Visa requirements for South African citizens

A South African passport

Visa requirements for South African citizens are administrative entry restrictions by the authorities of other states placed on citizens of South Africa. As of 13 April 2021, South African citizens had visa-free or visa on arrival access to 103 countries and territories, ranking the South African passport 53rd in terms of travel freedom according to the Henley Passport Index.^[1]

Where visa-free access is permitted, such access is not necessarily a right, and admission is at the discretion of border enforcement officers. Visitors engaging in activities other than tourism, including unpaid work, may require a visa or work permit.

It does not provide for where certain people under the assumption remained British Subjects without Citizenship, then later became British Overseas Citizens or British Subjects in 1983, there are different requirements. See Visa requirements for British Overseas citizens or South African nationality law.

Visa requirements map[]

Visa requirements for South African citizens

  South Africa

  Visa free access

  Visa on arrival

  eVisa

  Visa available both on arrival or online

  Visa required

Visa requirements[]

This list provides for the period of stay under "Allowed Stay" generally for short stay activities where a Visa is not required in sovereign states.

Country	Visa requirement	Allowed stay	Notes (excluding departure fees)	Reciprocity
Afghanistan	Visa required[2]			√
Albania	Visa required[3]		Holders of a valid, multiple entry and previously used visa issued by a Schengen area country, United States, or the United Kingdom can enter Albania without a visa for 90 days.	√
Algeria	Visa required[4]			√
Andorra	Visa required[5]		Andorra has no visa regime, but is only accessible through France and Spain. Multiple Entry Schengen Visa required.	√
Angola	Visa not required[6]	30 days	30 days per visit, up to 90 days per year.	√
Antigua and Barbuda	Visa not required[7]	1 month		√
Argentina	Visa not required[8]	90 days		√
Armenia	eVisa / Visa on arrival[9]	120 days		X
Australia and territories	Visa required[10]		May apply online (Online Visitor e600 visa).[11] Transit visa is not required.[12] Biometric Collection is mandatory upon request for the Online Visitor e600 Visa. Visas can be issued within a matter of seconds depending on the length of queue once all the appropriate information is provided including Biometrics. Departing Passengers may use SmartGate for a faster entry into the passenger area, this is not applicable to arriving passengers for entry into Australia.	X
Austria	Visa required[13]			X
Azerbaijan	eVisa[14]	30 days[15]		X
Bahamas	Visa not required[16]	3 months	Extendable up to 8 months.	√
Bahrain	eVisa[17]	14 days		X
Bangladesh	Visa required[18]			√
Barbados	Visa not required[19]	6 months		√
Belarus	Visa required[20]			√
Belgium	Visa required[21]			X
Belize	Visa not required[22]			√
Benin	Visa not required[23]	90 Days		√
Bhutan	Visa required[24]			√
Bolivia	Visa on arrival[25]	90 days		√
Bosnia and Herzegovina	Visa required[26]		Valid multiple entry visa holders and residents of the European Union, Schengen Area member states, and United States of America can enter Bosnia and Herzegovina without a visa for a maximum stay of 30 days.	√
Botswana	Visa not required[27]	90 days		√
Brazil	Visa not required[28]	90 days		√
Brunei	Visa required[29]			√
Bulgaria	Visa required[30]		Holders of a valid multiple entry visa or residence permit issued by a Schengen state, Monaco, Croatia, Cyprus or Romania may also travel to Bulgaria without an additional visa, for a stay of up to 90 days in any 180-day period or until visa expiry date (whichever is closer)	√
Burkina Faso	Visa required[31]			√
Burundi	Visa required[32]			√
Cambodia	eVisa / Visa on arrival[33]	30 days		X
Cameroon	Visa required[34]		Pre-approved visa can be picked up on arrival.	√
Canada	Visa required[35]		Holders of the Right of Abode to the UK with a Certificate of Entitlement as proof of authenticity do not require Visa.	X
Cape Verde	Visa on arrival[36]			√
Central African Republic	Visa required[37]			√
Chad	Visa required[38]			√
Chile	Visa not required[39]	90 days		√
China	Visa required[40]		24-Hour Transit Visa obtainable at the airport. 5 day Schenzen Visa available at the Shenzhen border if travelling from Hong Kong or Macao. Visa holders must stay within the Shenzhen City and surrounds, not travel to other cities and leave at the end of the 5 day permission. Travelling to Guangzhou would be in violation of the conditions.	√
Colombia	Visa required[41]		Transit visa is not required.	√
Comoros	Visa on arrival[42]			X
Republic of the Congo	Visa required[43]			√
Democratic Republic of the Congo	Visa required[44]			√
Costa Rica	Visa not required[45]	90 days		√
Côte d'Ivoire	eVisa[46]	3 months	eVisa holders must arrive via Port Bouet Airport.	X
Croatia	Visa required[47]		Valid multiple entry schengen visa or valid multiple entry visa of Bulgaria, Cyprus or Romania is valid for Croatia[48]	√
Cuba	Tourist card required[49]			√
Cyprus	Visa required[50]		Holders of a visa or residence permit issued by a Schengen state, Monaco, Bulgaria, Croatia or Romania may also travel to Cyprus, without an additional visa, for a stay of up to 90 days in any 180-day period or until visa expiry date (whichever is shorter)	X
