Article Posted: 30 June 2021 by Tania Copeland

To extend or not to extend your visa application

I heard a lot of cheers and sighs of relief from international visitors when the Minister of Home Affairs extended the visa amnesty until the end of September 2021 but is it really cause for celebration? Let’s unpack this latest news. It is good news if you intend to leave SA before the end of September, but not if you plan to be here on the 1st of October.

Let me tell you why.

Renewal applications are currently taking up to 7 months (lodged December 2020), waivers are taking more than 12 months to process and change of conditions around the same. So what does this mean to you? It means on the 1st of October, if your visa is not in your passport (despite having lodged an application and holding the VFS receipt) you will be banned if you travel. You could have your bank account frozen (It’s the law that if you have no current visa, banks must freeze your account), you can’t start work as employers are legally not allowed to employ you until you have the actual visa in your hand. Students face the same hardship – no visa, no study. No study means no exams.

So the actual reality is that this extension is great for visitors but means little to you if you are here working or studying. Can anyone afford to have their accounts frozen? Banks are already sticky and many clients have contacted us to explain to their bank that the amnesty means they are here legally – for now. This excuse cannot be used on the 1st of October so get cracking.

There are positive things that have come out of the lockdown. The Inspectorates have had no new cases and long outstanding applications for legalisation are proceeding fairly quickly (in the past around 1 – 2 years) currently some are turning around within a few months. Who does this affect? If your visa expired before March 2020 these amnesties actually don’t apply to you. Please call our office and start your legalisation process now.

Another good move was to put the asylum and refugee renewals online. The application is quick and effective and sure beats waiting at Refugee Centres across the country to renew your papers. Turnaround times are not great so do this now to avoid delays.  Remember if you have held refugee status for 5 or more years, you and your family can apply for the Standing Committee letter and you can apply for permanent residence. Contact one of our consultants for more advice.

Catch you on the flip side.

Tania Copeland