South Africa has introduced another major immigration reform after the Department of Home Affairs removed the requirement for applicants to submit medical reports when applying for certain visas and permanent residence permits.
The new directive, announced by Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber, came into effect on 8 July 2026 and is expected to simplify the country’s immigration system while reducing costs and administrative delays for applicants.
The exemption applies to temporary residence visa applications submitted within South Africa, as well as permanent residence permit applications lodged both locally and from abroad.
According to immigration specialists, the move eliminates one of the most time-consuming requirements in South Africa’s visa application process.
Jaco Brits, Head of Immigration at Xpatweb, said obtaining medical reports has long been an unnecessary administrative burden that often delayed applications because appointments with medical practitioners were not always readily available.
Applicants frequently turned to immigration community forums and social media groups in search of doctors who could complete the required documentation within tight deadlines.
Home Affairs has instructed all officials responsible for processing immigration applications to implement the new directive immediately.
Medical reports were previously required to confirm that applicants had undergone a health examination and did not suffer from serious infectious diseases, supporting South Africa’s public health safeguards.
Although the health objective remains important, authorities have concluded that the requirement is no longer necessary as part of the routine application process.
Immigration reforms continue to reduce red tape
The latest announcement follows a series of reforms introduced by the Department of Home Affairs over the past three years to modernise South Africa’s immigration system.
In April 2023, the department removed the requirement for radiological reports, which had previously been compulsory for most temporary residence visa applications exceeding 90 days.
Those reports were expensive to obtain, valid for only six months and had to be issued in the same country where the visa application was submitted, creating significant logistical challenges for applicants living overseas.
The department has also eased police clearance certificate requirements.
Previously, applicants aged 18 and older had to provide police clearances from every country where they had lived for at least 12 months during the five years before submitting their application.
Immigration professionals said the previous rule often resulted in applicants having to secure multiple certificates from different countries, adding considerable expense and processing time.
Xpatweb described the latest changes as another important step towards creating a faster, more applicant-friendly immigration system.
The company said removing documentary requirements that contribute little to assessing an application allows immigration officials to spend more time evaluating eligibility instead of processing paperwork.
According to the firm, the reforms are expected to reduce costs, shorten waiting times and improve the overall efficiency of both visa and permanent residence applications.
The changes form part of the Department of Home Affairs’ broader effort to modernise immigration administration, attract skills and investment, and improve service delivery while maintaining appropriate immigration controls.
Source: Adapted from BusinessTech and Xpatweb.