How to Extend Your South African Visitors Visa: A Step-by-Step Guide 

When you enter South Africa on a holiday or visitors visa, which typically grants you a 30 or 90-day stay, you can extend the validity of your visa for an additional 90 days. Here’s what you need to know about the process: 

1. 1. Eligibility for Visa Extension: You can apply for a visitors visa extension only once in South Africa, and this application must be submitted 60 days before the expiry date of your current visa. 
   2. Application Submission: To extend your visitors visa, you must submit your application in person at any VFS centre in South Africa. Ensure you have all the required documents and information when you visit the centre. 
   3. Processing Time: The processing time for the visitors visa extension typically ranges between 6 to 8 weeks. However, please be aware that the processing time may vary based on the workload of the Department of Home Affairs Head Office that handles these applications. 
   4. Consequences of Overstaying: Failing to extend your visitors visa can lead to undesirable consequences. If you overstay your visa’s validity, you may be declared undesirable and banned from re-entering South Africa for a period ranging from 1 to 5 years. To waive your undesirability, a formal appeal will need to be submitted, and you may have to remain abroad until your undesirability is waived. 
   5. Overstay Appeal: An overstay appeal application can take several months to finalize. Be prepared for potential delays if you find yourself in a situation where your visa has expired, and you’ve overstayed. 
   6. Special Circumstances: If you are the spouse, life partner, or child of a South African citizen or permanent resident, you may have the option to change from a holiday or visitors visa to a temporary residence visa in South Africa. More details about this process will be included in our upcoming newsletter.