SA’s new digital visa system goes live as G20 delegates arrive

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The ETA, designed to replace paper-based visa applications, allows travellers to apply online, capture biometrics, and receive instant approvals. The initial live test focuses on delegates from China, India, Indonesia, and Mexico entering via OR Tambo and Cape Town International Airports.

Experts from commercial law firm Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr (CDH) explain: "The ETA will be integrated with the Electronic Movement Control System at ports of entry, aimed at ensuring quick, automated arrivals and improved national security.”

The system uses facial recognition technology to streamline entry, while contingency systems are in place to maintain seamless operations at airports. Approximately 200 ETA applications from G20 delegates have already been processed successfully.

CDH notes that, following the conclusion of the G20 testing phase, Phase Two will expand eligibility to tourists from the same four countries. Eventually, the plan is to make the ETA the single-entry point for tourist visas from all visa-requiring countries and extend it to other visa categories.

“The ETA is among the initiatives planned to transform the Department of Home Affairs through advanced machine learning, digitalisation, and the streamlining of visa processing to ensure a secure and user-friendly experience,” CDH said.