All visa-related information pertaining to specific countries will be published here. The VFS offices in England has confirmed to Breytenbachs that they will not accept any visa applications for South Africa during the 4-week lockdown in England. For the most accurate information, do check travel advisories issued by the governments on the website of the respective country/embassy/consulate you are traveling to and from. Click here. Please see below the update that Relocation Africa received from VFS South Africa, detailing the procedures they will be taking during the lock-down. There is a limited number of exemptions (where it ís possible to travel to the Netherlands). Queues long !! Hence, before visiting the Visa Application Centre, we advise you to check if the Visa Application Centre in your city/country is open. The application for extension can be made as soon as lockdown regulations allow and relevant government offices and service providers are open. We are sorry that you were unable to travel due to travel restrictions. Safe travels! Your visa will expired or will expired during lockdown . A reference to … Wednesday 25th March 2020 will be […] For more detailed information, please check the country-specific page by entering the country you’re applying from and the country you’re going to, in the fields provided). This concession is an extension of the previous extension to 31 July 2020. The closure of Home Affairs’ visa and refugee offices during lockdown has had widespread consequences for foreign nationals in South Africa. As recent measures are put into place by our honourable President Ramaphosa to help flatten the curve of the covid-19 pandemic, the following operational plan will be in effect. Click … Customers at our centres may be subjected to body temperature checks to assess their health conditions. Hi, As we all know, the VSF office in the Trendy Building has been closed throughout the lockdown and I cant find any useful information regarding when it might reopen. You will be able to schedule a new appointment or reschedule an existing one (as per the process stipulated on the country-specific website page on www.vfsglobal.com), once VFS Global is directed to re-open the Visa Application Centre. down list below. You may check the status of your application online through the country-specific website on www.vfsglobal.com (to access the country-specific page, please enter the country you applied from and the country you’re going to, in the fields provided). • Applications can be made once VFS offices have reopened, and applicants whose visas have expired during that time will not be penalised or have to undergo a legalisation process. Employees across our Centres are also maintaining preventive measures such as disinfecting high-contact surfaces, body temperature screenings, use of hand sanitizers, regular hand-washing, and social distancing practices. VFS Global Visa Application Centres operate strictly in accordance with the directives of the central and local government authorities and the diplomatic mission of the country (i.e Embassy/Consulate) for which a visa is being applied. • Only applications with appointments for Wednesday 25th March will be accommodated, even if visas expire on that day or during the lockdown. Some centres in some regions may continue to operate the Passport Passback service, returning processed passports to customers. The DHA is custodian, protector and verifier of the identity and status of citizens and other persons resident in South Africa. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/VFSGlobalOfficial/, LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/vfs-global-services, Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vfsglobalofficial/. The Punjab government Saturday night ordered lockdown till March 25 in several districts including Nawanshahr, Hoshiarpur, Kapurthala and Jalandhar in … Those who had already travelled before lockdown to the foreign country and whose visas are due to expire soon, are urged to reach out to the concerned Embassy/Consulate for an extension. VFS Global does not seek any COVID-related medical test reports for customers visiting the centre, unless specified by the country/embassy/consulate you are applying to. It will be submitted to the Embassy/ Consulate for the visa processing when normalcy is resumed. in general, for issued visas, fees cannot be refunded. Your visa application, if not already submitted to the respective Embassy/Consulate due to the lockdown, is safely stored at the Visa Application Centre. In view of the ongoing COVID-19-related safety measures, many countries have issued detailed travel advisories / travel restrictions. VFS Offices in England closed for South African Immigration Applications. VFS / Home Affairs open for business ? The South Africa government officials are hinting about moving from lockdown level to level three under the risk adjusted strategy. For this information, do check the ‘COVID-19: Customer advisories’ page, or the country-specific page on www.vfsglobal.com (to access the country-specific page, please enter the country you are applying from and the country you’re going to, in the fields provided). The VFS offices in England have confirmed to Breytenbachs that they will not accept any visa applications for South Africa during the 