# Arriving in SA before study visa?



## stellies (Jan 8, 2017)

Hi, 

I'm intending to study at Stellenbosch University in 2018. I gather that the study visas become active from 1 January.

However I just wanted to know if it would be possible to come to SA before that time? If I wanted to travel for three months would it be possible to enter the country in October? I'm intending to receive confirmation from Stellenbosch and attain the study visa before arriving. 

Would I need to cross the border to Namibia/Mozambique etc and re-enter SA in January as a student? 

Many thanks if you have any insight into this. I appreciate your time.

Kind regards


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## Oyibopeppeh (Sep 8, 2010)

Yes, you can enter SA as a 90 day visitor.

Be careful doing visa border hops to activate a new visa, they're cracking down on this and there is a possibility that you would be refused entry.


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## j.naresh89 (Jan 6, 2017)

Hi please suggest if I can convert my wife's dependent visa into critical skill visa in Southafrica. If so what will be the visa validity for critical skill visa without an employment offer. I am currently working in southafrica in ICT and have visa validity UpTo 2018 october. Your suggestion would be really helpful

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## stellies (Jan 8, 2017)

Oyibopeppeh said:


> Yes, you can enter SA as a 90 day visitor.
> 
> Be careful doing visa border hops to activate a new visa, they're cracking down on this and there is a possibility that you would be refused entry.


Thank you, I've done the 90 days a few times so I'll do that again. I agree about the border hop, I've heard about people doing it but they've become stricter. 

I imagine I'll have to leave and re-enter the country in December/January in order to activate the study visa. I suppose I could check at the embassy when I'm completing the study visa application.


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## Oyibopeppeh (Sep 8, 2010)

stellies said:


> Thank you, I've done the 90 days a few times so I'll do that again. I agree about the border hop, I've heard about people doing it but they've become stricter.
> 
> I imagine I'll have to leave and re-enter the country in December/January in order to activate the study visa. I suppose I could check at the embassy when I'm completing the study visa application.



If you must do a border hop, then better to exit and enter through the airport.

After I'd been granted my CSV I made a trip to Zambia, spent a couple of days doing the tourist thing and came back in on the second passport which had the CSV sticker. No problems at all.


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