South Africa's Department of Home Affairs publishes a visa exemption list setting out, for each nationality and passport category, whether a port of entry visa is needed and for how long the exemption applies (90 days for every category of US passport, for example). It launched an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) on 12 August 2026, piloted for travellers from China, India, Indonesia and Mexico and initially available for arrivals at the OR Tambo, Cape Town, King Shaka and Lanseria airports. Home Affairs requires at least one blank passport page for endorsements.
Every fact on this page verified on or after: Oct 3, 2026· How this site works
Requirements differ by nationality. Select your passport above, or scan the full table below.
Home Affairs' tariff list charges R425 for a visitor's visa (Immigration Act s.11). Its visa exemption list shows, for nationalities that need a port of entry visa, whether an administrative processing fee is payable.
Home Affairs lists the eVisa as a port of entry visa (Immigration Act s.10) with a turnaround time of 10 days. Its tariff list (updated per Government Gazette 55209, 17 August 2026) charges R425 for a port of entry visa, the same as a visitor's visa.
Home Affairs' tariff list charges an electronic processing fee of R500 for the ETA (Immigration Act s.7(1)(i); updated per Government Gazette 55209, 17 August 2026). At the ETA launch the Minister of Home Affairs said that if the application is approved, the traveller will receive their ETA within 24 hours.
Home Affairs lists a passport or travel document valid for no less than 30 days after the expiry of the intended visit, with at least one unused page for entry and departure endorsements, among the documents required to apply for a visa; for entering South Africa it lists a valid passport for the intended stay with at least one blank page for endorsements. The UK government says British passports must have an expiry date at least 30 days after the date you leave and at least 2 blank pages.
At least 1 blank page required. Compare every country
No official source we could read states a travel insurance requirement for South Africa.
Home Affairs lists a return or onward ticket among the requirements for visitors.
Home Affairs says visitors must have sufficient funds to pay for their day-to-day expenses during their stay; it states no amount.
Under the Immigration Act, a foreigner who leaves South Africa after the visa has expired is dealt with under section 30(1)(h), which covers a person who has overstayed the prescribed number of times. Under the Immigration Regulations, an overstayer may be declared undesirable for 12 months if the overstay does not exceed 30 days, for two years for a second overstay within 24 months, and for five years if the overstay exceeds 30 days. The overstay is counted from the date of expiry of the last valid visa. Anyone who enters, remains in or departs from the Republic in contravention of the Act commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine or to imprisonment of up to two years. The Act does not state the fine amount. A person declared undesirable under these sections must submit a written representation to the Department of Home Affairs.
Air Passenger Tax is paid by people flying out of South Africa on an international flight. Airlines collect it from travellers and pay it over to the South African Revenue Service (SARS). As of 2025 it is R100 per ticket for flights to Southern African Customs Union countries (Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia and Eswatini) and R190 per ticket for other international destinations. It does not apply to domestic flights.
Exemptions: Domestic flights.
SARS says excess currency is any amount above R100,000, or foreign currency convertible to more than R100,000, and that travellers must obtain written permission from the South African Reserve Bank before entering or leaving South Africa with it. It says travellers may declare the currency in their possession on a voluntary basis, on the online traveller declaration or the manual form TD-01.
Home Affairs lists yellow fever certificates among the requirements for entering South Africa if your journey starts in or passes through the yellow fever belt of Africa or South America.
Requirements normally count any country you have been in shortly before arrival, not only where you boarded.
International Health Regulations (2005), Article 36 and Annex 7; WHO International Travel and Health, Annex 1, 18 November 2022 (revised 3 January 2023)
South Africa is a party to the 1949 Geneva and the 1968 Vienna Conventions on Road Traffic (UN Treaty Collection). South Africa's embassy in Paris says that to drive in South Africa, foreigners must have a full licence from their country of residence, that licences printed in English are valid, and that an International Driver's Permit (IDP) must be obtained if the licence is in any other language. The UK government tells British drivers they can use a UK photocard driving licence to drive in South Africa for up to 12 months. Canada's travel advice tells Canadians they may drive in South Africa with a valid Canadian driver’s licence, and strongly recommends obtaining an International Driving Permit in Canada before departure, since it cannot be obtained once in South Africa. No South African official source we could read states for how long a foreign licence may be used.
