Archive for the ‘South Africa’ Category

Almost 20 years safter being released from prison and about 14 years since the advent of democracy in South Africa, Nelson Mandela is finally able to loose the tag, ‘terrorist’.

The US Congress has finally passed a bill to remove the name of Nelson Mandela from the list of terrorists.

Since the 1980s a stigma has remained that relates to the African National Congress (ANC), the current South African ruling party and the party which Mandela led. When applying for a US visa those with ANC membership have, until now, had to endure additional investigation.

The US has strict immigration laws that attempt to curb terrorist or potential suspicious entry into the country. However “old legislation such as this that is outdated and not needed should be removed,” says Colin Romberger of www.globalvisas.com, this new bill has therefore been welcomed.

“Congress finally stands ready to rid US immigration law of this anachronistic blight,” said Howard L. Berman, the bill’s author.

This legislation, decided upon on Thursday, now needs to be signed off by President George W Bush. (TB)

Global Visas is proud to announce another addition to the family - the South African office is now open.

On Monday this week, the office in Cape Town was opened. This office will service people from and in South Africa looking to migrate abroad, whether it is temporarily or on a permanent basis.

www.globalvisas.com has been a leading specialist in global mobility for over 14 years and actively takes away the stress and strain that comes with immigration and visa processes via their expert team of consultants and lawyers.

After the success of the London and Indian offices, and now the establishment of the South African office, www.globalvisas.com seems to be taking over the world.

Watch this space to find out where next we will go! Visit www.globalvisas.co.za to find out more about what the South African office can offer you.

By Robbie Ragless (www.globalvisas.com)

It has been 2 weeks of turmoil in South Africa with unnecessary criminal behavior sweeping our Rainbow Nation. The scenes are reminiscent of our days in the struggle where innocent people were displaced and racist violent attacks made front page news on all international newspapers. 

Mindless, uneducated criminals have taking advantage of the “xenophobic” tidal wave by looting, stealing and killing. My principle at school in Cape Town always used to talk of this term “mob mentality”. He described it as unique behavioral characteristic that emerges when one is involved in a mass demonstration that goes wrong. Being in such a large group would mean less consequences as you are lost in the crowd and as a result your actions could be more aggressive or inhumane. You can’t help but feel that this is what is happening in South Africa at the moment.  

South Africa, a role model for all countries undergoing democratic change, has been at the forefront of this revolution. We have adopted one of the most democratic constitutions in the world and as a youth growing up during this era, I am proud to say “I am South African!” Today I am less proud to make this statement.

I spoke to the South African High Commissioner in London last week and he said the following, “The recent attacks at home have shocked and embarrassed us.  They have undermined concerted efforts we make on a daily basis to attract much needed skills and investment to our country.  I verily believe that these are purely actions of criminals who have to be dealt with accordingly.  I am hopeful that the government will get to the bottom of it and the SANDF and the police will quell it.”

I couldn’t agree with him more. These are uneducated criminal thugs that have nothing better to do with themselves than to cause chaos and us the xenophobic excuse as a reason to commit crime.

Being the regional manager for Global Visas South Africa and directly involved with promoting the country in London, I hope that the situation is brought under control and that the perpetrators are brought to justice.

I arrived at the Global Visa office this morning to find a report that had been emailed to me titled “South Africa to open borders for 2010”. It explained how the SA government was considering opening its borders to SADC countries in Africa in time for the 2010 World Cup.

Firstly, I don’t think an event like this needs to be the core reason why South Africa needs to open its borders. Its not like 2.5 million people are coming into South Africa in June 2010 to make it to some of the matches. The government is proposing scrapping its visa control policies and introducing a visa-free system which would allow citizens from the SADC region to enter South Africa using his/her passport only.

I don’t think the government has thought this through properly. The unemployment rate is currently sitting at 23% and we all know that South Africa is the economic hub of Africa and an oasis in many people eyes. Xenophobic attacks are on the rise and this ruling would prompt more attacks as there would be more foreigners crowding the place.

