South Africa immigration bans multiple use of ETDs

February 04 2010 by Liam Clifford

South African immigration officials have announced that they have changed the rules relating to emergency travel documents (ETDs) from the beginning of the year.

The Home Affairs Department says it will no longer accept ETDs that have been altered in any way and will refuse to allow Zimbabweans to use their ETDs for multiple visits to the country. In fact, the changes to the rules give ETD holders single entry into South Africa.

During an interview on Monday, Charles Gwede, the assistant regional manager-in-charge at the Beitbridge Border Post, said ETD holders are now only to be given 14-day residence permits and that these are only valid for single use. The changes also mean that the Home Affairs Department now only accepts ETDs with a 21-day validity.

Gwede made the following statement: "ETD holders can no longer repeatedly use their documents following the new regulation by the South African immigration, which came into effect on 1 January, and we therefore urge those using such documents to take note of that and avoid disappointment at the border.”

The changes follow an incident in December when many Zimbabweans were turned away while trying to enter South Africa as they were using altered ETDs.

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