Many Zimbabweans are happy about recent changes made by the South African government to speed up the visa process and digitise documents in the Department of Home Affairs.
They believe this will give them another chance to remain working in South Africa.
Gabriel Shumba, a Zimbabwean lawyer and director at Global Immigration and Legal Consultancy, welcomed the move, saying it is good news for migrants looking to stay in South Africa. Said Shumba (via Southern Eye):
We welcome the Department of Home Affairs’ efforts to hasten the adjudication of visa applications. This obviously will remove the anxiety and uncertainty that has always characterised many an applicant’s brief sojourn in the republic.
In addition, this efficiency will assist the Republic of South Africa to obtain within record time the much needed skills that are necessary to boost the economy. Efficiency will also help to reduce corruption and that’s welcome.
South Africa’s Department of Home Affairs recently established five immigration targets aimed at reducing waiting times for immigration visa processes for the upcoming financial year. It said:
The Department of Home Affairs (DHA) is continuing its drive for increased efficiency. Focusing on the immigration and civil service departments, DHA has placed its commitments to speeding up certification and visa processing on record.
The department presented the 2024 Budget Review and Recommendations Report to Parliament on October 25…
The DHA’s immigration service targets for the 2024/25 financial year are to have 85% of permanent residence applications for critical skills, general work and business to be collected within South Africa adjudicated within eight months, to have 95% of critical skills visa applications made in South Africa processed within four weeks, to have 90% of business visa applications made in South Africa adjudicated within eight weeks, to have 90% of general work visa applications made in South Africa adjudicated within eight weeks and to lead 2 000 law enforcement operations or inspections for target areas.
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