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S. Africa to grant entry visas to business, diplomatic travellers from BRICS partners: minister

Xinhua, February 26, 2015 Adjust font size:

South Africa will grant entry visas to business and diplomatic travellers from Brazil, Russia, India and China which are South Africa's BRICS partners, Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba said on Thursday.

Gigaba told the Cape Town Press Club that he has approved the issuance of port of entry visas to BRICS business executives for up to 10 years, with each visit not to exceed 30 days.

This new policy applies to diplomatic, official or service, and ordinary passport holders from the four countries which present an "important investment potential", Gigaba said.

The relevant individuals who want to stay longer would receive a long-term visa allowing them multiple entry into the country for the duration of the passport's validity, not exceeding 10 years, according to the minister.

The Department of Home Affairs would continue to meet a turnaround time of five days for short-term business visas, Gigaba said.

"Business people from Brazil, Russia, India, and China want to come to our country, buy and sell an increasing array of products and services, and invest in our companies and growth sectors," he said.

The new policy is seen as an indication that South Africa attaches importance to its cooperation with its BRICS partners.

Economic growth in developed economies averaged around four percent from 2007 to 2013, while the BRICS countries grew by 37 percent. In addition, the group's economic scale largely matched that of G7 group of industrial nations in 2014.

The BRICS have over 40 percent of the world's population, over 26 percent of its territory and more than 20 percent of the global GDP.

"At home affairs we are completely committed to enabling this by facilitating the efficient entry of these commercial visitors, and will continually look for opportunities to improve in this regard."

The same arrangement might well be extended to other countries who had "significant investments" locally, Gigaba said. Endi