Minister of Home Affairs, Dr Aaron Motsoaledi, has extended the validity period of legally issued visas – which expired during the lockdown period – to September 30.

These apply to short-term visas that were issued for a period not longer than 90 days, such as a tourist visa. Longer-term temporary visas – issued for three months to three years and which expired during the lockdown – have also been extended until September 30, 2021.

This applies to visas or permits for visitors who have not left South Africa since the announcement of the National State of Disaster in March 2020, and who arrived with a valid visitor’s visa between December 2019 and March 14, 2021.

A statement issued by the Department of Home Affairs notes that holders of such visas are permitted to remain in the country under the conditions of their visas until the expiry of their applicable extension.

Those wishing to be repatriated to their countries within this period can depart without being officially declared as “undesirable persons”.

The extension does not apply to people who entered the country from March 15. The normal validity period applies to those admitted into South Africa from this date.