By Political Reporter- Zimbabweans with interests in South Africa are celebrating the South African government’s recent commitment to accelerate the visa application process. 

This move, announced by the Department of Home Affairs, includes plans to digitize documentation, a measure anticipated to make the immigration process faster and more transparent.

For many Zimbabwean nationals, this brings hope of securing their stay and employment in South Africa.

Gabriel Shumba, a Zimbabwean lawyer and director at Global Immigration and Legal Consultancy, praised the announcement, emphasizing that a streamlined visa process could significantly reduce the anxiety experienced by applicants. 

“We welcome the Department of Home Affairs’ efforts to hasten the adjudication of visa applications,” Shumba remarked. “This efficiency will also help to reduce corruption, which is a welcome change.”

Shumba further noted that the quicker processing of applications aligns with South Africa’s economic needs, as it enables the country to access skilled labor more promptly, bolstering its economy.

The Department of Home Affairs recently established five immigration targets for the 2024/25 financial year to improve processing times across several visa categories.

The targets, presented in the October 25 Budget Review and Recommendations Report to Parliament, outline the following goals:

• Permanent Residence Applications: 85% of applications for critical skills, general work, and business visas submitted within South Africa are to be processed within eight months.
• Critical Skills Visas: 95% of applications submitted in South Africa will be adjudicated within four weeks.
• Business Visas: 90% of business visa applications filed in South Africa will be processed within eight weeks.
• General Work Visas: 90% of general work visa applications made within the country will be processed within eight weeks.
• Law Enforcement Operations: The DHA aims to conduct 2,000 law enforcement operations and inspections targeting immigration compliance.

This new approach by South Africa’s Department of Home Affairs represents a promising development for Zimbabweans, many of whom have faced challenges with lengthy visa processes and uncertain legal status.

Improved efficiency and digital documentation could also help curb corruption, a longstanding issue in immigration processing, by making the system more transparent.

With an estimated 800,000 to 1.2 million Zimbabweans currently residing in South Africa, the accelerated processing times are expected to provide relief and security for thousands seeking to maintain legal status and employment.