Czech Republic	Visa required[51]			X
Denmark	Visa required[52]			X
Djibouti	eVisa[53]	31 days		X
Dominica	Visa not required[54]	6 months		X
Dominican Republic	Visa not required[55]			X
Ecuador	Visa not required[56]	90 days		√
Egypt	Visa required[57]		Holders of a residence permit issued by Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman or the United Arab Emirates, can obtain a visa on arrival for a maximum stay of 30 days. The residence permit must be valid for a minimum of 6 months from the arrival date. Must enter Egypt by air.	√
El Salvador	Visa not required[58]	90 days		X
Equatorial Guinea	Visa required[59]			√
Eritrea	Visa required[60]		Pre-approved visa can be picked up on arrival.	√
Estonia	Visa required[61]			√
Eswatini	Visa not required[62]	30 days		√
Ethiopia	eVisa / Visa on arrival	up to 90 days	Visa on arrival is obtainable only at Addis Ababa Bole International Airport.[63] eVisa holders must arrive via Addis Ababa Bole International Airport. eVisas are available for 30 or 90 days.[64]	X
Fiji	Visa not required[65]	4 months		√
Finland	Visa required[66]			X
France	Visa required[67]			X
Gabon	Visa not required[68]	30 days.		√
Gambia	Visa required[69]		In addition to a visa, an entry clearance must be obtained from the Gambian Immigration prior to travel.[70]	√
Georgia	Visa not required[71]	1 year		X
Germany	Visa required[72]			X
Ghana	Visa on arrival[73]	30 days		X
Greece	Visa required[74]			X
Grenada	Visa not required[75]	3 months		X
Guatemala	Visa not required[76]	90 days		X
Guinea	eVisa[77]	90 days		X
Guinea-Bissau	eVisa / Visa on arrival[78]	90 days		X
Guyana	Visa not required[79]	3 months		√
Haiti	Visa not required[80]	3 months		X
Honduras	Visa not required[81]	90 days		X
Hungary	Visa required[82]			X
Iceland	Visa required[83]			X
India	e-Visa[84]	60 days	e-Visa holders must arrive via 26 designated airports[Note 1] or 3 designated seaports.[Note 2][85] An Indian e-Tourist Visa can only be obtained twice in one calendar year.	X
Indonesia	Visa not required[86]	30 days	Select ports of entry only. Visa on Arrival is an alternative to the 30 day Visa Exemption, Visa on Arrival is issued for 30 days which is extendable however the exemption is not.	X
Iran	Visa on arrival[87]	30 days[88]		X
Iraq	Visa required[89]			√
Ireland	Visa not required[90]	90 days	Entry into Northern Ireland from Ireland is not permitted if the South African passport holder does not have a valid UK Visa. Visa checks may be carried out if travelling by land between Ireland and Northern Ireland (UK). Further checks are implied when travelling by boat or from Northern Ireland (UK) to mainland UK (Great Britain). UK direct-airside transit and transit by land visas cannot be used for travel to Ireland by transiting the UK, this is because entry in the first country (either the UK or Ireland) is considered entry to the entire Common Travel Area (UK and Republic of Ireland). Standard Visitor Visa required for the purpose of any transit.	√
Israel	Visa not required[91]	90 days		√
Italy	Visa required[92]			X
Jamaica	Visa not required[93]	180 Days		X
Japan	Visa required[94]			X
Jordan	Visa on arrival[95]	30 days		√
Kazakhstan	Visa required[96]			√
Kenya	Visa not required[97]	30 days[98]		X
Kiribati	Visa required[99]			√
North Korea	Visa required[100]			√
South Korea	Visa not required[101]	30 days	Extendable up to 90 days.	√
Kuwait	Visa required[102]		Holders of residence permit's issued by Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, Oman and the United Arab Emirates may apply for an eVisa if the main applicant works in a specific profession. Dependents holding residence permits may also obtain an eVisa, on the conditional they will enter Kuwait with the main applicant.[103]	√
Kyrgyzstan	eVisa / Visa on arrival[104]	1 month	Visa on arrival available at Manas International Airport. Electronic visa holders must arrive via Manas International Airport or Osh Airport or through land crossings with China (at Irkeshtam and Torugart), Kazakhstan (at Ak-jol, Ak-Tilek, Chaldybar, Chon-Kapka), Tajikistan (at Bor-Dobo, Kulundu, Kyzyl-Bel) and Uzbekistan (at Dostuk).[105]	X
Laos	eVisa / Visa on arrival[106]	30 days	Visa on arrival is available at Luangphabang, Pakse, Savannakhet and Vientiane international airports, the 4 Thai-Lao Friendship Bridges,[Note 3] 13 border crossings,[Note 4] and Tanalaeng train station in Vientiane.[107] Visa on arrival facilities will be gradually phased out starting in January 2020.[108] eVisa may be used to enter Laos through Wattay International Airport and the First Thai–Lao Friendship Bridge The Lalai, Lantui, Meuang mom, Pakxan, and Phoudou border crossings are open only to visa holders. Visa on arrival is extendable up to 60 days.	X
Latvia	Visa required[109]			X
Lebanon	Visa required[110]		In addition to a visa, an approval should be obtained from the Immigration department of the General Directorate of General Security (La Surete Generale).	√
Lesotho	Visa not required[111]	90 days		√
Liberia	Visa required[112]		Pre-approved visa can be picked up on arrival.	√
Libya	Visa required[113]		Pre-approved visa can be picked up on arrival.	√
Liechtenstein	Visa required[114]			X
Lithuania	Visa required[115]		Certain travelers who are of Lithuanian Descent (i.e. by the parent, grandparent and great-grandparent) may be issued a long-stay Category D Visa or Permanent Residence valid if the relationship can be proved.	√
