On April 11, 2023, the Department of Home Affairs issued a new directive that waives the requirements for a medical and radiological report, as well as certain requirements to obtain police clearance certificates. This new directive will be welcomed by all the applicants who were previously burdened by the bureaucratic requirements that come with applying for visas or permanent residency permits.

The medical and radiological report requirement has been a long-standing issue for many visa applicants. These tests can be both costly and time-consuming, and many applicants have found them to be a significant barrier to entry. A medical and radiological report were required for every visa application that exceeds a 90-day period in South Africa, while only being valid for six-months. 

The burden of obtaining these reports was further compounded by the fact that they needed to be originally issued and issued in the country where the applicant will submit the visa application. 

With the new directive, these requirements have been waived, making it easier for applicants to apply for visas and permanent residency permits.

Similarly, the police clearance certificate requirement has been another stumbling block for many applicants. This certificate attests to the applicant’s criminal history in every country it has been obtained from.

Prior to the new directive, an applicant was required to obtain a police clearance certificate from their home country and every other country they have been resident in for a period of 12 months after attaining the age of 18 years. Obtaining this document can be a costly, complex and time-consuming process, particularly for applicants who have lived in multiple countries or who have a complicated legal history. With the new directive, this requirement has also been waived, making it easier for applicants to apply for visas and permanent residency permits. 

The new directive reduces the burden of the police clearance certificate as an applicant that will only need Police Clearance Certificates from countries they have lived for the past 5 years, preceding the date of their visa or permanent residency application.

The new directive is a step in the right direction towards a more streamlined and efficient visa application process. However, there are some concerns about the potential impact of this new directive. Without a medical and radiological report or a criminal history, there is a risk that some individuals with criminal histories or contagious diseases could slip through the cracks and gain entry to the country.

Written by Jaco Brits, Expatriate Solution Specialist at Xpatweb