The Department of Home Affairs (DHA) revealed the average time it has taken over the past two years for a decision on work visas to be made, but poor administration has meant applicants have waited far longer than what the department claims.

During a parliamentary Q&A, the department was asked whether it has established standards for the time period a decision on an application will be made for each visa type made available to foreign nationals for entrance into South Africa.

This query comes in light of concerns that long waiting times for visa approvals where having a direct economic contribution as far as employment and investment are concerned.

The relevant visas of concern include critical skill work visas, general work visas, and business visas.

In response, the department said the standards regarding turnaround times are as follows:

• Critical Skill work visa: turnaround time is four weeks;

• General work visa: turnaround time is eight weeks; and

• Business visa: turnaround time is eight weeks.

Considering these standards, the department further provided the average time it has taken over the past two years for a decision on each visa type to be made and communicated to the applicants.

According to the data in the department’s Annual Performance Plan �` the average number of weeks to finalise business and general work visas has been within the department’s standards �` taking between 5.3 and 6 weeks over 2021/22 and 4.3 and 4.7 weeks over 2022/23. 

However, critical skills work visas are of concern, taking much longer than the standard to be finalised. According to the department, these visas took, on average, between 4.6 and 5 weeks in 2021/22 and 6 and 6.5 weeks in 2022/23.

This delay in critical skills visas are holding back skilled immigrants from working in South Africa, said Busi Mavuso, the CEO of Businesses Leadership South Africa (BLSA).

Concerningly, the CEO noted that some people have been waiting much longer than the average turnaround times the department claim, with some waiting over six months to receive a work visa.

“The current visa regime makes it more difficult for businesses to expand their operations,” said Mavuso.

“Foreign companies cannot commit to major investments in South Africa when they cannot be confident that they can send their top people into the country,” she added.

Included in the department’s parliamentary response, it said the volume of applications received and accepted daily by Home Affairs currently exceeds the available human resource capacity.

However, the department has already been open and transparent by publicly announcing that the current backlog will be cleared by June 2024, while the DHA has outlined an implementation plan to ensure the recommendations published in the report under Operation Vulindlela are adopted.

Recommendations made under the report include, but are not limited to:

• Improving efficiencies

• Streamlining documentation and adjudication processes

• Modernising and automating the IT systems

• Increasing capacity at immigration branches

ZEP Holders Speak On Pending Court Ruling 

05 June 2023 | Zimeye

By-Lawyers representing Zimbabweans with the Zimbabwean Exemption Permits Association said they will appeal if the Pretoria High Court rules in favour of the South African Government in their court application on the discontinuation of the Zimbabwean Exemption Permit (ZEP).

ZEPHA legal counsel, Advocate Simba Chitando is seeking the court to grant ZEP holders permanent residence in South Africa. 

ZEP expires on 30 June 2023 but there are no indications as to when the Pretoria High Court will deliver its ruling on the application by ZEPHA and other human rights organisations such as the Helen Suzman Foundation (HSF).

HSF has argued that the decision by South Africa’s Department of Home Affairs to terminate the ZEP scheme without proper public consultation is unlawful and wants the court to set aside the directive.

Asked on SABC  what the plan was if the court rules in favour of the South African Government, Chitando said:

The litigation has been brought not just by the Helen Suzman Foundation but also by several other parties.

If successful in that litigation… we will wait for the relief and the relief will give us direction about what will happen to the ZEP holders.

Some of the parties that have instituted the litigation sought permanent residence… which is what the institution I am representing is seeking while the Suzman Foundation wants the Government to reconsider their decision.

Either way, we are bound by the court decision and we do not know when it will take place.

If we are successful… the Government would have to take a decision on whether they are going to appeal the judgement and obviously if we are unsuccessful I can guarantee you that we would appeal the judgement that is not in favour of ZEP holders.

The Zimbabwe Exemption Permit (ZEP) system was introduced more than a decade ago to regularise the status of Zimbabweans who were illegally in SA due to political and economic hardships at home.

The Department of Home Affairs last year announced that the ZEP system would be terminated in June 2023, by which time ZEP holders would have to apply for “regular” SA visas.

Several Lesotho nationals living and working under the so-called Lesotho Exemption Permit have likewise been told that their services are no longer required.

www.samigration.com

South Africa’s visa chaos – legal action is an option

05 June 2023 | Businesstech

The visa backlog at home affairs is causing serious headaches for people looking to travel or work in South Africa.

Marisa Jacobs, Managing Director of Xpatweb, said that the Department of Home Affairs’ decision to withdraw the central adjudication system has led to a major visa backlog, with the minister of home affairs, Aaron Motsoaledi, saying that the backlog stands at over 60,000.

The minister has, however, announced a new visa cession extending to 31 December 2023.

