Israel visa for South African citizensETA-IL electronic travel authorization
- Fee
- 25 ILS
- Processing
- —
- Stay per entry
- 90 days
When to apply: The Population and Immigration Authority recommends submitting the application at least 72 hours before departure to Israel.
Israel visa for South African citizens
What South African citizens need to enter Israel, with the official source for every fact.
ETAMaximum stay: 90 days
Verified Oct 3, 2026 · Source: israel-entry.piba.gov.il (opens in a new tab)How to apply
What entry costs
- ETA-IL electronic travel authorization25 ILS
- Total25 ILS
Compulsory government charges only. Service fees and anything optional are excluded, which is what makes the figure comparable.
How long you can stay
Per entry — the clock resets when you leave
How the days are counted, with the official wording: Stay rules for Israel · Work out your own dates in the stay calculator
Verified Oct 5, 2026 · Source: israel-entry.piba.gov.il (opens in a new tab)Driving on a South Africa license
Israel and South Africa are both party to the 1949 Geneva Convention & 1968 Vienna Convention, so an International Driving Permit issued in South Africa is one Israel is bound to recognize.
Whether a permit is required alongside your national license is set by national road law, which we have not checked for this pair.
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)Other entry requirements
- Passport validity — The Population and Immigration Authority says that to apply for an ETA-IL your passport must be valid for at least three months from the date of your arrival in Israel. The UK government tells British citizens their passport must have an expiry date at least 90 days after the date they arrive.
- Travel insurance — Required of visa applicants only — not of South African citizens.
- Onward or return ticket — Required of visa applicants only — not of South African citizens.
- Proof of funds — Required of visa applicants only — not of South African citizens.
Full wording and sources of these rules: All Israel entry requirements
The other way round
Israeli citizens travelling to South Africa: Visa-free. Up to 90 days.
Nationalities treated exactly the same
Israel applies these rules — the same regime, the same allowance, the same charges — to South African citizens and to holders of these passports:
Philippines
RussiaCompare this across every country
Each of these tables states one rule for all 199 destinations, with the government source behind every row. Israel has a row in each.
- How countries count the days of your stay
- How long your passport must be valid, country by country
- Countries that require travel insurance to enter
- Which International Driving Permit each country recognizes
- What a tourist visa costs, country by country
- How much money you must be able to show at the border
- Where you must show a return or onward ticket
- How much cash you can carry before you must declare it
All Israel entry requirements · Everywhere South African citizens can travel
Frequently asked questions
Do South African citizens need a visa for Israel?
Yes — an electronic travel authorisation, obtained online before travelling.
How long can South African citizens stay in Israel?
Up to 90 days per entry. The Population and Immigration Authority states that an approved ETA-IL lets you “stay for up to 90 days per visit”. The authority does not say whether the days of arrival and departure are counted, so we count both.
How much does entering Israel cost South African citizens?
ETA-IL electronic travel authorization: 25 ILS. Compulsory government charges come to 25 ILS.
Sources & verification
- Israel Population and Immigration Authority — About ETA-IL (opens in a new tab)
- Israel Population and Immigration Authority — ETA-IL eligibility check (opens in a new tab)
- Population and Immigration Authority — eVisa-B2 tourist visa: required documents (opens in a new tab)
- UN Treaty Collection — Convention on Road Traffic (Vienna, 1968), status of parties (opens in a new tab)
Convention on Road Traffic, Geneva, 19 September 1949 (UNTS vol. 125, p. 3); Convention on Road Traffic, Vienna, 8 November 1968 (UNTS vol. 1042, p. 17)
Something wrong or out of date? Tell us, with the official source