On 8 July 2026, the Minister of Home Affairs moved to provide welcome relief for temporary residence visa and permanent residence permit applicants by waiving the requirement to submit a medical report with their applications.

The waiver applies to:

·Temporary Residence Visa applications for applications submitted in South Africa 

·Permanent Residence Permit applications submitted both within South Africa and abroad

A Welcome Cost and Administrative Saving

According to Jaco Brits, Head of Immigration at Xpatweb, the medical report requirement has long been regarded as a costly and onerous administrative hurdle.

“This is a very welcome waiver as it will bring huge cost saving for applicants. Doctors’ appointments are not always readily available, which adds to unnecessary administrative challenges and stress for visa applicants.”

Immigration-focused community groups on social media are filled with questions from applicants seeking recommendations for doctors who can complete the reports quickly, or seeking advice on dealing with appointment delays.

Effective Immediately

Directive 10 of 2026 confirms that the waiver took effect on 8 July 2026. Minister of Home Affairs Leon Schreiber further instructed that the contents of the Ministerial Directive be brought to the attention of all officials responsible for processing temporary residence visa and permanent residence permit applications to ensure its immediate implementation.

The medical reports required by the Department of Home Affairs applies to various immigration applications. The purpose is to confirm that the applicant has undergone a medical examination in order to protect public health and ensure applicants do not have serious infectious diseases or medical conditions that could pose a risk to the population.

Building on Earlier Immigration Reforms

The latest directive builds on reforms introduced in April 2023, when the Department waived the requirement for applicants to submit a radiological report.

Prior to this, radiological reports were required for most temporary residence visa applications exceeding 90 days and were valid for only six months. The reports were often costly, time-consuming to obtain, and had to be issued in the country where the visa application was submitted, creating significant logistical challenges for applicants living or travelling abroad.

The removal of both the radiological and now the medical report requirements represent a continued effort by the Department to simplify South Africa's immigration processes and reduce unnecessary administrative barriers.

Police Clearance Certificate Requirements Also Simplified

In 2023 applicants were also granted some relief in terms of the requirement to provide police clearance certificates from countries where the applicant, after having attained the age of 18 years, has resided for 12 months or longer during the five years immediately preceding the date of application.

This directive reduced the burden of the police clearance certificate significantly. Previously, applicants often had to obtain police clearances covering a much longer period of residence, making the process both expensive and difficult, particularly for those who had lived in multiple countries.

A More Streamlined Immigration Process

The latest changes are a significant step towards a more efficient and applicant-friendly immigration system. By removing requirements that have long been criticised as costly, time-consuming and administratively burdensome, the Department has reduced some of the practical obstacles faced by applicants.

Brits says by progressively removing documentary requirements that contribute little to the assessment of immigration applications, the Department continues to make the application process more efficient and cost-effective for foreign nationals and employers, while allowing immigration officials to focus on the substantive assessment of applications.

Overall, the directive is expected to deliver meaningful savings in both time and cost while contributing to a more streamlined visa and permanent residence application process.

Written by Jaco Brits, Head of Immigration at Xpatweb