Foreign National Shares Frustration Over South Africa’s Lengthy Visa Application Process

A visa application in Cape Town turned into a comedy of bureaucratic errors for content creator @saraerb, who documented her exasperation in a now-viral Instagram reel that has left thousands of South Africans both laughing and nodding in recognition. @saraerb, who describes herself as a women’s mentor and media personality, shared the clip from what appeared to be her home, recounting a visit to a visa application centre in the Western Cape. The post’s caption read: “This whole situation sent me elsewhere 🤣” In the video, she described arriving at the centre with all her documents prepared and submitted digitally, only to be told she needed printed copies.

She followed the instructions and went to the on-site printing station — but the twist was what came next. The form she was asked to print already existed in the centre’s own database. A staff member had it open on her screen, with a printer sitting right beside her, yet @saraerb was required to download it herself, print it at the printing station, walk it back to the counter, and hand it over so the staff member could then scan it and upload it to the system where it already lived. “I literally printed something out that she could have printed out just for her to give it to her so that she can scan it and upload it although it’s already uploaded,” @saraerb said.

After three hours, she declared she needed a margarita. It is worth noting that VFS Global, which operates visa application centres in South Africa, does not set the documentary requirements itself. Those rules are determined by the relevant embassy or government department, and VFS staff are tasked with verifying that applicants meet those specifications before forwarding files. The on-site printing services exist precisely because applicants frequently arrive without the correct number of physical copies. The video on the Instagram page drew over 420 comments, with reactions ranging from sympathy to mild irritation at the complaint.

@celeste_steegmans pushed back: “Oh no, sweety, I’m South African and when I apply for visas to Europe, USA, UK I needed to print all my documents even though I applied online and uploaded digitally. Don’t laugh at our processes.” @ygn_andredie kept it brief with the cutting observation: “You lucky the system wasn’t offline.” @mrmogodi offered a resigned take: “Yup!! It be like that.. We’re not even embarrassed anymore!!” Meanwhile, @analiadurandt advised: “We do things African time, and we get it done…so chill and watch the African sunsets 🌅” Not everyone was welcoming. @wendlevanessa suggested @saraerb “maybe not visit SA” if the processes amused her, while @j.a.c.q.u.i.c offered a blunter send-off: “Do us all a favour and stay in Europe where everything works so well.”

https://briefly.co.za/people/257079-situation-elsewhere-foreigner-rants-sas-tedious-visa-process/

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