SA to set up visa centre in Harare

Source: Nehanda Radio, 03/11/2015

SOUTH Africa will next year set up a visa facilitation centre in
Harare targeting Zimbabweans who wish to apply for study and work
permits.



Mayihlome Tshwete, the spokesperson for South Africa`s Department of
Home Affairs, yesterday told The Chronicle that the move follows
recommendations by that country`s inter-ministerial committee, which
was established by President Jacob Zuma in August.


"Plans are underway to establish a visa facilitation centre in
Zimbabwe within the next 12 months so that locals who intend to apply
for South African study, work and business permits can utilise the
facility without necessarily travelling to our country.


"The Department of Home Affairs is implementing the inter-ministerial
committee recommendations under the Immigration Amendment Acts (2007
and 2011) and Immigration Regulations, 2014," said Tshwete.


The other countries that have been identified for the same project
include Botswana and the United Arab Emirates.


Tshwete said they were also considering granting a certain category of
frequent travellers who include businesspeople and academics from
Africa a multiple entry visitors` visa in the next 12 months.


"We`re also in the next three months considering a long-term multiple
entry visas for a period exceeding three months and up to three years
for frequent travellers such as businesspeople and academics," he
said.


In August last year, South Africa introduced the Zimbabwe Special
Project (ZSP) allowing Zimbabwean holders of the special permits to
work, conduct business or study in South Africa for three years, until
December 31, 2017.


Under ZSP Zimbabweans had to apply for the permits at 11 visa
facilitation centres dotted in that country`s 10 provinces. The Home
Affairs Department engaged VFS Global, as a partner, to receive the
applications. VFS Global started receiving applications online on
October 1, 2014.


By August this year, Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba said since
the inception of the ZSP, 197,303 applications have been adjudicated
and a total of 185,075 approved.


The special permits were introduced to allow Zimbabweans a three-year
residency in South Africa. ZSP is a programme that replaced
Dispensation for Zimbabwe Project (DZP) which ran from May to December
31, 2010. Only those who benefited under the DZP programme were
eligible to apply for work and study permits under ZSP.


South Africa started accepting permit applications for the DZP permit
holders on October 1, 2014. The Chronicle