https://businesstech.co.za/news/government/676241/home-affairs-extends-visa-validity-as-massive-backlog-builds-up/

Home Affairs extends visa validity as
massive backlog builds up

The Department of Home Affairs says that it is introducing
temporary measures to assist foreign nationals facing delayed
outcomes to their waiver and visa applications due to the backlog
at the department.
The department said that it is currently sitting with a backlog of
almost 62,700 visa applications which it has been trying to get
through since last year.
In December 2022 the department noted that it had a backlog of
56,500 visas to process, which it hoped to get through by June
2024.
However, the backlog had only grown since then, forcing the
department to bring relief to thousands of foreign nationals who
would be left in the lurch when their visas expired.
Visa applications and processing have become a veritable
nightmare for businesses in South Africa looking to hire specialists
and critical skills needed for operations.
Companies have run into frustrating hurdles with these visa types
over the last few months as the department dithered with systems
and shifted processes around. Businesses have described getting
the necessary visas for foreign workers in the country as a
nightmare.
Broadly, the relief measures will allow visa and waiver applicants
to stay in the country legally until 31 December 2023 while their
applications are being processed. However, this applies only to
those applicants whose outcome is still pending at 31 March 2023.
This is “in an attempt to address the impact that the backlog in
processing outcomes on waiver and visa applications has on
foreign nationals”, the department said.
“The temporary measures will apply only to foreign nationals who
have been legally admitted into South Africa,” it said.
In a notice issued on Wednesday (29 March), the department said
that the following measures will be put in place:
For applicants whose waiver application outcomes are still
pending
Long term visa holders for work, business, study, relatives and
accompanying a spouse, who have applied for a waiver and the
waiver is still pending as of 31 March 2023, will be granted a
temporary extension to 31 December 2023.
This will give the department time to process the applications and
for applicants to collect their outcomes and submit applications for
appropriate renewals.
If these visa holders wish to abandon the waiver application and
want to depart from South Africa when able to do so, they will be
allowed to exit at a port of entry before 31 December 2023 without
being declared undesirable.
Non-visa exempted applicants are required to apply for a visitor’s
visa to be allowed to remain in the country
For applicants whose visa applications are still pending
Long term visa holders for work, business, study, relatives and
accompanying a spouse who are part of the the backlog will have
their current visa status extended to 31 December 2023.
Applicants are not allowed to engage in any activity other than
what their current visa conditions provide for.
For those looking to abandon their application, the same rules as
above apply.
For short-term visa holders
Short-term visa holders whose visa validity was issued for fewer
than 90 days and have not received their visa extension outcome
by 31 March 2023 must make the necessary arrangements to
depart South Africa on or before 30 April 2023 to avoid being
declared undesirable.
Visa Facilitation Services (VFS)
The concession is only applicable to applicants who have
submitted an application via Visa Facilitation Services before or on
31 March 2023.
Read: Massive visa backlog in South Africa