COVID-19 Lockdown What to do if you are a South African Stranded Abroad

NEWS | COVID-19 LOCKDOWN: WHAT TO DO IF YOU ARE A SOUTH AFRICAN STRANDED ABROAD

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One of the global strategies has been to shutdown major port of entries, such as airports and border posts. This has left many travelling South Africans stranded in foreign countries and who are now unable to return home to their families. This is creating panic and uncertainty for travellers who cannot afford to book further accommodation or carry further living expenses in those countries.

Following a Pretoria press briefing on 31 March 2020, the International Relations and Cooperation Minister Naledi Pandor said that the Department empathises with their plight and are doing whatever is within their means to assist them to be safe and to repatriate them back to South Africa.

The Minister confirmed that, of the total 1 471 stranded citizens, 723 are students, 204 are workers, 224 are tourists and 320 have not disclosed their status. “I cannot say that these numbers are 100 percent accurate as it is based on people who have approached us for assistance through our missions and consular services.  There may be more people in need of assistance that we do not know about yet,” said Pandor.

Government’s approach to assist those stranded abroad

Many South Africans are experiencing difficulties in accessing documents and services in South Africa that enable them to extend their visa in the host country. This includes extension of travel insurance and other documents as may be required by the local authorities per the visa concessions made available during this lock-down period.

Most South African missions have closed following the 21day lock-down announced by President Ramaphosa and officials have been working remotely to assist the repatriation process for stranded South Africans.  The Minister has moved to assure family members of those stranded abroad by saying that “our missions, where possible, will continue to render consular services, including negotiating with the governments where there are lock-downs, in order to facilitate the movement of stranded South Africans.”

The Department will prioritise those who were most distressed – passengers stranded at airports, or running out of accommodation options, as well as the elderly and the sick.  This include evacuation flights, possibly using South African Airways aircraft.

For those who already purchased return air tickets to South Africa, Pandor said they should try to return back home at their own cost, by arranging with airlines they bought ticket from. She appealed to travel agents and airlines to accommodate and rebook these passengers on different dates as the airlines would now be allowed to fly to South Africa to bring back South Africans.

For the rest of the South Africans who may not be stranded or distressed, they were advised to remain put to reduce movement until the end of the lock-down.

Can foreign authorities abroad assist stranded South Africans?

Our Missions were also tasked to also determine whether the authorities from host countries can offer any assistance to stranded South Africans due to the COVID-19 pandemic, for example by issuing extension of visas. President Ramaphosa has advised that he is working on the matter together with the Department of International Relations and Cooperation and various missions abroad.

The Consular Services Unit at DIRCO Head Office is monitoring calls of stranded South Africans daily to ensure that they are informed all the time and will continue to be in touch with all South Africans until they are comfortably reunited with their families.

To make it easier for people who are unable to make contact with the Missions abroad, the Department has established a 24-hour Command Centre.  The Command Centre contact details are as follows; +27 12 351 1754; +27 12 351 1756, emails: Cicc1@dirco.gov.za and Cicc2@dirco.gov.za.

So far progress has been made and already a group of 16 South Africans who were stranded in Dubai and Doha returned back home last week Thursday. The group is currently under quarantine for 14 days as per COVID-19 regulation and another 16 citizens stranded in Germany is expected to return from Frankfurt over the weekend – updated 7 April 2020.

All South Africans re-entering the country will be subject to screening and quarantining for a 14-day period. Xpatweb will continue following up on the above matters and advise as soon as we have further updates.


AUTHOR
Lerato Mahupela - Immigration Specialist
Lerato Mahupela
Immigration Specialist

Coronavirus Efforts to Flatten the curve in Africa

NEWS | CORONAVIRUS: EFFORTS TO FLATTEN THE CURVE IN AFRICA

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Below is a breakdown of African countries and the measures that they have implemented in response to curb the spread of the virus –

Angola

Effective from 27 March 2020 until 11 April 2020, President João Lourenço declared a nationwide lockdown. Lockdown has been extended again up until the 25 May 2020.  All airports, seaports, and land borders are closed for this period and furthermore, all international missions, and foreign visits by members of the administration are prohibited from travelling.

The Angolan Immigration Services, Serviço de Migração Extrangeira, has not ceased services to date. Foreigners can still attend the immigration services various locations to submit applications for visa extensions. Foreigners should take the appropriate precautions when attending these locations. However, immigration services is operating on skeleton staff, as such, delays in the processing of applications can be expected.

Botswana

Effective from 02 April 2020, the Botswanan government had declared a nationwide lockdown for a period of 28 days. Lockdown measures and restrictions were extended until May 14th2020. From May 15th, the country will proceed to phase 3 until the 22nd of May 2020.

The issuance of visa applications remain suspended until further notice and immigration restrictions are expected to remain until October 2020. All permits expiring will be treated as active until flight suspensions continue.

Ghana

Effective from 30 March 2020, the entire Accra and some other locations in Ghana that are considered to be COVID-19 hotspots were on lockdown for a period of 14 days. All are required to stay at home with a few exceptions. Currently, lockdown regulations have been eased in major cities with immigration departments reopening.

Ghana Immigration Services is accepting new applications for work permits, however, visas on arrivals and new visa applications filed abroad remain suspended until further notice.

Democratic Republic of Congo

Effective from 28 March 2020, Kinshasa has gone into a rotational-based lockdown for a period of four days, following two days of free access for residents to go to essential shop. The period of lockdown continued for a period of three weeks. The government extended the state of emergency until the 23rd of May .