4-week lockdown in England. – Visa Expired – Overstay – But with social distancing !! All visa-related information pertaining to specific countries will be published here. Click here to visit this section on the gov.uk website to access this information. After meeting necessary approvals, the Application Centres will begin operations in that location. VFS Global’s official social media pages on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn are also posting timely updates on any such developments as advised by the respective client government/Embassy/Consulate. To check if the country you wish to travel to is accepting visa applications, you can check the ‘COVID-19: Customer advisories’ page on www.vfsglobal.com. Your visa will expired or will expired during lockdown . For this information, do check the ‘COVID-19: Customer advisories’ page, or the country-specific page on www.vfsglobal.com (to access the country-specific page, please enter the country you are applying from and the country you’re going to, in the fields provided). Your visa will expired or will expired during lockdown . Advisories for various countries differ with regards to who can enter, irrespective of whether they hold a valid visa or not. Queues long !! Customers who are yet to travel and whose existing visa is expiring soon, or has expired, may be allowed to re-apply for a fresh visa when operations resume. While putting together the documentation for your visa application, please go through the document checklist carefully. Those whose visas expired before or during the lockdown will not be arrested or detained for holding an expired visa. Just a short walk away from the SA High Commission, on the Strand, sits the Australian High Commission which told its citizens in the UK that “the Passport Office will remain open during national restrictions” and “if you have an appointment, please attend as normal.” VFS / Home Affairs open for business ? Several countries have put in place border control measures temporarily disallowing certain categories of non-essential travellers to submit visa applications. VFS / Home Affairs open for business ? South Africa will go into a national lockdown at midnight on Thursday, 26 March, to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced on Monday night. Please note that even after a lockdown ends, Visa Application Centres can open only when a local Embassy/Consulate provides approval for the re-opening. travel to, AND/OR the country you're applying from, in the drop This makes it possible for people to realize their rights and access benefits and opportunities in both the public and private domains. Especially when other Embassies are staying open to take care of their citizens with vital services. Please check www.vfsglobal.com to find out if the centre in your city is operational (see Question 1 on how to access this information on the VFS Global website). The country-specific website on www.vfsglobal.com will be updated as soon as this happens. This is advice for visa customers and applicants in the UK, visa customers outside of the UK and British nationals overseas who need to apply for a passport affected by travel restrictions associated to COVID-19. The Refugee Reception Centres will remain closed until 31 January 2021 or until the Republic of South Africa declarers them open." The Department of Home […] VFS Global does not decide about the re-opening of a Visa Application Centre on its own. To know if a particular Visa Application Centre is closed in your However, please keep in mind that in the current development of the pandemic, a majority of governments we serve have suspended applications for all visa categories. Dear Valued Customers, Manufactures and Suppliers, VFS will remain open for full conversion production and supply of vehicles during the current Lock-down period. The refugee and asylum seeker permits that expired during lockdown will not be subject to any penalties. Unfortunately, VFS is not accepting permanent residency applications yet but these and other visa services will resume over time. https://www.facebook.com/VFSGlobalOfficial/, https://www.linkedin.com/company/vfs-global-services, https://www.instagram.com/vfsglobalofficial/. VFS / Home Affairs open for business ? Instead, the South African government has catered for all those who have expired during lockdown. You cannot lodge an appeal at VFS ,the 10 days will expire during lockdown V.5398. While some countries have closed Visa Application Centres completely, others remain functional and are accepting visa applications in certain categories. Check www.vfsglobal.com for information on applying for a fresh visa. Please do keep checking this page for this information. For frequently asked questions, However, in cases where the lockdown is lifted by local authorities, it may also be that the country you are applying to is not yet accepting visa applications. Exceptions may be made for appeals. The Philippine Embassy in London remains open to serve the public in spite of the second national lockdown in England from 5 November 2020 to 2 December 2020, subject to a regular assessment of the situation.. Below are updates on our frontline consular services: This makes it possible for people to realize their rights and access benefits and opportunities in both the public and private