Visa policy of South Africa explained

The visa policy of South Africa is how the South African government determines who may and may not enter South Africa. Visitors to South Africa must obtain a visa from one of the South African diplomatic missions unless they come from one of the visa-exempt countries, in which case they get a "Port of Entry Visa". Visitors who require a visa must apply in person and provide biometric data.^[1]

All visitors must hold a passport that is valid for 1 month after departure and with one blank page (two if a visa is required).^[2]

The South African Government launched an e-Visa system, initially for 14 nationalities in February 2022.^{[3] [4]}

Visa exemption

Nationals of the following countries can enter South Africa without a visa:^[5]

90 days

Citizens of the following countries / territories who hold valid national passports are allowed to stay in South Africa for up to 90 days without a visa:^[6]

Andorra Argentina Australia Austria Belgium Botswana Brazil Canada Chile Czech Republic Denmark Ecuador Finland France Ghana^2

Germany Greece Iceland Ireland Israel Italy Jamaica Japan Kenya^2 Liechtenstein Luxembourg Madagascar^2 Malaysia Malta Monaco

Namibia^2 Netherlands New Zealand^1 Norway ^1 Panama Paraguay Portugal Qatar^1 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines San Marino ^1 Saudi Arabia^1 Seychelles^2

Singapore Spain Sweden Switzerland ^3 Trinidad and Tobago^1 Tunisia United Arab Emirates^1 United Kingdom^1 United States Uruguay Zambia^3 Zimbabwe

_{1 - Visa exemption applies to holders of ordinary passports only.
2 - The maximum stay is 90 days per year for ordinary passport holders; this limit does not apply to non-ordinary passport holders.
3 - The maximum stay is 90 days per year for all passport holders.}

30 days

Citizens of the following countries / territories who hold valid national passports are not required to obtain South African visas for visits of up to 30 days:

Angola^2 Antigua and Barbuda Bahamas^1 Barbados Belize Benin

Cape Verde Costa Rica Cyprus Gabon Guyana Hong Kong

Hungary Jordan Lesotho Macao^1 Malawi Maldives Mauritius

Mozambique Peru Poland Thailand Turkey

_{1 - Visa exemption applies to holders of ordinary passports only.
2 - The maximum stay is 90 days per year for ordinary passport holders; this limit does not apply to non-ordinary passport holders.}

Non-ordinary passports

Citizens who are holders of diplomatic, official or service passports of the following countries do not require visas for visits of the indicated period and transit for up to 90 days (unless otherwise noted):

Albania Algeria^2 Angola Belarus Bulgaria Comoros Croatia Cuba Cyprus (conditional) Egypt^2 Ghana

Guinea Hungary India Indonesia^2 ^2 Kenya^2 Liberia Madagascar^2 Mexico Morocco^2 Mozambique Namibia^2

Nigeria Paraguay^1 Poland Romania Rwanda^2 Senegal Slovakia Thailand Tunisia Uganda

_{1 - 120 days
2 - 30 days}

Visa exemption agreement was signed with Mali but not yet ratified.^[17]

Electronic Visa (e-Visa)

Citizens of the following countries/territories who hold valid national passports may apply for e-Visa online provided they will land at O. R. Tambo International Airport:^[18]

Albania Algeria Belarus Bulgaria Cameroon China Comoros Congo

Cote d'Ivoire Croatia Cuba Egypt Ethiopia Ghana Guinea India Indonesia

Kenya^1 Liberia Lithuania Mali Mexico Morocco Niger Nigeria

Pakistan Philippines Romania Saudi Arabia^1 Senegal Slovakia Uganda

_{1 - Already exempt from visa requirement.}

Eligible international organizations

Individuals holding the following travel documents are not required to obtain South African visas for visits of 90 days or less:

• African Union laissez-passer
• Southern African Development Community (SADC) laissez-passer: Staff members of SADC who travel on SADC laissez-passer are exempt from visa requirements for bona fide official business visits of 90 days or less and transit.
• United Nations laissez-passer
• Interpol Passport Holders

Visa types

Visas issued by South Africa are for:^[19]

• Tourism or visits to family or friends
• Medical treatment
• Working in the entertainment industry
• Attending a conference
• Treaty conditions compliance
• Maritime crew
• Cultural, economic and social exchange programmes
• Transit

Temporary residence visas issued by South Africa are:^[20]

• Business visas
• Work visas
• Quota work visas
• General work visas
• Critical skills work visa
• Intra-company Transfer Work visa
• Corporate visas
• Study visas
• Exchange visas
• Retired persons' visa
• Relatives' visa
• Medical Treatment visa

Overstay consequences

It is a departure of a foreigner from South Africa on an expired visa that triggers an overstay.^[21]

A foreigner who remains in South Africa beyond the expiry of his/her visa and has not applied for a valid status is an illegal foreigner in terms of the South African Immigration Act.^[22]

An overstayer will upon departure be declared an undesirable person in terms of section 30(1)(f) of the Immigration Act.

