Primary briefing · Gazette
high impact 55072 · R. 7744 · 2026-07-27
Draft Immigration Fee Amendment: R500 electronic processing fee replaces VFS model
Comment closes
11 Aug 2026
The Department of Home Affairs has published draft amendments to the Regulations on Fees under the Immigration Act, 2002 (GN R.7744, Gazette 55072). The proposal introduces a new R500 electronic processing fee applicable to all visas and permits submitted and processed online via the Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) platform, replacing the existing outsourced VFS service-provider fee of R1 550 per application. Total application costs for non-visa-exempt travellers would drop from R1 975 to R925. The ETA platform will become compulsory for travellers from non-visa-exempt countries and initially voluntary for visa-exempt travellers, who will also be liable for the R500 fee if they elect to use it. The comment period is 15 days, closing 11 August 2026, with intended commencement only 6 days later on 17 August 2026.
Who is affected
Immigration practitioners and attorneysEmployers sponsoring work visas or corporate permitsTourism operators and inbound travel agenciesEducational institutions enrolling foreign studentsOutsourced visa application service providers (e.g. VFS)Foreign nationals applying for South African visas or permits What this means for practitioners
Submit written comments to the Department of Home Affairs on or before 11 August 2026
Advise employer clients of the fee restructure and update internal immigration cost estimates to reflect the R500 electronic processing fee
Alert tourism and education sector clients to the reduced but newly structured fee and the compressed implementation timeline
Monitor final promulgation — the 6-day gap between comment deadline and intended commencement leaves minimal lead time for operational adjustments