The South African government has presented an open invitation to Nigerian business leaders and skilled workers to the country.
The South African Consul General, Bobby Moroe, announced this Monday, January 10, 2023, at a roundtable with the Lagos business community.
According to him, South Africa is ready and open for business and has worked to ease the plight of Nigerians seeking visas to enter the country.
Moroe, represented by Ntakuseni Lambani, the consulate’s head of immigration, also disclosed that South Africa will now issue long-term visas of up to ten years to proven Nigerian businessmen.
He said the offer places South Africa ahead of all other African countries, BusinessDay reports.
South Africa skilled visa The Consul General of South Africa also revealed that the country offers Nigerians a critical skills work visa.
According to Punch, he said that Nigerians who enter the country and work for up to five years will be given the option to become full residents.
Africa has been reviewing its visa processes, and many improvements are being recorded. “Today, we can say that henceforth, we will be able to issue 10-year multiple-entry visas to the business community in Nigeria.”
The Consul General also noted that his country was keen to promote investment into South Africa by Nigerians and that visa applications under the country’s investor immigration category would be treated expeditiously.
The consulate receives about 120 visa applications in Lagos daily. Still, business leaders have long been complaining about the dehumanising treatment they suffer while applying for South African visas, and it is expected that the new offer will ease that pain.
He also acknowledged that mistakes had been made but said, “We have been listening, and this session with you is a continuation of that process.”
He also insisted that the feedback has been good since the issuance of visas began as long ago as three years ago.
More added: “It is expected that with the offer of long-term visas, the number of applications will drop, and this should in turn cut the turn-around time for visa application.”
