The Minister of Home Affairs has wisely chosen to extend the blanket waiver. As we applaud this decision, we express the hope that the existing backlog will be promptly addressed, and outcomes will be disseminated as soon as possible. We however set out below the key points of this latest extension:
Waiver Applicants: Pending applicants now have an extended deadline until 30 June 2024. An exit before or on this date ensures departure without being labelled undesirable.
Visa Applicants: Long-term visa applications in the queue gets an extended timeline. Similar to waiver applicants, there’s a grace period until 30 June 2024, for a seamless exit without facing the “undesirable” tag.
Visa Appeal Applicants: If you’re waiting for appeal outcomes, the extension stretches until 30 June 2024. For added flexibility, appeal applicants can exit and re-enter until the same date with the required documentation.
Short-Term Visa Holders: Those waiting for renewal outcomes by 23 February 2024, must depart by 29 February 2024.