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Good Cause Applications

For people whose visa has expired, or is about to, and who need to apply again from inside South Africa.

A letter of good cause is an application by a foreign national whose visa is nearing expiry or has expired, asking permission to apply for a new visa while remaining in the country.

We act under Section 32 of the Immigration Act and Regulation 30, and set out the factors that explain and excuse the overstay.

What the application must show

Your timely visa application was prevented mainly by reasons beyond your control.
You have not been arrested or ordered to leave South Africa.
You are currently able to apply for a visa.
You have already completed a visa application and are ready to submit it.

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What happens next

Approval is at the sole discretion of the Director-General. If it is approved, you may stay in the country and apply for the appropriate visa. If it is rejected, you must leave immediately and will receive an overstay ban, which must be removed before you can return.

How we work

1
Consultation and eligibility assessment
Contact us by phone, email or through this website to schedule a consultation. Come ready to share the visa you are interested in, your reasons for travel and your personal circumstances.
2
Document preparation and application
We give you a personalised list of the documents your application needs, then review the application for completeness and accuracy before it is submitted.
3
Submission and after-care
We keep you informed about the status and progress of your application through the communication channel you prefer.