Question NW234 to the Minister of Home Affairs
03 September 2019 - NW234
De Freitas, Mr MS to ask the Minister of Home Affairs
With regard to tourist visas issued by his department in the past three years, (a) what number of visas have been issued in each month, (b) from where were the specified visas issued, (c) what is the average turnaround time for issuing a visa, (d) what is being done to improve the turnaround time, (e) what processes are in place to ensure that turnaround times are improved and (f) what are the time frames, timelines and deadlines in this regard?
Reply:
(a-b) From available information a total of 1 068 227 Visitors Visas were issued in South African Missions abroad from 2017 to June 2019 as follows.
|
Year |
2017 |
2018 |
2019 |
|
Number of Visas |
451 855 |
403 164 |
213 208 |
A breakdown of the number of Visitors Visas issued by each South African Mission abroad for the respective years is attached as Annexure A. The data for the following countries are being verified for correctness and accuracy hence it is not on the list attached:
|
Country |
Mission |
|
Algeria |
Algiers |
|
Burundi |
Bujumbura |
|
Fiji |
Suva |
|
Finland |
Helsinki |
|
Japan |
Tokyo |
|
Madagascar |
Antanarivo |
|
Country |
Mission |
|
Mauritius |
Port Louis |
|
Morocco |
Rabat |
|
Netherlands |
The Hague |
|
Singapore |
Singapore |
|
Spain |
Madrid |
|
Sri Lanka |
Colombo |
|
Sudan |
Juba |
|
Sudan |
Khartoum |
|
Switzerland |
Berne |
|
Thailand |
Bangkok |
|
Tunisia |
Tunis |
|
Ukraine |
Kiev |
|
Vietnam |
Hanoi |
(c) The general processing period for the Visitor’s Visas is five (5) Working days.
(d) Where the Mission experiences high volumes and staffing challenges the Department deploys additional staff to support on a short term basis subject to availability of funds.
(e) The turnaround times are maintained and the Department is currently introducing the eVisa which is at testing phase.
(f) The eVisa will be piloted in October 2019 and depending on the results of the pilot, the eVisa should be operational in the 2020/2021. financial year.
END