South Africans in Ireland complain of holiday visa delays since new rules came in
South Africans living in Ireland say family and friends hoping to visit have been left 'waiting' and are losing significant sums of money in rescheduling flights and accommodation due to long waits for visa approval.
Ireland introduced a visa requirement for citizens of South Africa and Botswana last July in light of a 'significant number of international protection applications' from both countries.
While the target processing times for short-stay visas are six to eight weeks, some South Africans complained in online groups that they have been waiting since January for a decision. Others claimed their family members have lost 'thousands' after rescheduling flights, accommodation and tourist attractions due to the delays.
Tenille Webster, a 28-year-old originally from Durban who has been living in Ireland for five years, last saw her boyfriend, Steve, when she visited South Africa in February.
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He was due to fly to Ireland on Friday but had to push out his flight, despite applying for a short stay visa 12 weeks ago.
Still awaiting a decision, Ms Webster said they have been left in 'limbo', adding they have lost €540 so far on pre-booked hotels, activities and changing flights.
'I know the cautious advice is to wait until the visa is approved before booking anything, but we followed the estimated timeline we were given and planned accordingly.
'When visas are finally approved, it often forces people to book last-minute, when prices are higher and things are sold out. It turns what should be a joyful reunion into a situation filled with anxiety and pressure,' Ms Webster said.
Having heard of others in similar circumstances, Ms Webster, who lives in Co Leitrim, believes the system is 'overwhelmed'.
Several South Africans who spoke to The Irish Times, some of whom recalled a wait of just five weeks for approval last year, claimed there has been a lack of communication amid the delays.
Tegan Jones (24) from Durban, but living in Dublin, said she and her close friend have been left 'waiting' due to the delays.
Her friend, Ansuné, is due to fly to Ireland later this month, but is now in her 12th week waiting for a decision, saying the process has been 'frustrating.'
'I know backlogs can happen, but ... they could say where in the queue you are or let you know an actual time frame so you can start preparing other plans if needs be,' she said.
So far this year, 4,965 short-stay visa applications have been received, 2,384 of which are still awaiting a decision, according to Department of Justice figures.
It said it is 'acutely aware that visa applications are very important for the persons impacted', but is recommending that applicants do not book flights to Ireland until they have received and validated their visa.
'In recent months, additional resources and staff have been assigned to the department's visa division, which, it is expected, will reduce the waiting times for visa applications in the coming months,' said a spokesman.
He added that visas are being issued 'largely in line with the published target processing times', though unforeseen delays can arise 'which are outside the control of the visa desk'.
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SoFFt has developed a reputation for events that cater for attendees with additional needs. It has worked with South Dublin County Council on programmes designed for neurodivergent audiences, and Duffy keeps a close eye on emerging trends in the space – she mentions Coldplay's use of vibrating vests to enhance hearing-impaired fans' concert experience. 'One of the first things we did when we were running SoFFt Nights during Covid was set up two different sensory areas for people who were neurodivergent,' she says. 'We had the sensory cave, where we had a neurodivergent artist build a big soundscape, and we turned it into a decompression zone. 'We spent a lot of time marketing that. The outcome was we had a lot more people with children with autism and ADHD at the events, because they knew they were welcome and that we were dedicating time, space and money to making sure the event was inclusive and accessible.' 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