South Africa amends visa regulations
Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba says foreign national minors traveling to South Africa will no longer need to produce a an unabridged birth certificate or parental consent unless in high-risk situations.
He was announcing the new visa amendments at in Pretoria on Tuesday.
The amendments form part of President Cyril Ramaphosa’s economic stimulus package aimed at attracting more tourism and investment.
“Rather than requiring all foreign national traveling minors to carry documentation proving parental consent for the traveling minor, we will strongly recommend that travelers carry this documentation. Our immigration officials will only insist on documentation by exception, in high-risk situations, rather than for all travelers, in line with practice by several other countries,” said Gigaba.
A travel advisory will be released before the end of October, ahead of the festive season.
Gigaba said a minor passport for South African children will be launched in 2019. However, the 2014 regulations that require South African minors to produce a birth certificate and parental consent when traveling abroad will remain in place.
He said negotiations for visa waivers for several countries in Africa, the Middle East, Eastern Europe and Cuba have begun.
“We are simplifying visa requirements for countries such as China and India. This will make provision for taking biometrics on arrival in South Africa; allowing visa applications via courier and issuing 5-year multiple entry visas. This should be in place next month.”
He said business people from the BRICS countries will be issued 10-year multiple entry visa within 5 days of applying.
“In order to retain critical skills, foreign students who graduate at South African institutions of higher learning within critical skills categories, are offered an opportunity to apply for permanent residence upon graduation. Those who don’t opt for permanent residence are issued with critical skills visas.”
He said for a more efficient system, electronic visas will be piloted in New Zealand in April 2019, and electronic gates at the same time at the OR Tambo, Cape Town, and King Shaka International Airports.
These will ensure travelers to and from South Africa are able to process their own information when traveling without the assistance of an immigration officer.
Listen below: