2 October 2020
Visa Application Centres within South Africa are now open for submission of applications as per the guidelines below:
1. Expired supporting documents: All applicants must submit valid supporting documents as prescribed for a particular category of applications.
2. Foreign police clearance certificates: South Africa is amongst countries that has the most number of foreign missions represented locally. Legislation requires that the issuing authority must authenticate supporting documents such as police clearances. Where an applicant claims that a PCC expired during lockdown such an applicant must approach the foreign mission of the country that issued the PCC to apostle the PCC and confirm that there has not been any change in the records.
3. Expired medical reports and radiological reports are not acceptable. South African Health Professionals never went on a lockdown and can still issue valid supporting documents unless if there are compelling reasons not to.
4. Other prescribed requirements that the applicant is unable to meet and believes they have reasonable grounds to present to Minister for his consideration may be advised to apply for a waiver.
5. Applicants whose visas expired from the 01 December 2019 to 31st October 2020 will not be required to submit good case.
6. Applicants whose visas expired before 01 Dec 2019 should submit a FORM20 (Letter of good cause).
7. Expired Passports: In terms of the ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization) standards, an expired passport is not a valid travel document. One that has less than 3 months remaining is not a valid for long term residence visas. Most foreign missions have been open during the lockdown and as such passport services were always available for their citizens. Applicants MUST submit a valid passport. No visa will be issued beyond the expiry