US President Donald Trump's administration has paused most visa services at the Harare embassy, citing high overstay rates by Zimbabwean visitors.
Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images
- The US has stopped most visa applications at Harare embassy over high overstay rates.
- Zimbabwe's B1/B2 visa overstay rate is 10.57%, or 709 people.
- Critics say the move will hurt students and global partnerships.

The United States government has temporarily halted visa applications by Zimbabweans at its Harare embassy as part of a bid to curb overstaying.
A notice on the embassy's website stated that the administration of US President Donald Trump had paused all routine visa operations beginning on Thursday, with the exception of most diplomatic and official visas.

"The Trump administration is protecting our nation and our citizens by upholding the highest standards of national security and public safety through our visa process.
"We are always working to prevent visa overstay and misuse," the notice stated.

According to a memo sent by the US Department of State and seen by Semafor, a senior official highlighted Zimbabwe's B1 and B2 visa overstay rate of 10.57% or 709 Zimbabweans.

The B1 visa is for individuals seeking to enter the US temporarily for business, while the B2 visa is for tourism, pleasure or medical treatment.
The official reportedly also raised concerns about overstay rates on student visas and Zimbabwe not agreeing to a so-called safe third country or third country national agreement that would permit asylum seekers to pursue their claim from a nation they previously travelled to.
Zimbabwe has been reeling under targeted US economic sanctions for the past 20 years. The sanctions were imposed in the early 2000s over human rights violations by the Zanu-PF government.

This pause on US visas at the Harare embassy comes just days after the US government also announced that some foreign citizens could be subject to bonds of up to $15 000 for visits on business or tourist visas.
On Tuesday, Zambia and Malawi were the inaugural entries on a list of countries that would be subject to the bonds.
Political analyst Rejoice Ngwenya described the move by the US as unfair.

Ngwenya said:
We know that Trump is on a cruise in terms of immigration policy, but global relationships are more important. This will really affect the exchange programmes for students.

"This is really a bad move, especially for students, because as Zimbabwe we benefit a lot from global partnership. I believe this thing should be reversed as soon as possible."

"On the other hand, we might be partly to blame because you would realise that when our citizens go to the United States they don't come back. But on this latest move, the US has to be lenient, especially to students," Ngwenya added.

In the past, prior to the amendments to the Immigration Act, it was possible for an illegal foreigner to “legalise” or “regularise” him/herself from within South Africa by making payment of the requisite fine. This is no longer the case and we are constantly encountering foreigners who find themselves illegally in South Africa with little hope of rectifying their situation.

The current dilemma

In many cases, these illegal foreigners elect to depart South Africa and contest any ban issued to them from outside of the country. This involves the submission of an overstay appeal to the Department of Home Affairs (“DHA”). A number of foreigners, however, simply have too much invested in South Africa and are unwilling to depart the country for fear of incurring a ban that may or may not be overturned.

What your options are

Where an illegal foreigner wishes to “legalise” him/herself from within South Africa, he/she must meet certain criteria in order to do so. For the sake of clarity, “legalising” a foreigner entails applying to DHA for authorisation for the foreigner to remain in South Africa whilst submitting a visa application and awaiting the subsequent outcome. The “legalisation” does not provide the foreigner with the rights attributed to the holder of a specific visa until such visa has actually been issued to the foreigner.

How to get started

In order to qualify for “legalisation”, an illegal foreigner must satisfy DHA that: he/she was unable to submit a visa application timeously for reasons beyond his/her control and; that he/she is now in a position to do so. The latter requirement will be met by providing DHA with proof of a completed visa application containing all the requisite documents. The former requirement, however, is slightly more problematic.

The question of what the phrase “for reasons beyond his/her control” refers to is not clearly answered in the Immigration Act, but it is generally accepted that these reasons include medical grounds and errors on the part of DHA. For example, where an Applicant has applied for a visa timeously, but DHA have subsequently lost the application and the foreigner’s visa has expired in the interim. All of this information will need to be provided to DHA in the form of written representations called an authorisation application. Such applications are commonly referred to as “good cause applications” by DHA officials.

Authorisation applications are assessed on a case-by-case basis and there is a degree of discretion applied by DHA in considering whether additional factors should be taken into consideration. A prominent factor taken into consideration will be whether the foreigner in question is married to a South Africa citizen or has South African children.

A Successful application

If such an application is successful, the foreigner will be provided with a Form 20 (also known as a letter of good cause) which authorises the foreigner to submit a visa application by a prescribed date. This authorisation lapses as soon as an outcome is received in the visa application. If the outcome is negative, the foreigner will need to depart South Africa immediately.

