South Africa: Zimbabweans in SA Tied Up in Red Tape As Permit Deadline Approaches

23 January 2018

Some Zimbabweans living in South Africa are at risk of being in the country unlawfully because of a bureaucratic hurdle.

Many have applied for a Zimbabwean Exemption Permit (ZEP) to regularise their stay in the country. But one of the requirements for applying for a ZEP is having a valid Zimbabwean passport that does not expire for at least 90 days. The time-consuming process of getting a passport has meant that many applicants for the ZEP are turned away by Visa Facilitation Services (VFS), the company managing the application process, because they do not yet have their passports, even if they can show proof that they've applied for one. Proof of application used to be sufficient for VFS, but no longer.

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