Maz8:
Now that some embassies are evacuating their staff and closing offices/or reducing services in Abuja due to the recent security threat alert from the US government, does this mean that SA embassy in Abuja will be affected as well? All applications are still being treated through Abuja, I think. This may add to a delay in visa processing time from the look of things. Anyone with any info on the condition of things either at the embassy or VFS in Abuja at the moment?

No statement on that yet from the SA Consulate/Embassy.

Restricted:


Thanks soo much. You are a life saver

kinfly let us know how it has gone so far with the new link

Please I need help gurus. Who has been able to pay tuition fee with CBN form A from nigeria to south africa? How long did the process take?

Is there any other alternative with cbn rate? Please help.

Very long my bro. But I heard uba is the fastest, about a month plus on the average, no alternative with cbn rate

lymelyte:
Please I need help gurus. Who has been able to pay tuition fee with CBN form A from nigeria to south africa? How long did the process take?

Is there any other alternative with cbn rate? Please help.

Blurpy:
Very long my bro. But I heard uba is the fastest, about a month plus on the average, no alternative with cbn rate

like how long with cbn form a?

Please I need help gurus. Who has been able to pay tuition fee with CBN form A from nigeria to south africa? How long did the process take?

Is there any other alternative with cbn rate? Please help.

New directive from Home Affairs if you applied for visa between 12 Jan 2022 - 31 Aug 2022.

Maz8:
New directive from Home Affairs if you applied for visa between 12 Jan 2022 - 31 Aug 2022.

I won’t lie I don’t even know what the letter means. Care to elaborate?

Tesclaros:
I won’t lie I don’t even know what the letter means. Care to elaborate?

The Home Affairs issued a directive in January that all visa applications received in home countries by their respective high commissions/consulates should be forwarded to Home Affairs HQ in Pretoria for adjudication effective 12 January 2022 due to issues surrounding corruption and deviation from standards at the embassies.

The process of reviewing applications involved the embassy receiving the hard copies of visa application and then scanning and uploading them to the Home Affairs portal for the visa officers in Pretoria to review and decide on.

This led to serious delays in the review of visa applications and a huge backlog because of IT issues, power interruption issues in SA at the moment and shortage of staff in Pretoria to handle the load of applications from different countries. Essentially, the high commissions/consulates in home countries have been chilling - all they have been doing summarily is to scan and upload your docs and wait for Pretoria to decide, then they print the visa vignette and stick it on your passport - period.

In August, the Home Affairs reversed its directive and stated that the applications can now be handled locally by the embassies as from 01 September 2022 to reduce the delays and backlogs. However, applications submitted between 12 January and 31 August would still be adjudicated upon in Pretoria.

Now, this new directive is saying that embassies have been having difficulty uploading people’s application and for those applications that were submitted between 12 Jan and 31 Aug which they’ve had difficulty uploading and sending to Pretoria can now be adjudicated upon locally by the high commissions/consulates - basically, they don’t need to scan and send to Pretoria. However, if they had successfully sent them to Pretoria, then Pretoria will review the application.

What all of this means is that some applications may have be sitting at the embassies for weeks and maybe months because of technical issues and Pretoria may not have received it despite it being sent to the embassies. This may be the reason why (I’m just guessing) some applications (particularly long term visa applications with bulky documents) take 5 months or more etc. to be decided on. So out of 5 months, it’s possible that the application has been sitting somewhere for 1 or 2 months untouched (my assumption, I may be wrong).

I think it’s good news even though no one can know except the embassies if their application has been lying somewhere untouched due to IT/technical problems. It is well.

Maz8:


The Home Affairs issued a directive in January that all visa applications received in home countries by their respective high commissions/consulates should be forwarded to Home Affairs HQ in Pretoria for adjudication effective 12 January 2022 due to issues surrounding corruption and deviation from standards at the embassies.

The process of reviewing applications involved the embassy receiving the hard copies of visa application and then scanning and uploading them to the Home Affairs portal for the visa officers in Pretoria to review and decide on.

This led to serious delays in the review of visa applications and a huge backlog because of IT issues, power interruption issues in SA at the moment and shortage of staff in Pretoria to handle the load of applications from different countries. Essentially, the high commissions/consulates in home countries have been chilling - all they have been doing summarily is to scan and upload your docs and wait for Pretoria to decide, then they print the visa vignette and stick it on your passport - period.

In August, the Home Affairs reversed its directive and stated that the applications can now be handled locally by the embassies as from 01 September 2022 to reduce the delays and backlogs. However, applications submitted between 12 January and 31 August would still be adjudicated upon in Pretoria.

Now, this new directive is saying that embassies have been having difficulty uploading people’s application and for those applications that were submitted between 12 Jan and 31 Aug which they’ve had difficulty uploading and sending to Pretoria can now be adjudicated upon locally by the high commissions/consulates - basically, they don’t need to scan and send to Pretoria. However, if they had successfully sent them to Pretoria, then Pretoria will review the application.