Now I’m not saying that we restrict travelers from coming in to South Africa. These attacks over the past couple of months are disgusting and I feel embarrassed that we can’t treat our fellow human beings with dignity and respect that they deserve regardless of where they come from. What I am saying is that you can’t open your borders to allow hundreds of millions of economic migrant workers to come into your country and overcrowd the place. This is crazy!

Visa control is one way to restrict unwanted travelers that aren’t necessarily going to add to economic growth of the country. Can you imagine what Johannesburg is going to look like? Millions and millions of people looking for work without homes and without food on their plates. We cannot accommodate more people. It’s plain and simple. Why on earth would we want to do this?

As a South African, I feel this move would be detrimental to the social balance of South Africa. I am a strong believer in equality and the right to a better life for all but this is not the way to achieve this. Currently, Zimbabwe (a member of SADC ) has experienced a complete economic meltdown and over 5000 refugees a day are crossing the border in the hope for a better life in South Africa. Can you imagine if these borders didn’t exist? A tidal wave of economic migrants flooding into the country.

I encourage the South African government to look at this and weigh up all its options. The repercussions of trying to satisfy a small short term problem provisionally may lead to a much bigger one in the long term.

by Robbie Ragless 

During my time in South Africa, working as an immigration consultant in Cape Town, I became accustomed to the way things worked. I knew that we could lodge certain applications for visas using a particular method and this would ensure a positive outcome.

The Immigration Act of 2002 has been amended twice and new regulations have been implemented ensuring that there is a clear and distinct understanding on the processes involved in putting forward applications for foreigners wishing to reside in South Africa.

I have now been working for Global Visas in London for 7 months and have built up an extremely good relationship with the High Commission. We’ve established an open line of communication with the staff and things are going well. However, I’ve noticed a fundamental flaw in the way that they have perceived these changes in the Act and as a result have developed inconsistent methods in approving visas.

For example: In South Africa, if a married couple wanted to pursue a spousal visa for the husband or wife, it is possible to lodge an application with an employment contract and get sub-conditional working rights on that visa allowing the foreigner to conduct work. This makes sense as this person would probably be contributing to the household income and supporting the family.

In the UK, however, the High Commission is reluctant to give working rights to life partners of South African citizens. Why is this? If the departments abroad and locally are supposed to run on the same regulations, surely the visa with working rights should be as easily available in the UK as it is in SA.

What we are forced to do is convince our clients in this situation to enter South Africa on visitors visas and apply once they are in the country. This brings about its own set of issues as according to the law, a foreigner must not enter South Africa based on falsified intentions

i.e. If you are intending on working, conducting business or studying in South Africa before your departure for the republic, you must submit the necessary application in the country where you are domiciled so you can enter on the correct visa.

by Robbie Ragless

I am lucky. I am a South Africa, living in London on a Working Holiday Visa.

Why is that luck you may ask? Well because as from October this year Working Holiday Visas will no longer be accepted from South African citizens.

This week the UK immigration minister, Liam Byrne, announced the intended provisions for the tier 2 and tier 5 systems that will replace many current UK immigration laws from autumn this year. Tier 2 visas refer to the sponsorship of skilled workers, while tier 5 is the temporary workers and youth mobility scheme. The Working Holiday Visa will be abolished outright and replaced by the tier 5. However it is not that easy.

Tier 5 permits, based on a points based system, will only become viable in countries that reciprocate the same conditions to youth and temporary workers coming from the UK to another country. South Africa does not have any kind of working holiday scheme; therefore tier 5 will not apply to South African citizens.

Each year thousands of South African school leavers and new graduates come to the UK to experience all that the island has to offer. The UK, especially London, is a popular choice for those seeking a gap year or two, mostly because of the strong pound and travel opportunities. This working holiday visa allowed young people, younger than 30, access to work and travel the UK for a period of 24 months.

