has more. Courtesy #DStv403 There are over 400,000 uncollected IDs at Home Affairs offices nationwide.... Read more...

Register shortage at Home Affairs may threaten 'I do's' The lack of access to marriage registers at local Home Affairs offices could threaten several wedding ceremonies planned for this season, explains marriage officer, Jaco Venter.... Read more...

Read our tips to develop profitable, sustainable growth The best way for any business to grow is strategically: at a manageable pace, and with a clear view of implications and opportunities as they evolve.... Read more...

Long queues and systems that are constantly offline have long plagued Home Affairs offices. It`s affected many people. Home Affairs says it will be using this weekend to resolve issues just like these. Reporter Mawande Kheswa has more. Courtesy #DStv403 There are over 400,000 uncollected IDs at Home Affairs offices nationwide.... Read more...

How to retain clients` business in the long run Clients are savvier than ever when it comes to technology and their businesses, so it’s no longer enough for MSPs and VARs to offer the most in-demand services and leave it at that.... Read more...

From senior buy-in to layered security and onto cross-business education, here`s how CIOs can create an information security strategy that helps to keep hackers out and data safe.... Read more...

Long queues and systems that are constantly offline have long plagued Home Affairs offices. It`s affected many people. Home Affairs says it will be using this weekend to resolve issues just like these. Reporter Mawande Kheswa has more. Courtesy #DStv403 There are over 400,000 uncollected IDs at Home Affairs offices nationwide.... Read more...

Researchers warn of a seven-fold rise in ransomware attacks compared with last year alone - and attackers are continually evolving their tactics.... Read more...

Long queues and systems that are constantly offline have long plagued Home Affairs offices. It`s affected many people. Home Affairs says it will be using this weekend to resolve issues just like these. Reporter Mawande Kheswa has more. Courtesy #DStv403 There are over 400,000 uncollected IDs at Home Affairs offices nationwide.... Read more...

The Namibia Chamber of Commerce and Industry CEO Tarah Shaanika has applauded the Ministry of Home Affairs and Immigration for its "good customer service".... Read more...

Pietermaritzburg - A Northdale child`s education is hanging in the balance as his desperate mother tries frantically to legalise his South African citizenship.... Read more...

Cape Town - The Kingdom of Lesotho and South Africa's Department of Home Affairs has issued an alert to all Lesotho nationals saying September is the last month to apply for the Lesotho Special Permits (LSPs).... Read more...

Long queues and systems that are constantly offline have long plagued Home Affairs offices. It`s affected many people. Home Affairs says it will be using this weekend to resolve issues just like these. Reporter Mawande Kheswa has more. Courtesy #DStv403 There are over 400,000 uncollected IDs at Home Affairs offices nationwide.... Read more...

Cape Town � We've all heard the saying the grass isn't always greener on the other side - well apparently it is when it comes to South Africa.... Read more...

Long queues and systems that are constantly offline have long plagued Home Affairs offices. It`s affected many people. Home Affairs says it will be using this weekend to resolve issues just like these. Reporter Mawande Kheswa has more. Courtesy #DStv403 There are over 400,000 uncollected IDs at Home Affairs offices nationwide.... Read more...

(MENAFN - The Conversation) Is South Africa regularly denying children their right to access education as well as health care on the grounds either of petty bureaucracy or by a misinterpretation of the country`s laws and international obligations? The answer is yes.... Read more...

Long queues and systems that are constantly offline have long plagued Home Affairs offices. It`s affected many people. Home Affairs says it will be using this weekend to resolve issues just like these. Reporter Mawande Kheswa has more. Courtesy #DStv403 There are over 400,000 uncollected IDs at Home Affairs offices nationwide.... Read more...

CAPE TOWN �` The Department of Home Affairs is set to take a hard look at high-flying pastors who’ve moved to South Africa to run lucrative ministries. Home Affairs Minister Siyabonga Cwele says his department is considering a review of their status as permanent residents.... Read more...

Long queues and systems that are constantly offline have long plagued Home Affairs offices. It`s affected many people. Home Affairs says it will be using this weekend to resolve issues just like these. Reporter Mawande Kheswa has more. Courtesy #DStv403 There are over 400,000 uncollected IDs at Home Affairs offices nationwide.... Read more...

The rogue employee attempted to sell customers` names, date of birth and email addresses Bupa has been fined £175,000 by the ICO after one of its employees tried to sell the records of 547,000 Bupa Global customers on the dark web early last year.... Read more...

