South African Immigration News: Temporary Concession for Foreign Nationals
On 28 March 2025, the Department of Home Affairs issued an extension of its temporary concession granted to foreign nationals affected by delays in the processing of applications for long-term visas, visa waivers and visa appeals. The concession is now extended until 30 September 2025.
The previous temporary concession was published on 18 December 2024 and extended the validity of current visas and visa waivers until 31 March 2025.
The following measure apply under the newly extended concession.
Pending visa waiver applications
• Visa holders, who have applied for a waiver and whose waiver application is still pending as of 28 March 2025 are granted a further temporary extension until 30 September 2025, to enable the Department to process the applications, as well as to allow for applicants to collect their outcomes and submit applications for the appropriate visas.
• Those applicants who wish to abandon their waiver applications and depart from South Africa should be allowed to depart before or on 30 September 2025, without being declared undesirable.
• A visa holder who needs to travel but is awaiting the outcome of a waiver application should be allowed to depart and re-enter the country at a port of entry up to and including 30 September 2025 without being declared undesirable. However, non-visa exempt applicants who travel out of the country with a waiver application receipt are required to apply for a port of entry visa, which would allow them re-entry.
Pending visa applications
• Visa holders who have applied for long-term visas as contemplated in terms of section 11(1)(b) of the Immigration Act, up to and including sections 20 and 22 of the said Act, and whose visa application is still pending as of 28 March 2025, are granted a further temporary extension of their current visa status until 30 September 2025. Applicants are not allowed to engage in any activity other than what the visa conditions provide for.
• Visa holders who need to travel, but are awaiting the outcome of a long-term visa. application, should be allowed to depart from and re-enter the country up to and including 30 September 2025 without being declared undesirable.
• However, non-visa exempt applicants who travel out of the country with a long-term visa application receipt are required to apply for a port of entry visa, which would allow them re-entry.
Pending visa appeal applications
• Visa holders who have appealed a negative decision on an application for a long-term visa as contemplated in terms of section 11(1)(b) up to and including sections 20 and 22 of the Immigration Act, are granted a temporary extension of their current visa status until 30 September 2025. Applicants are not allowed to engage in any activity other than what the visa conditions provide for.
• Visa appeal applicants who need to travel but are awaiting the outcome of an appeal application for a long-term visa should be allowed to depart from the country and re-enter up to and including 30 September 2025, without being declared undesirable
• All appeal applicants are required to produce a copy of the rejection letter, together with a receipt and/or confirmation indicating that such a person has submitted an appeal application, on departure from and re-entry into the country. Non-visa exempt appeal applicants who travel out of the country with an appeal application receipt and/or confirmation, are required to apply for a port of entry visa, which would allow them re-entry.
The above temporary measures will apply only to those foreigners who have been legally admitted into South Africa. This concession is also only applicable to applicants who have submitted an application via VFS Global and who can produce a verifiable receipt for such application against the VFS Global tracking system.
Applicants awaiting the outcome of an application for a permanent residence permit are required to ensure that their residential status in South Africa is kept valid at all times while waiting for an outcome. Therefore, the above temporary measures will not apply to permanent residence applicants.
Digital business visa application system goes live
The Department of Trade, Industry, and Competition (the dtic) has launched the Business Visa Recommendation System (VRS), an online platform for business visa recommendation applications.
The VRS, which replaces the email application process, is aimed at all foreign business owners applying for first, extension and/or permanent residence recommendation, in terms of the Immigration Act 13 of 2002.
The stated objective of the system is to enhance efficiency for business visa applicants, including faster processing, convenience and transparency.
Key features of the South African immigration VRS include:
• Online Submission – Applicants can now submit business visa for first, extension and permanent recommendations applications digitally;
• Document Upload – Required supporting documents can be uploaded directly to the system;
• Real-Time Tracking – Applicants can monitor the progress of their applications;
• Automated Notifications – Updates and final recommendations will be communicated through the system.
South African global immigration assistance
Similar to Smith Stone Walters, IBN Immigration Solutions, a notable immigration services provider headquartered in South Africa and with offices in Kenya and Namibia, is now part of Envoy Global, the leading corporate immigration services provider committed to delivering a better way for companies to manage global immigration.
This partnership will greatly enhance our global footprint and enable us to meet the growing needs of our clients in Africa.
If you would like to find out more about the enhanced level of global immigration services now available to your business, please contact us today.