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Your compliance is our priority—let’s build your future together

You might have obtained your work visa recently and second-guessing whether your visa is valid or not, this is a tricky situation to be in. There are many people out there who pretend to be immigration consultants or immigration lawyers only to scam you and issue you with a fake visa. The worst is being arrested or being detained in South Africa for something that you are not responsible and the Department of Home Affairs is coming down hard on these individuals.

Many who don’t qualify for the critical skills are always looking at applying for the general work visa for South Africa and thus one of the most popular options to forge it because of how difficult it is to obtain it. While this could be true many temporary residence visas are forged throughout South Africa. How to apply for a General Work Visa in South Africa or apply for a work visa South Africa the right way.

Beware of people who guarantee you a visa, as no one in this industry can do that, not even the most experienced immigration consultant or immigration lawyer. There has been news of many immigration consultants who have promised people a visa and blackmailed immigration officials to approve these cases. Be careful of which services you make use of and always apply due diligence. The South African Department of Home Affairs will hold you accountable for any forged documents.

If you are considering applying for temporary visas then you need to ensure that you are making use of professional services. If you wondering how much does a work visa cost in South Africa. We created a blog post in detail about the cost.

To avoid getting a fake work visa, using reputable immigration agents South Africa will assist in getting a valid visa for you.

Many foreigners are working without a work visa in South Africa.

We have created a handy guide for you to read and to keep close, we would advise that you bookmark this blog post so that you can always reference it back and forth when you need the information.

Is my work visa fake?

Table of Contents

• Is my work visa fake?

o How do I know if my work visa is real?

• How do I check if my work visa is valid?

o You can use the following methods to verify:

o I would recommend keeping the following proof:

o Which visas can be obtained fraudulently?

• So when can you be arrested in SA?

• What to do if you are arrested with a fraudulent visa?

So currently there are two ways that a work visa can be forged and it’s important to understand the differences. Once you understand the different methods of fraudulent ways then you have a starting point to investigate from.

1. A work visa can be forged to look like a real visa, but this has not been printed and entered into the Department of Home Affairs system. So there is no record that it has been issued and details of your particulars.

 

2. Another way of obtaining a “visa” is through a corrupt Home Affairs official who you pay to illegally issue you a visa. The visa is entered onto DHA’s systems but your application has not been screened against the requirements.

How do I know if my work visa is real?

If you made use of an agency or person to get your visa and are worried if its a fraudulent visa then there are certain things you can look at with regards to the visas:

• The words used on the visa would differ from the standard wording on a legally obtained visa.

• There will be colour variations between a fraudulent and legally obtained visa.

• The fonts would be different.

• Your particulars would not be stored or listed on the Department of Home Affairs systems.

• Extremely high fees to get the visa.

Furthermore, there are more important things you can take into consideration if your visa is fraudulent:

• If the person representing you has not requested you to submit your application through VFS then this is a major red flag. All applicants in South Africa are required to submit their applications through VFS.

• You are not allowed to apply for a change of status in SA meaning that if you are on a visit visa then you cannot apply for a work visa.

• Have yourself assessed with an alternative immigration agency to find out if you qualify

If you are paying a home affairs official to get your visa, then you would be held responsible when caught and can face deportation or imprisonment.

Our advice is that it’s better to go the legal route, even though it might take longer and not as quick as you would like. The immigration agent or lawyer can tell you immediately if you qualify or what you need to do to qualify.

How do I check if my work visa is valid?

There are various ways you can check if your work visa is valid in South Africa but you have to tread carefully as the Department of Home Affairs will hold you accountable for this in which you could be banned, fined or imprisoned. Therefore it is in your best interest to check if the person assisting you has a registered business, registered for tax and VAT.

You can use the following methods to verify:

• Email the verifications department: VisaVerifications.Missions@dha.gov.za

• Call the verifications department: 012 406 – 4432

• Walk into the Department of Home Affairs to find out from an immigration officer.

When making use of a representative to apply on your behalf we recommend that you keep a trail of paperwork and any communication. This is the best way so that you have proof if ever you are arrested and detained, in this way a lawyer can represent you which you would have proof.

Before you apply make sure that you have applied your due diligence to the person representing you. 

You can verify if your family visa South Africa is valid for example.

I would recommend keeping the following proof:

• Email trails

• Record all phone calls

• Keep invoices

• Record all in-person meetings

The more proof you have the better and keep these in a safe place where they are easily accessible should you need them in future.

