Update: Mission South Africa Visa Processing
In response to significant worldwide challenges related to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Department of State temporarily suspended routine visa services at all U.S. Embassies and Consulates worldwide beginning March 20, 2020. The resumption of routine visa services will occur on a country-by-country basis for safely returning our workforce to Department facilities as resources and local conditions allow.
Therefore, while the consular sections of the United States Mission to South Africa continue to increase the availability of services to American citizens, due to a number of factors stemming from the global pandemic we are not offering regular, routine nonimmigrant and immigrant visa services at this time.
As the consular sections are able to increase service capacity to include the processing of more visas, we will do so, beginning with immigrant visas, and then ultimately nonimmigrant visas as capacity allows. During this period, the consular sections of Mission South Africa will continue to process F1 student visa and F2 categories. If your non-immigrant visa is valid or expired within the last 24 months and you are seeking the same visa class, we encourage you to follow the steps outlined at https://za.usembassy.gov/update-student-visa-processing/ to see if you qualify to renew your visa without an in-person interview.
If your appointment has been cancelled, please note that the U.S. Mission may extend the validity of your payment (known as the Machine Readable Visa or MRV fee) until December 31, 2021, to allow applicants who were unable to schedule a visa appointment as a result of the suspension of routine consular operations an opportunity to schedule and/or attend a visa appointment with the already paid fee.
If you have an urgent matter and need to travel immediately, please follow the guidance provided at https://ais.usvisa-info.com/en-za/niv to request an emergency appointment, or call +27 87 550 2160, Mondays through Fridays from 8:00 am to 6:00 p.m. local time. Examples of an urgent matter include the hospitalization or death of an immediate family member, and the travel of medical personnel, particularly those working to treat or mitigate the effects of COVID-19. Medical professionals with an approved U.S. nonimmigrant or immigrant visa petition (I-129 or I-140 with a current priority date, or similar) or a certificate of eligibility in an approved exchange visitor program (DS-2019), particularly those working to treat or mitigate the effects of COVID-19, should request an emergency visa appointment. Applicants’ travel is subject to local laws, regulations, and travel restrictions. For more information, please contact the South African Department of Home Affairs.
The U.S. Mission to South Africa is accepting nonimmigrant visa applications from diplomats and officials requiring A or G visas. Additionally, the U.S. Mission to South Africa is processing H-2A visa applications for temporary agricultural workers as possible. H-2A applicants are asked to work closely with their recruiter, who is in contact with their respective consulate.
Emergency services for U.S. citizens continue to be available at all Consulates under the U.S. Mission to South Africa—Cape Town, Durban, and Johannesburg.