Thousands of foreign nationals living in South Africa lost their legal immigration status after visa concession arrangements expired on 31 March 2026. The concessions, which had granted temporary legal status to individuals whose permits had lapsed during administrative backlogs or exceptional circumstances, were not renewed, leaving a significant number of people in an irregular status overnight.
The Department of Home Affairs confirmed the expiry of the concessions and urged all affected individuals to urgently apply through the appropriate channels to regularise their status. The department indicated that applications already in progress would be considered on their merits, but cautioned that those who make no effort to regularise their situation face the prospect of deportation.
The situation is particularly acute for individuals who have been in the country for extended periods and have established lives, businesses, and families in South Africa. Civil society organisations working with migrants and asylum seekers have raised concerns about the humanitarian implications, particularly for those whose home countries are experiencing conflict or instability.
Human rights lawyers have noted that the backlog in the Home Affairs system makes rapid regularisation practically very difficult, creating a legal vacuum that leaves thousands of individuals vulnerable to exploitation and law enforcement action through no fault of their own.
The Department has said it is committed to processing outstanding applications as quickly as possible and has pointed to ongoing capacity improvements at its service centres. Humanitarian considerations will be taken into account in individual cases where circumstances warrant special attention.