Luxembourg	Visa required[116]			X
Madagascar	eVisa / Visa on arrival[117]	90 days		X
Malawi	Visa not required[118]	90 days		√
Malaysia	Visa not required[119]	90 days		√
Maldives	Visa on arrival[120]	90 days		√
Mali	Visa required[121]			√
Malta	Visa required[122]			X
Marshall Islands	Visa on arrival[123]	90 days		X
Mauritania	Visa on arrival[124]		Available at Nouakchott–Oumtounsy International Airport.	X
Mauritius	Visa not required[125][126]	90 days		√
Mexico	Visa required[127]		Residents of French overseas departments and territories, Danish territories and Dutch Caribbean territories, permanent residents or valid visa holders of the United Kingdom or countries that comprise the Schengen area, holders of Permanent Resident Cards or valid visas issued by Canada, holders of permanent residence permits issued by Chile, holders of permanent residence permits issued by Colombia, holders of Permanent Residence Card, Permanent Re-entry Permit or valid visas issued by Japan, holders of permanent residence permits issued by Peru and holders of valid US visas or Green Cards - may enter Mexico without a visa for up to 180 days. Passport holders with less than six months validity may face difficulty when attempting to enter as a Business Visitor/ Tourist as they are usually permitted six months stay which might exceed the passport's validity.	√
Micronesia	Visa not required[128]	30 days		X
Moldova	Visa required[129]	90 days	South African nationals are allowed to visit Moldova without a Moldovan visa if they hold a valid residence permit or a valid multiple entry visa issued by a Schengen member state, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Croatia, Cyprus, Bulgaria or Romania.	√
Monaco	Visa required[130]		Schengen Visa Required. Monaco is a de facto member of the Schengen Area and there are no formal immigration procedures upon exit and entry.	X
Mongolia	Visa required[131]			√
Montenegro	Visa required[132]		Nationals of South Africa may visit Montenegro without a visa for up to 30 days if they hold a passport with visas issued by Ireland, a Schengen Area member state, the United Kingdom or the United States or if they are permanent residents of those countries. Residents of the United Arab Emirates do not require a visa for up to 10 days, if they hold a return ticket, fly directly in and out of Tivat Airport on FlyDubai and hold proof of accommodation.	√
Morocco	Visa required[133]			√
Mozambique	Visa not required[134]	3 months		√
Myanmar	eVisa[135]	28 days[136]	eVisa holders must arrive via Yangon, Nay Pyi Taw or Mandalay airports or via land border crossings with Thailand — Tachileik, Myawaddy and Kawthaung or India — Rih Khaw Dar and Tamu. eVisa available for both tourism or business purposes.	X
Namibia	Visa not required[137]	3 months		√
Nauru	Visa required[138]			√
Nepal	Visa on arrival[139]	90 days		X
Netherlands	Visa required[140]			X
New Zealand	Visa required[141]		Holders of an Australian Permanent Resident Visa or Resident Return Visa may be granted a New Zealand Resident Visa on arrival permitting indefinite stay (pursuant to the Trans-Tasman Travel Arrangement), subject to meeting character requirements and obtaining an Electronic Travel Authority prior to departure.[142]	X
Nicaragua	Visa not required[143]	90 days		X
Niger	Visa required[144]			√
Nigeria	Visa required[145]		Pre-approved visa can be picked up on arrival.	√
North Macedonia	Visa required[146]		Holders of a valid multiple entry visa or Residence Permit for the Schengen Area may enter North Macedonia for up to 15 days visa free. A temporary residence permit of a Schengen member state is accepted since 27 February 2019. Holders of a valid UK, Canada or USA visa may enter North Macedonia for up to 15 days visa free.	√
Norway	Visa required[147]			X
Oman	eVisa[148]	30 days		X
Pakistan	Online Visa[149]		Online Visa eligible.[150] Electronic Travel Authorization to obtain a visa on arrival for business purposes.[151]	X
Palau	Visa on arrival[152]	30 days		X
Panama	Visa not required[153]	180 days		√
Papua New Guinea	Easy Visitor Permit[154]	30 days		X
Paraguay	Visa not required[155]	90 days		√
Peru	Visa not required[156]	180 days		√
Philippines	Visa not required[157]	30 days		X
Poland	Visa required[158]			X
Portugal	Visa required[159]			X
Qatar	Visa not required[160]	30 days	Available at Hamad International Airport. The Visa Waiver Facility (of 30 days) cannot be facilitated if stay is less than 1 night, a Transit Visa should be applied for instead. Label is put in the passport in addition to a stamp upon arrival after satisfying the entry requirements.[161] eVisa, Transit Visa from Qatar Airways (9–96 hours) and ETA are also available. eVisa refers to a Tourist Visa.[162] These three methods are all acceptable alternatives for tourism should the South African passport holder wish not to use the Visa Waiver Facility available upon arrival. Male travelers who are ordinarily a resident in Qatar require an Exit Visa/ Permit.	√
Romania	Visa required[163]		Holders of a visa or residence permit issued by a Schengen state, Monaco, Bulgaria, Croatia or Cyprus, may also travel to Romania, without an additional visa, for a stay of up to 90 days in any 180-day period or until visa expiry date (whichever is shorter)	√
Russia	Visa not required[164]	90 days	90 days within any 180 day period	√
