South Africa: Relaxed Documentary Requirements for Visas and Permanent Residence Permits

The Department of Home Affairs no longer requires foreign nationals and their dependents who are applying for a temporary residence visa or permanent residence permit to submit a radiology report with the application. Further, the Department of Home Affairs is only requiring these same foreign nationals, who are over the age of 18, to submit a police clearance certificate from countries that they have resided in for 12 consecutive months or longer in the five years prior to application. Previously, these foreign nationals had to submit police clearances from all countries they had resided in for 12 consecutive months or longer, since the age of 18. These reduced requirements will shorten the document gathering time and speed up the overall application process.