Pending applications - yet another concession granted

Newly appointment Minister of Home Affairs, Dr Leon Schreiber, and in one of his first acts in office, once again, extended the blanket waiver to applicants who are currently awaiting the outcomes of their submitted long-term visa, appeal or waiver applications.

According to the Minister's statement, the department cut through 92 886 applications out of a total of 306,042 applications. The Minister also stated that the department needs to do more as the clearing of his massive backlog is the only way to avoid another extension of the concession on visa, appeal as well as waiver application - quite a big mountain of work ahead for adjudicators.

Applicants who submitted their long-term visa, waiver or appeal applications prior to 30 June 2024, are now covered until 31 December 2024. This means applicants may travel, if required, from South Africa between now until 31 December 2024 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.

Although this is somewhat a relief for applicants who are still waiting on their outcomes, we know first prize will always be to receive the visa outcome.

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

Upon publishing of this article, the signed blanket waiver has not yet been Gazetted, but we are hoping to receive this soon.

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