Home Affairs extends blanket waiver for pending waiver and appeal applications

Home Affairs extends blanket waiver for waiver and appeal applications

Home Affairs Minister, Dr Leon Schreiber, once again, extended the blanket waiver to applicants who are currently awaiting the outcomes of their submitted waiver and visa (not PR) appeal applications.

In a twist of note, the Department did NOT include any pending visa applications in this newly issued blanket waiver. This means, any applicant who applied for a long-term visa and still awaiting an outcome, is unfortunately not covered under this document.

Applicants who submitted their waiver or visa appeal applications prior to 23 September 2025, are now covered until 31 March 2026. This means applicants may travel, if required, from South Africa between now until 31 March 2026 on expired visas without being declared undesirable. They will be required, however, to present their original VFS receipts upon their departure from and entry into South Africa. Visa exempt nationals may simply enter South Africa again on their usual 30-90 day visas to collect the outcomes of their visa applications. However, unfortunately for nationals from visa-restricted countries, this is not the case. They must apply for and obtain a port of entry visa in order to be re-admitted into South Africa.

Appeal applicants, if travelling, are required to produce a copy of the rejection letter, together with their original VFS receipt as proof that the appeal application was submitted legally at the VFS office.

It is important to note that this blanket waiver ONLY covers applicants who submitted their visa appeal and waiver applications within South Africa prior to 23 September 2025 and who have been legally admitted into the country.

As per the Department of Home Affairs - any other person from the categories not listed in the blanket waiver and who have not received his or her outcome and the application was made before 07 March 2024 and remain pending is advised to urgently inquire by contacting the Home Affairs Contact Centre on email address hacc@dha.gov.za or may alternatively call them on 0800 601 190.

Please feel free to reach out to us via our contact form on www.movingsouthimmigration.com to discuss. Alternatively, you may contact us on +2773 5357 534 or sue@movingsouthimmigration.com