By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The Department of Home Affairs (DHA) has extended the concession for visa holders waiting on their outcomes from 31 March 2025 to 30 September 2025.
A notice published by the department on Friday said it had been extended for six more months.
Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber announced that many of the applications will not be ready for collection due to printing errors.
This means that applications that are waiting on the outcomes of their waivers, appeals and long-term visa applications can remain in South Africa up until the end of September.
The concession allows applicants who have submitted pending visa and appeal applications in South Africa to travel and remain in the country under specific conditions.
“This will safeguard valid visa holders against possible consequences regarding their lawful stay in South Africa while they still await the outcome of applications legally and timeously submitted to the Department.”
One of the main consequences would be the risk of visa holders awaiting application outcomes being declared an undesirable.
In terms of the Immigration Act, people on visitor or tourist visas have between 30 and a maximum of 90 days to be in South Africa.
If you renew for another 90 days, you will have a total of 180 days, after which the law allows no more extensions.This means you must leave the country, or else you will be declared undesirable.
An undesirable is any person who overstays in the Republic after the expiry of their visa and could, therefore, be forced to leave the country or even be banned from entry in the future.
The concession was first necessitated in September 2022 due to the backlog in visa application processing at the DHA for submissions made in South Africa. It has since been extended four times.
Under Schreiber, the DHA reached important milestones and introduced several encouraging reforms to the visa regime.
He has been consistent about his vision for efficient service delivery by embracing modern technological solutions and improving access to the department’s services.
On several occasions, he has committed to positioning the DHA as a powerful engine for economic growth, acknowledging the importance of highly skilled foreign professionals and how they can contribute to the South African economy.