# SA visitors permit -- fijian police clearance



## goenki (May 31, 2014)

Hi,

I received a post-doctoral fellowship from a South African university. The fellowship runs for a year, I currently apply for an extension. The fellowship in the second year is a financied from a different university. Therefore I am requested to re-apply.

I have continious problems optaining the necessary extended visitors permits. The application does not get accepted by the South African embassy for various reasons I struggle to follow. This post is about one of the various reasons given.

Seven years ago I was employed as a lecturer at the University of the South Pacific in Fiji. For my first application, in early 2013, the SA embassy requested a police clearance from Fiji since I stayed more then a year. Nevertheless I pointed out that Fiji is currently a military dictatorship the embassy insited I provide a clearance. An undertaking was not accepted.

In April 2013 a Fijian collegue submitted the applications for me and my wife personally at the Fijian Police Force in Suva. I submitted my undertaking and added copies of our proof-of-payment. This was accepted by the SA embassy.

Unfortunately the Fiji Police Force does not hand police clearances to the applicant, but only the authority requesting the report. Therefore I followed-up in June 2013 with the embassy and requested confirmation on the arrival of the Fijian Police Clearances. This request remains unanswered as today.

In July 2013 the international office of my SA host university contacted South African immigration to receive confirmation on the arrival of my Fijian Police Clearance. After a lengthy communication the office submitted a lengthy report to SA immigration in October 2013. This request also remains unanswered as today.

In March 2014 I contacted the honorary consul for Germany in Fiji. He organised the certificates to be re-issued, emailed and airmailed to the South African Embassy in Berlin. 

Shortly later I contacted the Fijian Embassy in Brussels. The reason was that the re-issued clearance was dated more then six months ago. The Fijian embassy organised a third clearance sent to the SA embassy.

Nevertheless I asked I did not get a postal receipts from any authority. But I have a copy of the clearances send to the South African Embassy. So I know they received them at least in digital form.

I am very unsure how to go from here. Any comments? :help:

Kind regards


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