# Visa policy of South Africa

The visa policy of South Africa is how the South African government determines who may and may not enter South Africa. Visitors to South Africa must obtain a visa from one of the South African diplomatic missions unless they come from one of the visa-exempt countries, in which case they get a "Port of Entry Visa". Visitors who require a visa must apply in person and provide biometric data.
All visitors must hold a passport that is valid for 1 month after departure and with one blank page (two if a visa is required).
The South African Government launched an e-Visa system, initially for 14 nationalities in February 2022.

## Visa exemption

Nationals of the following countries can enter South Africa without a visa:

### 90 days

Citizens of the following countries / territories who hold valid national passports are allowed to stay in South Africa for up to 90 days without a visa:
| Andorra  Argentina  Australia  Austria  Belgium  Botswana  Brazil  Canada  Chile  Czech Republic  Denmark  Ecuador  Finland  France  Ghana$^2$ | Germany  Greece  Iceland  Ireland  Israel  Italy  Jamaica  Japan  Kenya$^2$  Liechtenstein  Luxembourg  Madagascar$^2$  Malaysia  Malta  Monaco | Namibia$^2$  Netherlands  New Zealand$^1$  Norway  Palestine$^1$  Panama  Paraguay  Portugal  Qatar$^1$  Russia  Saint Vincent and the Grenadines  San Marino  São Tomé and Príncipe$^1$  Saudi Arabia$^1$  Seychelles$^2$ | Singapore  Spain  Sweden  Switzerland  Tanzania$^3$  Trinidad and Tobago$^1$  Tunisia  United Arab Emirates$^1$  United Kingdom$^1$  United States  Uruguay  Venezuela  Zambia$^3$  Zimbabwe |
$_{1-Visaexemptionappliestoholdersofordinarypassportsonly.}$ $_{2-Themaximumstayis90daysperyearforordinarypassportholders;thislimitdoesnotapplytonon-ordinarypassportholders.}$ $_{3-Themaximumstayis90daysperyearforallpassportholders.}$

### 30 days

Citizens of the following countries / territories who hold valid national passports are not required to obtain South African visas for visits of up to 30 days:
| Angola$^2$  Antigua and Barbuda  Bahamas$^1$  Barbados  Belize  Benin  Bolivia | Cape Verde  Costa Rica  Cyprus  Eswatini  Gabon  Guyana  Hong Kong | Hungary  Jordan  Lesotho  Macao$^1$  Malawi  Maldives  Mauritius | Mozambique  Peru  Poland  South Korea  Thailand  Turkey |
$_{1-Visaexemptionappliestoholdersofordinarypassportsonly.}$ $_{2-Themaximumstayis90daysperyearforordinarypassportholders;thislimitdoesnotapplytonon-ordinarypassportholders.}$
* Date of visa changes
* Visa free:
* 26 December 1996: Brazil
* 29 April 2005: Mozambique
* 30 March 2017: Russia
* 1 December 2017: Angola
* 15 August 2019: New Zealand (resumed), Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates
* 1 January 2023: Kenya
* 24 September 2023: Palestine
* 1 November 2023: Ghana
* Cancelled:
* Taiwan: 1 July 2005
* Slovakia: 18 April 2016
* New Zealand: 16 January 2017 (was resumed in 2019)
* France, Germany, Hong Kong, Italy, Portugal, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Switzerland, United Kingdom, United States of America: 25 March 2020 (Since restored)

### Non-ordinary passports

Citizens who are holders of diplomatic, official or service passports of the following countries do not require visas for visits of the indicated period and transit for up to 90 days (unless otherwise noted):
| Albania  Algeria$^2$  Angola  Belarus  Bulgaria  Comoros  Croatia  Cuba  Cyprus  DR Congo (conditional)  Egypt$^2$  Ghana | Guinea  Hungary  India  Indonesia$^2$  Ivory Coast$^2$  Kenya$^2$  Liberia  Madagascar$^2$  Mexico  Morocco$^2$  Mozambique  Namibia$^2$ | Nigeria  Paraguay$^1$  Poland  Romania  Rwanda$^2$  Senegal  Slovakia  Thailand  Togo  Tunisia  Uganda  Vietnam |
$_{1-120days}$ $_{2-30days}$
Visa exemption agreement was signed with Mali but not yet ratified.

