On 8 July 2026, South Africa’s Minister of Home Affairs signed Ministerial Immigration Directive No. 10 of 2026, granting a blanket waiver of the requirement to submit a medical report to both applicants for a temporary visa and applicants for a permanent residence permit. The directive was issued under section 31(2)(c) of the Immigration Act, 2002, and applies to future applications as well as applications currently pending adjudication.1
WHY THIS MATTERS
The waiver may simplify application preparation for affected foreign nationals and their employers by removing one prescribed supporting document from the visa and permanent residence application process. For organizations managing assignments to South Africa, the change may reduce documentation-related administration, particularly if employees previously needed to arrange medical examinations and obtain medical reports before submission. The change may also help reduce documentation gaps connected specifically to missing or incomplete medical reports.
Background
Previously, applicants for temporary visas and permanent residence permits were required to submit a medical report under subregulations 9(1)(c) and 23(1)(f), respectively, of the Immigration Regulations made under section 7 of the Immigration Act, 2002. Ministerial Immigration Directive No. 10 of 2026 waives that requirement in relation to the submission of a medical report.
Key Highlights
- The waiver applies to applicants for a visa to temporarily sojourn in South Africa and to applicants for a permanent residence permit.
- The directive came into operation on the date of signature, 8 July 2026.
- The waiver applies to future applications and to applications currently pending adjudication.
- The directive states that its contents are required to be brought to the attention of officials in the permitting environment and published on the VFS website.
KPMG INSIGHTS
The directive removes a specific documentary requirement from the affected South African immigration application process. This may be particularly relevant for employers and assignees with applications in preparation or already pending adjudication, as medical reports no longer appear to be required for the applications covered by the directive.
Employers and mobility teams might wish to consider the following actions:
- Review South Africa visa and permanent residence checklists to remove references to the medical report requirement for applications covered by the directive.
- Identify pending cases where medical reports had not yet been obtained or submitted.
- Notify affected assignees and internal stakeholders of the change to help align application preparation steps.
- Monitor communications from the Department of Home Affairs and VFS for implementation updates.
If readers have any questions or concerns about the scope of the update, its application and potential impacts, and appropriate next steps, they should consult with their qualified immigration professional or a member of the GMS immigration team with KPMG in South Africa (see the Contacts section).
ENDNOTE:
1 Department of Home Affairs, Republic of South Africa, “55016-17-7-26,” published on 17 July 2026.
Contacts
Disclaimer
* Please note the KPMG International member firm in the United States does not provide immigration or labour law services. However, KPMG Law LLP in Canada can assist clients with U.S. immigration matters.
The information contained in this newsletter was submitted by the KPMG International member firm in South Africa.
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