News Flash: The overstay endemic continues. Despite the widely publicised issues pertaining to foreigners overstaying their visas to South Africa, the number of people getting banned from South Africa as a result of these overstays continues to rise.
Overturning bans from South Africa on the rise
We are seeing a daily influx of foreigners making contact with our firm in order to overturn bans from South Africa that they and/or their family members have received. These inquiries range from people who have overstayed their visas for medical reasons, to those who have simply failed to check the expiry date of their visas. The period of these overstays can range from a matter of days to years on end and foreigners often hold the erroneous belief that nothing can be done in order to facilitate their quick return to South Africa.
In the event that a foreigner departs South Africa after the expiry of his/her visa, he/she will be issued with a declaration of undesirability at the point of departure. This declaration will contain details pertaining to the duration of the overstay and the ban period. Important to note, is that the declaration also instructs the foreigner in question to submit an overstay appeal to the Department of Home Affairs in the event that he/she would like to contest the ban from South Africa.
How an overstay appeal works
This overstay appeal will need to comprehensively deal with the reasons for the overstay and must provide grounds justifying the overturning of the ban. The Department of Home Affairs has taken a stringent approach to the adjudication of these appeals and it is advisable to enlist the services of experts in order to draft and submit the strongest possible appeal.
In the event that you require further information on how to overturn a ban from South Africa, kindly contact our offices.
Speak to a professional
Contact Le Roux Attorneys, South African Visa specialists about your visa application. Start by selecting one of the enquiry options below