CONCESSION UPDATE: DHA MINISTER EXTENDS CONCESSION TO 31 DECEMBER 2024
Please be informed that Minister Leon Schreiber of the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) released a statement regarding the extension of the blanket concession whereby he has extended it until 31 December 2024 for those with long-pending waivers, temporary residency visas, and appeal applications.
A formal Directive is yet to be issued, however, in terms of the statement by the Department, this means that:
- Applicants who have long-pending waiver applications as of 30 June 2024 and are still awaiting their outcomes, have been afforded a further extension until 31 December 2024.
- Applicants who have pending long-term visa applications as of 30 June 2024, have been afforded a further extension until 31 December 2024. The long-term visa applications include those of Visitor Visa Section 11(1)(b), Section 11(6), Business Visas, Study Visas, Relative’s Visas, and Work Visas.
- Applicants who have long-pending appeal applications for long-term visas have been granted an extension on their current status until 31 December 2024. The long-term visa categories’ applications that have been afforded the extension are Visitor Visa Section 11(1)(b), Section 11(6), Business Visas, Study Visas, Relative’s Visas, and Work Visas.
- Applicants who are required to travel during this period and are visa exempt, may do so using their VFS receipt and a copy of the concession. Those who have a pending appeal application must additionally show a copy of the rejection letter with the former mentioned documents.
- Applicants who are required to travel during this period and are not visa exempt, may leave South Africa without receiving a ban but are required to apply for a visitor’s visa from the South African Embassy abroad to be able to return and enter South Africa to await or collect their outcome.
- Applicants who have long-pending applications for either a waiver, visa, or appeal, may abandon their application before or by 31 December 2024 and leave South Africa without being declared undesirable.
- Short-term visa holders issued in terms of Section 11(1)(a) for 90 days or less, and who have applied for a renewal but have not received their visa renewal outcome, are requested to make the necessary arrangements to leave South Africa within 90 days from the date of expiry of the principal visa to avoid being declared undesirable when leaving.
- This concession applies to applicants who have submitted an application via the VFS Global before or on 30 June 2024 and can provide an original VFS receipt to that effect.
- For PR applicants, this concession only applies if you have applied for a temporary residency visa before or on 30 June 2024. We remind you that you need to maintain your temporary residency status while your PR is pending and encourage you to monitor your expiry to apply for the renewal of your visa at least 60 days before expiry.
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