domains. ` Visa Expired ` Overstay ` But with social distancing !! You cannot lodge an appeal at VFS ,the 10 days will expire during lockdown. Processing times are at the prerogative of the concerned Embassy/Consulate. It’s understood that some gyms and fitness centres would be allowed to open their doors for the first time during the lockdown. Our Visa Application Centres globally are implementing precautionary measures for the prevention of COVID-19, as per the guidelines prescribed by the World Health Organisation and local authorities which would also be applicable to customers visiting our centres. During that time, all businesses must shut down, other than a … Queues long !! The status will be updated as and when your passport is ready for collection/delivery. Only in case of an emergency, you may write to customercare@vfsglobal.com specifying the emergency for the collection of the passport, along with the details of your application and the location of the centre you applied from. If customers are seen to be showing COVID-19 symptoms, including fever (higher than 37.3 degrees Celsius), cough and/or difficulty in breathing, will be helped to reschedule their appointments to another day. Please select the country you intend to travel to, AND/OR the country you are applying from, to know about the operational status of the associated visa application centre. Pre-scheduled appointments at UKVCAS Service Points are taking place during lockdown and applicants are able to book new appointments during the lockdown period. In case of the latter, you may be able to apply for these specific visa categories (for e.g. Visa Application Centres in any city/country will be operational according to the directives of the local authorities and the client government or the country being applied for. Certain governments might have suspended all visa services while some governments may be accepting applications only for certain visa categories. In such cases, the Visa Application Centre is strictly following the instructions of the concerned diplomatic mission and cannot track your application during the assessment process within an Embassy/Consulate. Advisories for various countries differ slightly from each other. The Priority and Super Priority services in the UK remain suspended, meaning all in-country applications are being processed via the standard service, with delays to be expected due to the impact of coronavirus. The shutdown will last for 21 days. To check if the country you wish to travel to is accepting visa applications, you can check the ‘COVID-19: Customer advisories’ page on www.vfsglobal.com. Visas are sometimes valid for several months and can be used to travel at a later stage. There is a common misconception amongst foreign nationals in South Africa, whereby they believe that nothing can be done to resolve their visa issues during lockdown. The South African Department of Home Affairs has extended the concession for foreigners in South Africa. Medical reports are usually a part of necessary documentation in some visa applications, though they may or may not be related to COVID-19. In case of queries, please write to customercare@vfsglobal.com or reach us on Twitter @vfsglobalcare. To book your COVID – 19 RT PCR test, please Click here. If you wish to cancel or reschedule your appointment, please visit the country-specific website page (accessed on www.vfsglobal.com – by entering the name of the country you are applying from and the country you wish to travel to) and follow cancellation / rescheduling process as stated on the website of that particular country. Not necessarily, and this differs from country to country. Most countries have issued detailed travel advisories and have put in place border control measures, in view of the ongoing COVID-19-related developments. We can help !!! Queues long !! For more detailed information, please check the country-specific page on www.vfsglobal.com (to access this, please enter the country you’re applying from and the country you’re going to, in the fields provided). We can help !!! If a decision is made on your application and the passport has been received at the Visa Application Centre, you will be notified to collect your passport as soon as the lockdown is lifted, and the Application Centre is open. The DHA is custodian, protector and verifier of the identity and status of citizens and other persons resident in South Africa. All COVID-19 health and safety protocols must be followed at all times, including observance of guidelines for social distancing, sanitation and hygiene, and use of appropriate personal protective equipment, like cloth face masks, as determined by the National Department of Health People may travel to perform and acquire services only where such services cannot be provided from the safety of one’s home. Visa Application Centres in any city/country will be operational according to the directives of the local authorities and the Embassy/Consulate of which country the Visa Application Centre is. Accordingly, some governments mandate quarantine for citizens and residents returning from specific countries or advise self-isolation, while others have specified which categories of travellers are allowed to enter without any additional testing. Applications can be made once VFS offices have reopened, and applicants whose