Jacobs gave details about who qualified for the new visa concession:

• Applicants whose waiver application outcomes are still pending as of 31 March 2023 are granted a temporary extension until 31 December 2023.
• Applicants whose visa applications (long-term visa holders) are still pending are granted a temporary extension until 31 December 2023.
• Short-term visa holders whose visa validity was issued for less than 90 days, and who have not received an extension by 31 March 2023, must depart on or before 30 April 2023, to avoid being declared undesirable.

However, others are not covered by the concession:

• Any pending applications at Embassies.
• Limited cover for short-term visa holders.
• ZEP holders, even where there is a pending application.

However, she said that the concession was ambiguous in some cases. She added that those who are covered by the concession and plan to travel outside of South Africa should bring their VFS Global receipt and concession letter to avoid any issues when they return to the country.

When it comes to those whose application is urgent or overdue, she said that they can consider legal action to speed up the process.

She added that her company was successful when it escalated its clients’ urgent applications to the High Court – if the urgency was supported by facts.

Considering the difficulty in getting long-term mainstream visas in South Africa, Marissa said that individuals and businesses should establish a well-defined strategy and roadmap to deal with their applications, as it will help them in the application process while also covering those who have already been granted an extension from any unexpected requests.

Could soon get better

Jacobs and Eden Ben-Attar from Xpatweb previously said that the work visa system in South Africa is currently the worst it has ever been.

“Other countries get certain visa categories issued at record speed and with high proficiency. The current system places foreign investors in a difficult spot, as they need to be prepared for a frustrating process and a bit of a fight to get their visa,” said Xpatweb.

The major backlog in work visa applications has made South Africa a less attractive destination to much-needed skilled workers.

Although the government tried to launch an initiative in 2022 where the head office would manage the work visa approvals instead of embassies to ensure consistency in documentation and address corruption, Xpatweb said that it appears to have failed.

“Various directives were issued in this regard and to the point where the work visa adjudication process was handed back to Embassies on new submissions. The embassies have not taken back the Head Office submissions during the directive period, so these remain with Head Office according to the certain embassies,” said Xpatweb.

However, following consistent concern over the failure of the Department of Home Affairs, President Cyril Ramaphosa said that government will overhaul the visa system.

In May, Operation Vulindlela, an initiative between the Presidency and National Treasury to drive policy implementation, published a detailed report on how to improve the visa regime.

The Department of Home Affairs has also set out an implementation plan that will ensure that the implementation plan is adopted.

www.samigrtion.com

South Africa Evisa Problems And Solutions

SA Migration | 02 June 2023

Planning to go to South Africa soon? You'll have to apply for an online visa for South Africa before going to the country.

But, there are some issues that you can face with the South Africa evisa application process.

I have identified the issues and how you can solve the issues and visit South Africa in no time.

Let's get straight into it.

What Are The South Africa E-visa Problems?

Here are some of the South Africa E-visa problems 2023 you could run into:

• The South Africa Evisa portal is extremely hard to navigate
• "Date and month validation mixed up" error
• Unable to complete the online application successfully
• Awaiting adjudication outcome
• Communication errors
• Frequent system failures
• Backlog issues
• Errors when uploading documentation
• Getting stuck on the payment page

The South Africa E-visa Portal Is Extremely Hard To Navigate

The South Africa e visa official website has been unstable and it isn't easy to navigate easily through the application process. Making it hard to understand what to do while filling out your application.

"Date And Month Validation Mixed Up" Error

When you try to fill up the e-visa form. It's a very lengthy process, you'll run into errors as you fill out the form. When you fill up the date of birth, It shows that it has already been filled, and the date of birth is future, it also shows the "date and month validation mixed up".

Unable To Complete The Online Application Successfully

As the South Africa Evisa portal keeps giving errors, and the dates keep on changing when you click on a different tab. This is one of the issues that a lot of applicants are facing.

Awaiting Adjudication Outcome

When travelers log into their accounts and check the South Africa e visa status of their visa it says "Awaiting adjudication outcome", in many cases this South Africa e visa status remains for months with no update. There are some applicants who managed to apply and complete their South Africa e-visa application. But, they still haven't received their South Africa evisa for Indians in months. The awaiting adjudication outcome of South Africa e-visa is quite a common issue experienced.

Communication Errors

Some travelers have reported on Tripadvisor that they have struggled to get any communication back when they have reached out for help. Some travelers also reported waiting 4 months for their evisa South Africa with no communication from the South Africa e-visa service.

Frequent System Failures

This leads to a lot of frustration as every time you will need to restart your application process again. Sometimes you get the system failure and then are left unsure whether your application has been successfully submitted.

Backlog issues

The South Africa Evisa service is struggling to cope with the system and the applications already received. Making the South Africa e visa processing time much longer than it's supposed to take.

Errors When Uploading Documentation

Travelers have reported on Tripadvisor that they receive an error every time they try to upload their documentations on the system.

Getting Stuck On The Payment Page

If you're able to complete your application, then you get stuck in the payment stage. There is no button for "Next" to get the payment details. The whole application process is really time-consuming and frustrating as you don't know what's going on.

