Thousands of foreign nationals in South Africa have received major immigration relief after the Department of Home Affairs announced a significant extension of its long-running visa concession framework.
The concession, originally introduced in 2022 to protect lawfully present applicants affected by visa backlogs, has now been extended until 30 June 2027, giving affected applicants an additional 15 months of legal protection.
The decision was announced by Leon Schreiber less than 24 hours before the previous concession was due to expire.
Major relief for pending visa, waiver and appeal applicants
The extension applies to individuals with pending:
- waiver applications
- long-term visa applications
- visa appeals
Applicants who submitted their documents lawfully in South Africa through VFS Global may now remain in the country legally until 30 June 2027.
They may also leave and re-enter South Africa without being declared undesirable, provided they comply with the updated conditions.
For non-visa-exempt nationals, a port-of-entry visa will still be required for re-entry.
Digital transformation cited as reason for extension
Schreiber said the Department is making progress in reducing historical visa backlogs, but substantial resources are currently being directed toward the rollout of the Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) system.
The ETA is expected to improve visa processing times and reduce corruption risks in the longer term.
The Department said South Africa remains a preferred destination for work, tourism and business, resulting in continued pressure on immigration systems.
However, permanent residence applicants are not covered by this extension and must maintain valid temporary residence status while awaiting outcomes.
Source: Department of Home Affairs