During this time, there are limited immigration services available, but foreigners can continue to submit applications for to the Department of Migration Services during this period. A delay in processing times is to be expected as the department will be running on skeleton staff.

Mozambique

From the 1st of May 2020 the President extended the state of emergency announced on the 1st of April 2020 up until the 30th of May 2020. Public and private institutions shall remain in operation with a skeleton staff reduced to no more than 1/3.

The Department of Immigration remains closed and those with temporary visas expiring or due to expire in-country remain valid and effective until 30 June 2020. The Labour Directorate in Mozambique remains open and processing applications, however, at a slower rate due to skeleton staff.

Namibia

President Geingob declared a partial lockdown in two regions in Namibia, Khomas and Erongo, from 27 March until 17 April, as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Currently, Namibia is on Level 4 lockdown until 2nd of June. All borders remain closed with some upliftment of restrictions.

The Department of Home Affairs is processing applications for extensions of visas in-country and employment applications. New visa applications are pending the upliftment of travel bans and borders re-opening.

Kenya

Effective Friday, 7 May 2020 the President Kenyatta extended the curfew for 15 more days until the 22 May 2020. This followed the initial curfew which was put in place from the 27th of March 2020 by the President for a period of 30 days. From 7 p.m. to 5 a.m. all movement shall be prohibited unless by persons authorized to do so such as medical professionals, health workers, critical and essential service providers. The president

During this period, the Kenya Immigration Services is attending to urgent issues only as a response to curb the spread of COVID-19 in Kenya and other immigration services limited until further notice.

Nigeria

Effective 30th of March 2020, the Nigerian government declared a lockdown in major economic hubs of Abuja and Lagos which continued until 04 May 2020. Currently, lockdown regulations have been eased in major cities.

Long-term and short-term visa renewal applications are being processed at a slower rate due to the availability of minimum services. The issuance of visas-on arrival, temporary work permits remain suspended until further notice. All travel remains suspended for Nigerian nationals and foreign residents until the 6th of June 2020.

Tanzania

Effective 23rd March 2020, the Tanzanian government-imposed travel restrictions to help curb the spread of Covid-19. All travellers whether foreigners or returning residents arriving from COVID-19 most affected countries, will be subjected to mandatory isolation for 14 days at their own cost at designated facilities identified by the Government. Furthermore, lockdown has been extended until the 30thof May as well as the restriction of movement.

The Department of Immigration in Tanzania has not ceased to provide its standard services to foreign travellers in Tanzania. Visa extensions have been granted automatically for a period of 3 months for those unable to travel to Tanzania due to the suspension of flights. Also, those that are in-country have been granted extension of visas for a period of one month.

Senegal

Effective 13 May 2020 Senegal eases its COVID 19 restrictions following the following the curfew that was imposed on the 23 of March 2020, by the Senegalese President Macky Sally. From 12 May 2020, coronavirus restrictions will begin to ease in Senegal with a curfew from 21:00 to 05:00 and limited opening hours for local businesses.

Land, sea and air borders are closed including the suspension of flights in and out of Senegal until the 3rd of June 2020.

The issuance of visas has been suspended until 03 June 2020, furthermore, applications submitted and processed abroad have also been suspended for all visa types.

Ivory Coast

Effective 26 March 2020 the Ivorian government closed all land and sea borders and suspended all international commercial flights. A dusk to dawn curfew has been imposed on the entire population in an effort to curb the spread of COVID-19. From 15 May 2020, the Ivorian government will lift the curfew in Abidjan, however, some establishments will remain closed until further notice.

Foreign nationals remain banned from entry into the Ivory Coast as borders remain closed.

Zambia

Effective 25th of March 2020, the Zambian Government a partial lockdown until further notice, with Botswana, Namibia, and Zimbabwean borders closed but others remain open.

Zambian immigration services continue to process online applications.

Lesotho

Effective Monday the 30th of March Lesotho remains under lockdown for 21 days. All the borders with South Africa will be closed, though the supply of goods will not be disrupted. Currently, Lesotho has started to uplift restrictions and immigration departments are accepting applications for work permits including adjudication and approval thereof.

Sierra Leone

Sierra Leone is currently not under lockdown following the 3-day lockdown which they held and expired on the 5th of May subject to evaluation of the situation. All borders remain closed and travel restrictions continue as all flights into and out of Sierra Leone are suspended until further notice.

The Labour and Immigration Departments continue to be closed to new and renewal applications for work and residence permits until further notice.

Equatorial Guinea

On Friday, March 13, Equatorial Guinea announced the closure of its land borders with Cameroon and Gabon, the suspension of all commercial international flights, and a mandatory 14-day quarantine for individuals arriving from any country affected by the ongoing outbreak of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), regardless of their state of health. Flights into and out of Equatorial Guinea remain suspended.

All immigration applications submitted outside of Equatorial Guinea are currently suspended as well as in-country applications.

Tunisia

On the 20th March 2020 the Tunisian President Kais Saie ordered a lockdown of the country. The lockdown has been put in place to decrease the spread of the coronavirus, following the country’s first death from the virus. Citizens are instructed to stay home and movement between Tunisian cities has been restricted. In a later statement, the Tunisian government advised that the lockdown would come into force on March 22 and last until April 4.

Currently, Tunisia has started to reopen government departments with skeleton staff. Furthermore, Labour has resumed processing and adjudication of new applications. However, entry into Tunisia remains restricted to Tunisian nationals and permanent residents of Tunisia.