Electronic SA VISA applications to curb fake permits

Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba said the department will this year introduce an electronic VISA application system in order to curb fraudulent permits from foreign nationals, Northglen News reports.

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“During the course of the year, we are going to introduce a number of initiatives. One of them is the electronic applications for VISAS and for a number of other permits to the country. That will enable the applicant to obtain information electronically and submit their applications and the documentation to support their applications electronically,” Gigaba explained.

The minister said the initiative would remove the need for the department to provide frontline services that tend to stretch government’s capacity.

He said the initiative would also pave the way for a centralised adjudication system to enable the department to make decisions quickly in terms of people’s applications.

“We intend to introduce an amendment to the legislation which is going to enable the department to have an independent citizenship advisory board. But this is only for those who are applying for citizenship once all other processes have been followed in terms of the latter of the law. So all of these initiatives are going to be introduced during the course of the year,” he said.

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