Do you wish to retire in beautiful South Africa? If your answer is yes, you may look at the option of applying for a retired visa. A retired visa application may be submitted if you are of retirement age (although there is no current age restriction at hand) and can prove that you have the right to a pension or irrevocable annuity or retirement in the amount of at least ZAR 37 000 per month. You may also submit proof that you have the right to a minimum prescribed net worth of this amount per month. Some of the quintessential documents to be submitted with a retirement visa application are - A confirmation from the pension authorities that you are entitled to a monthly pension of at least ZAR 37 000 per month; or If based on assets being leased - a lease or tenancy agreement, proving that you receive a monthly rental of at least ZAR 37 000 per month Proof of ownership of the property being leased Bank statements, in your name, for the last 3 months proving that you are receiving the monthly ZAR 37 000 via means above Another inconsistent  requirement amongst Embassies is that a Chartered Accountant (CA) must confirm this income per month as well. In regard to the minimum net worth option, proof of a lump sum in cash form may also be submitted at Embassies accepting this requirement. This means, proof that you have cash available for the full duration of the retirement visa (4 years) may be submitted by means of bank statements. You may also look at the option of permanent residency (PR) based on retirement, so you can enjoy this magnificent country all year round. Should you wish to receive more information on this wonderful opportunity of retirement in sunny South Africa, you may reach out to us via our Contact Form on www.movingsouthimmigration.com . Alternatively, we may be reached on +2773 5357 534 or sue@movingsouthimmigration.com

On 01 September 2022, the Department of Home Affairs issued a blanket waiver until 31 March 2023 to those individuals who submitted their visa and waiver applications - enabling them to remain in South Africa whilst waiting for their outcomes. The blanket waiver also covered those who wished to travel out of South Africa without being declared undesirable. Sadly, and as we are approaching the end of the validity of this blanket waiver, we have not yet received a confirmation whether the waiver will be extended or not. It would be absolutely disastrous if the waiver is not extended as it is clear the backlog will not be sorted before 31 March 2023. However, it remains the prerogative of the Department on whether they will extend the blanket waiver or not. We are aware that this leaves applicants stuck between a rock and a hard place on whether they need to leave South Africa or not, however, we endeavour to update you as soon as we can. Should you have any pending questions on the process, please contact us via our Contact Form on www.movingsouthimmigration.com. Alternatively, we can be contacted via +2773 5357 534, WhatsApp on the same number or sue@movingsouthimmigration.com

On 29 August 2024, Home Affairs Minister, Dr Leon Schreiber, announced that outcomes of waiver applications for ZEP holders will be sent via email to applicants. This decision is effective immediately and these outcomes will typically be sent from the following email addresses - No-reply1.dhasa@vfshelpline.com No-reply2.dhasa@vfshelpline.com No-reply3.dhasa@vfshelpline.com No-reply4.dhasa@vfshelpline.com No-reply5.dhasa@vfshelpline.com No-reply6.dhasa@vfshelpline.com This wonderful news indeed follows the Minister's promise to start digitalizing the Department's processes, ensuring more efficiency within the office. It is the Department's intention to extend this outcome receipt method to other visa and permit applicants. Dr Schreiber indicated in his statement that through this digital change, a massive number of 60 582 outstanding ZEP waiver applications have been processed thus far. Another 22 529 ZEP waiver applications are set to be processed soon. Applicants are no longer required to visit their VFS submission office to collect the original waiver outcomes. As per confirmation from Dr Schreiber, these digital letters, if successful, can be used to submit a mainstream visa application going forward. Should applicants still be doubtful, they would still be able to collect their original ZEP waiver letters at their relevant VFS offices of submission though. Should you require any further information regarding this new digitalization process or have any other visa related questions, please reach out to us via our Contact Form on www.movingsouthimmigration.com . Alternatively, you can contact us on +2773 5357 534 or sue@movingsouthimmigration.com . We look forward to hearing from you.

