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South Africa visa requirements (2026)

Of 198 passports, 86 can travel to South Africa without arranging a visa in advance. 32 can apply online for an e-Visa and 80 need a visa from an embassy or visa centre.

Who can visit South Africa: passports by requirement

How to enter South Africa: official routes

Checked November 2026
Official route

South African Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA)

Fee
R500 electronic processing fee (gazetted 17 August 2026); visa-required nationals from countries that pay visa fees may also owe the R425 visitor visa fee; fees are non-refundable
Valid for
Typically up to 6 months from issue, multiple entries
Processing
Approved applications usually receive the ETA within 24 hours
Status
Live since 12 August 2026 at OR Tambo, Cape Town, King Shaka and Lanseria airports; becoming compulsory in stages for nationals who need a visa, optional for visa-exempt travellers
Official site →
Official route

Visitor's visa (section 11(1)(a), up to 90 days) - being moved onto the ETA platform

Fee
R425 for visa-required nationals not exempt from visa fees
Processing
Set by the issuing mission
Official site →

At the border

  • Passport must be valid for at least 30 days after your planned departure from South Africa.
  • Passport needs at least two unused pages for entry and exit stamps; travellers without them can be refused entry.
  • A yellow fever vaccination certificate is required if you have been in or transited a yellow fever endemic area (direct airport transit excepted).
  • Visa-exempt visitors do not need an ETA but may apply voluntarily to use faster arrival processing or to extend a 90-day stay by up to another 90 days.
  • ETA travellers have their faces verified on departure.

Recent changes

  • October-November 2025: ETA piloted during South Africa's G20 Presidency for travellers from China, India, Indonesia and Mexico.
  • August 2026: ETA officially launched on 12 August 2026; R500 electronic processing fee gazetted on 17 August 2026.
  • Late 2026: ETA being made compulsory country by country for short stays by nationals who need port-of-entry visas; land and sea ports to follow.

Official source: Department of Home Affairs, Republic of South Africa · Not yet confirmed officially: eta.fee: R500 and R425 figures come from gazette text seen in official search snippets; the 17 Aug 2026 gazette PDF could not be text-extracted, and the R925 combined figure came from a pre-launch proposal, eta.validity and processing: taken from the eta.dha.gov.za FAQ as indexed; the FAQ page is script-rendered and could not be read directly, eta.status: which nationalities are already compulsory as of November 2026, consularVisa.processing time, scamWarning: no official warning about look-alike ETA sites found

Do I need a visa for South Africa?

Entry requirement Choose a passport and a destination.

Popular passports

PassportRequirementStay
United States Visa-free 90 d
United Kingdom Visa-free 90 d
India e-Visa –
Philippines e-Visa –
Nigeria e-Visa –
Pakistan e-Visa –
Canada Visa-free 90 d
Australia Visa-free 90 d
China e-Visa –
Germany Visa-free 90 d

Access by passport region

Passports that enter visa-free, with a visa on arrival or an eTA.

RegionPassports
Europe 28/46
Asia 15/50
Africa 20/53
North America 11/23
South America 10/12
Oceania 2/14

Working remotely from South Africa? The South Africa digital nomad visa requires R650,796 gross salary per year.

Passports that can enter South Africa visa-free

86 passports

Passports eligible for South Africa e-Visa

32 passports

Passports that need a visa for South Africa

80 passports

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a visa to visit South Africa?

It depends on your passport. 86 passports can enter South Africa visa-free, 0 get a visa on arrival, 0 need an eTA, 32 can apply for an e-Visa online and 80 need a visa from an embassy or visa centre.

Which countries can enter South Africa without a visa?

86 passports can enter South Africa visa-free, including Andorra, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Barbados and others.

Does South Africa offer an e-Visa?

Yes. Holders of 32 passports can apply for a visa to South Africa online.

Holding a South Africa passport? See where the South Africa passport can travel visa-free.

Data last updated February 2026. Rules can change at short notice and may differ by purpose of travel. Confirm with the embassy or official immigration website of South Africa before you book.