What all of this means is that some applications may have be sitting at the embassies for weeks and maybe months because of technical issues and Pretoria may not have received it despite it being sent to the embassies. This may be the reason why (I’m just guessing) some applications (particularly long term visa applications with bulky documents) take 5 months or more etc. to be decided on. So out of 5 months, it’s possible that the application has been sitting somewhere for 1 or 2 months untouched (my assumption, I may be wrong).

I think it’s good news even though no one can know except the embassies if their application has been lying somewhere untouched due to IT/technical problems. It is well.

Very great summary. God bless

Applied for eVisa via VFS => https://southafrica.vfsevisa.com/contact-us

I was debited but the payment wasn’t successful. I have reached out to the email on their website => info.evisasa@vfsglobal.com however no valuable response as well. Called the Vfs office in Lagos and they said they can’t help. Anyone knows how I can get help on this issue. Thank you.

Tolutheo:
Applied for eVisa via VFS => https://southafrica.vfsevisa.com/contact-us

I was debited but the payment wasn’t successful. I have reached out to the email on their website => info.evisasa@vfsglobal.com however no valuable response as well. Called the Vfs office in Lagos and they said they can’t help. Anyone knows how I can get help on this issue. Thank you.

Card transaction issues like this are best dealt with by the bank. Please visit your bank (don’t rely on calls) to get advice on how long it may take for the deducted sums to be reversed if it was indeed not received by VFS. Since it’s a foreign currency transaction, the process of reversal may take some time so, I’d suggest that you visit your bank branch (where you opened the account preferably) to sort out the issue.

Thank you. Will approach my bank for a chargeback. I just kind of wanted to be sure if I would at least get my money back should I decide to pay again.

3 months thereabouts

lymelyte:
like how long with cbn form a?

Blurpy:
3 months thereabouts

lymelyte:

Or longer sef. There is currently forex scarcity in nigeria. So if you want to process give it like 10-12weeks before you get debited.

Hiikayauto:
tourist visa application I summited in abuja since march 28.. I got a message today (5 months) after that my application is ready for collection. my travel date already passed.. I wont be surprised if I got denied. at least make I collect my passport back.

Did you ?

One of my supervisors wrote a letter to accommodate me and attached his documents

Tryhard:


Please and please how did you do your proof of accomodation? I mean how did you run it ??

strongmoxie:
One of my supervisors wrote a letter to accommodate me and attached his documents

Was your supervisor bank statement attached the application?

Please how will I go about this?
proof of medical cover renewed annually for the period of study with a medical scheme registered in terms of the medical Scheme act
..
Please I need urgent respond

It's medical insurance. Momentum is a popular provider for SA. You should subscribe for at least one year starting from the intended date of arrival/start of study in SA. Sign up, login, get quotation and make payment. Here's their site: https://www.momentum.co.za/momentum/personal/products/medical-aid
Because of naija forex restrictions, it is easier to get someone you trust in SA to pay for you

mekuscato:
Please how will I go about this?
proof of medical cover renewed annually for the period of study with a medical scheme registered in terms of the medical Scheme act
..
Please I need urgent respond

strongmoxie:
One of my supervisors wrote a letter to accommodate me and attached his documents

Was your supervisor bank statement attached the application? Plus what other documents?

@strongmoxxie!

Tryhard:

Was your supervisor bank statement attached the application? Plus what other documents?

Please @strongmoxie this is quite urgent and would appreciate if you can help with this. Thanks

strongmoxie:
It's medical insurance. Momentum is a popular provider for SA. You should subscribe for at least one year starting from the intended date of arrival/start of study in SA. Sign up, login, get quotation and make payment. Here's their site: https://www.momentum.co.za/momentum/personal/products/medical-aid
Because of naija forex restrictions, it is easier to get someone you trust in SA to pay for you

Thanks but the sign up is saying unsuccessful and I have appointment on Monday. I have tried several times

Finally, the student Permit has been received, with multiple entries till 2025. Applied on 14th January 2022. Received the permit on 4th November 2022. All thanks to God and everyone in the house for your guidance.

mekuscato:

Thanks but the sign up is saying unsuccessful and I have appointment on Monday. I have tried several times

I can help with the subscription if you need me to.

sukuman:
Finally, the student Permit has been received, with multiple entries till 2025. Applied on 14th January 2022. Received the permit on 4th November 2022. All thanks to God and everyone in the house for your guidance.

Congratulations!!! Please how did you do your proof of Accomodation

mekuscato:

Thanks but the sign up is saying unsuccessful and I have appointment on Monday. I have tried several times

Then use Compcare, it’s about 5664 Rands. Just send an email to student @ universal. Co .za

Hello.. Please who has gotten PTA from bank recently?

Please what documents are required when you are staying with host, (Study Visa) Abeg help me!