Despite longer waiting times for visa applications for Ireland and Canada, Visas Abroad noticed an uptick in applications for Ireland towards the end of 2025 and a notable increase in applications for Canada, the UK and US throughout the year.
“Visa applications for Ireland and Canada tend to be more complex and the processing times for Canadian visas have become significantly longer. Before, we were receiving outcomes within two months, now the waiting time is around three to four months,” said Candice Magen, CEO of Visas Abroad.
The company also assisted with fewer Schengen visa applications towards the end of last year. However, Schengen applications are expected to pick up again between April and May due to seasonal demand. Magen said there had also been a notable increase in applications for Spain, Italy and France.
Intra-Africa travel on the rise
In terms of travel within Africa, Zimbabwe and Botswana are becoming more popular among South Africans, with Visas Abroad noticing an increase in e-visa applications for travel to these countries.
“Generally, e-visas are not difficult to acquire, however we do still experience some issues with the e-visa system for South Africa where outcomes are taking longer than the stipulated time,” said Magen.
“We do find that e-visas for business or study purposes in South Africa are processed and approved more efficiently and much faster than tourism visas. For South African e-visas for business and study purposes, we generally receive outcomes within five days and we have, at times, received approvals within 24 hours.”
