A total of 92,157 visas are yet to be processed in South Africa causing a profound backlog.
South Africa’s Department of Home Affairs has said that it is continuing to battle a major visa backlog, VisaGuide.World reports.
Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi said that the main culprit in the backlog is the spousal visa.
Relative’s Visa (Spouse) accounts for a total of 18,661 applications, while the Visitor’s Visa Section 11(6) (Spousal) accounts for 41,083 of the backlogged applications.
Among the most significant backlog applications are also the Relative’s Visa (minor child), Visitor’s Visa Section 11(1)(b)(iv)(Work >3 months) as well as Relative’s Visa (brother) Section 18 also experienced a notable backlog with 3,883 and 2,609 applications registered.
Visitor’s Visa Section 11(1)(b)(i) (Academic) and Exchange Visa Section 22 had the lowest visa backlog 14, and 8 respectively.
Critical Skills, Business & General Work Visas Have No Backlog
Minister Motsoaledi said that as of January 31, 2024, the Critical Skills, Business, and General Work Visas that are part of the annual performance plan have no backlogs.
The Minister previously said that relative/spousal visas could take more than two years to process in specific cases, as a result of the work that needs to be done in order to verify the details.
Applicants for relative and/or spousal permits wait as long as two years for their visa due to the requirement that their notarial agreements and other documents such as birth certificates, bank statements and marriage certificates submitted as proof of the existence of a spousal or parental relationship are verified.
The Minister said that to establish the legitimacy of any relative and spousal relationship for a visa application, the adjudication process that needs such a relationship should be verified for authenticity. This also includes verification of the notarial agreements and other required documents submitted of such applications with the issuing authority.
This includes verification of the notarial agreements and other supporting documents submitted in support of such applications with the issuing authority.
According to the minister, in most cases, the number of purported South African spouses and relatives is not provided, thus making it difficult to confirm with certainty that the South African citizen is needed partly to the relationship.
The significant backlog is causing additional problems for applicants, with some posting that it could invite legal challenges against the department for taking so long.
Temporary Residence Permit Category Backlog
1 Visitor’s Visa Section 11(6) (Spousal) 41 083
2 Relative’s Visa (Spouse) 18 661
3 Relative’s Visa (minor child) Section 18 9 580
4 Relative’s Visa (major child) Section 18 3 952
5 Visitor’s Visa Section 11(1)(b)(iv) (Work >3 months) 3 883
6 Relative’s Visa (brother) Section 18 2 609
7 Visitor’s Visa section 11(1)(b)(ii) (Volunteer) 2 229
8 Relative’s Visa (Parent) Section 18 2 190
9 Study Visa Section 13 1 751
10 Retired Person Visa Section 20 1 686
11 Visitor’s Visa Section 11(2) (Work <3 months) 1 233
12 Visitor’s Visa Section 11(1) (Visitor) 1 106
13 Medical Treatment Section 17 1 090
14 Relative’s Visa (sister) Section 18 841
15 Visitor’s Visa Section 11(1)(b)(iii) (Research) 191
16 Treaty Visa Section 14 49
17 Visitor’s Visa Section 11(1)(b)(i) (Academic) 14
18 Exchange Visa Section 22 9
Total 92 157