We recommend that corporate businesses verify an applicants work visa as they can be held accountable for employing a foreign national with fraudulent papers.

Accompanying spouses in South Africa must apply for their own independent work visa as they are not allowed to work whilst on a dependent visa. There is no such thing as a accompanying spouse work visa in South Africa.

Which visas can be obtained fraudulently?

• General Work Visas

• Spouse Visas

• Life Partner Visas

• Study Visas

• Retirement Visas

• Critical Skills Visas

• Corporate Visas

• Intra-company transfer visas

• Relatives visas

• Permanent residence visas

So when can you be arrested in SA?

The South African immigration act mentions the following when you are considered to be in contravention of the act:

• In possession of a fraudulent or fake visa

• Expired visa

• Not adhering to the conditions of your visa.

• Not in possession of a visa

The experience of being arrested in SA is not a good one and therefore always ensure that you are on the right side of the law. You will never be asked to show your papers but immigration officers have the right to request to see them at any given time. Remember that if you are committing a crime in any sense, you will be imprisoned.

The best thing to do is always keep your passport and visa with you wherever you go and have a telephone or mobile number of someone you can call in SA preferably in the same town as you to help you if you are arrested. We would advise that you beforehand give the person a copy of your passport bio page, visa stamps, contact details for a family member back in your country of residence. The last thing I recommend is giving the person the details of your embassy or consulate in SA to assist you.

What to do if you are arrested with a fraudulent visa?

The South African government together with DHA are cracking down on fraudulent visas and when caught you will be locked up immediately. Our advice does not to try and fight the police or officials and don’t be abusive towards them either. You will be taken to the nearest police station and you will be kept separate.

• Call a family member to let them know you’ve been arrested.

• Ask them to hire an attorney

• Instruct your family member on how to get access to your funds should the need arise

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Contact SA Migration today to schedule a free consultation. With 25 years of experience and full compliance with the Department of Home Affairs, Labour, SAPS, and Courts, we’re here to ensure your success.

• 📞 WhatsApp: +27 82 373 8415

📧 Email: info@samigration.com

🌐 Website: www.samigration.com

• Your compliance is our priority—let’s build your future together

o increase your chances of scoring 100 points for the Critical Skills Work Visa in South Africa, you need to maximize your eligibility based on the points system used by the Department of Home Affairs (DHA). This system evaluates your profile in areas such as qualifications, work experience, age, and other relevant factors. Here’s how you can improve your points and overall application:

1. Qualifications (Maximizing Points for Education)
• Higher Education: The more advanced your qualifications, the more points you’ll earn. Holding a PhD or Master's Degree in a field related to your critical skill will give you the highest points.
o PhD: Earns the maximum points in the education category.
o Master's Degree: Also scores high but slightly less than a PhD.
o Bachelor's Degree: You still earn points, but less than for a Master's or PhD.

How to Maximize:
• Obtain the highest possible academic qualifications in your critical skill area.
• Have your qualifications evaluated by SAQA (South African Qualifications Authority) to ensure they meet South African standards.
2. Work Experience (Maximizing Points for Experience)
• Relevant Experience: The more years of relevant work experience in your critical skill area, the more points you will earn.
o 10+ years of experience in a critical skill will get you the maximum points.
o 5 to 10 years of experience will earn fewer points, while less than 5 years will score lower.

How to Maximize:
• Ensure you provide detailed proof of your relevant work experience, including letters from employers, employment contracts, and a CV highlighting your specific critical skills.
• Focus on getting experience in the specific critical skill category that aligns with South Africa’s needs (e.g., ICT, engineering, finance, healthcare).
3. Professional Registration (Boost Your Points with Professional Membership)
• Professional Body Membership: If your critical skill requires registration with a South African professional body, obtaining this membership will significantly boost your points.
o Registration with a professional body is essential for certain sectors like engineering, medical, and legal professions.

How to Maximize:
• Register with the relevant South African professional council or regulatory body (e.g., ECSA for engineers, SAICA for accountants, HPCSA for healthcare professionals).
• Keep your membership active and up to date before applying.
4. Job Offer (Get Points for Securing Employment)
• Having a valid job offer from a South African employer related to your critical skill will give you a higher chance of scoring maximum points.

How to Maximize:
• Secure a job offer from a recognized employer before applying for the visa.
• Ensure the job is directly related to your critical skill, and that the employer can provide detailed documentation.
5. Age (Gain Points for Being in a Preferred Age Range)
• Applicants between the ages of 25 and 40 typically earn the most points. Younger applicants (under 25) and older applicants (over 45) score fewer points.

