New visa rules issued by the South African Department of Home Affairs, which apply to international travellers wanting to visit South Africa on a temporary basis, now require all applications to be made abroad at a place of South African representation.
The new application procedure could cause set-backs to foreign film projects wanting to film in South Africa, as cast members have intense travel and work schedules which makes returning to their home countries to submit applications, extremely challenging.
Adding to this is unclear and contradictory information surrounding the directive, which has not been properly delivered to South African Missions abroad. Leon Isaacson, Managing Director of Global Migration SA said, “There is also no indication of how long the process will take, and there is conflicting information about the requirements, which creates confusion all-round.’
The visa policy change is potentially damaging to foreign investment and job creation in South Africa as it will create additional costs and severely hinder productions. One such project which may need to reschedule production at a great expense is the filming of Homeland, a US television series which is due to start shooting in Cape Town in June.
Isaacson concluded, “There needs to be a comprehensive policy review with a working, efficient system which facilitates much-needed investment and growth. Immigration is a critical part of that process and should be responsive and efficient.’
