Immigration news: South Africa extends temporary concession to foreign nationals till June 30

With this temporary extension, those foreigners who need to travel outside South Africa but are still awaiting their visa application/appeal outcome can exit and re-enter up to and including June 30, 2024, without being declared undesirable. (Image credit: Clayton via Pexels)

- In December 2023, South Africa had introduced a temporary concession to foreign nationals pending their long-term visa approval, waiver or resolution of an appeal around their visa, to continue working in South Africa temporarily. This was introduced to ease conditions as South Africa dealt with an applications backlog.

- The South African Department of Home Affairs has now approved the extension of the temporary concession to affected foreign nationals until June 30, 2024.

- Applicants are not allowed to engage in any activity other than what their visa conditions provide for.

Reeling under visa application backlog challenges, the South African Department of Home Affairs has approved the extension of the temporary concession of affected foreign nationals until June 30, 2024. This temporary concession allows foreign nationals who have pending long-term visas, waivers, and appeal applications to continue to reside and work in South Africa on their current visa conditions pending the decision of their applications.

However, applicants are not allowed to engage in any activity other than what their visa conditions provide for.  Applicants who wish to abandon their visa applications, will be allowed to exit at the port of entry on or before June 30, 2024, without being declared undesirable and those who need to travel but are still awaiting their visa application/appeal outcome can exit and re-enter up to and including June 30, 2024, without being declared undesirable.

Visa holders who have submitted long-term visa applications and still pending as on November 30, 2023, must present their proof of submission receipt of their long-term visa applications from the Visa Facilitation Services (VFS) Global office to the immigration officials upon their departure from the Republic of South Africa.

Non-visa-exempt applicants who travel out of the country will be required to apply for a port of entry visa.

Short-term visa holders issued visa for 90 days or less, up to and including November 30,  2023, who applied for a renewal but have not yet received their visa renewal outcome by February 23, 2024, must depart from South Africa on or before February 29, 2024.