No boarding calls at OR Tambo International Airport
From Wednesday, November 15, there will no longer be boarding calls at the domestic departures terminal and gates at OR Tambo International Airport, in an effort to reduce noise levels.
USA Cape Town consulate visa appointments booked up for 2017
USA Cape Town consulate visa appointments booked up for 2017, into Feb 2018!
Johannesburg USA appointment availability is open from latter part of October 2017.
We are making enquiries with the CPT USA Consular office and shall give more feedback as soon as we know of solutions.
Eid al-Adha Public Holiday – Nigeria
This is to inform you that the Nigerian Consulate will be closed on the 1st and 4th of September, 2017 to observe the Eid al-Adha Holiday as declared in Nigeria.
Kindly note that this closure will affect the visa turnaround time for the period stated above.
The Consulate will resume full operations on the 5th of September, 2017.
Qatar Visa Update
The Qatar Embassy in South Africa is not aware of the visa waiver for South African travellers and advises them to still go through the usual channels for visas when flying to Qatar.
A spokesperson for the Qatar Embassy says they have not been informed of the visa waiver, and if it is a deal with the airline, passengers must organise it with the airline.
Meantime, travellers should apply for visas before they travel if they do not have a hotel booked. To be eligible for a visa on arrival, travellers must be booked into a four- or five-star hotel, have a return or ongoing ticket, $1 500 (R20 150) in their bank account, a passport that is valid for at least six months and pay 100 Qatari Rial (R369).
No Visas for the Qatar region!
“Qatar’s Ministry of Interior, Qatar Tourism Authority and Qatar Airways announced visa waivers for over 80 countries, including South Africa, on August 9.
Travellers wishing to visit Qatar will no longer need to pay or apply for a visa, effective immediately. Instead, travellers will be issued with a multi-entry waiver, free of charge, at their port of entry into Qatar. A valid passport with a minimum validity of six months and a confirmed onward or return ticket must be presented.
There will be two types of visa waivers. The first will be for 33 countries including Austria, Germany, France and the Seychelles. This waiver will be valid for 180 days from the date it is issued and will allow the holder to spend up to 90 days in Qatar on either a single stay or on multiple trips.
The second, which will apply to South Africa, Canada, America, Australia and the United Kingdom, will be valid for 30 days from the date of issue. The waiver will allow the holder to spend up to 30 days in Qatar, either on a single trip or on multiple trips. It can also be extended for a further 30 days.
This is one of many steps Qatar is taking to encourage travel and access to the country following the Qatar travel ban in June. Last month, Qatar lunched an e-visa platform that enables faster and more efficient visa applications.”
New Chinese office for visa delivery / collection/ payment opens in Cape Town
New Address:-
1 Thibault Square, 20th floor, Long Street, Cape Town, 8001
Tel : + 27 87 808 55 07
Fax: + 27 86 589 3248
Email: capetown@visaforchina.org
Business hours: Monday to Friday 09h00 – 12h30
For : Delivery and collections and payments
Closed: Saturdays, Sundays & Public Holidays
Delay: taking 6 working days
Visa fees have increased – Please contact VISALOGIX FOR THE NEW FEES
There is an additional service fee to be paid to the centre, of which we await for further advice
Any other information please contact VISALOGIX CAPE TOWN TO ASSIST YOU FOR YOUR CHINESE VISAS.
Democratic Republic of CONGO Visas Update
Visas for diplomats and state officials from South Africa and the Democratic Republic of Congo have been waived.
On Monday July 31, Minister of Home Affairs Professor Hlengiwe Mkhize and a DRC delegation led by Deputy Prime Minister Emmanuel Ramazani signed the waiver agreement.
The waiver will allow diplomats and state officials from both countries to travel freely between the two countries. “As members of SADC, we have committed ourselves, through the Protocol on Facilitation of Movement of Persons that we shall continuously collaborate with each other progressively to attain the goal of easing travel and expanding trade and co-operation,” Mkhize said.
Harbin International Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival
The Harbin International Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival is an annual winter festival that takes place with a theme in Harbin, Heilongjiang, China, and now is the largest ice and snow festival in the world.
Location: Harbin CHINA
Dates: December 24 to February
VISA UPDATE – AUSTRALIA
27 June 2017
AS FROM 28 JUNE 2017 :
Australian Biometric Collection Centre (ABCC) – run by TLScontact : Greenacres Shopping Centre, Port Elizabeth
Office hours: Mon-Fri 0830 – 1530.
This service is available to Australian visa applicants needing to provide BIOMETRICS. Visa applications will NOT be accepted here, it is ONLY for biometrics.
No cash payments will be accepted at this office . Payment for the service fee is strictly debit or credit cards.
US may extend laptop ban to Europe
US authorities announced last week that they are considering extending the laptop ban in cabin baggage to flights originating in Europe.
The EU has responded by saying that this would lead to chaos and confusion across Europe, and has asked the US to be more open about information leading to its security concerns.
Meanwhile, aviation experts are concerned about the dangers of storing a large number of lithium batteries in the cargo hold. Lithium batteries are considered dangerous goods and should be carried in the passenger cabin.
US and EU officials will be meeting on Wednesday to discuss the proposed ban extension, but many believe that the decision to extend the ban has already been made, and are just waiting on the announcement
