The Department of Home Affairs has issued Immigration Directive 16 of 2024 on 18 December 2024, announcing that the concession for long-term temporary residence visa holders has been extended until 21 March 2025 due to the current backlog.
Another blanket concession has been granted extending the expiry date of expired visas to 31 March 2025 for foreign nationals who applied for their new long term visas including appeals which were still pending as at 18 December 2024.
Similarly foreign nationals on long term visas awaiting waiver outcomes which were still pending as at 18 December 2024 are granted an extension of their expired visas until 31 March 2025.
Foreign nationals who are on a short term holiday visa for 90 days or less since 01 October 2024, are granted a blanket extension of 90 days up to and including 31 March 2025 provided that the cumulative period of stay from the date of initial entry until date of final departure does not exceed a total of 180 days. These visa holders should be allowed to depart from the Republic and re-enter up to and including 31 March 2025, without being declared undesirable as contemplated in section 30(1)(h) of the Immigration Act, read with regulation 27(3) of the Regulations.