Tag Archive for: vfs

With lines at Department of Home Affairs offices around South Africa often being long, more citizens would be wise to know about another option for obtaining their Smart IDs, or renewing their passports.

The four major banks in SA – Standard Bank, FNB, Nedbank, and ABSA – offer ID and passport services at a number of their branches. By arranging an appointment online, through eHomeAffairs, you can skip the lines, and process everything at your bank.

The process

  1. Create an account on the DHA’s eHomeAffairs website.
  2. Capture your application.
  3.  Attach your supporting documents.
  4. Make payment.
  5. Schedule your appointment.

eHomeAffairs allows you to save your application progress, and come back to complete it at a later stage.

A bank branch visit is mandatory for the capture and verification of your biometric detail (photos, fingerprints, and signature). You will not be required to go to a Home Affairs office at any point.

Participating bank branches

This service is not available at all bank branches, nor is it available in all cities in South Africa. For a list of participating branches, click here.

Below is a list of current bank branches that support this process.

And below here is a list of scheduled bank branches that aim to support this process.

To find out more about the South African Smart ID card, click here. And for a how-to guide to arrange an appointment at your bank branch, click here. If, for whatever reason, you would prefer to get your Smart ID from a Home Affairs office, you can find a list of Smart ID-capable branches here.

 

For information as to how Relocation Africa can help you with your Mobility, Immigration, Research, Remuneration, and Expat Tax needs, email info@relocationafrica.com, or call us on +27 21 763 4240.

Sources: [1], [2]. Image sources: [1], [2].

As per the VFS South Africa website, as of Tuesday 22 September 2020, visa services have resumed at all Visa Facilitation Centres in South Africa.

All categories of temporary residence visas, including applications of waivers of the prescribed requirement, will be accepted. The resumption of other immigration related applications will be phased in over a period of time.

Please note that adherence to all COVID -19 health protocols at all VFS centres are mandatory.

For more information, click here.

 

For information as to how Relocation Africa can help you with your Mobility, Immigration, Research, Remuneration, and Expat Tax needs, email info@relocationafrica.com, or call us on +27 21 763 4240.

Sources: [1], [2]. Image sources: [1], [2].

DEPARTMENT OF HOME AFFAIRS GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, JUNE 10TH 2020.

Lynn Mackenzie, J.D., LLM

Dr. Pakishe Aaron Motsoaledi, the Minister of Home Affairs in South Africa, has issued the following directions in Government Gazette No. 43162, Government Notice No. 416 of 26 March 2020, as amended by Government Notice No. R. 518 of 9 May 2020, hereby, in terms of regulation 4(8), read with regulation 4(10) of the Regulations made in terms of the Disaster Management Act, 2002 (Act No. 57 of 2002) and published in Government Gazette No. 43258, Government Notice No. 480 of 29 April 2020, as amended by Government Notice No. 608 of 28 May 2020;

  1. TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS FOR CITIZENS AND PERMANENT RESIDENTS

South African citizens have been advised to, for the duration of the national disaster;

(a) Refrain from non-essential travel to high risk countries; and
(b) Exercise caution in relation to any other travel outside the Republic.

15.2 A South African citizen contemplated in regulation 41(2)(d) of the Regulations who, at own cost and subject to the capacity available on international flights permitted for evacuation and repatriation, intends to travel to his or her place of employment, study or residence outside of the Republic must provide the Department of Home Affairs, at least five working days in advance of the intended date of travel, with –

(a) a copy of his or her valid South African passport;
(b) a letter of confirmation of admissibility or the validity of the visa or permit,
Issued by the relevant diplomatic or consular mission or authority of the receiving country;

(c) Where transiting through another country, proof of permission to transit through such country; and
(d) Proof of the means of travel and the intended date of departure,
The Department when considering the request to leave the Republic may authenticate the information.

15.3 A South African citizen or a permanent resident who, for any reason, has been outside the Republic during the period of the national state of disaster must for purposes of admission, upon his or her return to the Republic, be subjected to such prescribed screening or examination procedure as the immigration officer, in consultation with a port health official or medical practitioner, may determine, and must be referred for isolation or quarantine, as the case may be.”

17E. SERVICES TO BE RENDERED BY DEPARTMENT OF HOME AFFAIRS UNDER ALERT LEVEL 3

The Department of Home Affairs will render the following additional services during Alert Level 3 of the period of the national state of disaster, in addition to the services mentioned in paragraph 17D:

(a) Late registration of birth; and
(b) Solemnization and registration of marriages”.

DECLARATION OF UNDESIRABILITY

21.1 A person whose visa has expired from 15 March 2020 and has remained in the Republic during the period of the national state of disaster will not be declared an undesirable person in terms of the Immigration Act, 2002 upon leaving the Republic during the period of the national state of disaster up to and including 31 July 2020.

21.2 Any declaration of undesirability that has been issued to any person who departed the Republic on or after 15 March 2020 is hereby set aside.

The content of this document is provided for general information purposes. The provision of this document does not constitute legal
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For information as to how Relocation Africa can help you with your Mobility, Immigration, Research, Remuneration, and Expat Tax needs, email info@relocationafrica.com, or call us on +27 21 763 4240.

Sources: [1], [2]. Image sources: [1], [2].

Although the South African passport has lost 10 positions over the last decade on the latest Henley Passport Index, the country could play catch-up if a concerted effort is made to secure mutual visa waivers with so-called “high quality nations”.

This is the view of Amanda Smit, managing partner and head of South, Central and East Africa at the UK-based global citizenship and residence advisory firm Henley & Partners.

South Africa ranks 56th on the latest index, which ranks passports in the world according to the number of destinations their holders can access without a prior visa. It is based on data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA).

The UAE, for example, managed to increase its passport’s position on the index by 47 places over the last 10 years to 18th place, Smit told Fin24 on Wednesday.

Looking specifically at the BRICS countries, of which SA forms part, Smit said that, while Brazil and China improved their positions on the index over the past 10 years by nine and sixteen places respectively, India and Russia have also seen the power of their passports decline during that time, dropping by seven and two places respectively.

Smit says one might think the SA passport’s visa free or visa on arrival access to 100 destinations is a lot, but compare that to the Japanese passport (ranked in first place on the index) which offers 191 visa-free destinations.

On top of that, none of the 100 visa free destinations for an SA passport are in what Smit describes as the “most popular” destinations. In her view, that makes it more difficult to be “mobile” for business or leisure purposes.

She also argues that, while other African countries’ passports mainly remained static on the index, the SA passport lost ground.

Among African countries, the Seychelles remains the regional lead, ranking 29th globally with a visa-free or visa-on-arrival score of 151, while Mauritius retains second place with a visa-free or visa-on-arrival score of 146.

“My advice is that, if SA wants to improve the strength of our passport, we must be more proactive to obtain mutual visa agreements with other countries – preferably ‘high quality’ nations,” Smit says.

 

For information as to how Relocation Africa can help you with your Mobility, Immigration, Research, Remuneration, and Expat Tax needs, email info@relocationafrica.com, or call us on +27 21 763 4240.

Sources: [1], [2]. Image sources: [1], [2].