Requirements for visitors’ visas differ from country to country. Be sure to review whether you need a visa to enter South Africa. If your country is not listed as a visa exempt country, you should make inquiries at your nearest South African embassy. Details of visa applications can be found here.
Documents Required for a Visa
- A passport or travel document valid for no less than 30 days after the expiry of your intended visit
- Your passport must have at least TWO unused pages for entry / departure endorsements
- A completed Form BI-84 (application for a visa)
- Payment of the prescribed fee
- A yellow-fever vaccination certificate (if required)
- Statement and/or documentation confirming the purpose and duration of your visit
- Two color passport photographs
- A return or onward ticket if you are traveling by air
- Proof of financial means to pay for your living expenses while in South Africa in the form of:
- Bank statements/Salary advances
- Undertakings by the host(s) in South Africa
- Cash available (including credit cards and travelers’ cheques)
Exempt Countries
Any citizen who holds a national passport from one of the following countries does not need a special visa to visit South Africa, for an intended stay of 90 days or less:
- African Union Laissez Passer
- Andorra
- Argentina
- Australia
- Austria
- Belgium
- Botswana
- Brazil
- Canada
- Chile (only ordinary passport holders)
- Czech Republic
- Denmark
- Ecuador
- Finland
- France
- Germany (except in diplomatic staff due to assume duty at the Embassy and Consulates of Germany in SA)
- Greece
- Iceland
- Ireland
- Israel
- Italy
- Jamaica
- Japan
- Liechtenstein
- Luxemburg
- Malta
- Monaco
- Namibia (only ordinary passport holders 90 days per annum)
- Netherlands
- Norway
- Panama
- Paraguay
- Portugal
- San Marino
- Singapore
- Spain
- St Vincent & the Grenadines
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- Tanzania (90 days per annum)
- Trinidad & Tobago (only ordinary passport holders)
- United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (only ordinary passport holders)
- British Islands Bailiwick of Guernsey and Jersey, Isle of Man. British Oversees Territories namely: Anguilla, Bermuda, British Antarctic Territory, British Indian Ocean Territory, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Falkland Islands, Gibraltar, Montserrat, St Helena and Dependencies (Ascension Island, Gough Island and Tristan da Cunha), Pitcairn, Henderson, Ducie and Oeno Islands, the Sovereign Base Areas of Cyprus South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands and the Turks and Caicos Island.
- United States of America (except diplomatic staff due to assume duty at the Embassy and Consulates of the USA in SA)
- Uruguay
- Venezuela
- Zambia (90 days per annum)
- Zimbabwe
Any citizen who holds a national passport from one of the following countries does not need a special visa to visit South Africa, for an intended stay of 30 days or less:
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Bahamas (only ordinary passport holders)
- Barbados
- Belize
- Benin
- Bolivia
- Cape Verde
- Costa Rica
- Cyprus
- Gabon
- Guyana
- Hong Kong [only with regard to holders of Hong Kong British National Overseas passports and Hong Kong Special Administrative Region passports]
- Hungary
- Jordan
- Lesotho
- Macau [only with regard to holders of Macau Special Administrative Region passports (MSAR)]
- Malaysia
- Malawi
- Maldives
- Mauritius
- Mozambique
- Peru
- Poland
- Seychelles
- South Korea
- Swaziland
- Thailand
- Turkey
Read more about visa requirements here.
