Tips for Visa

I went to the embassy today and a few things weren’t quite right with my application. Luckily they said that I was early and it was their slow season so I have enough time to dot my i’s and cross my t’s.

Firstly, I’d scanned my bank statements going three months back and blacked out the individual purchases. They don’t have to know I bought a sandwich at the train station and some such. This was all fine but the copies also have to be stamped and signed by the bank. It’s also very important that the last bank statement is very recent: absolutely no more than three days prior to applying for the visa. If it’s too old they don’t even consider your visa! Also, if you aren’t sure whether you have enough money in your bank account to qualify for ‘sufficient funds’, you can also add a parent’s bank statement. Parents are usually willing to help you out of a tight spot, I’ve found.

Secondly, you have to have South African medical cover for the period that you’re there. Even if you have excellent Dutch medical aid that covers you while in South Africa, you still need the South African medical aid. ‘Momentum Health’ has a cheap option for students, approximately €27,- per month.

If you’re not sure how much leeway you have with buying your flight tickets, it’s two or three days. It’s very important that the flight dates and the dates on your acceptance letter from whatever university or company you’re going to work for correspond with each other.

On a completely other note, I found a cute little lunchroom just two streets from the embassy. It’s called Paluco. They had adorable little cakes and a tasty-looking hamburger (maybe I’ll try it next time!). The ones topped with raspberries are filled with cream and are nice and sweet. The ones to the directly to the right of those are tart and a little lemon meringue-y. Both very nice and more to try next time.