South Africa's government is facing international criticism over serious delays in processing World Cup visitor visas. A government minister said the country was made to look like "fools" because many fans and officials from other nations could not get travel documents in time. The visa problems have created embarrassment just as the country prepares to host one of the world's biggest sporting events.
The delays stem from South Africa's Home Affairs Department struggling to handle the large number of visa applications that come during major international events. Processing times grew much longer than normal, leaving many applicants stuck waiting weeks beyond what they expected. This is a common problem for countries hosting large events when government offices are unprepared for the sudden spike in paperwork.
Soccer fans, media workers, and officials from dozens of countries have been affected. Some people who planned to travel for the tournament had to cancel their trips entirely because their visas arrived too late. Hotels, restaurants, and transportation services in South Africa lose money when visitors cannot attend because of travel document problems.
South Africa's government has promised to speed up visa processing immediately and hire more staff at the Home Affairs Department. Officials say they are also reviewing their systems to prevent similar problems during future international events. The country's tourism industry is pushing the government to fix the issue quickly before more visitors cancel their World Cup plans.