In a bid to streamline the visa application process and attract more foreign tourists and investors, the Department of Home Affairs hopes to be issuing electronic visas as soon as October this year.
This news follows hot on the heels of President Ramaphosa’s statement during the State of the Nation Address last week wherein he stated his plans for South Africa to increase international tourist influx, a key market that needs to be exploited for the country’s economic benefit. This involves attracting more leisure tourists as well as foreign businesses through a more efficient process.
The acting Director-General of Home Affairs, Thulani Mavuso, told eNCA the department is in a good position to begin testing the e-visa system. ‘We’re doing functional testing, once that’s done we’ll do a proper pilot with a few countries,’ Mavuso said. He added that as soon as the pilot tests are complete, production of the e-visas can begin.
At present, other African countries where e-visas are in use include Zimbabwe, Zambia, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Gabon and the Ivory Coast.
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