South Africa’s new visa rules take effect from 1 December

Friday, November 30, 2018

South Africa’s Department of Home Affairs has published an amendment to the Immigration Act which is set to have major implications for immigrants, tourism and the economy.

The changes – which will come into effect from 1 December, 2018  were first mooted as part of President Cyril Ramaphosa’s economic stimulus package revealed in September.

Arguably the biggest change will be the reversal of a rule introduced by former Home Affairs minister, Malusi Gigaba, which required foreign minors travelling to South Africa to produce an unabridged birth certificate before being allowed access into the country.

This birth certificate requirement has been a major point of controversy, with a 2016 report released by the DA finding that the rule cost the country as much as R7.5 billion due to lost business from blocked tourists.

While these changes are likely to be welcomed, they form only a small part of the proposed immigration changes expected to be introduced in the coming months.

Prior to his resignation former Home Affairs minister, Malusi Gigaba, said that visitors from India and China will also not have to apply for visas in person at a South African embassy, while business travellers from those nations will be issued with 10-year multiple-entry visas within five days of application.

Other proposed changes include the relaxation of rules for other countries, with visitors from the UK, US, Germany, France, the Netherlands, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Russia and Angola expected to be exempted.

The government also plans to smooth the clearance of travellers through the busiest border posts, by installing a biometric movement-control system. The new system is nearing completion, with several pilot sites already up and running.

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