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South Africa is a developing country and the country is known for its fast-paced development in the educational sector. It has been seen in the last several years that a lot of students choose South Africa as their study abroad destination and travel to the country for the same. There is a requirement for a student visa for South Africa to travel to the country and the visa is attained after several of the requirements are fulfilled. The visa application after submission requires time for processing. To know the details about the South Africa student visa processing time, read this blog to the end.
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What Is South Africa Student Visa Processing Time?
Processing of a visa application is when any application submitted goes for internal checking where the official accesses the documents and the application to get ahead with the verification and grant the visa. There are several steps in the processing of a visa application including the interview and biometric registration. The time is divided into two different factors, one for the internal verification and the other for the physical interviewing and registration of the biometrics. The total time that a visa application takes from the date of applying to the day of the visa grant is called the processing time for a visa. The time or number of days in which a South African student visa when applied for and till it is accepted is called the processing time.
South Africa Student Visa Processing Requirements
It is important to check if all the requirements for the South African student visa are met correctly before applying for a visa to not extend the processing time and the visa rejection chances. The following are the South African student visa requirements details:
- You must get an offer letter from the university that you have chosen and gotten admitted to
- You must have a passport with six-month validity and the availability of blank pages for stamping
- You must get your passport-sized pictures clicked based on the guidelines provided by the country South Africa
- You must provide proof of the accommodation that you have booked in the country for the stay after you land
- You must submit your previous educational qualification documents including certificates
- You must submit the result of your English proficiency test
- You must have evidence of the availability of the financial resources that can sustain you in the country and shall be enough to support your educational fees and other needs
- You must submit the travel insurance attained by a recognised private company
- You will have to submit a health insurance that will cover your whole stay in the country
- You must provide a character certificate from the authorities of your country clearly showing that you have no ongoing criminal case and any serious criminal record against you
- If you are bringing your family members, then you must provide the additional documents that will be required and asked
- You must go through the medical test and provide the report of the same
Looking for Distance learning? Read about Distance learning universities in South Africa
South Africa Student Visa Processing Time
The South Africa student visa processing time which is taken is approximately is around 60 days. However, it takes a lot of factors into consideration when the processing takes place and hence the processing time differs based on such factors.
It is advised to apply for the application way in advance and suggested around 3 months before the departure to avoid any potential delays. The more correct and early you submit the application, the more chances are of it getting processed easily.
Factors Affecting South Africa Student Visa Processing Time
The following are the factors that affect the visa processing time for the student visa for South Africa:
- Complexity: When the application is complex, it increases the application processing time. Complex application means that the verification may be harder or longer for it or there would be faults in the application
- Time of application: The time of the year matters a lot when it comes to visa application processing. There are peak times of the academic year when a lot of the students apply. When there are a lot of applications, the processing time gets longer
- Correctness of application: The applications that are submitted are completed and have no places to fill to get processed early as there is no need for the additional requirements to be filed and the application to return for corrections
Your Guide to Applying for a Visa
South Africa Student Visa Application Process
The following are the steps to apply for a South African student visa application:
- The first step to applying is to get admitted to an institution and get an offer letter from the same
- Collect all the documents that are mentioned above or the site to apply
- You can only apply through an embassy, consulate or a visa centre near you
- Get an application form, fill it in with the correct details and provide the documents at the centre
- Pay the visa application fees
- Go for the interview at the consulate or embassy if asked and for the biometric registration on the scheduled or provided date
- Wait for the decision of the immigration departments of the country
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FAQs
The right time to apply for a visa application is to apply way before the date of departure so that any possible delays can be avoided. For a South African student visa, it is recommended to apply 3 months before departure.
The application fee for South Africa is subject to change if there are any changes in the country’s regulations. However, at present the student visa fee for the country is 107 USD.
To ensure that your visa application gets processed faster, make sure you are providing the right documents and filling the application with the right and true information without missing out on any required field.
We hope you understand everything about South Africa student visa processing time. Want to apply for a Visa for your study abroad journey? Drop us a comment in the section below, or you can connect with a visa expert at Leverage Edu, and we will guide you on your dream journey!
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