Home Affairs, Shmome Affairs

This morning I faced my fear and went to the Department of Home Affairs to apply for my visa extension. It seems so silly that I need to go through the whole application process for only three days (poor planning on my part), but I'd much rather do it and avoid a R1000 fine per day. Americans automatically receive a 90-day temporary residence permit upon entering South Africa; the visa can be extended for an additional 90 days once. I am based in South Africa for 93 days. I asked a coworker, E, to go with me to Home Affairs because I was too intimidated to go alone. All I heard about the department was negative. Paying the fine (until I learned how much it is) seemed like a much better option than having to confront the dreaded DHA.

I originally planned to go on Friday with E, but he had too much work to do. We decided to postpone the expedition until this morning. I told him I'd be ready to go at 9:30 a.m. sharp. But he never showed up and didn't answer his phone. So I embarked on the journey alone. Well, the actual trip into the city was with the boss, who gave me a ride and dropped me off at the old office location. Apparently he did not receive the memo about the location change. So I asked several security guards (about one every 30 feet) how to get from the old address to the new one. During the car ride into town, the boss made mention that people usually line up starting at 7 a.m. at the department (it was around 11 a.m. when he dropped me off) to be processed. As I exited his car he jokingly said, 'Good luck at Home Affairs.' This did not make me feel any better about going by myself.

After a 20ish-minute walk, I arrived at the ugly grey building next to a highway that houses Cape Town's Department of Home Affairs office. After signing in, I made my way to what I assumed was the correct floor (there were no signs) and got into the line which I assumed was where I belonged. Based on what I had heard of the capabilities of the department, I did not think the line curling out the door down the stairs was odd. So I took my spot at the end and began reading my book. Luckily there was another woman in line who was smarter than I am. Turns out, as someone submitting an application, I needed to go inside of the room and wait on a much shorter queue. Note to self: ask someone who knows what is going on and don't just assume I know. So I took my seat in the room and waited maybe 20 minutes before going up to the counter. I don't really know how long it was, but it wasn't bad. I filed my application with a very accommodating staff person (I didn't know I needed photocopies of my passport; he was nice enough to make them for me). Then I waited in another line to pay the application fee, which was R70 less than what the DHA web site says. Then I left.

I think the whole process took me about an hour. Now I just have to go back to the office at the end of the month, before I leave, to collect the visa. I'm hopeful that it will be as painless as the application. Now I know Home Affairs is nothing of which to be afraid. Well, at least not for an American seeking to extend a tourist visa.