Major News and hope : We are one of the few organisations getting Emptions & waivers approved !!!!... Read more...

DURBAN - The Durban Magistrates Court sentenced a former Department of Home Affairs official to four years of direct imprisonment for fraud and corruption. Hawks spokesperson Captain Simphiwe Mhlongo said Sbulelo Malanda, 44, was sentenced on Monday. Mhlongo said Malanda was working for the Department of Home Affairs at its Umzimkhulu offices. In 2017, she colluded with her accomplices and assisted the foreign nationals to obtain South African identity documents fraudulently. As a result, those foreign nationals unduly benefited from social grants from the South African Social Security Agency.... Read more...

Cape Town � Wi-Fi access in South Africa is on a growth path, but more needs to be done to ensure the technology delivers on its potential to boost local gross domestic product (GDP), says an industry body.... Read more...

Mhlongo said Malanda was working for the Department of Home Affairs at its Umzimkhulu offices. In 2017, she colluded with her accomplices and assisted the foreign nationals to obtain South African identity documents fraudulently. As a result, those foreign nationals unduly benefited from social grants from the South African Social Security Agency.... Read more...

Citizenship Options South African Citizen by Descent South African Citizen by Naturalisation: Automatic loss of Citizenship Resumption of South African citizenship Deprivation of Citizenship South African Citizen by Naturalisation: Automatic loss of Citizenship Resumption of South African citizenship Acquisition of the citizenship or nationality of another country... Read more...

IT professionals question due diligence process when onboarding new suppliers Large businesses in the UK may be overlooking vulnerabilities in their supply chain when devising their cybersecurity strategies, new research suggests.... Read more...

The Constitutional Court has ruled that asylum seekers whose refugee applications have been refused, can apply for a visa. Archive photo: Ashraf Hendricks If you are an asylum seeker and your application to be a refugee is refused, you are still allowed to apply for a visa. The Constitutional Court ruled this in a unanimous judgment handed down in October.... Read more...

Suspect is a top official in one of China`s intelligence agencies, accused of controlling China`s state hacking operations. Top figures in the infosec industry fear that the recent arrest of a top Chinese intelligence officer will spark an increase in cyber-attacks from Chinese hacking groups in the coming months.... Read more...

The re-establishment of a "solid" infrastructure platform, through large-scale investments into energy, transport and water infrastructure, is South Africa`s most urgent priority, Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industries in South Africa chairperson Sachio Kaneki said at a seminar in Johannesburg on Tuesday. Speaking from a platform shared with South Africa`s Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa and Japanese Ambassador Shigeyuki Hiroki, Kaneki argued that once such a platform was in place more Japanese investment would follow.... Read more...

Johannesburg - The sensitive private information of 30 million South Africans, contained in a massive data breach, appears to have been hacked from a credit bureau. This is according to Australian Microsoft regional director, Tory Hunt, who exposed the leak on Twitter on Tuesday. Hunt is also a security researcher and creator of the website HaveIbeenpwned.com.... Read more...

In an easing of travel restrictions, travellers to Namibia now only need a negative PCR test. This comes after the country opened to all international travel via Hosea Kutako International Airport in Windhoek on September 1.... Read more...

The Equal Education Law Centre says it has secured placement of more than 100 children in Matatiele for the 2020 academic year. The children were out of school due to lack of identity documentation.... Read more...

‘I am very worried,’ says cybersecurity expert on Liberty hack The financial services firm has tried to reassure the market, but an IT expert predicts the company will be ‘raked over the coals’.... Read more...

Lufthansa issued cautious guidance on Thursday for revenue and profitability this year as it battles rising fuel costs and strives to erase losses at budget carrier Eurowings, sending its shares down sharply.... Read more...

Chrome’s ad-blocking is an act of enormous self-interest on Google’s behalf... Read more...

For every skilled professional coming to South Africa, eight are leaving. This was the major finding of an Enterprise Observatory of South Africa (EOSA) report released in January. The researchers found that while a large number of white professionals were making the jump, in recent years, the annual number of black professionals leaving South Africa exceeds the tally of professional white emigrants.... Read more...

The surface web plays an integral role in the selling of personal information, a report on identify fraud has revealed... Read more...

Interview with Ng Yeow Boon, Senior Director, Ops-Tech Group, Ministry of Home Affairs.... Read more...

