The Minister of Home Affairs has issued a temporary visa concession (Directive 6 of 2026) to assist people stranded in South Africa due to airspace closures in parts of the Middle East and Gulf region.
This applies to passengers and airline crew whose travel has actually been disrupted by these airspace closures. Note, not all travellers and not all airlines.
Here’s what you need to know:
- If you are in South Africa on a long-term visa expiring on or before 31 March 2026, you may apply for a visitor visa before it expires (if you meet the normal requirements).
- If you are on a visitor visa that has reached its maximum stay, you may apply again for the same visa for up to 3 months but you cannot change your visa type or conditions.
- If your visa has already expired, you may still apply for a renewal without first obtaining a Form 20.
- If you have a pending application and are waiting to leave once flights resume, you will not be declared undesirable for overstaying.
- If you were declared undesirable when leaving South Africa from 26 February 2026 onwards and your overstay was caused by these airspace closures, you may submit an appeal with proof to: middleeast.overstay@dha.gov.za
Important limitations:
- This only applies to people who were legally admitted into South Africa.
- You must be able to show that your specific travel was directly affected by the airspace closures in the listed regions.
- It does not apply to unrelated travel delays or unaffected routes.
- No change of status or conditions is allowed under this concession.
- The concession is temporary and will apply until 31 May 2026 or until airspace reopens, whichever comes first.
In short, this is a practical relief measure to prevent people from being penalised for circumstances outside of their control, but it is limited and evidence-based.
If you are affected, make sure you act before your visa expires and that your application is properly prepared.
If you need assistance, feel free to contact us at info@dsdlaw.co.za