Not all travelers to South Africa require visas. If you are a citizen of a visa-exempt country, all you need is a passport to enter South Africa for a limited period. However, if you are not from a visa-exempt country, you will need a visa to enter South Africa. Here are the South Africa visa requirements (as per South African Home Affairs, 2020):
- A passport or travel document valid for no less than 30 days after the expiry of your planned visit. Your passport must have at least two unused pages for entry/departure endorsements.
- A completed Form BI-84 (South African application for a visa form).
- 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 passport photos, colored.
- A return or onward ticket if you are traveling by air.
- Proof of financial means to pay for your living expenses while you are in South Africa. This can be in the form of bank statements, cash available (including credit cards and travelers’ cheques), salary advances, undertakings by your South Africa host(s), medical cover. For students, you may provide proof of bursaries/student loans/scholarships.
- If you have children (minors) traveling with you or joining in South Africa, you will need to provide proof of guardianship or custody or consent from the guardian in the case of an unaccompanied minor.
Once you have met all the South African visa requirements, you can apply in person for a visa at a South African embassy or consulate. For your application, you will need to provide biometric data.
South Africa has recently launched a new online system for visa applications. At the time of this writing, (Oct 2020), it has not been finalized. If you’d like to apply for your visa online, you can apply for an e-visa here.
If you are from these countries, you won’t need a visa: South Africa Visa Free Countries
South African Visitors’ Visas may be granted for:
- Tourists;
- Visits to family or friends;
- Business ventures;
- Joining your spouse who is in South Africa on a work or study permit;
- Children who are joining their parents in South Africa on work or study visas;
- Fiancée/ fiancé who is joining their partner with the intension of marrying within 90 days;
- Study purposes (max stay 3-months)
- Conferences;
- To work in the production of a movie or show (i.e. in the entertainment industry);
- Medical purposes (max stay 3-months);
- Sport events;
- Charitable or voluntary activities;
- Research.
Who needs a visa to travel to South Africa?
Citizens who require visas for travel to South Africa are as follows:
- Afghanistan
- Albania
- Algeria
- Armenia
- Azerbaijan
- Bahrain
- Bangladesh
- Belarus
- Bermuda
- Bhutan
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Brunei
- Bulgaria
- Burkina Faso
- Burundi
- Cambodia
- Cameroon
- Central African Republic
- Chad
- China
- Colombia
- Comoros
- Congo
- Côte d’Ivoire
- Croatia
- Cuba
- Djibouti
- Dominican Republic
- DR of Congo
- Egypt
- El Salvador
- Equatorial Guinea
- Eritrea
- Estonia
- Ethiopia
- Faroe Islands
- Fiji
- French Guiana
- Gambia
- Georgia
- Ghana
- Gibraltar
- Greenland
- Guatemala
- Guinea
- Guinea-Bissau
- Honduras
- Indonesia
- Iran
- Iraq
- Kazakhstan
- Kiribati
- Kosovo
- Kuwait
- Kyrgyzstan
- Laos
- Latvia
- Lebanon