How to Maximize:
• If you are in the 25 to 40 age bracket, this is a strong point in your favor. If you are younger or older, focus on maximizing points in other categories like qualifications and experience.
6. Language Proficiency
• Being proficient in English (or other official South African languages) may also contribute to a higher score, as it ensures that you can integrate and work effectively in South Africa.
How to Maximize:
• Provide evidence of language proficiency if required, such as passing an internationally recognized English language test (e.g., IELTS) if applicable.
7. Additional Points:
• Contributions to South Africa’s Economy: If your skills directly contribute to the development of South Africa's economy or specific industries (such as ICT, engineering, or healthcare), this will further boost your points.
• Permanent Residency Pathway: Earning 100 points is also a good pathway toward obtaining permanent residency later on if you plan to settle in South Africa.

Conclusion:
To score 100 points for the Critical Skills Work Visa, you should focus on:
• Maximizing your qualifications (higher education and SAQA accreditation).
• Gaining significant work experience (ideally 10+ years in your critical skill).
• Registering with a professional body related to your critical skill.
• Securing a job offer in your critical skill area.
• Applying within the optimal age range (25-40). By strengthening these areas, you’ll increase your chances of scoring highly and successfully obtaining the Critical Skills Work Visa.

Don’t risk your income or future—let SA Migration help you stay legal and live stress free .
• 🚗 Call to Action:
Contact SA Migration today to schedule a free consultation. With 25 years of experience and full compliance with the Department of Home Affairs, Labour, SAPS, and Courts, we’re here to ensure your success.
• 📞 WhatsApp: +27 82 373 8415
📧 Email: info@samigration.com
🌐 Website: www.samigration.com
• Your compliance is our priority—let’s build your future together

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Please email us to info@samigration.com
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The short answer
To be on the safe side, perhaps it would be wise to apply for temporary visas for the family, as well as permanent residence for the whole family, you included.

The whole question
I hold a temporary visa. Can I apply for permanent residence from my home country so that I can apply together with my family? Does my family need to have temporary visas first or can they just apply for permanent residency at the same time as me?

The long answer
In answer to this question: Can my accompanying family apply for permanent residence with me at the same time? samigration . says the following:
“Yes, as long as the applications of the whole family are submitted at the same time then the immediate accompanying family of foreigners applying for permanent residence may apply together. Should the applications not be submitted at the same time, the accompanying family will need to wait for the successful outcome of the main applicant’s permanent residence application to be in a position to apply for permanent residence as his or her immediate family. The foreign spouse of a permanent resident applicant is only eligible to apply for permanent residence having been espoused for at least 5 years.”

As a temporary residence permit has to be renewed online at VFS Global, 60 days before it expires, Sa Migration adds, “In the first instance, it is possible in most cases, for the individual to apply for permanent residency at the same time they apply for temporary residency. The Department of Home Affairs currently has a backlog of permanent residency applications and therefore the processing of these can take anywhere between 12 and 30 months. However, in many cases the permanent residency will be issued before the temporary residency expires, therefore negating the issue of an expired temporary visa.”
As you know, a temporary visa holder can apply for permanent residence after five years of staying in South Africa on the basis of a work permit. It is possible to apply for permanent residency) from outside South Africa as well as within South Africa.

But as Home Affairs says that the permanent residency permit “is also applicable to spouses and dependents of South African citizens/permanent residence permit holders” (my emphasis), it is not clear to me whether the accompanying family must first apply for temporary visas or not. To be on the safe side, perhaps it would be wise to take Intergate Immigration’s tip and apply for temporary visas for the family, as well as permanent residence for the whole family including the main holder of the temporary visa at the same time.

🚗 Call to Action:
Contact SA Migration today to schedule a free consultation. With 25 years of experience and full compliance with the Department of Home Affairs, Labour, SAPS, and Courts, we’re here to ensure your success.
📞 WhatsApp: +27 82 373 8415
📧 Email: info@samigration.com
🌐 Website: www.samigration.com
Your compliance is our priority—let’s build your future together

How can we help you?
Please email us to info@samigration.com
Whatsapp message us on: +27 82 373 8415

Where are you now?
Check our website : www.samigration.com

Please rate us by clinking on this links :
Sa Migration Visas
https://g.page/SAMigration?gm


Get More Info By Following Our Page: https://www.youtube.com/@samigration