Department of Home Affairs Immigration Directive No. 22 of 2025: Extension of Temporary Visa Concession

The Department of Home Affairs (DHA) has issued Immigration Directive No. 22 of 2025, confirming an important update for foreign nationals with pending waiver or appeal applications.

Due to ongoing processing delays, the temporary visa concession—originally set to expire on 30 September 2025—has been extended until 31 March 2026. This extension ensures that affected foreign nationals may legally remain in South Africa under their existing visa conditions and may travel in and out of the country without being declared undesirable, provided they comply with the concession requirements.

Applicants with Pending Waiver Applications

• Automatically granted an extension until 31 March 2026.

• Permitted to depart and re-enter South Africa during this period without being declared undesirable, provided they carry proof of their waiver application submission.

• Nationals of non-visa-exempt countries must obtain a port-of-entry visa when returning to South Africa.

Applicants with Pending Visa or Permanent Residence Appeals

• Automatically granted an extension until 31 March 2026 under the conditions of their current visa.

• May only engage in activities specifically allowed by their visa conditions.

• Permitted to depart and re-enter South Africa during this period without being declared undesirable, provided they carry their rejection letter and proof of appeal submission.

• Nationals of non-visa-exempt countries must obtain a port-of-entry visa when returning.

Key Considerations

• This concession applies only to applicants who were legally admitted into South Africa,

• Applications must have been submitted through VFS Global, and

• Applicants must be able to present a valid VFS receipt as proof of submission.

The extension provides much-needed clarity and relief for foreign nationals and employers alike, offering legal certainty while the DHA continues adjudicating outstanding applications.