Philippines visa for South African citizens
Philippines visa for South African citizensWhat South African citizens need to enter Philippines, with the official source for every fact.
Visa-freeMaximum stay: 30 days
Verified Oct 7, 2026 · Source: evisa.gov.ph (opens in a new tab)How to apply
No visa application is needed for a short visit.
Yellow fever certificate
Arriving from South Africa, no yellow fever certificate is required: WHO does not list South Africa as a transmission risk. It can still be demanded if you have been in a risk country shortly before arriving.
Driving on a South Africa license
Philippines 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 Philippines 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 Department of Foreign Affairs says visa-free nationals must hold passports valid for at least six months beyond the contemplated period of stay.
- Onward or return ticket — Required
- Staying past your permitted stay — Fine: 500 PHP per month. Penalties in Philippines, compared with every country
- Registering your presence after arrival — Required. Registration rules in Philippines, compared with every country
- eTravel Registration — The eTravel FAQ says arriving passengers, foreign and Filipino, must register on eTravel, except foreign diplomats and their dependants, foreign dignitaries, 9(e) visa holders and holders of diplomatic and official or service passports; registration is possible within 72 hours before arrival and is free of charge, and etravel.gov.ph is the only official website. The QR code is shown to the airline before boarding and to customs on arrival.
- Proof of funds — Required of visa applicants only — not of South African citizens.
No official source states a rule on: travel insurance.
Full wording and sources of these rules: All Philippines entry requirements
The other way round
Filipino citizens travelling to South Africa: Embassy visa.
Nationalities treated exactly the same
Philippines applies these rules — the same regime, the same allowance, the same charges — to South African citizens and to holders of these passports:
Morocco
Russia
Tunisia
Turkey
VietnamCompare this across every country
Each of these tables states one rule for all 199 destinations, with the government source behind every row. Philippines has a row in each.
- What staying past your permitted stay costs, country by country
- Registering your presence after arrival, country by country
- Digital arrival cards and entry declarations
- How long your passport must be valid, country by country
- Vaccination certificates required at the border
- Where a visa you already hold gets you in somewhere else
- 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 Philippines entry requirements · Everywhere South African citizens can travel
Frequently asked questions
Do South African citizens need a visa for Philippines?
No. South African citizens can enter Philippines without a visa for up to 30 days.
How long can South African citizens stay in Philippines?
Up to 30 days per entry.
Sources & verification
- Bureau of Immigration Philippines — Visa Waiver (Temporary Visitor 9A extension) service page (opens in a new tab)
- Department of Foreign Affairs — Philippine visa policy: visa-free nationalities under Executive Order 408 (opens in a new tab)
- eTravel — Frequently Asked Questions (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)
- WHO — International Travel and Health country list: vaccination requirements (Philippines) (opens in a new tab)
Something wrong or out of date? Tell us, with the official source