Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber changes visa requirements in South Africa
The Minister of Home Affairs, Leon Schreiber, has offered a lifeline for those with a temporary residence visa and permanent residence permit applicants by waiving the requirement to submit a medical report.
The waiver applies to temporary Residence Visa applications submitted in South Africa and to Permanent Residence Permit applications submitted both within South Africa and abroad.
Jaco Brits, Head of Immigration at Xpatweb, said that the medical report requirement has long been a costly and onerous administrative hurdle.
“Doctors’ appointments are not always readily available, which adds to unnecessary administrative challenges and stress for visa applicants,” said Brits.
Xpatweb noted that immigration-focused community groups on social media are often filled with questions from applicants seeking doctors who can complete the reports quickly.
The waiver took effect on 8 July 2026, with Schreiber instructed to bring the contents of the Ministerial Directive to the attention of all officials responsible for processing applications.
The medical report process required by the Department of Home Affairs applies to various immigration applications.
The purpose is to confirm that the applicant has undergone a medical examination to protect public health and to ensure that the applicant does not have serious infectious diseases.
Xpatweb said that the latest directive builds on several other reforms introduced since April 2023, when the department waived the requirement for applicants to submit a radiological report.
Radiological reports were previously required for most temporary residence visa applications exceeding 90 days and were valid for only six months.
These reports were also costly and time-consuming to obtain. They also needed to be issued in the country where the visa application was submitted, creating logistical challenges for applicants abroad.
Xpatweb said that the removal of both the radiological and, now, the medical report requirements represents a continued effort by Home Affairs to simplify South Africa’s immigration processes.
A more streamlined process
Outside of medical-related issues, applicants were also given some relief regarding the requirement to provide police clearance certificates.
Applicants who were 18 or older needed clearance from countries where they had lived for 12 months or more during the five years immediately preceding the date of application.
The removal of this requirement significantly lowered the burden on applicants, as the previous requirement often required obtaining police clearances covering a much longer period of residence.
This made the process both expensive and difficult, especially for applicants who had lived in multiple countries.
“The latest changes are a significant step towards a more efficient and applicant-friendly immigration system,” said Xpatweb.
“By removing requirements that have long been criticised as costly, time-consuming and administratively burdensome, the Department has reduced some of the practical obstacles faced by applicants.”
Brits added that by progressively removing documentary requirements that contribute little to the assessment of applications, the department is making the process more efficient and cost-effective.
Immigration officials are also benefiting, as they can now focus on substantive assessment of applications.
The directive is likely to deliver meaningful savings in both time and cost while contributing to a more streamlined visa and permanent residence application process, Xpatweb noted.
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