By Breytenbachs Immigration Consultants

Breytenbachs frequently receives calls from distressed South African clients who have used the wrong passport at border control. In other cases, non-South African spouses or children unwittingly overstay their South African visitor visas and are faced with passport bans.

Breytenbachs has subsequently provided some guidance for South African expats. Understanding these critical issues can ensure a smoother travel experience and avoid potential complications.

What passport to use at border control?

Breytenbachs frequently receives questions from clients who are unsure which passport to use when exiting and entering South Africa.

Any person who has the right to make use of a South African passport, must utilise this travel document when travelling to and from South Africa. The South African Citizenship Act clearly stipulates this rule. 

When you enter another country, you may use the passport of which you have dual citizenship. For example, if you have dual citizenship for South Africa and the United Kingdom, you can enter the United Kingdom with your British passport at British border control.

Adhering to this rule is very important, as you may be fined, flagged, and have your foreign passport stamped for not following the South African immigration rules.

If you are uncertain whether your South African citizenship status is still valid, kindly contact our offices to assist you with a process to confirm your current South African nationality status. You can email us at info@bic-immigration.com or visit our website at www.bic-immigration.com.

South African visitor visa periods

Many people underestimate the importance of adhering to South African visa conditions and unwittingly overstay their visas.

The Breytenbachs’ SA Immigration department frequently receives urgent calls from visitors to South Africa who have overstayed their visas and now face a ban on their passports.

Countries such as the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand and Canada are visa exempt for 90 days. This means that citizens from these countries will receive an automatic 90-day visitor visa upon entering South Africa. However, you must have a return ticket. One can extend this visa for another 90 days, but the extension application must be submitted 60 days before the original visa expires. You must wait for the endorsement before leaving South Africa. If you plan to stay longer than six months, consider applying for a long-term visitor visa before travelling.

Repercussions of a ban on your passport

In many cases foreign nationals overstay their visitor visa in South Africa and end up with a travel ban imposed.

The repercussions of a ban on your passport are that you will firstly not be able to return to South Africa until the relevant authorities uplifted the ban, and it can negatively affect visa applications to other countries. If you have a ban, you should apply for a ban upliftment from the South African authorities.

This should be done through contacting them using overstayappeals@dha.gov.za.

Ban periods for overstaying in South Africa

If you overstay for up to 30 days, you will be banned from visiting South Africa for 12 months. Overstaying for more than 30 days results in a five-year ban. If you overstay a second time within a 24-month cycle, you will be banned for two years.

Advice from Breytenbachs

Prevention is always better than cure. Breytenbachs strongly advises adhering to visa regulations and avoiding overstaying in any country. Overstaying in South Africa can affect your ability to obtain visas for other countries.

Breytenbachs also strongly recommends that South Africans with dual citizenship who do not register their children as South African citizens familiarise themselves with South African visitor visa rules, as these cases often unintentionally overstay.

How Breytenbachs can help you

Breytenbachs’ SA Immigration department is FIPSA-registered and boasts many years of experience in these matters. Their expertise ensures that you receive the best possible guidance and support. If you need assistance with any immigration matters, do not hesitate to contact Breytenbachs for professional and reliable help. Please visit our website at www.bic-immigration.com or email us at info@bic-immigration.com.

Please note that the information in this article does not constitute professional advice and is provided for general informational purposes without any warranty.