New UK immigration laws catch out South African EU residents

October 13 2009 by Liam Clifford

New legislation means South Africans need a visa to travel into the UK even if they live within the EU.

The number of recent adjustments to UK visa rules and regulations has blindsided many South African residents as they discover that although they legally live within the European Union, they can no longer travel freely within it.

This is because South African citizens living in Europe and wishing to visit the UK are now required, by UK immigration authorities, to apply for in advance a 6 month visa.

This follows the case of a South African journalist who had been working legally for a local Portuguese newspaper since 1997. The journalist was detained by UK immigration after it came to light that she did not have the necessary UK visa.

UK immigration authorities have said that the new legislation was put into place in order to control the threat of the terrorist group al-Qaeda using South Africa as a destination point into the UK.

South Africa as a nation represents the fifth largest group of visitors to the UK each year, followed by the US, Canada, Australia and Japan. The visa sanctions were necessary and fair said a UK immigration official.

See the latest Immigration News