On 18 December 2024, the Department of Home Affairs (“the Department”) issued Immigration Directive No 16 of 2024 (“the December 2024 directive”) in an attempt to address the long-term backlog in its visa and permitting regime.
The Department recently assessed whether the outcomes of applications would be ready for the deadline imposed in the December 2024 directive, being 31 March 2025, and determined that they would not be ready, primarily due to delays in the printing process. The Department also determined that the processing of the resultant appeals, as well as some manual category applications, will not be completed by 31 March 2025. It is for these reasons that a further extension has been granted. In terms of Immigration Directive No 4 of 2025 (“the March 2025 Directive”) made on 28 March, the following is provided for:
- Visa holders with pending waiver applications are granted a further temporary extension until 30 September 2025;
- Applicants who wish to abandon their applications and depart from South Africa, as well as those who need to travel and re-enter South Africa while awaiting outcomes, are allowed to do so up to 30 September 2025 without being declared undesirable;
- Visa holders with pending long-term visa applications are also granted an extension of their current visa status until 30 September 2025;
- Applicants must adhere to the conditions of their current visa and are allowed to travel without being declared undesirable;
- Visa holders who have appealed a negative decision on their long-term visa applications are granted a temporary extension until 30 September 2025. Applicants must adhere to the conditions of their current visa and are allowed to travel without being declared undesirable;
- All appeal applicants must produce a copy of the rejection letter and a receipt or confirmation of a submitted appeal application on departure and re-entry into South Africa; and
- Non-visa-exempt applicants who travel out of South Africa with a waiver application receipt, long-term visa application receipt, or appeal application receipt/confirmation must apply for a port-of-entry visa to re-enter South Africa.
Important notes
- This concession applies only to those who have been legally admitted into South Africa and have submitted their applications via VFS Global.
- Applicants awaiting the outcome of a permanent residence permit must ensure their residential status remains valid at all times.
*Reviewed by Dion Masher, Executive in ENS' Employment Department
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