## Electronic Visa (e-Visa)

Citizens of the following countries/territories who hold valid national passports may apply for e-Visa online provided they will land at O. R. Tambo International Airport:
| Albania  Algeria  Belarus  Bulgaria  Cameroon  China  Comoros  Congo  DR Congo | Côte d'Ivoire  Croatia  Cuba  Egypt  Ethiopia  Ghana  Guinea  India  Indonesia | Iran  Kenya$^1$  Liberia  Lithuania  Mali  Mexico  Morocco  Niger  Nigeria | Pakistan  Philippines  Romania  Saudi Arabia$^1$  Senegal  Slovakia  Uganda |
$_{1-Alreadyexemptfromvisarequirement.}$

## Eligible international organizations

Individuals holding the following travel documents are not required to obtain South African visas for visits of 90 days or less on bona fide official business:
* African Union laissez-passer
* Southern African Development Community (SADC) laissez-passer: Staff members of SADC who travel on SADC laissez-passer are exempt from visa requirements for bona fide official business visits of 90 days or less and transit.
* United Nations laissez-passer
* Interpol Passport Holders

## Visa types
### Visas issued by South Africa are for:

* Tourism or visits to family or friends
* Medical treatment
* Working in the entertainment industry
* Attending a conference
* Treaty conditions compliance
* Maritime crew
* Cultural, economic and social exchange programmes
* Transit

### Temporary residence visas issued by South Africa are:

* Business visas
* Work visas
* Quota work visas
* General work visas
* Critical skills work visa
* Intra-company Transfer Work visa
* Corporate visas
* Study visas
* Exchange visas
* Retired persons' visa
* Relatives' visa
* Medical Treatment visa

## Overstay consequences

It is a departure of a foreigner from South Africa on an expired visa that triggers an overstay.
A foreigner who remains in South Africa beyond the expiry of his/her visa and has not applied for a valid status is an illegal foreigner in terms of the South African Immigration Act.
An overstayer will upon departure be declared an undesirable person in terms of section 30(1)(f) of the Immigration Act.
* A foreigner who has overstayed less than 30 days the validity of his/her visa will be declared an undesirable person and banned for a period of 1 year.
* A foreigner who has overstayed more than 30 days the validity of his/her visa will be declared an undesirable person and banned for a period of 5 years.
* A foreigner who overstayed twice in a period of 24 months (repeat offenders) will be declared an undesirable person and banned for a period of 2 years.
The ban does not simply expire over time and the restrictions placed against the foreigner need to be removed and/or the undesirability uplifted. An undesirable person does not do not qualify for a port of entry visa, visa, admission into the Republic or a permanent residence permit.

## Visitor statistics

Most visitors arriving to South Africa were from the following countries of nationality:
| Country | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 |
| Zimbabwe | 2,258,794 | 2,208,930 | 2,039,932 | 2,028,881 | 1,900,791 | 2,143,716 |
| Lesotho | 1,563,448 | 1,739,188 | 1,747,211 | 1,757,058 | 1,394,913 | 1,501,642 |
| Mozambique | 1,333,195 | 1,360,896 | 1,339,245 | 1,268,258 | 1,200,335 | 1,283,016 |
| Eswatini | 917,631 | 883,735 | 876,992 | 893,618 | 835,006 | 918,490 |
| Botswana | 668,315 | 688,566 | 681,379 | 679,828 | 593,514 | 555,590 |
| United Kingdom | 436,559 | 430,708 | 447,901 | 447,840 | 407,486 | 401,914 |
| United States | 373,694 | 376,892 | 370,747 | 345,013 | 297,226 | 309,255 |
| Germany | 322,720 | 343,229 | 349,211 | 311,832 | 256,646 | 274,571 |
| Malawi | 199,079 | 197,317 | 175,014 | 154,017 | 135,260 | 166,964 |
| Namibia | 184,431 | 200,367 | 208,747 | 214,664 | 212,514 | 211,453 |
| Total | 10,228,593 | 10,472,105 | 10,285,197 | 10,044,163 | 8,903,773 | 9,549,236 |