# Visa expiration day



## dinema84 (Sep 4, 2020)

Quick question, I submitted my renewal application a bit late like 6weeks b4 expiry date and outcome not yet out. Do I need to leave the country and reenter on visitors visa so I do not overstay and become undesirable? Also if expiry date is 8July 2022 what date do i need to be out of the country?


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## XYZ1985 (7 mo ago)

dinema84 said:


> Quick question, I submitted my renewal application a bit late like 6weeks b4 expiry date and outcome not yet out. Do I need to leave the country and reenter on visitors visa so I do not overstay and become undesirable? Also if expiry date is 8July 2022 what date do i need to be out of the country?


What I know, as long as your application is under process and have proof from VFS of application submission, you are allowed to stay in South Africa legally.
If you leave South Africa, you will not be able to enter without renewed visa on your passport.

I faced the same situation while renewing my wife and kids visa which expired in 2021 during covid wave and had to renew it from South Africa.

As you applied in South Africa, you would then have to give someone authority to collect visa and get it pasted on your passport and courier you the passport back.

Also remember, if your visa expires and renewal visa is still under process, you cannot legally work in South Africa.(assuming your visa was a work visa).


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## jollem (Nov 9, 2016)

dinema84 said:


> Quick question, I submitted my renewal application a bit late like 6weeks b4 expiry date and outcome not yet out. Do I need to leave the country and reenter on visitors visa so I do not overstay and become undesirable? Also if expiry date is 8July 2022 what date do i need to be out of the country?


You will not need to leave the country. You can await the outcome from within South Africa. The only problem is if the outcome is a decline, then they give you a number of days (dont remember if it is 7 days, or what) to leave the country. So you will have limited time to packup and leave.


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## a4xiaoxiami (May 17, 2018)

Due to the back log of applications, the General Director of DHA has already granted a blanck-check extension for all long-term visa (such as work visa, depandent visa etc.) applicants. As long as you have submitted your application and waiting for your result, you visa will be extended till the end of June.

I believe there is a good chance another blank-check extendsion is on its way for another 3 months or so, because DHA won't be able to process any applications submitted this year until July.

So just wait and see if there will be another directive for further extension first.

Secondly, you can stay in South Africa legally while waiting for the outcome of your application. If it is declined, you have 2 opportunities to appeal the result. After that, if you still cannot get the visa, you can leave the country within 10 days after you collect your final appeal result.


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## XYZ1985 (7 mo ago)

dinema84 said:


> Quick question, I submitted my renewal application a bit late like 6weeks b4 expiry date and outcome not yet out. Do I need to leave the country and reenter on visitors visa so I do not overstay and become undesirable? Also if expiry date is 8July 2022 what date do i need to be out of the country?


Also remember, if your decision comes in time, you would still need to collect it from VFS to know what it is.
In Sep 21, there was a 3 month waiting to get an appointment for collecting the decision from VFS. My decision came in Sep 21 and could not get a VFS appointment before Dec 21.


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## a4xiaoxiami (May 17, 2018)

XYZ1985 said:


> Also remember, if your decision comes in time, you would still need to collect it from VFS to know what it is.
> In Sep 21, there was a 3 month waiting to get an appointment for collecting the decision from VFS. My decision came in Sep 21 and could not get a VFS appointment before Dec 21.


You do not need an appointment to collect the outcome of your application now. That's just a temporary requirement due to covid. Not applicable any more.


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