Verified Oct 3, 2026 · Source: treaties.un.org (opens in a new tab) · Convention on Road Traffic · archived copy Aug 25, 2026 (opens in a new tab) Compare every countryNo official source we could read gives seasonal guidance. The UK FCDO says there is a year-round risk of flooding across South Africa and that wildfires can happen during hot and dry weather, including in Cape Town and the Table Mountain National Park; it points to the South African Weather Service for alerts.
The Department of Home Affairs requires at least one blank page in your passport for endorsements; the UK government tells British nationals their passport must have at least 2 blank pages.
Home Affairs says visa applicants with children travelling with them or joining them must provide unabridged birth certificates, proof of guardianship or custody, or the guardian's consent for an unaccompanied minor; Canada says unaccompanied minors under 18 are subject to additional requirements.
If you drive, the Government of Canada says traffic drives on the left, advises driving defensively and avoiding travel after dark, and recommends a rental company with a 24-hour emergency service. It also advises keeping windows closed and doors locked at all times.
| Passports | Visas & entry authorisations | Max stay |
|---|---|---|
| Afghanistan | Embassy visa | — |
| Albania | Embassy visa | — |
| Algeria | Embassy visa | — |
| Andorra | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Angola | Visa-free | 30 days |
| Antigua and Barbuda | Visa-free | 30 days |
| Argentina | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Armenia | Embassy visa | — |
| Australia | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Austria | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Azerbaijan | Embassy visa | — |
| Bahamas | Visa-free | 30 days |
| Bahrain | Embassy visa | — |
| Bangladesh | Embassy visa | — |
| Barbados | Visa-free | 30 days |
| Belarus | Embassy visa | — |
| Belgium | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Belize | Visa-free | 30 days |
| Benin | Visa-free | 30 days |
| Bhutan | Embassy visa | — |
| Bolivia | Visa-free | 30 days |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | Embassy visa | — |
| Botswana | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Brazil | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Brunei | Embassy visa | — |
| Bulgaria | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Burkina Faso | Embassy visa | — |
| Burundi | Embassy visa | — |
| Cabo Verde | Visa-free | 30 days |
| Cambodia | Embassy visa | — |
| Cameroon | Embassy visa | — |
| Canada | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Central African Republic | Embassy visa | — |
| Chad | Embassy visa | — |
| Chile | Visa-free | 90 days |
| China | Embassy visa | — |
| Colombia | Embassy visa | — |
| Comoros | Embassy visa | — |
| Costa Rica | Visa-free | 30 days |
| Côte d'Ivoire | Embassy visa | — |
| Croatia | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Cuba | Embassy visa | — |
| Cyprus | Visa-free | 30 days |
| Czechia | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Democratic Republic of the Congo | Embassy visa | — |
| Denmark | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Djibouti | Embassy visa | — |
| Dominica | Embassy visa | — |
| Dominican Republic | Embassy visa | — |
| Ecuador | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Egypt | Embassy visa | — |
| El Salvador | Embassy visa | — |
| Equatorial Guinea | Embassy visa | — |
| Eritrea | Embassy visa | — |
| Estonia | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Eswatini | Visa-free | 30 days |
| Ethiopia | Embassy visa | — |
| Fiji | Embassy visa | — |
| Finland | Visa-free | 90 days |
| France | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Gabon | Visa-free | 30 days |
| Gambia | Embassy visa | — |
| Georgia | Embassy visa | — |
| Germany | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Ghana | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Greece | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Grenada | Embassy visa | — |
| Guatemala | Embassy visa | — |
| Guinea | Embassy visa | — |
| Guinea-Bissau | Embassy visa | — |
| Guyana | Visa-free | 30 days |
| Haiti | Embassy visa | — |
| Honduras | Embassy visa | — |
| Hong Kong | Visa-free | 30 days |
| Hungary | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Iceland | Visa-free | 90 days |
| India | Embassy visa | — |
| Indonesia | Embassy visa | — |
| Iran | Embassy visa | — |
| Iraq | Embassy visa | — |
| Ireland | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Israel | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Italy | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Jamaica | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Japan | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Jordan | Visa-free | 30 days |
| Kazakhstan | Embassy visa | — |
| Kenya | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Kiribati | Embassy visa | — |
| Kosovo | Embassy visa | — |
| Kuwait | Embassy visa | — |
