Visa policy of South Africa

Entry stamp for South Africa

The visa policy of South Africa is the policy by which the South African government determines who may and may not enter their country. 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 what is called a "Port of Entry Visa". Visitors who require a visa must apply in person and provide biometric data.

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

Visa policy map

  South Africa

  Visa-free access to South Africa for 90 days

  Visa-free access to South Africa for 30 days

  Visa-free access to South Africa for diplomatic, official and service passports

  Visa required to enter South Africa and for landside/airside transit

Visa exemptions

The following nationals can enter South Africa, without a visa:

90 days

Nationals of the following 47 countries/territories who hold valid national passports are not required to obtain South African visas for visits of up to 90 days:

Andorra Argentina Australia Austria Belgium Botswana Brazil Canada Chile1 Czech Republic Denmark Ecuador

Finland France Germany Greece Iceland Ireland Israel Italy Jamaica Japan Liechtenstein Luxembourg

Malta Monaco Namibia1 Netherlands New Zealand Norway Panama Paraguay Portugal Saint Vincent and the Grenadines San Marino Singapore

Spain Sweden Switzerland Tanzania2 Trinidad and Tobago1 United Kingdom1,3 United States Uruguay Venezuela Zambia2 Zimbabwe

_{1 - only ordinary passport holders
2 – 90 days per year
3 - British Citizens and British Overseas Territories citizens only}

30 days

Citizens of the following 28 countries/territories who hold valid national passports are not required to obtain South African visas for visits of up to 30 days:

Antigua and Barbuda Bahamas1 Barbados Belize Benin Bolivia Cape Verde

Costa Rica Cyprus Gabon Guyana Hong Kong Hungary Jordan

Lesotho Macau Malawi Malaysia Maldives Mauritius Mozambique

Peru Poland Seychelles South Korea Swaziland Thailand Turkey

_{1 - only ordinary passport holders}

Diplomatic, service and official passports

Citizens who are holders of diplomatic, official and service passports of the following countries do not require visas for the period indicated and transit:

Albania 120 Days Algeria 30 Days Angola 90 Days Belarus 90 Days Bulgaria 90 Days China 30 Days Comoros 90 Days Croatia 90 Days Cuba 90 Days Cyprus 30 Days Egypt 30 Days

Ghana 90 Days Guinea 90 Days Hungary 120 Days India 90 Days Ivory Coast 30 Days Kenya 30 Days Madagascar 30 Days Mexico 90 Days Morocco 30 Days Mozambique 90 Days Nigeria 90 Days

Paraguay 120 Days Poland 90 Days Romania 90 Days Russia 90 Days Rwanda 30 Days Senegal 90 Days Slovakia 90 Days Slovenia 120 Days Thailand 90 Days Tunisia 90 Days Vietnam 90 Days

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

Visa types

Visas issued by South Africa are for:

• 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:

• 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

According to the amended South African Immigration Act 13 of 2002, foreign nationals overstaying the expiry of their South African visas will be determined “undesirable” and, consequently, face being banned from the Republic for a period of up to 5 years.

Minors

As of 1 June 2015 all minors under the age of 18 travelling in and out of South Africa must hold, in addition to their passport, an unabridged birth certificate with particulars of both parents. This applies to both domestic and foreign citizens. If the child is travelling with only one parent, there must be an affidavit in which the absent parent gives consent. If the child is travelling with a third person an affidavit with consent of both parents must be produced. Unaccompanied minors must hold the same affidavit and also information on the local South African host. These rules have been widely criticized by the tourism industry, but they have been instated to fight the widespread human trafficking.

See also

External image
Google map of South African ports of entry

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