In-depth
Zimbabwean Exemption Permit (ZEP) and Lesotho Exemption Permit (LEP)
In December 2023, South Africa's Ministry of Home Affairs announced the introduction of two-year exemption permits for nationals of Zimbabwe and Lesotho. Holders of these permits are not eligible to apply for permanent residency in South Africa, regardless of their length of stay, and cannot change their immigration status within South Africa during the permit’s validity period.
Extension dates to note:
- Existing ZEPs and LEPs will remain valid for an additional 18 months beyond the current expiry date of 28 November 2025, until 28 May 2027.
- Holders of ZEPs and LEPs are not subject to arrest, deportation orders, detention for deportation, or deportation under section 34 of the Immigration Act due to not having a valid exemption certificate.
- ZEP and LEP holders may enter or depart from South Africa under section 9 of the Immigration Act and the Immigration Regulations, 2014, provided they meet all other entry and exit requirements, except for the requirement of having a valid visa endorsed in their passport.
- ZEP and LEP holders are not required to present a valid exemption certificate, visa, or authorization letter to remain in South Africa, as specified in section 32 (1) of the Immigration Act, when applying for any category of temporary stay visa mentioned in section 10 (2) of the Immigration Act.
Extension of temporary measures
Applicants with pending waiver applications as of 1 October 2025 are granted a temporary extension until 31 March 2026. This measure provides sufficient time for the Department of Home Affairs to process outstanding applications and enables applicants to receive their outcomes and submit relevant visa applications.
Applicants with pending appeals on negative decisions for long-term visas will also benefit from a temporary extension of their current visa status and conditions through 31 March 2026.
Individuals covered by these extensions must continue to comply strictly with the activities permitted under their existing visa status and conditions.
Applicants awaiting outcomes who need to travel may exit and re-enter South Africa on or before 31 March 2026 without being declared undesirable. However, non-visa-exempt applicants holding waiver, long-term visa, or appeal application receipts and/or confirmations are required to obtain a port of entry visa for re-entry into South Africa.
All appeal applicants must present a copy of their rejection letter along with a receipt and/or confirmation for their appeal application upon both departure from and re-entry into South Africa.
These temporary measures apply exclusively to foreign nationals who were lawfully admitted into South Africa and have submitted their applications via VFS Global, provided they can produce a verifiable receipt for such application through the VFS Global tracking system.
These extensions buy time, not impunity. Affected individuals and employers should diarize 31 March 2026 for temporary measures and 28 May 2027 for ZEP and LEP validity, keep VFS receipts and appeal documentation to hand, maintain strict compliance with current visa conditions and plan travel accordingly. Review HR and mobility processes, brief line managers and update onboarding to reflect entry requirements. Monitor Home Affairs notices for further changes and move early on renewals to avoid bottlenecks.
*****
Ahlisha Yesmariam, Paralegal, has contributed to this legal update.