Rwanda	eVisa / Visa on arrival[165]	30 days		X
Saint Kitts and Nevis	Visa not required[166]	3 months		X
Saint Lucia	Visa not required[167]	6 weeks		X
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines	Visa not required[168]	1 month		√
Samoa	Entry Permit on arrival[169]	60 days		X
San Marino	Visa required[170]			X
São Tomé and Príncipe	eVisa[171]			X
Saudi Arabia	Visa required[172]			X
Senegal	Visa on arrival[173][174]	90 days		X
Serbia	Visa required[175]		Visa free for a maximum stay of 90 days for valid visa holders or residents of the European Union member states and the United States.	√
Seychelles	Visitor's Permit on arrival[176]	3 months		√
Sierra Leone	Visa on arrival[177]			X
Singapore	Visa not required[178]	30 days		√
Slovakia	Visa required[179]			√
Slovenia	Visa required[180]			√
Solomon Islands	Visa required[181]			√
Somalia	Visa on arrival[182]	30 days	Available at Bosaso Airport, Galcaio Airport and Mogadishu Airport.	X
South Sudan	Electronic Visa[183]		Obtainable online[184] Printed visa authorization must be presented at the time of travel[185]	X
Spain	Visa required[186]			X
Sri Lanka	eVisa / Visa on arrival[187]	30 days		X
Sudan	Visa required[188]			√
Suriname	eVisa[189]			X
Sweden	Visa required[190]			X
Switzerland	Visa required[191]			X
Syria	Visa required[192]			√
Tajikistan	eVisa[193][194]	45 days	E-visa holders can enter through all border points.	X
Tanzania	Visa not required[195]	90 days		√
Thailand	Visa not required[196]	30 days	Maximum two visits annually if not arriving by air. Extendable by 30 days at any Immigration Office within Thailand.	√
Timor-Leste	Visa on arrival[197]	30 days		X
Togo	Visa not required[198]		Information from the Togo Embassy in the United Kingdom that is not found in the IATA database which states that visa is obtainable on arrival.[199]	X
Tonga	Visa required[200]			√
Trinidad and Tobago	Visa not required[201]	90 days		√
Tunisia	Visa not required[202]	3 months		X
Turkey	eVisa[203]	30 days		√
Turkmenistan	Visa required[204]		Pre-approved visa can be picked up on arrival.	√
Tuvalu	Visa on arrival[205]	1 month		X
Uganda	eVisa / Visa on arrival[206]		May apply online.[207]	X
Ukraine	eVisa[208]			X
United Arab Emirates	Visa required[209]		May apply online.[210] Emirates Airline (Dubai) and Etihad Airways (Abu Dhabi) routinely provide this service. Entry is only valid on condition that travel is made with the airline where the online visa is applied for and ticket is issued. Visa not required in advance if in possession of the Right of Abode in the United Kingdom with a Certificate of Entitlement in Commonwealth passport, may enter the Emirate of Dubai in the same way as a British Citizen.	X
United Kingdom and Crown dependencies	Visa required[211]		Right of Abode holders with a Certificate of Entitlement in their Commonwealth passport may enter the United Kingdom and remain indefinitely. Temporary Visa holders can only enter for 3 months if entering from the Republic of Ireland (Eire). The Crown dependencies include the Bailiwicks of Jersey and Guernsey as well as the Isle of Man. The same Visa Policy applies mainly to the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar, therefore a United Kingdom Visa can be used. Transit Visa Required unless in possession of an exemption document; Australian, New Zealand and all other Visas with confirmation slips/ electronically granted Visas with a paper print-out as confirmation are not permitted as an exemption document unless endorsed by the airline. Note: Schengen Visa type "C" is not an approved exemption document. Entry must be refused or denied boarding on vessel. Direct Airside or Transit Visa required depending on type of transit. Entering the United Kingdom (including Northern Ireland) by land, sea or air from the Republic of Ireland is not permitted unless in possession of a valid U.K. Visa or Immigration Document. UK Land or Transit Visa cannot be used to transit the UK from Ireland or from Ireland to the UK, a Standard Visa is required.	X
United States	Visa required[212]		Holders of a B1/ B2 (B) Visa, Permanent Resident Card, D Visa who have entered the United States at least once since 2008 may use the Automated Passport Control (APC) Kiosk for faster processing at selected airports, before proceeding to a US Customs and Border Protection officer for finalization of entry into the United States. Available locations include some United States border preclearance facilities as well.[213]	X
Uruguay	Visa not required[214]	90 days		√
Uzbekistan	Visa required[215]		5-day visa-free transit at the international airports if holding a confirmed onward ticket for a flight to a third country.[216] Pre-approved visa can be picked up on arrival.	√
Vanuatu	Visa not required[217]	30 days		X
Vatican City	Visa required[218]		Schengen Visa Required. Entry can be made from Italy exclusively. Vatican City is a de facto member of the Schengen Area and there are no formal immigration procedures upon entry and exit.	√
Venezuela	Visa not required[219]	90 days		√
Vietnam	Visa required[220]		Pre-arranged visa obtained online through travel agencies available at Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Phu Quoc,[221] or Da Nang airports.	√
Yemen	Visa required[222]			√
Zambia	Visa not required[223]	90 days		√
Zimbabwe	Visa not required[224]	3 months		√