How To Solve The South Africa Evisa Problems

Throughout all these stressful and unending issues with the South Africa online visa, I found solutions to some of these issues that you can try.

Use a different Device

This is the most useful solution and seems to solve a lot of application problems for many people. There are people who keep getting errors when they use Mac books. The solution to this is to use a different device, such as a Windows laptop.

Apply Through The VFS Centre Or South African Mission

You can apply for your South African visa through the VFS center or the South African embassy. But, these two institutions will scan and email the application to the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) office, headquartered in Pretoria, then when your visa is approved, they will send it back to where you've applied.

Change Your Computer's Regional Settings To South Africa

Some people have reported that the issues such as the "date and month validation mixed up" error is sometimes solved by changing your computer's regional settings to South Africa.

Contact Your Nearest South African Embassy/Consulate

In some cases contacting your local embassy could help you get some assistance on your application. They can also assist you with how to apply in person if this is the next option for you.

It seems like South Africa has taken these struggles to heart and has implemented another company to assist them in building a better Evisa South Africa system. However, the latest news on this, Nov 2022, suggests this process might take a while.

All Done

You can check our South Africa tourist visa and South Africa evisa blogs to read up more on how to effectively apply for your visa without any issues.

Happy traveling!

Frequently Asked Questions

Is South Africa E Visa Not Working?

The South African electronic visa system is now live and working. The eVisa for South Africa was launched in February 2022 for travelers from 14 countries. The eVisa system makes traveling to South Africa easier.

However there are many problems with the online application process at the moment.

How Long Does The South African EVisa Take?

The South Africa evisa processing time takes a few business days for a South African eVisa application from India. However, at times of high demand, it may take longer.

Are Visas Being Processed In South Africa?

Yes. However, there's a high demand and backlogs, so it may take longer.

Why Are Visas Taking So Long In South Africa?

The South Africa evisa processing time will take longer with the new system because of challenges such as staff shortages and rotational work arrangements, frequent system failures, communication issues, and existing backlogs.

How Long Does It Take For A Visa To Be Approved?

It takes a few business days to 4 weeks and even longer to process a South African eVisa application from India.

How Do I Track My South African Visa Application?

You may also be able to get updates by SMS sent directly to your phone. Check whether this service is available at the Visa Application center you are visiting. You can also track your visa application status online. Use the Reference Number present on the invoice/receipt issued by the Visa Application Center and your last name to access this service.

Is It Easy To Get South Africa Tourist Visa For Indians?

Yes. The process can be easy to obtain a South African Tourist Visa.

How Much Is The South African Visa Fee?

The South African online visa fee is approx. INR 2040, but you are charged a service fee either you apply through the visa service center or the South African embassy In India. Visa fees are payable online by debit or credit card.

Do Indians Need A Visa for South Africa?

Yes, Indian passport holders need a visa to enter South Africa. Indian tourists and other short-term visitors can now get a South Africa online visa. The new electronic application system is the fastest and most convenient way to obtain a South African visa from India.

What Type Of South Africa Visa Can Indians Apply For?

There are several types of visas that Indians can apply for. It all depends on your trip purpose. Here are there South African entry visas you can apply for:

• Short-stay visa: Visits to family or friends for business purposes. The spouse is to join a spouse in South Africa on a work or study permit, and the children are to join parents in South Africa on work or study permits.
• Business Visas: Foreigners who are contemplating investing in the South African economy by establishing a business or by investing in an existing business in the country must apply for a business visa if it is their intention to be employed in the business.
• General Work Visas: General Work Visas are issued to foreigners where it has been proven beyond reasonable doubt that South African citizens and permanent residents with relevant qualifications, skills, and experience are not available for appointment. - Student Visas: Study visas are only issued for studies at selected learning institutions.
• Medical Treatment Visa: Any foreigner who needs to undergo medical treatment in the Republic must apply for a medical treatment visa, which visa may be issued for six months at a time.

The e Visa For South Africa Is Available To Which Countries?

Please note that the South African eVisa system is currently only available for citizens from the following nationalities:

Cameroon, China, Congo (Kinshasa), Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Iran, Kenya, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, the Philippines, Saudi Arabia, and Uganda.

What Are The Required Documents For A South Africa Visa?

Like any other international travel, you must apply and meet the visa entry requirements for a South Africa Visa for Indians. You will need the following documents:

• A valid passport: Have at least one blank page in your passport.
• Sufficient funds: Proof of financial means to pay for your living expenses in South Africa through bank statements.
• A yellow-fever certificate: Suppose your journey starts or entails passing through the yellow fever belt of Africa or South America.
• Two color passport photographs.
• A return ticket if you travel by air.

www.samigration.com

Dr Nandipha Magudumana hires top lawyer Anton Katz in her bid for freedom, seeks to prove she was unlawfully extradited, not deported

IOL | 02 June 2023

The case continues.

www.samigration.com