visas have expired during that time will not be penalised or have to undergo a legalisation process. Asylum Seeker / Refugee - Lockdown ` Covid19 ` Document Expiry ` What do I do – Visa Expired – Overstay – But with social distancing !! In some cases, even if the lockdown is lifted by local authorities, the Visa Application Centre may not yet be operational. Many countries are encouraging customers to opt for the optional courier service so they do not have to visit the Visa Application Centre to pick up the passport already submitted. Govt.UK website appears to offer the ability to apply for passport renewal online. As per the Minister’s exemption, no-one whose visa has expired during or shortly before the lockdown will be penalized. city/region, please select the name of the country you intend to Some countries have imposed border control measures that only allow citizens, residents or specific permit holders to enter the country, and disallow other non-essential travellers even if they hold a valid visa. As a company, what do we do if our employees’ visas expire during the lockdown? Foreign nationals with temporary residence visas which expired from 15 February 2020, who did not renew their visas before the lockdown, will not be declared illegal or prohibited persons. Dear Valued Customers, Manufactures and Suppliers, VFS will remain open for full conversion production and supply of vehicles during the current Lock-down period. These checklists are available on the country-specific page on www.vfsglobal.com (to access this, please enter the country you’re applying from and the country you’re going to, in the fields provided). However, Customers may also be required to wear a face mask and/or gloves. In compliance with the lockdown the Visa Facilitation Service Centres (VFS) in South Africa have now closed. Once an application is submitted, you can receive updates on your application’s progress through VFS Global’s online tracking service, or via text messaging if you have opted for the SMS service. There are many foreign national workers under lockdown in South Africa, which remains one of the least affected countries in the world in terms of Covid-19 cases. We look at businesses allowed to operate under level 3. VFS Global does not decide about the re-opening of a Visa Application Centre on its own. After meeting necessary approvals, the Application Centres will begin operations in that location. Please check www.vfsglobal.com to find out if the centre in your city is operational (see Question 1 on how to access this information on the VFS Global website). Please note that even after a lockdown ends, Visa Application Centres can open only when a local Embassy/Consulate provides approval for the re-opening. “VFS offices are open only by appointment for collection of outcomes on applications which were made before the lockdown,” said Motsoaledi. You cannot lodge an appeal at VFS ,the 10 days will expire during lockdown . Our team will be glad to support/assist you at the earliest. We can help !!! We can help !!! Hence, for detailed information and to check if this applies to you, refer to the travel advisories issued by governments on the website of the respective country/embassy/consulate, or www.vfsglobal.com (see Question 1 on how to access this information on the VFS Global website). Your visa will expired or will expired during lockdown . Lawfully issued visas that expired from 15 February 2020 and during the lockdown will be deemed valid until 31 October 2020. Hence, before visiting the Visa Application Centre, we advise you to check on the website if the Visa Application Centre is open. You cannot lodge an appeal at VFS ,the 10 days will expire during lockdown . For general travel information related to destinations, travel news, or travel advice, you can visit our #TravelAgain page on this site. For UKVI customers please click here. From 10 August 2020, The Netherlands Visa Application Centres in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City will be reopened for visa applications on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays only. The Refugee Reception Centres have closed since the commencement of lockdown and all the applicable levels. For official travel advisories or information about travel restrictions, please check the respective government/embassy/consulate website of the country you are travelling from and to. The Visa Application Centre may also be kept open to return passports to customers who have already applied or for enquiries. Business to open level 3: These are the businesses which will be allowed to operate in South Africa as the country goes under lockdown level 3. Hence, as the situation remains fluid, do check official travel advisories or information about travel restrictions on the website of the respective country/government/Embassy/Consulate, or your travel service provider, even if you have a valid visa. You may check the status of your application online on the website of the application centre you have applied to. UK Visas and Immigration has published detailed advice for UK visa customers and temporary UK residents, related to COVID-19 travel restrictions. The confirmation is unfortunate news for our existing clients who need to submit their SA visa applications. 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