Dependent, disputed, or restricted territories[]

Unrecognised or partially recognised countries[]

Territory	Conditions of access	Notes
Abkhazia	Visa required[225]
Kosovo	Visa not required[226]	90 days
Northern Cyprus	Visa not required[227]	3 months
Nagorno-Karabakh	Visa required[228]	Travellers with Nagorno-Karabakh visa (expired or valid) or evidence of travel to Nagorno-Karabakh (stamps) will be permanently denied entry to Azerbaijan.[229]
Palestine	Visa not required[230]	Arrival by sea to Gaza Strip not allowed.[231]
Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic		Undefined visa regime in the Western Sahara controlled territory.
Somaliland	Visa on arrival	30 days for 30 US dollars, payable on arrival.[232][233]
South Ossetia	Visa not required[234]	Multiple entry visa to Russia and three day prior notification are required to enter South Ossetia.[235][236]
Taiwan	Visa required[237][238]
Transnistria	Visa not required[239]	Registration required after 24h.[240][241]

Dependent and autonomous territories[]

Territory	Conditions of access	Notes
China
Hong Kong	Visa not required[242]	30 days. Landing slip with stay conditions issued upon arrival in place of entry stamp. This is not a permit, however it is used to classify South African citizens as being visa exempted.
Macau	Visa not required[243]	30 days
Denmark
Faroe Islands	Visa required[244]
Greenland	Visa required[245]
France
French Guiana	Visa required[246]
French Polynesia	Visa required[247]
French West Indies	Visa required	Includes overseas departments of Guadeloupe and Martinique and overseas collectivities of Saint Barthélemy and Saint Martin.
Mayotte	Visa required[248]
New Caledonia	Visa required[249]
Réunion	Visa not required[250]	3 months. Travel to mainland France is prohibited unless in possession of a Valid Schengen Visa, Identity and Visa checks are conducted between Reunion and mainland France/ EU or EEA countries and Switzerland.
Saint Pierre and Miquelon	Visa required[251]
Wallis and Futuna	Visa required[252]
Netherlands
Aruba	Visa required[253]
Caribbean Netherlands	Visa required[254]	Includes Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba.
Curaçao	Visa required[255]
Sint Maarten	Visa required[256]
New Zealand
Cook Islands	Visa not required[257]	31 days
Niue	Visa not required[258]	30 days
Tokelau	Visa required[259]
United Kingdom
Akrotiri and Dhekelia	Visa required[260]
Anguilla	Electronic Visa[261]	*You do NOT need to apply for a visa if: You have a valid visa to enter the UK, US or Canada. A valid UK, US or Canada visa can be used to enter Anguilla.[262]
Bermuda	Visa required[263]	Visa not required for holders of Canadian, US or UK multiple-entry visa valid for at least 45 days beyond the period of intended stay in Bermuda for a maximum stay of 3 months
British Indian Ocean Territory	Special permit required	Special permit required.[264]
British Virgin Islands	Visa not required[265]	30 days, extensions possible
Cayman Islands	Visa not required[266]	6 months
Falkland Islands	Visa not required[267]
Gibraltar	Visa required[268]	Gibraltar is the only British Overseas Territory which falls under the UK's Visa Policy. UK Visa Required for Entry.
Montserrat	Visa not required[269]	6 months
Pitcairn Islands	Visa not required	14 days visa free and landing fee US$35 or tax of US$5 if not going ashore.[270][271][272]
Ascension Island	eVisa[273][274]	3 months within any year period
Saint Helena	Visitor's Pass required	Visitor's Pass granted on arrival valid for 4/10/21/60/90 days for 12/14/16/20/25 pound sterling.[275]
Tristan da Cunha	Permission required	Permission to land required for 15/30 pounds sterling (yacht/ship passenger) for Tristan da Cunha Island or 20 pounds sterling for Gough Island, Inaccessible Island or Nightingale Islands.[276]
South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands	Permit required	Pre-arrival permit from the Commissioner required (72 hours/1 month for 110/160 pounds sterling).[277][278]
Turks and Caicos Islands	Visa required[279]	90 days
United States
American Samoa	Visa required[280]
Guam	Visa required[281]
Northern Mariana Islands	Visa required[282]
Puerto Rico	Visa required[283]	US visa is required to visit Puerto Rico
U.S. Virgin Islands	Visa required[284]
Antarctica and adjacent islands
Special permits required for  Bouvet Island,  British Antarctic Territory,  French Southern and Antarctic Lands,  Argentine Antarctica, Australian Antarctic Territory, Chilean Antarctic Territory, Heard Island and McDonald Islands, Peter I Island, Queen Maud Land, Ross Dependency.[285][286][287][288][289][290][291][292][293][294][295][296]

