Assortment of international passports, including UK and US, with a banner stating '90 Visa Exempt Countries for South

90 Visa Exempt Countries for South Africans in 2017

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Those who wish to cross the Bahamas, Hong Kong, Ireland or Thailand off their travel bucket lists, are in luck, as the Passport Index of 2017 has declared the aforementioned countries along with an additional 87 countries to be visa-exempt.

The Passport Index edition of 2017 has been launched by the residency and citizenship solutions provider Arton Capital, which ranks the number of countries that can be visited without applying for a visa, by the measure of travel documents (passports).

Over 20 000 investors seek second residency or citizenship around the globe which had led for this specific investment to become a $US2 billion industry.

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INTERNATIONAL IMMIGRATION NEWS

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FOREIGN TAX BUYING TO BE LIFTED – BRITISH COLUMBIA

Following President Donald Trump’s newly instated immigration bans, British Columbia in Canada announced that they will be lifting 15% foreign buyers tax for anyone who will be living in Metro Vancouver with a work permit.

This follows after the foreign buyers tax was implemented in July 2016, which had a skyrocketing effect on the market due to the decrease in residential real-estate sales and prices.

This seems to be an effort to encourage and welcome those who seek refuge around the world to work, stay, and pay taxes in B.C.  They believe that the ‘best and the brightest’ should be able to stay in B.C and this change in tax law aims to attract these individuals.

WATCH HERE

Moscow's Red Square at sunset with the Kremlin and St. Basil's Cathedral. Text: Russian nationals not yet visa-exempt from

Russian Nationals Not Yet Visa-Exempt From South Africa

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Russian nationals have been warned that the introduction of the visa-free travel between South Africa and Russia of 90 days has not yet come into effect. This is due to South Africa still being busy with internal processes and the Department of Home Affairs will issue a directive once they are ready for the implementation.

There has been no official time-frame given, but the Russian Embassy expects the process to become effective by end of February 2017.




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INTERNATIONAL IMMIGRATION NEWS

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TRUMP FOLLOWS THROUGH ON CAMPAIGN PLEDGES

On Wednesday, 25 January 2017, The US President, Donald Trump took his first step to enact his pledge(s) by signing the executive orders to ‘Build a Wall’ on the Mexican border and to prevent sanctuary cities from offering protection to undocumented immigrants.

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SAQA Fee Increase

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SAQA released a statement of tariff increases that will also include changes in the administrative fees charged to process refunds. The evaluation of qualification tariffs will change from R950-00 to R1010-00 effective 1 January 2017.

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Carte Blanche – Visa Vitriol

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The Department of Home Affairs introduced visa-handling service VFS in 2014 to streamline administration. But for foreigners – many of whom bring rare skills and investment into the country, applying to live and work in South Africa and complying with immigration regulations is still a nightmare experience. They report an expensive and cumbersome process in which the Department of Home Affairs allegedly rejects 40 percent of applications out of hand.

View video here:

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Proposed amendments to Immigration Act will save jobs – James Vos

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The recently tabled Draft First Amendment of the Immigration Regulations made under the Immigration Act by the Department of Home Affairs (DHA), does nothing to address the loss of jobs in the tourism industry, including concerns raised by the tourism industry, government departments and opposition parties.

The Draft First Amendment is nothing more than a half-hearted attempt to address the serious problems with the current regulations and will result in the ultimate contraction of the tourism industry.

The reality is that no material changes will be affected by the error-ridden Draft. Rather, the wording of a few provisions have lazily been shifted around, in what can only be seen as an attempt to create the illusion of the DHA’s willingness to engage with criticism of its policies.

The contentious requirement that parents traveling to South Africa with their children must produce an unabridged birth certificate (UBC) has not been removed. Rather than actually change the regulations, it seems that the Department only reorganised the clauses, whilst the requirements essentially stay the same.

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DHA reduces requirements to obtain more Lesotho Special Permits

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On 27 September 2016, the DHA announced that Lesotho nationals may now apply for the Lesotho Special Permits (LSP) at the VFS application centres without their passports.

Lesotho nationals are still able to apply for the Lesotho Special Permit physically at the DHA offices till 31 December 2016, as the online applications have closed 30 September 2016. However, it is being considered that the online applications might get an extended time frame.

Prior to this new announcement, Lesotho nationals were required to have a valid passport that had to be valid for four years, or a travel document with a Lesotho ID number in order to get permission to stay in South Africa legally.

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Draft Amendment to the Immigration Regulations 2014

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The Department of Home Affairs (“DHA”) invites public comments on the draft First Amendment of the Immigration Regulations, 2014.

Written submissions should reach the DHA on or before 14 October 2016.

Click here for a copy of the High Court Judgement

 

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High Court ruling – Holders of asylum seeker & refugees permits may now apply for the relevant immigration permits and visas

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The much anticipated ruling on Immigration Directive 21 of 2015, barring Refugees and Asylum seekers from applying for a change of status to any visa or permit in terms of the Immigration Act, was handed down by in the High Court of South Africa on 21 September 2016. It has been declared that Directive 21 is inconsistent with the Constitution of the Republic and therefore invalid and must be set aside.

The judgement further clarifies that  even  failed asylum seekers must be permitted to apply for a visa by affording them the same opportunity as illegal  foreigners in section 32 where allowing individuals to approach the Director-General  for authorisation to apply for a visa.

Click here for a copy of the High Court Judgement