SA Migration International

News Articles

Relaxation of visa rules and government`s plan of action

Source: ENSafrica, 30/10/2015

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.

Visa rules, such as the requirement for travellers to apply for visas
in person, will be relaxed in countries where there is no South
African mission, to allow for postal application. Biometric details,
such as fingerprints and photographs, will then be gathered on arrival
at ports of entry. Measures will also be put in place to ease the
process of application for tourist visas in countries where the sparse
location of offices may pose an impediment to in-person
applications.

For visa-exempt countries, the requirement of an unabridged birth
certificate and parental consent affidavits will likely be lifted, but
the Department of Home Affairs has already indicated that a strong
advisory will be issued encouraging travellers to carry proof of
relationship and consent from the absent parent(s) or guardian(s), as
the department will naturally retain discretion to ask for this on
arrival, particularly in suspicious circumstances.

Child-travel requirements for outbound travel will remain. For
non-visa exempt children, original birth certificates and parental
consent will still need to be submitted during the visa application
process.

Requirements regarding unaccompanied minors, such as the need to
produce copies of the identity document or valid passport and visa or
permanent residence permit of the person who is to receive an
unaccompanied minor, will remain. Parental consent affidavits will
have longer validity of six months.

In order to implement Cabinet decisions on this matter, the Department
of Home Affairs has been mandated to do the following:

In the next three months:
• implement the capturing of biometrics at ports of entry, starting
with a pilot project at OR Tambo International Airport, King Shaka
International Airport and Cape Town International Airport.

• investigate the possibility of introducing an Accredited Tourism
Company Programme for countries like China, India and Russia.

• consider the issuance of 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.

This visa is not expected to be issued to first
time travellers to South Africa.

• school principals will be allowed to issue letters confirming
permission for children to travel abroad on school tours.

• extend the validity of the parental consent affidavit to six
months.

Within 12 months:
• mandate additional visa facilitation centres, including in Zimbabwe,
the United Arab Emirates and Botswana.

• consider visa waivers for India, China, Russia and other countries
(presumably countries from which tourism numbers are anticipated to be
high).

• consider visas on arrival for persons who hold valid visas in their
passports for the United Kingdom, the United States of America and
Canada, and other countries that apply stringent protocols in their
visa issuance processes.

• consider granting a certain category of frequent travellers
(business and academic) 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 existing centre in Sandton,
Johannesburg.

• print the details of parents in South African passports, so that the
birth certificate requirement will fall away.

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 Records, to enhance risk assessment.

• finalise automation of the visa and permitting system.

Search

Latest News

This was revealed in the 2025 Easter border operations report, which saw border management authority officials, saps officers and home affairs workers intensify efforts to prevent illegal travel into the country over the holiday period.JOHANNESBURG - Zimbabwean nationals have been identified as the leading individuals attempting to illegally gain entry into South Africa.... Read more...

THE High Court has nullified the re-registration of a birth certificate for a child born out of wedlock, ordering the Registrar-General to strike it from the records.This ruling declared the birth certificate invalid, questioning the legality of attributing paternity to a deceased man decades after his death.The dispute arose from a contested inheritance involving the late Lazarus Mkuduâs estate.Teresiah Mkudu, the applicant, sought a declaratory order to invalidate Ruvimbo Manyondaâs birth certificate, issued nearly 20 years after Mkuduâs death.... Read more...

Residents from 34 countries can now apply for a visa to South Africa online. There are now 34 countries that can apply for a visa to South Africa online, which National Treasury says will help attract more tourists and skills into the country.This was trumpeted in Wednesday`s Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement (MTBPS) as being one of the key successes of Operation Vulindlela. Operation Vulindlela is a joint initiative of the Presidency and National Treasury to assist in the acceleration of critical reforms needed to accelerate the economy.... Read more...