• A foreigner who has overstayed less than 30 days the validity of his/her visa will be declared an undesirable person and banned for a period of 1 year.
• A foreigner who has overstayed more than 30 days the validity of his/her visa will be declared an undesirable person and banned for a period of 5 years.
• A foreigner who overstayed twice in a period of 24 months (repeat offenders) will be declared an undesirable person and banned for a period of 2 years.

The ban does not simply expire over time and the restrictions placed against the foreigner need to be removed and/or the undesirability uplifted. An undesirable person does not do not qualify for a port of entry visa, visa, admission into the Republic or a permanent residence permit.

Visitor statistics

Most visitors arriving to South Africa were from the following countries of nationality:^{[23] [24]}

style=background:#0072C6	Country	style=background:#0072C6	2019	style=background:#0072C6	2018	style=background:#0072C6	2017	style=background:#0072C6	2016	style=background:#0072C6	2015	style=background:#0072C6	2014
	2,258,794	2,208,930	2,039,932	2,028,881	1,900,791	2,143,716
	1,563,448	1,739,188	1,747,211	1,757,058	1,394,913	1,501,642
	1,333,195	1,360,896	1,339,245	1,268,258	1,200,335	1,283,016
	917,631	883,735	876,992	893,618	835,006	918,490
	668,315	688,566	681,379	679,828	593,514	555,590
	436,559	430,708	447,901	447,840	407,486	401,914
	373,694	376,892	370,747	345,013	297,226	309,255
	322,720	343,229	349,211	311,832	256,646	274,571
	199,079	197,317	175,014	154,017	135,260	166,964
	184,431	200,367	208,747	214,664	212,514	211,453
Total	10,228,593	10,472,105	10,285,197	10,044,163	8,903,773	9,549,236

See also

• Tourism in South Africa
• Visa requirements for South African citizens
• List of ports of entry in South Africa
• List of diplomatic missions of South Africa

Notes and References

1. Web site: New visa rules will hurt tourism: DA – IOL News . 8 March 2018.
2. Web site: Department of Home Affairs – Exempt Countries. home-affairs.gov.za . 8 March 2018.
3. Web site: eVisa. 2022-02-26 . Department of Home Affairs eVisa. en.
4. Web site: 2022-02-10 . South Africa: SA eVisa System Launched in 14 Countries . 2022-02-26 . allAfrica . en.
5. Web site: Countries exempt from South African Visas. Department of Home Affairs.
6. Web site: Department of Home Affairs - Exempt Countries.
7. Web site: Concórdia . Concordia.itamaraty.gov.br . 2019-08-27.
8. Web site: Statement of Treaties and International Agreements Registered or filed and recorded with the Secretariat during the month of February 2010 . United Nations . New York . June 2010 . 2019-08-27.
9. Web site: Angola-South Africa entry VISA free exemption a big boost for tourism, trade & investment in the Cape. Caryn. Edwards. 24 November 2017. 8 March 2018.
10. Web site: South Africa soon to open visa-free door to Kiwis. 14 June 2023.
11. Web site: Kenya, South Africa to begin mutual visa-free system in January .
12. Web site: Ghana and South Africa agree visa-free entry to both countries.
13. Web site: 中華民國(台灣)外交部全球資訊網. 外交部. 12 July 2017. 中華民國外交部 – 全球資訊網 Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Republic of China (Taiwan). 8 March 2018.
14. Web site: Visa & Consular – South African Embassy and Permanent Mission in Vienna. RIC Media – Enrica Hölzinger, Patrick. Gschwind. suedafrika-botschaft.at. 8 March 2018.
15. Web site: DHA revokes visa free travel for New Zealand nationals, but that's just the beginning. 14 December 2016.
16. Web site: Department of Home Affairs - Exempt Countries.
17. Web site: South Africa and Mali sign reciprocal Visa Waiver Agreement - African Daily Voice . 8 February 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190209123953/https://africandailyvoice.com/en/2019/02/06/south-africa-and-mali-sign-reciprocal-l-visa-waiver-agreement/ . 9 February 2019 . dead.
18. Web site: South Africa eVisa.
19. Web site: Types of Visas . Department of Home Affairs.
20. Web site: Types of Temporary Residence Visas . Department of Home Affairs.
21. Web site: Eisenberg . Gary . Immigration Attorney . Eisenberg & Associates . June 2018 . Eisenberg & Associates . 14 September 2021.
22. Web site: Department of Home Affairs . South African Immigration Act . DHA: Publications . 14 September 2021.
23. Web site: Tourism 2019, pages 11–14 . 2020-07-15.
24. Web site: Publication – Statistics South Africa. Statistics South . Africa . statssa.gov.za . 8 March 2018.