28 Apr South Africa Visa Concession Extended

Foreign nationals in South Africa who are facing uncertainty while they’re waiting for an outcome to their overly delayed visa, waiver, or appeal applications have been granted some welcome relief by the Department of Home Affairs (DHA). On 30 March 2026, less than 24 hours before the current concession was set to end, the DHA announced a further extension.

The concession documents were first introduced in 2022 to protect lawfully present foreign nationals from falling into undesirable status, or those who have overstayed their visa conditions while waiting for the DHA to clear the visa processing backlog.

According to the Minister of the DHA, Dr Leon Schreiber, the department has made significant progress in addressing historic backlogs in its visa and permit regime. He has also announced that the DHA is currently focusing on developing and implementing the Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) system, which has already been launched to a limited audience. This has required a notable allocation of time and resources. However, the system is expected to be expanded in the near future to help further enhance operational efficiencies and reduce fraud risk.

Who Does The Extension Apply To?

According to the Immigration Directive No. 7 of 2026, all affected parties will be able to legally stay on in South Africa until 30 June 2027. This concession serves as a legal safety net if you were legally admitted into the Republic of South Africa and submitted your application via VFS Global.

This extension applies to three specific categories of applicants:

• Pending Waiver Application: Visa holders who have applied for a waiver and are still waiting for an outcome on their applications are legally protected under the concession.
• Pending Long-term Visa Application:  Applicants who have applied for long-term visas in terms of sections 11(1)(b) to 20, including section 22, of the Immigration Act, who are still waiting for an outcome on their application, are granted a further temporary extension of their current visa status.
• Pending Appeal Application: Individuals who have, in terms of section 8(4) or (6) of the Immigration Act, appealed a negative decision on an application submitted for a long-term visa, who are still awaiting the outcome of their appeal applications, are also granted a temporary extension on their visa status.

Read more about the turnaround times for visas and permits.

Exclusions

Permanent Residence Applicants: This directive does not apply to pending permanent residency applications. It is required that these applicants keep their temporary residential status valid at all times.

Short-Term Visitor’s Visa Appeals: Applicants with a pending appeal application to the rejection of a standard visitor’s visa renewal (under section 11(1)(a)) and who have been waiting for longer than 3 months are completely excluded from this concession. Such applicants are required to depart South Africa on or before 30 April 2026 to avoid being declared undesirable. The DHA will communicate the appeal outcome via the online tracking portal.

CONTACT US at June Luna Immigration Attorneys to learn more about the visa concession extension and how it might affect your legal standing.