South Africa: Further extension of temporary measures on waiver and visa applications in light of backlogs

08 Apr 2025    2 minute read

In brief

Recently, the Department of Home Affairs further extended the concessions previously granted to persons awaiting outcomes for visa, waiver and appeal applications. This extension is due to ongoing backlogs experienced by the DHA. The primary reason cited for the extension is the delays associated with the printing process.

Contents

Key takeaways

Extension dates to note:

  • Waiver applications

Applicants with waiver applications pending as of 28 March 2025 have been granted a further temporary extension until 30 September 2025. This is to allow time for the DHA to process the pending applications, and for the applicants to collect their outcomes and submit their relevant visa applications.

Applicants who wish to abandon their waiver applications and depart South Africa will be able to do so before or on 30 September 2025 without being declared undesirable.

  • Long-term visa applications

Applicants with long-term visa applications pending as of 28 March 2025, have been granted a further temporary extension on their current visa status and conditions until 30 September 2025.

  • Appeal applications

Applicants with pending appeal applications on negative decisions for long-term visas, have been granted a further temporary extension on their current visa status and conditions until 30 September 2025.

Applicants who fall under the aforementioned extensions are prohibited from engaging in any activities beyond those permitted by their current visa status and conditions.

Applicants who need to travel and are awaiting outcomes, are allowed to exit and re-enter South Africa up to and including 30 September 2025, without being declared undesirable. However, non-visa exempt applicants with waiver or long-term visa or appeal application receipts and/or confirmations are required to apply for a port of entry visa, which allow re-entry into South Africa.

All appeal applicants are required to produce a copy of the rejection letter with a receipt or confirmation for the appeal application on departure and on re-entry into South Africa.

Applicants for Permanent Residence who are awaiting the outcome of their applications must ensure that they always maintain valid status in South Africa throughout the application process. Consequently, the  temporary measures will not apply to these applicants.

The above temporary measures apply only to foreign nationals who have been legally admitted into South Africa and applicants who have submitted applications via VFS Global and can produce a verifiable receipt for such application against the VFS Global tracking system.

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Ahlisha Yesmariam, Immigration Paralegal, contributed to this legal update.

Contact Information
Johan Botes
Partner at BakerMcKenzie
Johannesburg
Read my Bio
johan.botes@bakermckenzie.com

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