SA to relax visa rules after tourism industry suffers

Source: Reuters, 25/10/2015

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.



Industry leaders have said the new rules are costing around $540
million a year in lost revenue by making it more complicated for
foreigners, drawn by natural attractions such as the Kruger National
Park, Table Mountain and the Sterkfontein Caves, to visit.



South Africa`s cabinet accepted recommendations from a committee
appointed by President Jacob Zuma in August to look at the rules`
impact, the Department of Home Affairs said in a statement.



A rule requiring a parent to carry a child`s unabridged birth
certificate when visiting South Africa will be relaxed to allow the
original or a certified copy to be shown just at the visa application
stage, the department said.



Tourism Minister Derek Hanekom said in July the rules had to be
relaxed after a "worrying drop" in visitor numbers, but Home Affairs
Minister Malusi Gigaba argued at the time that they were needed to
guard against child trafficking.



Visitor numbers from China dropped sharply because prospective
visitors had to appear at the South African embassy or consulate in
person, which could require a long trek.



The department promised to "ease the process of application, in
particular for tourists," from countries like China, India and
Russia.



These could include a long-term multiple entry visa for over three
months and up to three years for frequent travellers, the department
said.



South Africa is considering a visa-waiver for India, China, Russia and
other countries and visas on arrival for visitors who have valid visas
for Britain, the United States, Canada or other countries that apply
stringent checks.


In the next three months,
• Implement the capturing of biometrics at ports of entry starting
with a pilot at OR Tambo, King Shaka and Cape Town airports;
• Look at introducing an accredited tourism company programme for
countries like China, India and Russia;


• Consider a long-term multiple entry visa for a period exceeding
three months and up to three years for frequent travellers (for
business meetings), business people and academics;


• Principals will issue letters confirming permission for children to
travel on school tours; and
• Extend the validity of the parental consent affidavit to six months.
Within a year,
• Add visa facilitation centres, including in Zimbabwe, United Arab
Emirates and Botswana;
• Consider a visa-waiver for India, China, Russia and other countries`;
• Look at issuing visas on arrival for persons travelling to SA having
in their passports valid visas for the UK, USA and Canada or any other
country that applies stringent checks on visitors to their countries,
to ease travel for tourists;
• Consider granting a certain category of frequent travellers
(business and academics) from Africa a 10 year multiple entry
visitor`s visa;
• Open two business visa facilitation centres in Durban and Port
Elizabeth, in addition to the centre recently opened in Sandton; and
• Print parents` details in their passports so that they do not have
to carry birth certificates.


In the long term, one year and beyond,
• Install systems for pre-flight checks at international airports;
• Upgrade advance passenger processing systems and implement passenger
name record, to enhance risk assessment; and
• Finalise automation of the visa and permitting system.


It says these measures will ensure the balance between national
security and economic interests of the country, without compromising
child safety.