“Sorry To See You Go”: US Family of 8 Given Deadline To Exit the Country, SA Divided
- An American mom currently in SA shared an emotional video revealing that only a few members of her family's visas were renewed, forcing them to leave the country in 10 days
- The heartbroken mother, who has had a similar experience in another country posted her clip on Instagram, expressing gratitude for the friendships they had formed
- Social media users had mixed reactions, with some sympathising with the mom while others pointed out that visa regulations apply to everyone, even in the US
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Source: Instagram
Life can be unpredictable, especially when living in a foreign country. A mom from the US who moved to SA found herself in a dilemma after only some of her family members' visas were renewed.
The emotional post was shared under the Instagram handle @baileylynnking and gained massive traction as users flooded the comments with their thoughts and views.
A bittersweet farewell to SA
The mom's video showed her children packing suitcases as she reflected on how SA had grown on them in her caption. She expressed deep appreciation for the friendships they had made and praised the country's beauty. Though heartbroken, she accepted their fate, as overstaying would have led to a possible ban of 5 years.
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She also shared that half of their family's visas were renewed, finishing off by adding that they carry beautiful memories they've created with friends, trusting their business partner to carry on with their work.
Watch the Instagram video below:
Why do visa extensions get rejected?
Visa extension rejections often occur due to incomplete or incorrect applications. They can also result from not meeting eligibility requirements or having prior immigration issues. Other factors include insufficient financial proof, unclear travel plans, or concerns related to health and security.
Foreign nationals must adhere to the conditions of their visas or permits, which may include restrictions on employment, study or duration of stay. Overstaying a visa or violating its terms can lead to penalties, including fines, deportation and being declared undesirable, which may bar re-entry for a specified period.
Mzansi is divided after seeing the family's post
Reactions poured in, with many people sympathising with the mom and questioning the inconsistency of visa renewals. They wondered why some family members' visas were renewed and others not. Others pointed out that SA had many undocumented foreigners who entered illegally, questioning the logic behind rejecting legal applicants.
Some, however, felt that there was nothing special about the case. They reminded the mom that every country had visa laws and that even in the US, people would often be denied visa renewals and have to leave.
Source: Instagram
See some comments below:
User @burnoutcoachjacqui added:
"Sorry to see you go! Hope you'll be back ❤️."
User @mel_freeman_1 said:
"You can’t stay illegally in another country. Just like people who are illegal in the US can’t stay either. Are you really surprised?"
User @kaylovescapetown asked:
"But we can’t stay in the US longer than the exact holiday days? Of EU longer than 90 days? So why do Americans and Europeans think they have a right to stay here?"
User @adhistina said:
"Glad you enjoyed your time in SA but I don't understand the disbelief. You applied for an extension (upon expiration or close enough to it)they denied the application and were kind enough to allow you an extra 10 days to exit."
User @lilbambexcreations shared:
"I'm so glad that you and your family got to experience some of our beautiful country. Travel safely."
User @tesscdaum added:
"Yeah, that’s how visas work."
3 More tourist articles by Briefly News
- An American man who relocated to SA was disappointed by the online hate from some locals who often commented on his posts asking him to return to his country.
- A local woman in a relationship with an American man shared a heartwarming video of herself picking him up at the airport, touching the hearts of many social media users.
- A man from the US spent a day working as a taxi driver in Cape Town, and his son as a gaartjie, leaving social media users in stitches.
Hilary Sekgota, human interest head of desk at Briefly News, contributed to this article.
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Source: Briefly News
