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IMPACT OF THE NEW IMMIGRATION

REGULATIONS ON INTERNATIONAL TRADE &

TOURISM

INAUGURAL INDUSTRY GROWTH & SAFETY CONFERENCE 2014

Presenter: Jack Monedi

5 November 2014

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In terms of its legal mandate, Home Affairs is responsible for the following laws relating to the cross border movement of persons:

• Immigration Act, and

• Refugees Act.

Immigration Act, 2002 mandates Minister of Home Affairs to designate a place as a POE, where all persons have to report before they may

• enter,

• sojourn or remain within, or

• depart from the Republic.

In order to facilitate movement whilst ensuring that security considerations are satisfied, DHA follows a layered approach in order to manage potential migratory risks

HOME AFFAIRS MANDATE

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PORT ENVIRONMENT South Africa shares borders with six countries –

Botswana Lesotho Mozambique

Namibia Swaziland Zimbabwe

Travellers enter and depart South Africa through a total of 71 designated ports of entry (POE) which include -

• 10 Airports,

• 8 Harbours and

• 53 land POE.

Certain POE are classified as commercial whilst others are non commercial.

Movement of persons and goods is managed efficiently and effectively through the participation of other border management stakeholders at ports of entry

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MAP REFLECTING THE LOCATION OF PORTS OF ENTRY

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RSA

Border

Off-shore

Key principles

• Integrated approach

• Single view of traveler's status and transactions

• Professionalised staff

• Enforcement of laws

• Keep risks away from SA

Immigration Management

Requires attention to:

• Role of SA mission abroad

• Bilateral and multilateral relations and agreements

• Immigration issues, trends and strategies

• Ports of entry and use of biometrics for travellers

• Cooperation on refugee matters

OPERATIONAL CENTRE – Access to data from relevant systems. Analyses, assesses risks against knowledge of countries and traveller. Issues data, reports and alerts. Monitors stop-lists. Liaises with other departments and agencies.

Mr Smith applies for visa at SA

mission

Visa and permitting system– Visa issued after pro-active risk assessment and checks done by officials in Mission and SA using DHA system

Mr Smith presents visa at ORT

Mr Smith overstays and Act is applied

Advance Passenger Processing (APP) Data sent to operational centre and he is cleared to board after various checks

Immigration Officer at Port of Entry does first-line checks

Mr Smith departs

Inspectorate enforces law and monitors updated systems to ensure compliance

Mr Smith departs

from airport

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INTERNATIONAL TRAVELLER STATISTICS - 2013/14 FINANCIAL YEAR

TRAVELLER STATISTICS

Category Arrival Departure Total

Citizens 5,029,682 5,086,055 10,113,757

Foreigners 14,919,420 13,656,189 28,575,609

Grand Total 19,949,102 18,742,244 38,691,346

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INTERNATIONAL AIRPORTS: 2013_14

TOP 5 INTERNATIONAL AIRPORTS TOTAL

OR Tambo 8,616,278

Cape Town 1,540,166

King Shaka 286,240

Lanseria 59,161

Kruger Mpumalanga 17,534

TOTAL 10,519,379

Airport users comprise almost one third (27%) of all

travellers:

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NEW IMMIGRATION REGULATIONS

Provide for –

Collection and verification of biometric data;

–Rationale: Identity management is key to the management of immigration:

- Mixed migration flows; - Abuse of asylum system; - Fraudulent marriages; - Poor or no civil registration processes in the Region and abroad.

Change in status applications to be lodged in country of origin:

–Rationale: To curb the abuse of tourist visas whilst intending to settle in SA.

Minors to present unabridged birth certificates and written consent from parent not accompanying them when travelling;

–Rationale: South Africa adopted anti-trafficking law in line with international instruments to prevent, suppress and punish trafficking in persons, especially women and children.

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NEW IMMIGRATION REGULATIONS

Provide for –

Declaration of business deemed to be in the national interest;

–Rationale: To ease the cost of doing business in South Africa and redirecting economic sectors that have potential for growth

Intra-Company Transfer Visa now being issued for 4 years instead of 2 years:

–Rationale: To give multinational companies ‘enough’ time to transfer skills to South African citizens

Quota and exceptional skills permits have been repealed and instead a critical skills work visa has been introduced:

–Rationale: To consolidate and rationalize two visas that had same requirements

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FACILITATION MEASURES

Nationals of 47 countries do not require visas to visit SA for tourism and business purposes;

Visa Facilitation Centres to facilitate front-office operations;

Dedicated capacity to deal with large corporate accounts (Mercedes Benz, Volkswagen, Microsoft etc);

DHA approved use of mobile boarding passes at airports;

Phasing out of non Machine Readable Travel Documents (MRTD) as the SA Temporary Passport is not accepted in all countries.

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PRIORITIZATION OF MARKETS IN THE VISA WAIVER

PROGRAMME

• The Department understands that a visa is viewed as a

barrier in growing tourism from the identified markets.

• Visa waivers are aimed at nationals posing a low risk to our

national security.

DHA is aware of tourism priority markets - BRICS countries.

The nationals of these countries (Brazil, Russia and India)

require visa to visit South Africa.

Visa waiver for ordinary passport holders follows a

combination of diplomatic (political), trade and tourism

relations (economic) and security concerns.

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PLANNED FACILITATION MEASURES

Introduction of e-Visas and SADC Univisa;

Trusted Traveller Programme – Automated Border

Control: Pre-enrolled members will not be required to

report to Immigration Officer;

Infrastructure improvements at POE – improved

traveller experience

Border Management Agency – single agency to be

created under DHA

DHA Modernisation Programme: Smart Card ID will

pave the way for introduction of e-passport .

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Thank you