Immigration Act South Africa changes – Implications for the model industry
On April 29, 2014 / Leave a comment
Immigration Act South Africa 2014 changes – Implications for the Model Industry – Blog Series Part 5 – Release May 2014
With the new Immigration Act of South Africa on the horizon, there are several implications for foreigners with visitor visas and those wishing to extend their visas or change to another visa (e.g. spouse or work visa South Africa).
Immigration Act South Africa – proposed changes will affect the model and film industry.
Many young, beautiful and exquisite individuals enter South Africa to either explore, go on vacation, work or reside in our beloved country. The intention might be to visit for a short while, but we often see young adults fall in love with our warm climate, rich culture and amazing night life. This, often results in foreigners staying for much longer than the initial 90 days their visitor’s visa allows. While overstaying is currently ‘only’ punishable by a fine, the new proposed law states that individuals who overstay their visa will be banned from South Africa for up to 10 years! Even a mere one day extra may lead to a ban of 2 years. Thus, it is vital that people apply for visa extensions instead of just staying on, and do so well in advance, with no less than 30 days before the expiry of the current visa.
The visitor’s visa has an initial validity of 90 days for most nationals, but may be extended by an additional three months, provided that certain conditions are met. It is expected that once the new immigration laws have been passed, applications for other types of visas can no longer be done through the Department of Home Affairs in South Africa. Individuals will have to return to their home country in order to apply for a change of visa. Imagine a scenario where a foreigner falls in love with a South African and would like to get married. According to the proposed law an application for a spousal visa can no longer be submitted within South Africa, instead this said person would have to apply for a visa at the South African embassy overseas and wait for the outcome there.
It is recommended that foreigners who already have a temporary visa for South Africa, should apply for an extension as soon as possible. The earlier foreigners apply, the earlier they can start to enjoy their surroundings without the looming pressure of visa extensions or expiry dates. For foreigners wanting to change their visa category (e.g. from visitor to work visa), we recommend not to wait until the new law has been passed but to apply as soon as possible. All visitors coming to South Africa to work during the summer season (eg. models) need to apply for a Section 11 (2)’s visitor visa which is a visitor’s visa plus work endorsement. Passports usually get stamped with a standard visitor’s visa that does not accommodate for work endorsement.
It is illegal to work on a standard visitor’s visa in South Africa.Initiate Immigration charges a once off fee of R1500 for a Section 11 (2)’s visitor’s visa with work endorsement or your money back guaranteed. We offer both corporate agencies and individuals with the guidance they need in order to make the best decision for them, assisting with visa status changes as well as visa extensions at a very reasonable price.
Should you have any questions, please contact us today:
(e): contact@initiateimmigration.com (t): (021) 488 9800
Michaela
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