While the Department of Home Affairs has taken steps to introduce speedy turnaround solutions for business visas and work permits by introducing international fast-track hubs, tourist visas will be left out.
The announcement was made by the Minister of Home Affairs, Malusi Gigaba, on Wednesday. According to Business Day, the move is in response to complaints from corporates that new immigration regulations are harming foreign investment and economic growth. According to Gigaba, the department was reviewing its processes in response to business needs and the international hub will be operational by the end of the financial year.
The initial hub will open in Pretoria, with hubs in Nigeria, India and Kenya following.
Home Affairs spokesperson, Mayihlome Tshwete, told Tourism Update that the process for applying for tourist visas will remain the same. “Business requirements are quite different to an individual’s requirements. They require a lot more [in terms of fast visa turnaround], and they have a more direct impact on economic issues.” He added that the move was so that the country did not experience an adverse economic pattern as a result of the Department of Home Affairs’ policy.
Responding to questions on whether there were future plans to roll out this service to tourists, Tshwete said, “The visas in our current system are faster than they have ever been and the more we introduce technology the faster they will get.”
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According to Engineering News, DHA is to offer multiple-entry visas to businesspeople from Brazil, Russia, India and China, extending to other countries over time. It also said the department was planning an intensive training programme in the coming months with all foreign missions and embassies, to ensure a more even application of the rules.