Other territories[]

Territory	Conditions of access	Notes
Belarus Belovezhskaya Pushcha National Park	Visa not required	3 days;[297] must first obtain an electronic pass[298]
China Hainan	Visa on arrival[299]	15 days. Available at Haikou Meilan International Airport and Sanya Phoenix International Airport. Visa not required for 15 days for traveling as part of a tourist group (5 or more people)[300]
China Tibet Autonomous Region	TTP required	Tibet Travel Permit required (10 US Dollars).[301][302][303]
Crimea	Visa required	Visa issued by Russia is required.[304]
Ecuador Galápagos	Pre-registration required	Online pre-registration is required. Transit Control Card must also be obtained at the airport prior to departure.[305]
Eritrea outside Asmara	Travel permit required	To travel in the rest of the country, a Travel Permit for Foreigners is required (20 Eritrean nakfa).[306]
Greece Mount Athos	Special permit required	Special permit required (4 days: 25 euro for Orthodox visitors, 35 euro for non-Orthodox visitors, 18 euro for students). There is a visitors' quota: maximum 100 Orthodox and 10 non-Orthodox per day and women are not allowed.[307][308]
India PAP/RAP	PAP/RAP required	Protected Area Permit (PAP) required for whole states of Nagaland and Sikkim and parts of states Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh, Uttaranchal, Jammu and Kashmir, Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh. Restricted Area Permit (RAP) required for all of Andaman and Nicobar Islands and parts of Sikkim. Some of these requirements are occasionally lifted for a year.[309][310][311][312][313][314]
Iran Kish Island	Visa not required	Visitors to Kish Island do not require a visa.[315]
Iraqi Kurdistan	Visa on arrival	Visa on arrival for 15 days is available at Erbil and Sulaymaniyah airports.[316]
Fiji Lau Province	Special permission required	Special permission required.[317]
France Clipperton Island	Special permit required	Special permit required.[318]
Kazakhstan	Special permission required	Special permission required for the town of Baikonur and surrounding areas in Kyzylorda Oblast, and the town of Gvardeyskiy near Almaty.[319]
North Korea outside Pyongyang	Special permit required	People are not allowed to leave the capital city, tourists can only leave the capital with a governmental tourist guide (no independent moving)
Malaysia Sabah and Sarawak	Visa not required	These states have their own immigration authorities and passport is required to travel to them, however the same visa applies.[320]
Maldives outside Malé	Permission required	With the exception of the capital Malé, tourists are generally prohibited from visiting non-resort islands without the express permission of the Government of Maldives.[321]
Norway Jan Mayen	Permit required	Permit issued by the local police required for staying for less than 24 hours[322] and permit issued by the Norwegian police for staying for more than 24 hours.[323]
Norway  Svalbard	Visa not required	Unlimited Stay. Transit Visa not required when transiting Oslo,  Norway to get to Svalbard Airport, Longyear, Svalbard.
Novorossiya	Restricted area	Crossing from Ukraine requires visit purpose to be explained to Ukrainian passport control on exit and those who entered from Russia are not allowed to proceed further into Ukraine.[324]
Russia	Special authorization required	Several closed cities and regions in Russia require special authorization.[325]
Sudan outside Khartoum	Travel permit required	All foreigners traveling more than 25 kilometers outside of Khartoum must obtain a travel permit.
Sudan Darfur	Travel permit required	Separate travel permit is required.[326]
Tajikistan Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Province	OIVR permit required	OIVR permit required (15+5 Tajikistani Somoni) and another special permit (free of charge) is required for Lake Sarez.[327][328][329]
UN Buffer Zone in Cyprus	Access Permit required[330]	Access Permit is required for travelling inside the zone, except Civil Use Areas.
Korean Demilitarized Zone	Restricted zone.
UNDOF Zone and Ghajar	Restricted zone.
United States Minor Outlying Islands	Special permits required	Special permits required for Baker Island, Howland Island, Jarvis Island, Johnston Atoll, Kingman Reef, Midway Atoll, Palmyra Atoll and Wake Island.[331][332][333][334][335][336][337]
Venezuela Margarita Island	Visa not required	All visitors are fingerprinted.[338]
Vietnam Phú Quốc	Visa not required	30 days[339]
Yemen outside Sana’a or Aden	Special permission required	Special permission needed for travel outside Sana’a or Aden.[340]

Changes in Visa Requirements for South African Citizens[]

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List of Changes

Visa Exemptions[]

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In some instances, a Visa Exemption permits entry in lieu of obtaining a Visa/ Entry Visa if in possession of the following Visas or Permanent Relationships, this is not limited to entitlements or provisions laid down by the country's law, for instance, right to enter without prior authority due to background such as in the case of former Indian Citizens:

This list does not include the ability of a Visa Document Exemption/ Substitute for a Visa Application, for instance a US Visa as an exemption document for the issue of a Qatari e-Visa.

