Johannesburg – The Department of Home Affairs has introduced the Meetings, Exhibitions, Events and Tourism Scheme (MEETS) facility to process high-volume, time-sensitive group visa applications.
Announcing the development on Tuesday, 17 March 2026, the department explained that the groundbreaking new MEETS was a catalytic visa reform designed to boost South Africa’s standing as a leading global destination for international conferences, exhibitions, sporting tournaments, and major cultural and entertainment events.
“For the first time, MEETS introduces a secure avenue to process high-volume, time-sensitive group visa applications linked to international events hosted in South Africa,” the department said.
“By cutting red tape and accelerating secure visa processing through technological reform, MEETS ensures that when the world chooses South Africa as a host, our visa system is ready.”
Home Affairs Minister Dr. Leon Schreiber said: “The launch of MEETS marks another decisive step in our journey of digital transformation.
“By modernising our visa system, we are positioning Home Affairs as an economic enabler that supports tourism, investment, and allows for job creation.
“The events sector is a powerful driver of growth, and MEETS ensures that our visa regime matches South Africa’s ambition to host world-class international gatherings.
“South Africa already possesses the infrastructure, venues, and global appeal required to host premier international events.
“Through MEETS, we are ensuring that our visa system becomes a competitive advantage that helps attract even more conferences, exhibitions, sporting tournaments, and cultural events that create jobs and stimulate economic growth.”
Domestic event organisers with a proven track record in the sector are invited to submit expressions of interest to join the MEETS visa scheme, subject to qualifying criteria, by visiting https://www.dha.gov.za/index.php/immigration services/meets.
Accredited organisers will enter into a formal Memorandum of Agreement with the Department of Home Affairs to regulate participation and governance of the scheme.
The gazette is available here.
From major music concerts and global trade gatherings such as Mining Indaba, to World Cup tournaments and international academic conferences, South Africa regularly hosts events that attract high volumes of international 1 participants.
These large-scale events often require entire teams, performers, delegates and technical staff to travel together within strict timelines.
Global events move quickly, and host nations must be ready to respond with equal speed.
Through MEETS, Home Affairs is modernising visa processing to support large delegations in a secure and coordinated manner, unlocking greater economic impact from every event hosted in South Africa.
Instead of fragmented processes and uncertainty, MEETS enables streamlined online submissions tailored for major international events, ensuring that high-volume applications can be processed efficiently when every second counts.
