South Africa Considers Relaxing Visa Requirements

[NewsRoom]

Zimbabwe: South Africa Considers Relaxing Visa Requirements

Published by the government of Zimbabwe

The Herald (Harare)

Harare

Stringent visa requirements for Zimbabweans intending to travel to South Africa are set to be reviewed following talks between the two countries.

The talks were held under the Joint Permanent Commission on Defence and Security in South Africa between Wednesday and Thursday last week. Three committees on Defence, State Security and Public Security from Zimbabwe held the talks with their South African counterparts.

Principal Chief Immigration Officer Mr Clemence Masango yesterday said Zimbabwe made proposals for a review of some of the stringent visa requirements and South Africa agreed to look at them. The issues to be reviewed include the letter of invitation, visa fees, proof of ability to sustain oneself while in South Africa and security deposit fees.

"As a delegation, we requested that we should have total abolition of visas between the two countries. We called upon our (South African) counterparts not to continue to harden visa conditions as is the case now," said Mr Masango. He said the stringent visa conditions were unnecessary since Zimbabwe did not demand the same requirements from South African travellers.

South Africans travelling to Zimbabwe have enjoyed a free visa facility since 1995. "The South Africans said they have their own reasons why they cannot scrap visas now. We then asked for removal of some of the conditions they have imposed and in the meeting we agreed that some of the requirements be removed or reviewed," he said. Mr Masango said Zimbabwean travellers would, if the proposals are implemented, no longer have to prove the ability to sustain themselves in South Africa at the South African Embassy in Harare but at the port of entry.

"However, this will not be required from proven compliant travellers, that is, for example, when a person has travelled to and from South Africa at least six times and has not violated immigration regulations in South Africa," said Mr Masango.

He said their South African counterparts would forward the proposals to their Minister of Home Affairs and inform Zimbabwe on the extent of relaxation and date of implementation. In October last year, South Africa announced that Zimbabwean travellers needed to pay a security deposit in Zimbabwean dollars depending on the destination, have traveller's cheques amounting to R2 000 and produce a letter of invitation from the person or organisation inviting to that country, among other requirements. Applicants are also required to submit an affidavit and copies of identification documents of the persons inviting them to South Africa.

The security deposit, which would be refundable at the expiry of the visa or once one returned to Zimbabwe, used to be applicable to first-time visitors only but had been extended to all travellers. Mr Masango said their counterparts also advised them that they had put in place a 12-month multiple entry visitor's permit to allow Zimbabwean cross-border traders to travel to South Africa and conduct their business.

"Before this, they (the cross-border traders) were just treated as ordinary visitors and would find it difficult to conduct business. This (multiple entry permit), however, gives them a status better than an ordinary visitor," he said. Mr Masango said he was also waiting to receive an official confirmation through normal channels from South Africa about the permit so that he would be in a better position to clarify on how the border traders would be identified and the requirements to access the permit. "I am sure it's something that the Ministry of Small and Medium Enterprises would be interested in and I am also looking forward to working with them once I get the confirmation," he said.

During the meeting, Mr Masango said, South Africa raised concern over border jumpers and efforts were being done to solve the problem. He said the South African authorities were also considering opening up a consular office in Bulawayo so that applicants from that part of the country would not have to travel to Harare for the processing of their visas.

"It's a matter they are still considering and we are waiting to hear from them," he said.