Cape Town - Johannesburg is still home to the largest portion of South Africa`s multi-millionaires, according to the South Africa 2015 Wealth Report by New World Wealth. Last year's report also found that most "super-rich" lived in Johannesburg.... Read more...

The UK Home Office has announced that it will henceforth no longer include doctors and nurses in the cap on the Tier 2 Visa cap.... Read more...

South Africa seeks highly skilled individuals to live and work in SA. SA Migration Services will professionally help to arrange Work Visas for you if you qualify. There are three common types of Work Visas: General Work Visa Inter Company Transfer Visa Critical Skills Visa... Read more...

Banks are lending more than money these days.... Read more...

We shine a light on the often unsavoury corners of the World Wide Web The web refers to websites and parts of the internet that aren`t accessible through traditional search engines. Google might be the all-seeing eye of the normal web, but the dark web is hidden from its gaze, as well as that of Firefox, Microsoft`s Edge and Apple`s Safari browsers.... Read more...

South Africa seeks highly skilled individuals to live and work in SA. SA Migration Services will professionally help to arrange Work Visas for you if you qualify. There are three common types of Work Visas: General Work Visa Inter Company Transfer Visa Critical Skills Visa... Read more...

Markets are noisy and busy. Companies are clamouring for customer attention and their share of wallet and engagement. It has become increasingly important for organisations to make connections with their customers, to create personal environments from which they can interact with brands and build relationships. The challenge is finding the right channels and ensuring that those channels are validated, secure and relevant.... Read more...

The Minister of Home Affairs, PA Motsoaledi, has approved in country extensions of Intra-Company Transfer (ICT) Visas, provided the following conditions are met-... Read more...

The UK Home Office has announced that it will henceforth no longer include doctors and nurses in the cap on the Tier 2 Visa cap.... Read more...

High demand is placing a strain on services already struggling to find the right talent For technology driven economies reliant on electronic communication and secure data storage, cybercrime is a prevailing threat that`s increasing in frequency and constantly evolving to bypass safeguards. In 2016 cybercrime broke industry records more than once, with hacks discovered against Yahoo, LinkedIn and AdultFriendFinder alone exceeding 2 billion leaked user accounts.... Read more...

South Africa seeks highly skilled individuals to live and work in SA. SA Migration Services will professionally help to arrange Work Visas for you if you qualify. There are three common types of Work Visas: General Work Visa Inter Company Transfer Visa Critical Skills Visa... Read more...

Maseru Bridge - The Hawks raided home affairs offices at a border post with Lesotho on Thursday, arresting more than 10 officials for taking bribes of up to R2 000 each.... Read more...

The surface web plays an integral role in the selling of personal information, a report on identify fraud has revealed... Read more...

The Department of Home Affairs intends to open the new Cape Town Refugee Reception Office in June 2019 on new premises in Maitland. In a progress report to the Legal Resources Centre (LRC), Home Affairs said vacant land in Maitland had been identified by the Department of Public Works and the proposed date of occupation of the office was 1 June 2019.... Read more...

Banks are lending more than money these days. As banks and financial institutions all over the world continue to expand their digital footprint by aggressively marketing for new customers, keeping pace with regulatory compliance and implementing new technology services to better serve is current customer base, they are lending more risk to their customers than ever before.... Read more...

General work visas are proving virtually impossible to renew, since the implementation of the current immigration laws on 26 May 2014, when the Department of Labour took on a more significant role in the process.... Read more...

Affairs (HA) is probably the most dysfunctional government department in the country: just ask the Hodges, the Hansells and the Waltons.... Read more...

Think-tank says UK Border Force - set up only four years ago - is failing and should have passport control functions put out to contract... Read more...

A retirement visa can be granted for 4 years to someone with a monthly pension, irrevocable annuity or retirement account of R37 000 from a net worth/combination of assets realizing R37 000 per month and wishes to retire temporarily or permanently in South Africa.... Read more...

The Department of Home Affairs (DHA) has moved to salvage the controversial multimillion-rand Automated Biometric Identification System (ABIS) tender and slapped technology services company EOH with a R44 million penalty over delays in the implementation of the project.... Read more...

Deputy Home Affairs Minister Fatima Chohan explains the automated booking system and the process followed by asylum seekers. In the background is the waiting area for the Refugee Status Determination Officer. Picture: Valerie Boje HOW many of the people who visit the Desmond Tutu Refugee Reception Centre in Pretoria are refugees?... Read more...

