Travel visa reviews yet to be implemented

Source: Swazi Observer, 08/11/2015

Joy over the review of the problematic travel visas into South Africa
might have been prematurely.


According to Acting South African High Commissioner Annell van Zyl,
the recommendations are still to be fully implemented.


This follows the about-turn that the South African government has
performed in the controversial visa regulations that forced tourists
to carry an unabridged birth certificate of a minor child when
travelling to South Africa.


The acting high commissioner has told this publication that for now
people going to South Africa with children under the age of 18 should
still produce the unabridged certificates until the recommendations
have been fully implemented.


"The visa regulations have not fallen away completely yet as much as
it has been recommended by cabinet. It still remains recommendations
until further notice," she said.


South African publications reported recently that the recommendations
that were made would mean parents travelling into that country with
children would now only be required to produce only birth certificates
following cabinet`s approval of the revision of the controversial
immigration regulation for foreign visitors.


Tourism minister Derek Hanekom made the announcement at a cabinet
press conference two weeks ago. He said it would no longer be
mandatory for inbound travellers from visa-exempt countries to carry
unabridged birth certificates for children travelling with
them.


It was said there were a number of things that would have to be done
by the South African home affairs department to implement cabinet`s
decision in the next three months, while other recommendations are
expected to be done within the next year, and some in the long term.



Officers not aware
Local immigration officers are not aware of a review that was made in
South Africa about any changes that are expected to be implemented on
the visa regulations.


Immigration officers at the Ngwenya Border Post said all along they
were only assisting travellers with what may be required of them on
the South African side if travelling with children. They said,
however, that nothing had been communicated with them through the home
affairs department if there would be any changes.


"Since the regulation was made in South Africa the problem mainly was
on the other side and our duty was only to inform them of what they
would need when they got to the other side because they were getting
turned back.


Nothing new has been communicated to us yet and we are hopeful that it
is yet to be communicated as we are expected to have a bilateral
meeting before the festive season," said one staffer.


Senior management was reluctant to comment on the matter. The
immigration laws saw a number of Swazi parents struggling with
crossing the border with their children under 18, especially single
parents who had separated with the father of their children. On the
first days the regulations were implemented a number of parents were
turned back at the border to get the appropriate paper work.