The International Education Association of South Africa (IEASA), on behalf of all the universities affected by student protests, has met with Mr Phindiwe Mbhele, Director of the Corporate Accounts Unit at the Department of Home Affairs and related concerns regarding international students being affected by the ongoing student protests.

The following was agreed upon:

1. With regards to returning students whose academic programme is still continuing into next year and beyond, the normal renewal/extension process will remain. Universities should provide letters confirming continuance of studies for those whose visas expire in December 2016.

Students in this category can obtain the Continuation of Studies Letter from their relevant faculty administration offices.

2. Final year students, whose academic year ends in December 2016 and are able to complete their studies and whose visas expire at the end of December and only need to return in 2017 for graduation, will follow the existing process of applying for a visitor's visa in 2017 for the purpose of coming to graduate. Those students who are visa exempt will travel directly to South Africa for graduation.

Qualifying students will not need any official letter from the University, but will have to comply with the requirements as stipulated by DHA in obtaining a Visitor's Visa.

3. Final year students who are unable to complete their academic programme because of protest action and are instructed by the university to return in 2017, will be issued with an extension letter of acceptance by the university, to renew/extend their visas within South African borders. The current requirement to apply 60 days prior to expiry of current visas, will be relaxed.

Students in this category can obtain the relevant Continuation of Studies Letter from their relevant faculty administration offices.

4. Final year students who are unable to complete their academic programme because of poor academic performance (related or not related to the protests), will have to renew/extend their visa as per current protocol.

Students in this category can obtain the relevant Continuation of Studies Letter from their relevant faculty administration offices.

5. Where necessary, the current checklist for supporting documents in the case of Study Visa's, will be relaxed and only critical documents required to allow for an extension not exceeding six (6) months to allow completion of the academic programme. A list of these minimum required documents is attached to this letter.

6. All the above proposals are dependent on whether universities decide to move the academic programme over to 2017 or as per normal allow the academic programme of 2016 to end in December 2016.

Excerpt from notice:

'With effect from 1^st October 2016, the Department of Home Affairs will automate the process of obtaining a South African Police Clearance Certificate.  Instead of the applicant going to a police station to apply for a police clearance, VFS will use the applicant's biometrics (fingerprints) which we are already collecting in the current process and use them to run background checks against the South African Police Services database.

On receipt of the electronic police clearance VFS will merge the records with the main application and transmit the contents electronically to DHA as a full and complete application.  The SAPS database background check will take an average of 24-36 hours, a great improvement from the 3 to 4 months that it takes currently to get a police clearance from SAPS, as reported by applicants.'

For more information on this new rule, students can visit the website:

www.dha.gov.za/index.php/immigration-services/rsa-police-clearance-certificate

Further enquiries: