The Southern Africa Tourism Services Association (Satsa) has welcomed the recent reforms to South Africa’s immigration policy.
This comes after the Department of Home Affairs and Minister Leon Schreiber launched the remote working visa scheme, officially gazetted on October 9, and the new immigration directives published last week.
According to Satsa CEO David Frost, there has been significant movement from the DHA in recent months and a positive shake-up was long overdue.
“We’ve been talking about access, visa reform and the need for streamlined, digital visa processes for years.
“The fact that we have a Minister committed to simplifying visa requirements and processes, especially for key source markets, is a massive win for the tourism industry – but it is just the beginning,” said Frost.
Frost highlighted that the new Remote Work Visa will attract “digital nomads” from across the world, with extended stays benefiting the entire value chain.
He also noted that what’s more significant is the standardisation of entry requirements for South Africa’s visitors’ visas.
“In particular, Satsa welcomes the announcement that the Minister has issued a directive preventing officials from requesting additional documentation from people who are seeking tourist visas to visit South Africa.
“Immigration regulations only allow staff to request a passport, bank statements, itinerary and flight details and yet applicants are routinely asked for more, including minimum bank balances or letters from their employers,” said Frost.
He added that the directive explains that no official or embassy may require any additional documentation when processing a visa application whilst the additional requirements have made it very difficult for prospective tourists to visit South Africa, especially those from India and China which are two of the world’s fastest-growing markets.
“It’s a game-changer. Officials working in South African Missions abroad are often a law unto themselves, and the new immigration directive is a seminal change.
“In addition to a valid passport, there are now only three items required to process a visa: a statement detailing a visitor’s purpose and duration of stay, a valid return airline ticket, and three months of certified bank statements,” said Frost.
He noted that this is much simpler and straightforward and leaves no room for interpretation as officials have to adhere to the guidelines and cannot complicate the process with spurious requests.
For Frost, the ultimate goal is a fully electronic system similar to the one Kenya launched at the beginning of the year.
“Kenya has taken a bold approach. All foreign nationals can now enter the country without a visa for leisure or business travel for stays of up to 90 days. Visitors obtain an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) online prior to travel, which costs USD 30 and takes up to three business days to process,” explains Frost.
He noted that this is working for Kenya, which has seen remarkable recovery, reaching 142% of their pre-Covid tourist arrivals by the middle of 2024. In comparison, South Africa reached 84% recovery or 1.2 million visitors.
“Kenya’s tourism strategy focuses on digital transformation and e-visas, and it’s paying huge dividends. They’re on track to meet their ambitious goal of attracting 2.5 million tourists by the end of 2024,” said Frost
In conclusion, Frost said Satsa remains firm on issues like the 90-day visas for all visitors, and waivers for EU countries that still require a visa.
“Minister Schreiber’s vision for transforming Home Affairs into a digital-first organisation is a commendable one – but we have to ensure it includes visa reform across the board, making South Africa one of the most accessible, welcoming countries in the world,” said Frost.