Waiting for over two years for a simple visa renewal.

<p>In December 2014, I app**** for a renewal of a relative/life partner visa, which had already been granted for two years prior. It was a simple renewal and all documents were submitted, including the old and still valid permit. In February 2015, the visa was rejected on the grounds that I had never had a visa before, which was obviously incorrect, as I had one previously and only wanted a renewal. I spoke to the manager at VFS Global Pretoria (Keenan Michael Hans) and he advised me he would launch an appeal on my behalf, seeing as this was an incorrect adjudication. He never advised that I had to launch an appeal through the website, or pay for it, etc. He simply said he was taking care of it. I waited for almost 2 years, constantly going back to the offices and asking him for updates, etc. He always said we had to wait. In November 2016, I returned to find another manager, Dudu, who then advised me that I should have launched an official appeal on the website, pay for it again and have a reference number. Of course I was outraged that Keenan had made this decision for me and had wasted 2 years of valuable time, during which I couldn't have a driver's license, bank account or leave the country. I then launched the appeal in November 2016 and have been waiting since, with no progress. I must travel to Italy in July 2017 and cannot do so without a visa, so I am desperate to have this sorted out. I don't know if there is any legal recourse for me, but it is vital that I have my visa, especially after having information withheld from me and waiting for two years without a visa because someone decided to make that decision for me without informing me of the actual correct process to be followed. </p>