The Department of Home Affairs (DHA) has moved to salvage the controversial multimillion-rand Automated Biometric Identification System (ABIS) tender and slapped technology services company EOH with a R44 million penalty over delays in the implementation of the project.... Read more...

Cape Town - South Africa has joined global tourism leaders in adopting a declaration to create more jobs and strengthened skills development in the tourism sector.... Read more...

A case against the Department of Home Affairs was launched for not complying with orders of the court to open the Refugee Reception Office in Cape Town. A new one is set to be opened.... Read more...

TimesLive recently reported that prominent Cape Town immigration lawyer, Craig Smith, had been arrested for allegedly duping the Department of Home Affairs into granting visas to his clients.... Read more...

software that bolts-on to your browser to enhance the privacy and HTTPS Everywhere: Available for Firefox, Chrome, and Opera, HTTPS Everywhere is a plugin created by the Tor Project and Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) to expand HTTPS encryption to many websites, improving the security of your communication with them.... Read more...

Facebook`s Instagram is estimated to be worth more than $100bn, if it were a stand-alone company, marking a 100-fold return for the app that was purchased in 2012, according to data compiled by Bloomberg Intelligence.... Read more...

Simple steps can make the difference between losing your online accounts or maintaining what is now a precious commodity: Your privacy `I have nothing to hide` was once the standard response to surveillance programs utilizing cameras, border checks, and casual questioning by law enforcement.... Read more...

Tom Moyane, suspended Sars commissioner ... he initiated a purge of senior executives after his appointment by then-president Jacob Zuma in September 2014.... Read more...

PRETORIA: He obtained three qualifications and an internship in government and was on the path to crafting a great future for himself � but Thokozani Ngubani was unable to realise his dreams because, according to Home Affairs, he is dead.... Read more...

Fake jobs offers fool unsuspecting users into installing More_eggs back door Hackers are impersonating recruitment agencies on LinkedIn in a bid to target companies with backdoor malware. Researchers at Proofpoint found that the malware campaigns primarily targeted US companies in various industries including retail, entertainment, pharmacy, and others that commonly employ online payments, such as online shopping portals.... Read more...

Johannesburg - Lobby groups for migrants and refugees in South Africa have labelled the proposed moving of processing centres for asylum-seekers and refugees to ports of entry as an indignity and inhumanity.... Read more...

Simple steps can make the difference between losing your online accounts or maintaining what is now a precious commodity: Your privacy `I have nothing to hide` was once the standard response to surveillance programs utilizing cameras, border checks, and casual questioning by law enforcement. Privacy used to be considered a concept generally respected in many countries -- at least, in the West -- with a few changes to rules and regulations here and there often made only in the name of the common good.... Read more...

President Cyril Ramaphosa has signed the Cybercrimes Bill into law, bringing South Africa’s cybersecurity laws in line with the rest of the world.... Read more...

Cape Town - The Department of Home Affairs (DHA) says while it respects the decision by New Zealand to enforce a visa restriction for South Africans, it finds the move rather unfortunate - "given the vast improvements to DHA systems over the years".... Read more...

TshisaLIVE has confirmed that Freshlyground musician Christian Bakalanga was arrested and taken to Tembisa police station on Friday, after being caught at O.R. Tambo International Airport with an alleged fake visa.... Read more...

Tourists visit the restaurants and amusement areas of the V&A Waterfront district of Cape Town. Picture: Kevin Sutherland/Bloomberg... Read more...

`I have nothing to hide` was once the standard response to surveillance programs utilizing cameras, border checks, and casual questioning by law enforcement. Privacy used to be considered a concept generally respected in many countries -- at least, in the West -- with a few changes to rules and regulations here and there often made only in the name of the common good.... Read more...

Statistics SA has released its arrival numbers for April 2018. The figures show an overall decline in arrivals between April last year and April 2018, with the country seeing 6% fewer arrivals.... Read more...

Validity of asylum seeker and refugee permits Following the announcement by the President of the Republic of South Africa to put the country on adjusted alert level 3, the Minister of Home Affairs issued the Direction on the 14th of January 2021 regarding services that will be provided by the Department of Home Affairs.... Read more...

• Passengers on inbound flights into South Africa don’t have to worry about the 21:00 to 06:00 curfew. • These travellers will not be breaking the law in travelling from the airport to their place of accommodation, government says. • This is on condition that visitors can prove �` by presenting a ticket or boarding pass �` their late-night travels to law enforcement officers.... Read more...

