# Need help urgently - SA embassy making unreasonable demands



## Klipspringer (Feb 21, 2015)

I'm hoping that Legalman or someone in the know can give me a quick response, we are feeling quite desperate.

My Italian partner applied for a critical skills visa at the embassy in Rome. He handed in all necessary documents in person. They told him it will take maximum 8 weeks. His flight to SA is booked for early May.

Well, 8 weeks has come and gone and he phoned the embassy on Friday last week. Every day they tell him to call back the following day. This morning they called him and said the consul wants to meet with him. He told them he lives many km from Rome on an island and will have to fly there, can't she just speak to him on the phone? They said he can only get the visa after he's met with her. But if he books a flight to see her the visa can still be rejected. 

I have never heard of this happening to anybody. It seems so unreasonable that he can't just answer her question on the phone or Skype. Nowhere does it say in the legislation that you also have to have a personal interview for your visa. Is it up to their discretion to request this, or is there a way that we can get them to just follow the normal procedure?

My partner has spent thousands and thousands already on this visa, which is turning out to be a bottomless pit. He doesn't want to buy an unnecessary plane ticket and that at the risk that they could still reject his application.

Please help.


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## 2fargone (Jun 14, 2011)

Klipspringer said:


> I'm hoping that Legalman or someone in the know can give me a quick response, we are feeling quite desperate.
> 
> My Italian partner applied for a critical skills visa at the embassy in Rome. He handed in all necessary documents in person. They told him it will take maximum 8 weeks. His flight to SA is booked for early May.
> 
> ...


I know I am not Legal Man, but I read on another post that interviews are becoming more common. They could speak to anyone pretending to be him on the phone. The suggested time the visa takes and the actual time it takes usually varies. The Embassy also doesn't care that you live far away and that you must travel and buy a plane ticket. 

I know it's hard, but it seems like your partner is close to the end!


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## Klipspringer (Feb 21, 2015)

Oh, I really wasn't aware that people are getting asked for interviews. Nobody at the embassy nor at the DHA had ever mentioned this possibility to us. I just wonder what the purpose of such an interview might be. If they have all your documents, and they haven't requested any additional documents, I can only imagine that they want to check you out? Make some sort of subjective judgement based on your appearance? It all just seems so... unconstitutional. But I guess if people in power want to play God over our lives there is not much we can do about it. Sorry if I sound cynical but this whole process (7 months and counting) has opened my eyes to the unbelievably inefficient bureaucracy that exists within our government departments and councils. I have worked abroad and have never in my life encountered anything quite like the system we have here. We make the Vogons look competent!


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## 2fargone (Jun 14, 2011)

Someone else posted that the Embassy asked that they come in for an interview. Legal Man replied. See this post--->http://www.expatforum.com/expats/so...682473-warning-those-applying-trp-london.html

And, yes the Embassy and Home Affairs is famous for not mentioning important things that you might need! I understand it really opens your eyes when you can't do anything and your live is on hold.


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## Klipspringer (Feb 21, 2015)

Thank you for looking this post up for me. It is much appreciated! I know that I have to get my chin back up if I want to continue this process but just one last thing I wanted to add is how the government thinks it will attract all of the desperately needed skills to the country if the process is so gruelling and even demeaning. Ok, I'm done complaining, thank you for listening!


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## 2fargone (Jun 14, 2011)

I agree with you! South Africa needs skilled people!! Don't give up if you want to be in South Africa. Good luck!!


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