General information about South African Visas*

Visitors' visas are for international travelers (citizens of other countries) who have permanent residence outside South Africa and who wish to visit the country on a temporary basis for tourism or business purposes for a period of 90 days or less.
 

A visa simply indicates that your application has been reviewed at a South African embassy, mission or consulate and that the consular officer has determined you are eligible to enter the country for a specific purpose.
 

The visa will allow you to travel to a South African port of entry where an immigration official will then determine if you are allowed to enter South Africa and for how long you can stay for that particular visit. Visitors are restricted to the activity or reason for which their visas were issued.
 

On entry to South Africa, a visa is considered to be a visitor's permit. The permit's period of validity is calculated from the date of entry into the country and will be set out under the heading "conditions"; on the visa label. You must ensure that you apply for the correct visa/permit. Entry in the country may be refused if the purpose of visit was not correctly stated.
 

Requirements for visitor's visas differ from country to country, and the requirements are subject to change. As each application is treated as an individual case and you should make enquiries with your nearest South African mission or consulate abroad or any office of the Department of Home Affairs to see whether or not you are required to apply for a visa.
 

Remember that there is a fee charged for issuing a visa, and you should check the cost with the office as well as this is updated annually. The fee is payable in different currencies in different countries.
 

Visas are not issued at South African ports of entry, and airline officials are obliged to insist on visas before allowing passengers to board. If you arrive without a visa, immigration officials are obliged to put you onto a flight back to your home country.
 

Documents required to apply 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 one unused page 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 colour passport photographs
• A return or onward ticket if you are travelling by air
• If you have children (minors) travelling with you or joining in South Africa, you will need to provide the following additional documents
  
  • Proof of guardianship or custody or
  • Consent from the guardian in the case of an unaccompanied minor
• 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
  • Bursary
  • Medical cover or
  • Cash available (including credit cards and travellers’ cheques)

Remember, you do not have to submit your visa application in person. You can ask anyone else (such as a travel agent or courier services or another family member) to submit the application on your behalf.
 

Requirements for entering South Africa

You will need the following if you wish to visit South Africa:

• A valid and acceptable passport or travel document for your intended stay
• At least one blank page in your passport for endorsements
• A valid visa, if required
• Sufficient funds to pay for your day-to-day expenses during your stay
• A return or onward ticket
• Yellow fever certificates if your journey starts or entails passing through the yellow fever belt of Africa or South America.

Exempt and intend to stay 90 days or less

If you hold a national passport (diplomatic, official or ordinary) or a travel document for the any one of the following listed countries / territories / international organisations, you will not need to apply for a visa before arriving at a South African port of entry if you intend to stay in the country for 90 days or less:

Exempt and intend to stay for 30 days or less

If you hold a national passport (diplomatic, official or ordinary) or a travel document for the any one of the following listed countries / territories / international organizations, you will not need to apply for a visa before arriving at a South African port of entry if you intend to stay for a period of 30 days or less, or are in transit:

Exemption for Diplomatic Official and Service Passport

If you hold a national passport (diplomatic, official and service) or a travel document for the any one of the following listed countries / territories / international organizations, you will not need to apply for a visa before arriving at a South African port of entry if:
 

• you intend to stay for the period indicated in brackets below or less
• you are in transit
• and on condition that your visa exemption status has not been withdrawn by the Department of Home Affairs

General Visa exemptions

• Commercial heavy-duty vehicle drivers who
  
  • enter the country from Swaziland, Botswana, Namibia, Zambia and Malawi
  • provided that their visits do not exceed 15 days
  • and on condition they produce a letter confirming their employment with a transport company or entity

The same principle applies to Zimbabwean commercial heavy-duty truck drivers, except that their sojourn may not exceed 30 days at a time.  The afore-mentioned does not apply to commercial heavy-duty truck drivers who transport goods for a South African transport company.  Such drivers must be in possession of a valid work permit.
 

• Staff members of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) who

• travel on SADC laissez-passers
• travel on bona fide official business
• and stay for 90 days or less, or are in transit

• Holders of UN laissez- passers who

• intend to visit South Africa for 90 days or less
• visit the country for official business purposes
• are in transit
• are accredited for placement at a UN mission in South Africa for the duration of their accreditation
• are volunteers attached to UN agencies and travelling on ordinary passports, provided they are in possession of relevant letters or identification documents to identify themselves at ports of entry as personnel of an UN agency.
  
  • Holders of United Nations Laissez-passers
  • Volunteers attached to the UN
  • Persons involved in any United Nations agency
  • Persons performing services on behalf of the UN
     
• Citizens of Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bangladesh and the Maldives. Please click here to review requirements and process for applying for a visitors visa.

Members of military forces attending any military related matters with the South African National Defence Force are exempt from visa and study permit requirements, irrespective of their duration of stay provided they are in possession of letters of invitation from SANDF as well as letters of consent from the military force of which they are members

*This information is courtesy of the African Development Bank.