On March 28, 2025, the Ministry of Home Affairs issued an extension of temporary concessions granted to foreigners affected by long-term visas, visa exemptions and delays in processing applications for visa appeals. The concession is currently being extended until September 30th, 2025.
Previous temporary concessions were made public on December 18, 2024 and extended the current validity of the visa and visa waiver until March 31, 2025.
The following measures apply under the newly expanded concessions:
Pending Visa Waiver Applications
•Visa holders who have applied for a waiver as of March 28, 2025 and whose exemption application is still pending will be granted a further temporary extension until September 30, 2025, allowing the department to process the application, allowing applicants to collect appropriate visa results and submit applications.
•Applicants who wish to waive their waiver application and depart South Africa should be permitted to depart on September 30, 2025 without being declared undesirable.
• Visa holders who are required to travel but await the outcome of their waiver application should be permitted to depart and re-enter at the port of entry until September 30, 2025, without being declared undesirable. However, non-VISA exemption applicants who travel abroad after receiving a receipt from the exemption application must apply for the port of entry.
Pending visa application
•As contemplated in terms of Section 11(1)(b) of the Immigration Act, visa holders who apply for a long-term visa will be granted a further temporary extension of their current visa status until September 30, 2025, as they are still pending as of Sections 20 and 22 of the Act above and as of March 28, 2025.
• Visa holders who need to travel but are awaiting the results of their long-term visa. Applications should be permitted to depart from the country until September 30, 2025 and re-enter the country without being declared undesired.
•However, non-VISA exemption applicants traveling abroad on a long-term visa application receipt are required to apply for ports of entry, which allows for re-entry.
Pending Visa Appeal Application
•As considered in terms of Section 11(1)(b), including sections 20 and 22 of the Immigration Act, visa holders who advocate negative decisions regarding long-term visa applications are permitted to temporarily extend their current visa status until September 30, 2025.
• Visa appeal applicants who are required to travel but await the outcome of a long-term visa appeal application should be permitted to re-enter and re-enter by September 30, 2025 without being declared undesirable
•All appeal applicants must make a copy of the rejection letter, prepare a receipt and/or confirmation to indicate that such person has filed an appeal application for re-entrying away from the country. Non-VISA exemption appeal applicants traveling abroad on receipts and/or confirmation of an appeal application must apply for ports of entry.
The above temporary measures apply only to foreigners legally recognized in South Africa. This concession is also applicable to applicants who can submit applications via VFS Global and create a verifiable receipt for such applications to the VFS Global Tracking System.
To ensure that your residency status in South Africa is always in effect while awaiting the results, applicants waiting for the results of their permanent residence application will need the results of their permanent residence permit application. Therefore, the above temporary measures do not apply to permanent residents.
Digital Business Visa Application System is now available
The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Competition (DTIC) has launched the Business Visa Recommended System (VRS), an online platform for business visa recommended applications.
VRS, which replaces the email application process, is intended for all foreign employers applying for initial extensions and/or permanent residence recommendations in relation to Immigration Act 13 of 2002.
The defined purpose of the system is to increase the efficiency of business visa applicants, including faster processing, convenience and transparency.
The main features of South Africa's immigration VR include:
• Online Submission – Applicants can now submit business visas digitally for initial extensions and permanent recommendation applications.
• Document Upload – Allows you to upload the required support documents directly to your system.
•Real-time tracking – Applicants can monitor application progress.
•Automated notifications – Updates and final recommendations are communicated through the system.
Support for global immigration in South Africa
Like Smith Stone Walters, IBN Immigration Solutions, a renowned immigration service provider headquartered in South Africa and in offices in Kenya and Namibia, is now part of Envoy Global, a leading corporate immigration service provider committed to providing businesses with a better way to manage global immigration.
This partnership will significantly strengthen our global footprint and meet the growing needs of our African clients.
Contact us today to learn more about the enhanced levels of global immigration services available to your business.