I recently applied for my Smart ID card through the eHomeAffairs portal, and was surprised at how well it worked. I booked and paid for my ID application via the Home Affairs website, and selected Standard Bank Centurion �` which contains a Home Affairs office �` as my application point.... Read more...

Lawyers for Human Rights says the new regulations propose that foreign children be issued with a `confirmation of birth` and not a birth certificate CAPE TOWN - Legal groups have raised concern over the Home Affairs Department`s plan to discontinue birth certificates for foreign children born in South Africa. The public has until Friday to comment on proposed new regulations to the Births and Deaths Registration Act as it pertains to refugees.... Read more...

You can buy links and likes, but they won’t do you any favours in the long-run Every web startup faces the same challenge: how do you get noticed amongst all that competition and build traffic? The clever money says leave all that search engine optimisation (SEO) stuff to the professionals. Yet money, clever or not, is the one luxury most startups don`t have. This can often lead to a DIY approach to both SEO and online marketing, which is no bad thing if done properly.... Read more...

You never know when disaster will strike so it`s always best to have a plan to save your data... If you don’t backup your data, at some point in the future this decision could come back to bite you. Disk drives will ultimately fail, or a ransomware will forever encrypt your precious data unless you fork out a hefty amount of cash.... Read more...

We are all familiar with the hyperbole of technology: digital can change the world for the better by making it faster, smarter and more connected. The sentiment is true, but digital technology is not a genie ready to pop out of the lamp and grant our wishes. For all the good that it can do, digital actually does nothing, just as a hammer doesn`t actually drive the nails in. It still needs that person adding the energy to get things done.... Read more...

Cape Town �` The battle to protect company assets will result in a rise in security budgets and increasing demand for IT professionals, says an international organisation. According to International Data Corporation (IDC), public data breaches have cost companies millions and they have increased their appetite to hire skilled professionals.... Read more...

Scammers may be tricking vast numbers of unsuspecting customers into giving up their personal details so that fraudulent transactions can take place �` but these crafty thieves may have met their match in machine learning. Vishers, phishers and smishers belong to a category of criminals called social engineering fraudsters, meaning they trick their victim into either disclosing confidential financial details or transferring money to a criminal.... Read more...

UK firms have a long way to go in building the business resilience required to withstand cyber threats and other major disruptions, a study shows... Read more...

Smart cities: how IOT is putting Africa on the map Internet of things infrastructure opens the door to technological innovation from the private sector, says IoT.nxt.... Read more...

The Value Of Your Personal Data Data is being collected about you constantly. All this personal data is being used to send you advertisements and banners, one would say. But that is just the start.... Read more...

When Google is providing you with its suite of services, it doesn`t just have you in mind, but its shareholders also. Google makes its money, an extraordinary amount of money - around $75bn a year - by using your data. Yep, that`s right. Your data.... Read more...

Is there any sound reason not to trust low cost Chinese hardware imports? China is known as the world`s factory, but would you buy direct from the factory floor? While global firms such as Apple and Samsung spend millions on branding and pride themselves on innovation and quality, upstart Chinese manufacturers are undercutting them on price, offering tempting bargains that often look similar to the big brands` gear.... Read more...

While consumers have become more familiar with phishing scams where generic emails are sent out to lots of people, it might be trickier to spot so-called CEO or CFO fraud and email spoofing, cautions the SA Banking Risk Information Centre (Sabric).... Read more...

Affected users will get free credit monitoring service as well Yahoo will pay out $50 million (£39 million) in damages and offer free credit monitoring services to millions of its users after a data breach in 2013 led to around three billion accounts being compromised by hackers.... Read more...

I am known for repeatedly making the call for positive leadership, to liberate our country’s incredible potential. What fascinates me is the criticism I receive �` for my naivety, in light, it is said, of the challenges we face. I am not discounting the fact that we face real challenges. We do: GDP growth is at -0.7%; 50% of those 15-35 years old are jobless; we have a bloated public sector wage bill and a hefty budget deficit to fill; and tragic inequality.... Read more...

Spousal visa challenge to head to the Constitutional Court. Should foreigners who marry in South Africa before the expiry of their three-month visitor visas be allowed to regularise their stay? In papers filed at the Constitutional Court, Home Affairs bluntly says “no” and maintains that allowing this would be an abuse of immigration laws on a “drastic scale”.... Read more...

Johannesburg - Around 278 foreign nationals from around the world are currently receiving their South African naturalisation certificates from Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba at a naturalisation ceremony in Durban.... Read more...

