On 27 June 2026, the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) took a step towards greater transparency in South Africa's immigration system by issuing Immigration Circular No 08 of 2026 (the Circular). For the first time, the DHA has formally published the official performance targets and turnaround times for visa, permit, waiver and appeal applications for the 2026/2027 performance cycle.
These benchmarks provide a clear framework that employers, foreign nationals, immigration practitioners and other stakeholders may expect from the DHA. The stated purpose of the Circular is to ensure that performance can be measured, promote transparency, improve public confidence, reduce unnecessary enquiries and help combat fraud associated with uncertain processing times.
Key turnaround times at a glance
The published turnaround times apply to applications submitted in South Africa between 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2027. The Circular supersedes all previously published turnaround times.
Processing periods must be calculated in working days only, unless otherwise indicated. Saturdays, Sundays and all recognised South African public holidays are excluded when calculating the applicable processing period.
The Circular provides that processing periods must be calculated in working days only. However, uncertainty arises in relation to turnaround times expressed in weeks rather than working days. It is unclear whether these targets refer to calendar weeks or working weeks that exclude weekends and public holidays. This distinction could materially affect the applicable processing period and may undermine some of the transparency that the Circular seeks to achieve.
Visas – Annual Performance Plan
The DHA has established the following performance targets for selected visa categories under its Annual Performance Plan:
| Visa category | Turnaround time |
|---|
| Business Visa in terms of section 15 of the Immigration Act | 8 weeks |
| Critical Skills Work Visa in terms of section 19(4) of the Immigration Act, including Trusted Employer Scheme (TES) applications | 4 weeks |
| General Work Visa in terms of section 19(2) of the Immigration Act, including Trusted Employer Scheme (TES) applications | 4 weeks |
| Port-of-Entry visa in terms of section 10 of the Immigration Act (Trusted Tour Operator Scheme) | 5 working days |
| Port-of-Entry visa in terms of section 10 of the Immigration Act (eVisa) | 10 working days |
The four-week processing target for both Critical Skills Work Visas and General Work Visas is noteworthy and, if consistently met, should provide greater certainty for employers seeking to recruit highly skilled foreign nationals.
South African permanent residence permits – Annual Performance Plan
Certain permanent residence permit categories are subject to significantly longer processing periods.
Applications under the following categories each carry an eight-month turnaround target:
- worker (section 26(a) of the Immigration Act);
- extraordinary skills (section 27(b) of the Immigration Act); and
- business (section 27(c) of the Immigration Act).
Visas and permits – Annual Operational Plan
The Annual Operational Plan establishes turnaround targets for a broader range of immigration applications.
The following visa categories carry a target processing period of 60 working days:
- visitor's visas (sections 11(1) and 11(2) of the Immigration Act);
- exchange visas (section 22 of the Immigration Act);
- study visas (section 13 of the Immigration Act);
- medical treatment visas (section 17 of the Immigration Act); and
- crew visas.
Applications for the following visa categories have a target processing period of 120 working days:
- visitor's visa (section 11(6) of the Immigration Act);
- relative's visa (section 18 of the Immigration Act);
- retired person visa (section 20 of the Immigration Act); and
- treaty visa (section 14 of the Immigration Act).
A considerably longer target of 240 working days applies to numerous South African permanent residence permit categories, including:
- spouses and dependant permits (sections 26(b), 26(c), 26(d), 27(b) and 27(c) of the Immigration Act);
- quota worker permits (section 27(a) of the Immigration Act);
- refugee permits (section 27(d) of the Immigration Act);
- retired person permit (section 27(e) of the Immigration Act);
- financially independent permits (section 27(f) of the Immigration Act); and
- relative permits (section 27(g) of the Immigration Act).
Appeals and waivers
The Circular also establishes official turnaround targets for appeals and waiver applications.
| Application | Turnaround time |
|---|
| Appeals in terms of section 8(4) of the Immigration Act | 180 working days |
| Appeals in terms of section 8(6) of the Immigration Act | 240 working days |
| Visa waivers and exemptions | 120 working days |
| Permit waivers and exemptions | 240 working days |
Administrative services – business plan level
Several administrative services are now subject to published performance targets:
| Administrative service | Turnaround time |
|---|
| Rectification of visas and South African permanent residence permits | 30 working days |
| Visa transfers | 30 working days |
| Visa verification | 40 working days |
| South African permanent residence permit verification | 90 working days |
| Proof of South African permanent residence permit | 90 working days |
| Withdrawal of South African permanent residence permit | 90 working days |
| Cancellation of visa | 90 working days |
Why these turnaround times matter
The publication of official processing targets represents a significant step for South Africa's immigration system.
Until now, applicants and practitioners have had limited guidance regarding expected processing periods, making it difficult to advise clients accurately, plan international assignments and assess whether delays were unreasonable.
The publication of formal benchmarks provides greater certainty and establishes a measurable benchmark against which the DHA's performance can be assessed. It also strengthens the position of applicants where processing delays extend well beyond the Department's own published targets.
These benchmarks should assist employers, foreign nationals and advisers to:
- plan international assignments and workforce mobility more effectively;
- manage expectations using officially published processing periods;
- engage with the DHA where applications exceed the published turnaround times; and
- support litigation or judicial review proceedings where delays become unreasonable.
Immigration Circular No 08 of 2026 is a welcome development towards greater transparency. Applicants should, however, bear two important qualifications in mind. First, the published turnaround times apply only to applications duly submitted in South Africa. Secondly, incomplete applications and applications lodged outside South Africa fall outside the scope of the published performance targets.
While it remains to be seen whether the DHA will consistently achieve these service standards, the publication of official turnaround times provides a long-awaited benchmark against which immigration processing can now be measured.
