JOHANNESBURG, March 17 (Xinhua) -- South Africa's Department of Home Affairs on Tuesday announced the launch of a digital platform to fast-track visa processing for travelers attending major international events.
The Meetings, Exhibitions, Events and Tourism Scheme (MEETS) is a visa reform initiative aimed at reducing red tape and expediting applications to attract more visitors, the department said in a statement.
"Instead of fragmented processes and uncertainty, MEETS enables streamlined online submissions tailored for major international events, ensuring efficient processing of high volumes of applications when time is critical," Minister of Home Affairs Leon Schreiber said.
The new platform introduces a secure channel for handling high-volume, time-sensitive group visa applications linked to international events hosted in South Africa for the first time, allowing authorities to process applications in a more coordinated manner.
The launch of MEETS marks another step in South Africa's digital transformation and will help attract more conferences, exhibitions, sporting events and cultural activities, creating jobs and boosting economic growth, the minister said.
South Africa has been trying to improve its visa regime to facilitate tourism. In 2025, it began implementing the Trusted Tour Operator Scheme to simplify visa applications for visitors from India and China. The country is also rolling out an electronic travel authorization system to further ease entry procedures and support economic recovery. ■