On 01 December 2023, the Department of Home Affairs issued a statement announcing the extension of ZEP / LEP holders (current permit holders) for a further two years until 29 November 2025. This certainly comes as a big surprise to all stakeholders involved and whilst it's a relief to current ZEP and LEP holders who may not qualify for mainstream visas, it is also disappointing to hear that neither exemption still does not offer permanent residence in South Africa. The exemption permit holders will be allowed travels between South Africa and any other country. More importantly, the holder of an exemption permit cannot change his or her status within South Africa during the validity of the permit issued. The Minister issued directives extending the validity of the exemption permits until 31 December 2024 and these directives will be published in the Government Gazette on Monday, 04 December 2023. Individuals who applied previously for waivers and visa applications do not have to apply for new exemption permits as the validity of their expired exemption permits has been extended. Those who did not yet apply for waivers or visa applications are invited to apply for their new exemption permits through the VFS office - who in turn were instructed to fast track the application process. Should you require any further information regarding this announcement, please contact us via our Contact Form on www.movingsouthimmigration.com. Alternatively, please contact us on +2773 5357 534 or sue@movingsouthimmigration.com

It is with the utmost gratitude to announce that Moving South Immigration is celebrating its first birthday! The last year has been one of happiness, anxiety, uncertainty, excitement, hard work and everything you can possibly imagine when starting a new business. We wish to thank everyone for the support and the encouraging words thus far and we look forward to walking this journey with you.

If you are a ZEP holder and have not submitted your mainstream visa application yet, this reminder is for you. ZEP holders only have until 30 June 2023 to change to a mainstream visa in terms of the South African immigration law and if not, they unfortunately have to depart from this beautiful country or look into another alternative such as asylum seeker status or refugee status (which might really not be the best option). We therefore urge these individuals to submit their applications as soon as possible as there is, currently, NO alternative dispensation programme for a stay in South Africa. If you qualify for a critical skills work visa, please submit your application urgently. If you obtain your critical skills work visa, we recommend applying for permanent residence immediately should you qualify for same. This same recommendation is for those individuals who qualify for spousal visas and/or other visas. If you don't qualify for the above-mentioned, please still try a waiver for a general work visa. A friendly reminder that if you lived in South Africa for the last 5 years and longer, you do not require a police clearance from your home country anymore - only a clearance from South Africa which you can apply for at VFS on day of submission. Furthermore, the requirement of a radiological report has also been waived by the Department of Home Affairs. Should you require any further information regarding the change from ZEP to a mainstream visa, please reach out to us via our Contact Form on www.movingsouthimmigration.com. Alternatively, we can be contacted on +2773 5357 534 or sue@movingsouthimmigration.com

A business visa may be issued to a foreigner intending to establish or invest into a business in South Africa where he or she will be involved in the day-to-day operations of the company. Upon first application for a business visa, the prospective business owner needs to submit an undertaking (unless is an existing business) ensuring that the business will be registered with the following stakeholder departments - Companies and Intellectual Property Commission (CIPC) South African Revenue Services (SARS) Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) An undertaking to ensure that at least 60% of the total staff compliment will be South African citizens or permanent residence holders must be submitted as part of the application. The company has one (1) year to fulfill this undertaking. It is absolutely imperative to obtain a positive letter of recommendation from the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (DTIC) in support of the business visa application. When it comes to investment, a registered Chartered Accountant (CA) or a registered professional accountant must confirm, in writing, that at least R5 million in cash is available to be invested or at least an amount in cash and capital contributions are available to be invested into the book value of the business. The Director-General may reduce or waive the financial or capital contribution for businesses which fall within the national interest as outlined in the Government Gazette ie. the business must be classified as a desirable business. A business visa may be issued for a maximum period of three (3) years at a time. To know more about the business visa process, reach out to us via our Contact Form on www.movingsouthimmigration.com .  Alternatively, you may contact us on +2773 5357 534 or sue@movingsouthimmigration.com

To anyone who thought the backlog, which the Department of Home Affairs is currently experiencing, will clear soon - sadly we have some bad news. Although South African visa applications are being finalized, most applicants who submitted their application within South Africa early to mid 2022, are still awaiting outcomes of their visa applications. The Department endeavors to clear the backlog by mid-June 2024. We can only hope that the backlog will be cleared soon, but even more so, that applications are correctly adjudicated. Based on the above, we still strongly recommend that applicants submit their long-term visa applications in their home countries or where they hold long-term and valid residence. By doing so, they will experience a faster processing time by the South African mission and will most likely have better and easier access to the Consular sections as well. Please feel free to reach out to us via our Contact Form on www.movingsouthimmigration.com or alternatively contact us on +2773 5357 534 or sue@movingsouthimmigration.com We look forward to having a chat with you!

