NEW and LIMITED Automatic Visa Extensions & Travel Exemptions
Only applicants awaiting outcomes of appeals and waivers covered until 31 March 2026
Due to persistent processing backlogs of visa applications made from within South Africa, the Minister of Home Affairs has been issuing a sequence of directives over the last years, protecting applicants from negative consequences arising from their previous visas expiring while they awaited their application results. The directives allowed those with pending applications, and who no longer had valid visas in their passports, to leave the country without being declared undesirable. The latest of these directives expired on 30 September 2025, and its extension was being eagerly awaited.
The directive No 22 of 2025 was published on 26 September and, in a revised form, on 30 September 2025. However, against the previous practice, the directive no longer covers most applicants. In line with the Minister’s claim of earlier this year that the visa backlog had been eradicated, applicants awaiting an outcome to their visa applications are no longer protected. The protection which continues in place is that for applicants awaiting waivers or appeal outcomes (having applied on or before 30 September 2025), because the Department of Home Affairs has acknowledged that a backlog persists in those two areas. This last group of applicants may continue with its activities as per their last visas, and leave the country and return without any penalties or bans, until 31 March 2026.
The newest directive is welcome in its protection of temporary residence waiver and appeal applicants, who are indeed suffering from a backlog of many months and even years. However, the omission of visa applicants altogether brings serious challenges for many. Although current visa processing times have greatly improved to currently, by and large, 2 -10 weeks, industry feedback confirms that there is a significant number of applicants who have been waiting for outcomes of their visa applications from as far back as 2022. These applicants are suddenly no longer able to leave the country without receiving a travel ban, and are not protected if they continue working, studying, or conducting their businesses as per their last visas.
The directive recognises (somehow self-contradicting) that there are visa outcomes outstanding for applications made before 7 March 2024, but only offers as a remedy merely offers the Department’s general enquiry contacts which are not known for providing fast relief. Those who applied for a visa after the rather random date of 7 March 2024 and have not received an outcome yet, are left without any remedy or protection at all.
Holders of ZEP (Zimbabwe Exemption Permit) are still protected in their stay in, and departure from, the country until 27 November 2025.
IN SHORT: All those who are awaiting an outcome of their visa applications and whose previous visas have expired while waiting, are advised to await the outcome of their application from within South Africa. If they leave before their new visa has been granted (in the case of ZEP holders, after 27 November 2025), they should expect to receive a travel ban of 1 year or longer.
For specific and detailed information, kindly contact our office on 021 462 3184, or send an email to info@imcosa.co.za.