This no longer happening has dashed the dreams of many South Africans wanting to embrace all that the UK has to offer with ease. Only South Africans with a high level of skills, experience and money or a job offer will be able to come to the UK via tier 1, (which replaces the Highly Skilled Migrant Programme) and tier 2.

I am going to thoroughly enjoy my time here in the United Kingdom on behalf of those who will not be as fortunate in the future. I am of course one of a dieing breed.

If you want to be part of this breed contact www.globalvisas.com NOW and start your Working Holiday application right away.

Tons of immigrants flock to South Africa from across the border each year. This story refering to Mozambican repatriation caught my eye:

“Orlando Cossa, head of the immigration services at Ressano Garcia told the daily Noticias that at least 8017 illegal Mozambicans were repatriated through that border post in March and in February, at least 3577 illegal Mozambicans were repatriated through the same border post.

Cossa said in March the Mozambican immigration officials also deported 16 South Africans who were living illegally in Mozambique, a decrease from 20 who were deported in February.

“We continue to have illegal entries through the porous border post from both countries by people who sneak through illegal points,” said Cossa.

While a lot of Mozambicans entered legally into South Africa, they overstayed their 30 days, which are allowed under the visa waiver agreement.

The terms of the visa waiver agreement allows thousands of Mozambicans who shop and do business in South Africa to enter without visas.

The visa waiver also allows citizens of either country to stay in the other country for up to 30 days without a visa.

Mozambique also has visa waiver agreements with Namibia, Botswana, Malawi, Namibia, Swaziland, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Immigrations officials have said in recent media reports that the visa waiver has resulted in an increase in the movement of people at the Ressano Garcia/Lebombo border post.”

- Courtesy Sunday Times, South Africa 

Being an immigration practitioner for Global Visas, I have noticed a huge trend in South Africans partnering up with Brits and moving back to South Africa.

Because most South Africans in the UK at the moment work in the hospitality industry, we have been inundated with enquiries from chefs and waitresses wanting to take their partners home with them.

Many of the UK visas that are available do not apply to South African working holiday makers and the options to extend in country are limited, therefore they must return home. This means that the Brit will have to follow the Saffa to South Africa if they want to pursue their relationship. 

In some cases it is possible for the South African to apply for a de facto Visa in the UK based on the existing relationship but 2 years of cohabitation is needed to apply for this and since the working holiday maker programme is only for two years, this is 99% of the time an impossibility as the partnership would only have started while the Saffa is in the UK. 

Another problem facing the couple is when applying for a life partner visa for South Africa, one has to prove cohabitation and often the couples do not live together. Compared to the Tier 1, spousal visas and business visas the life partner visa is relatively easy to get as long as you use an immigration practitioner. 

The South African High Commission are relaxed with approving life partner visas as long as there is proof that the relationship has existed for an extended period of time and the department is convinced that it isn’t a marriage/partnership of convenience. 

At www.globalvisas.co.za, we have recognised this trend and we go out of our way to reduce the hassles experienced. With our excellent relationship with the High Commission in the UK and the Department of Home Affairs in South Africa we are bale to apply for visas with great ease. 

We still maintain our 100% success rate for visas for South Africa and we are extremely proud of this feat.  

Today I am delighted to be able to say Global Visas has a new member of our family of websites www.globalvisas.co.za The site is specifically designed for South African people who are currently based in South Africa who are just thinking about immigration.  It is also geared up to help people who wish to remain longer in South Africa. 

Global Visas has always had many clients coming from South Africa but in recent years we have found an increasing number of companies moving their staff into South Africa for employment as the Skills shortages in South Africa bites and emplyers are forced to ship those skills in from their offices around the world.

We are currently preparing to open our new office in Cape Town in June.  We have just signed the lease on our new offices in the Strand and are currently preparing it for our team to move in.  We are all very excited about our new office and are all looking forward to helping people and business locally.

Our South African site is the latest of addition to our family but watch this space as we continue to develop our network of offices world wide.