Summary of Visa Exemptions

Country of Issue where document can be used as an Exemption for entry	for entry to	Visa or Residence Permit	Notes
United States	Albania  Bosnia and Herzegovina  Bermuda of the  United Kingdom  Mexico  Montenegro  North Macedonia  São Tomé and Príncipe  Serbia	Both
Canada	Bermuda of the  United Kingdom  Mexico	Both
United Kingdom	Canada #  New Zealand #  United Arab Emirates #  United Kingdom: +Indefinitely #  Bermuda of the  United Kingdom #	# Holders of the Right of Abode
United Kingdom	Bermuda of the  United Kingdom	Both Indefinite and Temporary Visas
Australia	New Zealand	Australian Permanent Residence

List of Visa Exemptions

North America

United States of America - South African Citizens in possession of a valid United States Multiple Entry Visa in their passport may enter the following country(ies) visa-free for the time indicated beside, this also includes the countries consisting of the former Yugoslavia:

•  Albania: 90 days;
•  Bosnia and Herzegovina : 30 days;
•  Bermuda of the  United Kingdom: 3 months (if arriving or transiting from the United States);
•  Mexico: 180 days, see note in Mexico under "Visa Requirements";^[341][342]
•  Montenegro: 30 days;
•  North Macedonia: 15 days;
•  São Tomé and Príncipe : 15 days;
•  Serbia: 90 days.

Canada - South African Citizens in possession of a valid Canadian Multiple Entry Visa in their passport may enter the following country(ies) visa-free for the time indicated adjacent:

•  Bermuda of the  United Kingdom: 3 months (if transiting or arriving from Canada):
•  Mexico: 180 days.

British Isles

United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland

Right of Abode in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland - South African Citizens who are in possession of a Valid Certificate of Entitlement substantiating their claim to the Right of Abode in the United Kingdom in their South African passport (as either a British National or South African/ Commonwealth Citizen) may enter the following Commonwealth Realms/ countries for the same period for as a South African Citizen who would usually a Visa but without the Right of Abode in the United Kingdom (+except the United Kingdom as right to reside is automatic):

•  Canada: 6 months
•  United Arab Emirates:
•  United Kingdom: +Indefinitely

South African citizens in possession of Leave to Remain or Enter holders(whether permanent or temporary)/ Ireland Biometric Visa or Permanent Residency holders:

Holder's of a United Kingdom Visa May enter:

 Bermuda of the  United Kingdom: 3 months (if arriving or transiting from the United Kingdom).

Australasia

Australia

Permanent Residence in the Commonwealth of Australia - South African Citizens with any type of a Valid Australian Permanent Resident Visa electronically granted or as a label still valid may enter the following country:

•  New Zealand: Indefinite. Note: may apply for Permanent Residency in New Zealand after satisfying two years residence with an Australian Resident Visa in New Zealand. Australian Resident Visa is a New Zealand (Indefinite) Visa which is granted at the New Zealand border to Australian Permanent Residents in the form of an entry stamp, if the holder leaves New Zealand the Visa would therefore end and the time spent would not count towards satisfying the Two Year Residence requirement in order to become a New Zealand Permanent Resident (2 years) or a Citizen (5 years). Australian Resident Visa is the name of the Visa given to Australian Permanent Residents or Australian Citizens upon arrival in New Zealand.

Holder's must also consider that they will be able to return to Australia as a Permanent Resident should the expiry of their travel facility on their Australian Permanent Residence occur whilst they are in New Zealand. The Australian Resident Visa granted in New Zealand is indefinite if in New Zealand, however expires when leaving.

As of 1 October 2019, Australian Permanent Residents need to apply for a New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority (NZeTA) if they wish to enter New Zealand. The ETA is valid for 2 years however there is no time limit on the length of stay, this is just the time the holder must enter within. The cost is NZD 9 on the mobile app and NZD 12 on the internet per traveller and takes about 5 minutes to complete. The aim is to preauthorise travel to New Zealand. Once the Australian Permanent Resident arrives, they will be granted a New Zealand Visa for Australian Residents (Australian Resident Visa) subject to satisfying character requirements. It is very important to consider three things: Validity of Australian Permanent Residence in order to return to Australia or New Zealand, Validity of NZeTA and leaving New Zealand. Leaving New Zealand will terminate the New Zealand Visa for Australian Resident, if the Australian Permanent Resident Visa is not Valid then they will not be able to return to New Zealand or Australia. There are no other costs involved. https://www.immigration.govt.nz/new-zealand-visas/apply-for-a-visa/about-visa/australian-resident-visa

European Union

European Union Family Member - South African Citizens who are travelling with or joining their EU family members in the European Union in a Country other than where their family member is a citizen of does not require a Visa to enter and enjoy the same entry rights and stay, however this would be difficult to prove and as a result, entry could be refused. Visa should be applied for in advance which is usually with no or minimal requirements to meet if the applicant is a family member of an EU Citizen. For instance, a person who wants to travel with their spouse to France where their spouse is a Citizen of the Republic of Lithuania should apply for a Schengen Visa in advance or where a person wants to join their Lithuanian spouse who resides in France should also apply for a Schengen Visa in order to prove their right and avoid misconception. In most cases, airlines will not permit travel without a visa. There is no time limit a family member can stay (indefinite stay), they must just enter before the Visa expires if joining their family or travelling at the same time. There are no costs involved either. European Union citizens and their South African family members will need to apply for settled or pre-settled status if they wish continue residing in the UK after 31 December 2020. Settled Status can be granted when the applicant has resided in the UK for 5 years and is valid indefinitely. In order to maintain settled status, people must visit the UK every 5 years. Pre-Settled status is granted when the applicant has resided in the UK for less than 5 years and is valid for 5 years. In order to maintain pre-settled status, people must visit the UK every two years. However, applicants would have to meet continuous residence until they reach 5 years if they want to qualify for settled status after 31 December 2020. It will not be possible to be granted another pre-settled Visa.

