All expatriates currently in South Africa, and whose visas are due to expire or has expired since 1 December 2019, are advised to apply for the extensions of their visas, within South Africa to ensure that they remain compliant.
Foreign nationals with professional work visas that are due to expire and/or have already expired, such as Intra Company Transfer Work Visas or Short-Term Visas and that usually requires a trip back to their home country for reapplication, may now apply for the renewal of same within South Africa for an extended period.
Some of these renewals are normally not allowed in South Africa; but during the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent announcements of travel bans and a lockdown, these are extraordinary times and special dispensations have been made available to assist.
While applications cannot be filed during lockdown we encourage employers to use the time to prepare these applications and book an appointment to ensure applications can be filed as soon as possible after the lockdown has been lifted.
We expect an influx of applications once the lockdown is uplifted and some advance planning will ensure you are ahead of the rush.
We have a well-established immigration team at Xpatweb that can shed some light on the process to follow and discuss visa concessions that are currently available.
On 30 March 2020, President Cyril Ramaphosa once again addressed the nation regarding the COVID-19 pandemic and provided an update on the country-wide “lockdown”. He delivered a clear and concise message showing a deep understanding and care for the current plight of the nation. However, it is clear that he is a visibly strained man as South Africa and the rest of the world remain under siege from this invisible enemy.
Following the outbreak of the coronavirus in South Africa and the declaration of a national disaster, employers may be facing uncertainty about the status of their expatriate employees, an emigration expert has said. Marisa Jacobs, managing director at Xpatweb, described the situation as “uncharted territory”. She answered some practical questions for employers of foreign nationals.
The Department of Home Affairs has made some concessions to foreign nationals in South Africa whose visas are about to expire and where travelling to their home countries is not an option. The department issued a directive that allows for the extension of all Chinese nationals in SA whose visas are about to expire to remain in the country until 31 July.
The Coronavirus outbreak has impacted many foreign nationals finding themselves at the end of the validity of their Intra Company Transfer Work Visas or Short-Term Visas and in need to travel back to their home country to apply for new visas to extend their stay. In response to growing reports about the severity of the virus, The Department of Home Affairs (DHA) in February issued a Directive for Chinese Nationals allowing them to renew their visas in SA in the short term.