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With effect from the 1st of May 2015 a holder of a valid temporary residence visa issued for the categories mentioned below will be allowed to register and undertake part-time studies with Institutions of Higher Learning as defined by the Immigration Regulations of the Immigration Act, 2002 (Act No. 13 of 2002) during the validityRead more

From 1 January 2016, the procedure around registering a child’s birth more than 30 days after having given birth will become considerably more onerous. Parents who have not yet registered their child’s birth with Home Affairs including children of South Africans born outside the country, should do so before the deadline of 31 December 2015.Read more

Permanent residence applications which are based on a marriage or spousal relationship to a South African citizen or permanent resident are being investigated to ensure that they are genuine and not based on a marriage or relationship of convenience. Longer than average processing times should be expected.Read more

The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has developed fairly sophisticated procedures to checks on business permit or visa holders for compliance with their visa or permit conditions. Starting with in-depth desktop research to verify location and appearance of business premises, company registration, SARS compliance etc., the DTI establishes whether the business is up andRead more

South Africa is intent on ensuring that its BRICS partners are accommodated under the new visa rules. Home Affairs has created a new 10-year multi-entry visa allowing a stay of 30 days per visit, available to business visitors who are BRICS citizens (Brazil, Russia, India, and China). Seven additional visa centres have been opened inRead more

The South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA), which is responsible for evaluating foreign academic qualifications, has started including the documents’ verification in its process. This means that foreign qualifications are now only being evaluated once the issuing university (or institution) has confirmed in writing that they have in fact issued the certificate and that it isRead more

Persons with school going minor children who have medical aid in place for them by an international medical aid provider (e.g. BUPA) no longer need to take up an additional South African medical aid for the children as is required in the law.Read more

With new visa regulations being implemented on Monday 1st June 2015, the department of Home Affairs has a backlog of around 4,000 applications for unabridged birth certificates. From 1 June 2015, children under the age of 18 will be required to have an unabridged birth certificate or equivalent document if they are entering or leavingRead more

Article credit: www.enca.com PRETORIA – A Zimbabwean couple has approached the South African embassy in Harare, seeking a reversal of the one-year travel prohibition imposed on them by Home Affairs officials at the Beitbridge border post. Anglistone Thembani Sibanda and his wife Sithobekile, both pastors, arrived in South Africa on July 12 for an internationalRead more

Article credit: www.dha.gov.za The Department of Home Affairs has noted with concern misleading media reports in relation to the Angolan Cessation process and wishes to correct certain misrepresentations that seek to paint the South African government in a negative light. It is of importance to note that, against the backdrop of the 1951 UN ConventionRead more