SA gives Zim permit applicants a breather

THE CLOSING date for the almost 200 000 Zimbabweans living and working in South Africa to apply for their Zimbabwe Exemption Permit (ZEP) has been extended to January 31 next year, Home Affairs director-general Mkuseli Apleni said yesteday.

“Due to the large number of Zimbabwe Special Permit (ZSP) holders who have completed the online applications, the department has extended the closing date for the submission of supporting documents and biometrics to January 31. “Therefore, people must present themselves to visa facilitation services (VFS) offices until this date,” Apleni said at a media briefing in Pretoria.

He said by the end of September next year, Home Affairs would have completed the ZEP project, including finalising adjudications and issuing of new permits.

“We emphasise November 30 is only for submission of online applications.

“Flooding of VFS offices actually defeats the aim of using technology to improve service delivery,” said Apleni.

“The extension, up to January 31, is only for scheduling appointments for the purpose of submitting biometrics (fingerprints) and supporting documents at VFS offices.”

ZSP holders were urged to complete their online applications, to make necessary payments, and schedule appointments by November 30 at any of the 10 VFS Global offices across South Africa.

ZEP permits would be issued for a maximum period of four years, effective from January and expiring on December 31 2021.

Apleni thanked Zimbab- weans based in South Africa for increasingly shifting from the special dispensation permits to the mainstream permits issued under South Africa’s immigration legislation.

“There is no requirement for ZSP holders to apply for (other) permits outside South Africa. They can apply for mainstream permits in the country. ZSP holders who want to travel outside South Africa for the festive season will be able to do so. They only need to produce their passports with the ZSP stickers, and their ZEP application stickers,” said Apleni.

Under the special dispensation granted in 2014, Zimbabweans who had previously been granted permits under the Dispensation for Zimbabweans Project were allowed to re-register for the “non-renewable” threeyear ZSP. The ZSP has now been replaced by the ZEP. – ANA