What is Proof of Permanent Residence or Proof of PR (POP) and the importance of it? This is a question we get asked often. Proof of PR applications are for the purpose of verifying a Permanent Residence holders' status in the Republic of South Africa. Lost Original Permanent Residence Certificate: This is an application which can be submitted if an individual lost his or her original Permanent Residence Certificate. As per condition of Home Affairs and stipulated on the PR Certificate, such a certificate only gets issued once and must be safeguarded at all times. The Department does not reissue a new certificate again. Upon the successful finalization of a POP application, a confirmation letter from the Department of Home Affairs will be issued, confirming the validity of the individual's residence status in South Africa. Citizenship applications: If an individual intends on applying for South African Citizenship via Naturalization, he or she must first apply for Proof of PR via the VFS office and obtain this confirmation from the Department of Home Affairs as part of the requirements. Permanent Residence status / ID book for a long time: Often individuals, who are in possession of a permanent residence status or Non-SA Citizen ID book for many years, are requested by immigration officials at airports to do a Proof of PR application in order to check if their status is still valid. We often pin this request to the fact that someone might have stayed out of South Africa for three (3) continuous years. A Proof of PR application must be submitted, in person, at the VFS office. Typical documents to submit are the following - Copy of current and previous passport (with PR endorsement, if applicable) Copy of Permanent Residence Permit issued by Home Affairs Copy of SA ID book, if applicable Proof that relevant compliance with conditions were met (whichever conditions were stipulated on the PR Certificate Completed online VFS application form Proof of payment made Any other relevant supporting documents that you wish to submit Should you have any other questions regarding the process of Proof of Permanent Residence (POP), feel free to reach out to us via our Contact Form on www.movingsouthimmigration.com. Alternatively, please contact us on sue@movingsouthimmigration.com or +2773 5357 534. We look forward to hearing from you.

Applicants who obtained their qualifications abroad and wish to apply for either a critical skills work visa or a general work visa for South Africa must have these qualifications evaluated by the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA). The primary purpose of SAQA is to assess these qualifications and determine their equivalence to the nearest South African National Qualifications Framework (NQF) level. Obtaining a SAQA certificate is a crucial requirement for both visa applications. While it is possible to request a waiver from the Department of Home Affairs for the SAQA evaluation requirement when applying for a general work visa, this requirement remains mandatory for a critical skills work visa application. Moreover, we advise holders of older SAQA certificates to be vigilant regarding the serial number on their certificates. This serial number is displayed in three locations on the certificate: the top right, bottom left, and bottom right. Notably, the serial number at the bottom right is issued in a different, dotted format. We strongly urge applicants to submit clear, colour-certified copies of this document, ensuring the legibility of all details, particularly the dotted serial number, when lodging visa applications within South Africa. Failure to provide a legible dotted serial number may result in the rejection of the visa application. We understand that this requirement might seem complex, but ensuring clarity and accuracy in your documentation is crucial for a successful application process. By adhering to these guidelines and ensuring all documentation is in order, applicants can avoid unnecessary delays and increase their chances of obtaining their desired visa. Should you require any further information on this particular topic, or the SAQA process, please reach out to us via our Contact Form on www.movingsouthimmigration.com. Alternatively, you may contact us on +2773 5357 534 or sue@movingsouthimigration.com We look forward to having a chat with you!

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

On 03 July 2024, Dr Leon Schreiber from the Democratic Alliance has been sworn in as the new Minister of Home Affairs. This change comes after South Africa formed a Government of National Unity (GNU) - a first for our country. Since obtaining his PhD in Political Science, Dr Leon Schreiber racked up an impressive and solid background in policy development as well as public administration and has become known as an individual tackling the bull by the horns when it comes to governmental issues. Although our new Minister has his work cut out for him, we are truly excited to see what he and his new administration has to offer. If he means anything with the words and we quote 'getting the basics right' as well as 'this department is fundamentally about human dignity, which has been infringed upon by the failures we have seen', we will see a complete shift on intentions of improving efficiency in service delivery as well as better communication with applicants. We look forward to seeing changes being implemented for the better and whilst we acknowledge that South Africa will likely first take a dip before real recovery in the immigration and civic services sectors can happen, we are still very excited! Should you wish to have a chat with us regarding how your immigration process might likely be affected, kindly contact us via our Contact Form on www.movingsouthimmigration.com . Alternatively, we can be contacted on sue@movingsouthimmigration.com or +2773 5357 534.