| Kyrgyzstan | Embassy visa | — |
| Laos | Embassy visa | — |
| Latvia | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Lebanon | Embassy visa | — |
| Lesotho | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Liberia | Embassy visa | — |
| Libya | Embassy visa | — |
| Liechtenstein | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Lithuania | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Luxembourg | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Macau | Visa-free | 30 days |
| Madagascar | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Malawi | Visa-free | 30 days |
| Malaysia | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Maldives | Visa-free | 30 days |
| Mali | Embassy visa | — |
| Malta | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Marshall Islands | Embassy visa | — |
| Mauritania | Embassy visa | — |
| Mauritius | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Mexico | Embassy visa | — |
| Micronesia | Embassy visa | — |
| Moldova | Embassy visa | — |
| Monaco | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Mongolia | Embassy visa | — |
| Montenegro | Embassy visa | — |
| Morocco | Embassy visa | — |
| Mozambique | Visa-free | 30 days |
| Myanmar | Embassy visa | — |
| Namibia | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Nauru | Embassy visa | — |
| Nepal | Embassy visa | — |
| Netherlands | Visa-free | 90 days |
| New Zealand | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Nicaragua | Embassy visa | — |
| Niger | Embassy visa | — |
| Nigeria | Embassy visa | — |
| North Korea | Embassy visa | — |
| North Macedonia | Embassy visa | — |
| Norway | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Oman | Embassy visa | — |
| Pakistan | Embassy visa | — |
| Palau | Embassy visa | — |
| Palestine | Embassy visa | — |
| Panama | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Papua New Guinea | Embassy visa | — |
| Paraguay | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Peru | Visa-free | 30 days |
| Philippines | Embassy visa | — |
| Poland | Visa-free | 30 days |
| Portugal | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Qatar | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Republic of the Congo | Embassy visa | — |
| Romania | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Russia | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Rwanda | Embassy visa | — |
| Saint Kitts and Nevis | Embassy visa | — |
| Saint Lucia | Embassy visa | — |
| Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Samoa | Embassy visa | — |
| San Marino | Visa-free | 90 days |
| São Tomé and Príncipe | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Saudi Arabia | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Senegal | Embassy visa | — |
| Serbia | Embassy visa | — |
| Seychelles | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Sierra Leone | Embassy visa | — |
| Singapore | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Slovakia | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Slovenia | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Solomon Islands | Embassy visa | — |
| Somalia | Embassy visa | — |
| South Africa | Free movement | — |
| South Korea | Visa-free | 30 days |
| South Sudan | Embassy visa | — |
| Spain | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Sri Lanka | Embassy visa | — |
| Sudan | Embassy visa | — |
| Suriname | Embassy visa | — |
| Sweden | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Switzerland | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Syria | Embassy visa | — |
| Taiwan | Embassy visa | — |
| Tajikistan | Embassy visa | — |
| Tanzania | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Thailand | Visa-free | 30 days |
| Timor-Leste | Embassy visa | — |
| Togo | Embassy visa | — |
| Tonga | Embassy visa | — |
| Trinidad and Tobago | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Tunisia | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Turkey | Visa-free | 30 days |
| Turkmenistan | Embassy visa | — |
| Tuvalu | Embassy visa | — |
| Uganda | Embassy visa | — |
| Ukraine | Embassy visa | — |
| United Arab Emirates | Visa-free | 90 days |
| United Kingdom | Visa-free | 90 days |
| United States | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Uruguay | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Uzbekistan | Embassy visa | — |
| Vanuatu | Embassy visa | — |
| Vatican City | Embassy visa | — |
| Venezuela | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Vietnam | Embassy visa | — |
| Yemen | Embassy visa | — |
| Zambia | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Zimbabwe | Visa-free | 90 days |
Stay lengths are for ordinary tourist visits. Click a nationality for its full guide.
No. Home Affairs' visa exemption list gives 90 days for every category of US passport. Its requirements for entering South Africa include a valid passport for the intended stay with at least one blank page for endorsements, sufficient funds for day-to-day expenses and a return or onward ticket.