Minister says there are signs of progress in some areas Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba says his department is doing all it can to end the long wait in queues at their various branches across the country.... Read more...

MPs on the Scottish Affairs Committee have urged the UK government to review its target of cutting immigration to the tens of thousands. A new report from the committee said cutting migration could hit population growth and the economy in Scotland.... Read more...

A FISH Hoek woman, born in Denmark but married to a South African, fears police might deport her because the Department of Home Affairs bungled her application for permanent residency.... Read more...

Cape Town - It is too close to make a call on whether South Africa toppled Nigeria to claim the fancy status of the largest economy in Africa, according to KPMG senior economist Christie Viljoen.... Read more...

Lagos - Breaking the central bankers' taboo on the use of the 'p-word', Nigeria's Godwin Emefiele is urging people not to panic about the banking system, saying he is on top of any trouble resulting from the worst crisis in Africa's biggest economy for decades.... Read more...

The minister of Home Affairs was grilled by the opposition in parliament on Friday on why a Gupta-directed company was issuing receipts for people applying for visas through VFS Global.... Read more...

Cape Town - A state visit this past weekend to Saudi Arabia will ensure continued private sector investment in South Africa's renewable energy and petrochemical sectors, banking and finance and tourism infrastructure, the Presidency said on Monday.... Read more...

It took Cape Town residents Steven Nicholson and his wife two years and endless paperwork to get their adopted child's birth certificate. When he adopted a second child it took another two years of hassling the Department of Home Affairs to provide their child's birth certificate.... Read more...

Bloemfontein - The Supreme Court of Appeal has dismissed the State's appeal against a high court ruling that government's failure to arrest Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir was inconsistent with its constitutional duties.... Read more...

South Africa rejects more refugee applications than any other country. According to an analysis of UN High Commissioner for Refugees data conducted by Code4SA's Data Journalism Academy, in 2014 and the first half of 2015, the Department of Home Affairs turned down 81% of refugee applications, compared with the international average of 21%. In that period, more than 150,000 people from 24 countries sought asylum in South Africa, making it the third most popular destination for refugees.... Read more...

Immigrants would not be declared undesired persons simply because officials at ports of entry granted them unreasonable days to be in South Africa.... Read more...

Zimbabwe tourism authorities have relaxed visa requirements in a drive to shore up the tourism sector, following a report ranking the 27 out of 52 countries on the continent's visa openness index by the African Development Bank (AfDB).... Read more...

The proposed law's proponents argue that fines are not a sufficient deterrent to foreigners who overstay their visas. Foreigners who stay longer in South Africa than their visa allows face much harsher sanctions under a new immigration law, which lawyers say is punitive and unconstitutional.... Read more...

Like a rain storm that threatens but never actually arrives. That's what judicial action against recalcitrant officials of the home affairs department amounts to... Read more...

Thousands of foreign entrepreneurs would flock into the country - if only they could.... Read more...

IFP leader writes on the obstacles placed on employers trying to bring in skilled labour from abroad... Read more...

Cape Town - Johannesburg is still home to the largest portion of South Africa`s multi-millionaires, according to the South Africa 2015 Wealth Report by New World Wealth... Read more...

Johannesburg - Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in South Africa on Wednesday ahead of a two-day summit with regional leaders as Africa seeks further massive investment despite the Asian giant's economic slowdown.... Read more...

The Home Office has been criticised for failing to complete a project to boost UK border security - despite spending at least �830 million on it.... Read more...

Cape Town - Fin24 has been inundated with emails from users describing their experiences with South Africa's stringent new visa regulations. We've published a selected few.... Read more...

Durban - Durban's tourism-dependent businesses have seen a drop in overseas visitors because of the country's new visa regulations for children.... Read more...

Humanitarian migrants make twice as much money from their own businesses as people arriving on skilled and family visas, says statistics bureau... Read more...

Cape Town - Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba should be asked why he is not taking heed of the private sector's concerns regarding the decline in tourist numbers and the resulting outcry by the tourism industry, Beverley Sch�fer, DA Western Cape spokesperson on economic opportunities, tourism and agriculture, said on Tuesday... Read more...

The resignation. A simple, powerful tool that allows the political system to admit mistakes and start afresh, restoring public confidence and proving that there is a price to pay for failing in public duty.... Read more...

The ministers of Tourism & Home Affairs are at loggerheads over the new visa rules.... Read more...

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