Delays at OR Tambo as Biometric System is Launched

I was through OR on the 4th of July and did the fingerprint scan with no issues. I'd say in total I was in line 10 minutes.
 
But according to the story I read, most Euro countries are exempt from this, so not everybody has to go thru this

ses there is a visa waiver programme for those countries and i presume thats what you are seeing. there is also the shortcut using biometric passport readers these days for people with that type of passport, but it works for some and others not. before the biometric passports every person non usa citizen on arrival had electronic finger prints and photos taken. i know as have spent plenty time over the years in the queues watching people having it done.............
 
I was through OR on the 4th of July and did the fingerprint scan with no issues. I'd say in total I was in line 10 minutes.

What airline did you arrive on if you don't mind me asking?
 
Just came through in July 8 and the only evidence of it was a sign about it. I thought "oh, there's that new security @BRICKBURN posted about". Other than that, I did not see anything.

When checking in my rifle I was in the security room with a tall fellow carrying three rifles. Afterwards, I got to wondering the fellow was @rookhawk?
 
Would be interested to hear from Royal how this process goes when arriving from the states on Delta.
 
We arrive at OR Tambo on 26 June and just returned, having departed on 8 July. We flew on Delta.

No biometrics taken on the way in or out.

Of note, I paid for Rifle Permits to have "VIP escorts" meet me at the gate upon arrival. They seem to have gotten us into a faster immigration line on the way into SA. For my wife and I, immigration took about 7 minutes (my wife times these things). For my parents, arriving separately a few days later, it took them over two hours.

On the way out of the country, the process was to go thru a metal detector (5 min line, very short), followed by standing in line to get to the immigration folks for your passport stamp (about 35 min in line).

They'll check your passport again at your actual gate, before letting you on the plane.
 
Thanks rinehart for the info. I will be using Rifle Permits meet and greet! In fact I booked it this week.
 
Update
When I went through there were no issues at all and the lines were moving along smoothly.
 
Temporary blip. Good
 
Arrived Tembo 8/6, departed 8/15 both on SAA. No issues at all.
 
Good to know
 
Reviving this thread to see what the latest has been regarding the biometrics system. Has anyone this year had to go through it? If so, how long did it take? yada yada yada
 
Went down for Easter weekend, no one in the queue at the biometrics.
on the way out, same thing.
Going down on Wednesday, will see if there is any change.
 
I'm just seeing this, but the OP story makes me think of some movies I've seen. Repo Men is one of them, where certain people can't travel through without being halted. Kind of a neat idea, once it gets ironed out well
 
Thanks for the update @PeteG headed that way in 30 days!
 
Went down for Easter weekend, no one in the queue at the biometrics.
on the way out, same thing.
Going down on Wednesday, will see if there is any change.

Is this to say you don't think they were running the system or that it's running quicker now? When my wife and I were there in October it was simply not being used.
 
It is being used, but not all the time. I travel every 6 weeks on average and i am yet to go through that system.
Someone i spoke to was in the biometrics line and a passenger near the front was stopped for a search and it delayed the whole line. It could be that they just need to refine their process.
 
I went thru this at OR in September 2016, I had a connection in six hours but the line took almost two hours to go thru, so other than waiting. There had to be 300 to 400 people making connections.
 

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