At least one blank page for entry and departure endorsements, according to the Department of Home Affairs; UK travel advice says two.
Home Affairs says that visa applicants with children travelling with them or joining them must provide unabridged birth certificates, proof of guardianship or custody, or the guardian's consent for an unaccompanied minor. The UK FCDO says there are special requirements for travelling to South Africa with children aged 17 and under and for unaccompanied children, and Canada says unaccompanied minors under 18 are subject to additional requirements.
No official source we could read states it in page text we hold: Home Affairs' exemption table loses its column layout in the text we have. Home Affairs piloted the Electronic Travel Authorisation during South Africa's G20 Presidency for travellers from China, India, Indonesia and Mexico and launched it on 12 August 2026; it says approved travellers receive their ETA within 24 hours, that it is initially available for arrivals at the OR Tambo, Cape Town, King Shaka and Lanseria airports, and that it will progressively become compulsory for short stay visits from countries that require port-of-entry visas.
The UK FCDO says there is a high crime rate in South Africa, and reports violent attacks and muggings against hikers in Table Mountain National Park, widespread card skimming, and armed violence linked to tensions between e-hailing app and metered taxi drivers. The Government of Canada says travel on foot is inadvisable in most areas and advises avoiding all unnecessary travel after dark.
Every fact on this page is compiled from and periodically re-checked against these official sources:
Something wrong or out of date? Tell us, with the official source
South Africa visa and entry requirements
Afghanistan
Albania
Algeria
Andorra
Angola
Antigua and Barbuda
Argentina
Armenia
Australia
Austria
Azerbaijan
Bahamas
Bahrain
Bangladesh
Barbados
Belarus
Belgium
Belize
Benin
Bhutan
Bolivia
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Botswana
Brazil
Brunei
Bulgaria
Burkina Faso
Burundi
Cabo Verde
Cambodia
Cameroon
Canada
Central African Republic
Chad
Chile
China
Colombia
Comoros
Costa Rica
Côte d'Ivoire
Croatia
Cuba
Cyprus
Czechia
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Denmark
Djibouti
Dominica
Dominican Republic
Ecuador
Egypt
El Salvador
Equatorial Guinea
Eritrea
Estonia
Eswatini
Ethiopia
Fiji
Finland
France
Gabon
Gambia
Georgia
Germany
Ghana
Greece
Grenada
Guatemala
Guinea
Guinea-Bissau
Guyana
Haiti
Honduras
Hong Kong
Hungary
Iceland
India
Indonesia
Iran
Iraq
Ireland
Israel
Italy
Jamaica
Japan
Jordan
Kazakhstan
Kenya
Kiribati
Kosovo
Kuwait
Kyrgyzstan
Laos
Latvia
Lebanon
Lesotho
Liberia
Libya
Liechtenstein
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Macau
Madagascar
Malawi
Malaysia
Maldives
Mali
Malta
Marshall Islands
Mauritania
Mauritius
Mexico
Micronesia
Moldova
Monaco
Mongolia
Montenegro
Morocco
Mozambique
Myanmar
Namibia
Nauru
Nepal
Netherlands
New Zealand
Nicaragua
Niger
Nigeria
North Korea
North Macedonia
Norway
Oman
Pakistan
Palau
Palestine
Panama
Papua New Guinea
Paraguay
Peru
Philippines
Poland
Portugal
Qatar
Republic of the Congo
Romania
Russia
Rwanda
Saint Kitts and Nevis
Saint Lucia
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Samoa
San Marino
São Tomé and Príncipe
Saudi Arabia
Senegal
Serbia
Seychelles
Sierra Leone
Singapore
Slovakia
Slovenia
Solomon Islands
Somalia
South Korea
South Sudan
Spain
Sri Lanka
Sudan
Suriname
Sweden
Switzerland
Syria
Taiwan
Tajikistan
Tanzania
Thailand
Timor-Leste
Togo
Tonga
Trinidad and Tobago
Tunisia
Turkey
Turkmenistan
Tuvalu
Uganda
Ukraine
United Arab Emirates
United Kingdom
United States
Uruguay
Uzbekistan
Vanuatu
Vatican City
Venezuela
Vietnam
Yemen
Zambia
Zimbabwe