Schengen Visa (Long Stay) - Holder's of a Valid Long Stay Category D Visa who arrive in the Schengen European country of their Visa and apply for a Residence Card shortly after arriving will be able to use their EU residence permit/ card for travel within the Schengen States, if granted.

Non-visa restrictions[]

Many countries have entry restrictions on foreigners that go beyond the common requirement of having either a valid visa or a visa exemption. Such restrictions may be health related or impose additional documentation requirements on certain classes of people for diplomatic or political purposes.

Blank passport pages[]

Many countries require a minimum number of blank pages to be available in the passport being presented, typically one or two pages.^[343] Endorsement pages, which often appear after the visa pages, are not counted as being available.

Vaccination[]

An International Certificate of Vaccination or Prophylaxis is required to prove that someone has been vaccinated against yellow fever

Many African countries, including Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Côte d'Ivoire, Gabon, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Liberia, Niger, Rwanda, Sierra Leone and Togo, require all incoming passengers older than nine months to one year^[344] to have a current International Certificate of Vaccination or Prophylaxis, as does the South American territory of French Guiana.^[345]

Some other countries require vaccination only if the passenger is coming from an infected area or has visited one recently or has transited for 12 hours in those countries: Algeria, Botswana, Cabo Verde, Chad, Djibouti, Egypt, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Lesotho, Libya, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Papua New Guinea, Seychelles, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Swaziland, Tunisia, Uganda, United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe.^[346][347]

An increasing number of countries have been imposing additional COVID-19 related health restrictions such as quarantine measures and testing requirements. Many countries increasingly consider the vaccination status of travellers with regard to quarantine requirements or when deciding to allow them entry at all.^[348] This is justified by research that shows that the efficacy of the Pfizer vaccine lasts for six months or so.^[349]

Passport validity length[]

In the absence of specific bilateral agreements, countries requiring passports to be valid for at least 6 more months on arrival include Afghanistan, Algeria, Anguilla, Bahrain,^[350] Bhutan, Botswana, British Virgin Islands, Brunei, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Cayman Islands, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Costa Rica, Côte d'Ivoire, Curaçao, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Fiji, Gabon, Guinea Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Israel,^[351] Jordan, Kenya, Kiribati, Kuwait, Laos, Madagascar, Malaysia, Marshall Islands, Mongolia, Myanmar, Namibia, Nepal, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Oman, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Peru.^[352] Philippines,^[353] Qatar, Rwanda, Samoa, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Tanzania, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Tokelau, Tonga, Turkey, Tuvalu, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, Vanuatu, Venezuela, and Vietnam.^[354]

Countries requiring passports valid for at least 4 months on arrival include Micronesia and Zambia.

Countries requiring passports with a validity of at least 3 months beyond the date of intended departure include Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Nauru, Moldova and New Zealand. Similarly, the EEA countries of Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, all European Union countries (except the Republic of Ireland) together with Switzerland also require 3 months validity beyond the date of the bearer's intended departure unless the bearer is an EEA or Swiss national.

Countries requiring passports valid for at least 3 months on arrival include Albania, Honduras, North Macedonia, Panama, and Senegal.

Bermuda requires passports to be valid for at least 45 days upon entry.

Countries that require a passport validity of at least one month beyond the date of intended departure include Eritrea, Hong Kong, Lebanon, Macau, the Maldives^[355] and South Africa.

Other countries, such as Japan,^[356] Ireland and the United Kingdom,^[357] require a passport valid throughout the period of the intended stay.

A very few countries, such as Paraguay, just require a passport valid on arrival.

Some countries have bilateral agreements with other countries to shorten the period of passport validity required for each other's citizens^[358][359] or even accept passports that have already expired (but not been cancelled).^[360]

Criminal record[]

Some countries, including Australia, Canada, Fiji, New Zealand and the United States,^[361] routinely deny entry to non-citizens who have a criminal record while others impose restrictions depending on the type of conviction and the length of the sentence.

Persona non grata[]

The government of a country can declare a diplomat persona non grata, banning their entry into that country. In non-diplomatic use, the authorities of a country may also declare a foreigner persona non grata permanently or temporarily, usually because of unlawful activity.^[362]

Israeli stamps[]

Israeli border control Entry Permit (issued as a stand-alone document rather than a stamp affixed in a passport)

Kuwait,^[363] Lebanon,^[364] Libya,^[365] Syria,^[366] and Yemen^[367] do not allow entry to people with passport stamps from Israel or whose passports have either a used or an unused Israeli visa, or where there is evidence of previous travel to Israel such as entry or exit stamps from neighbouring border posts in transit countries such as Jordan and Egypt.

To circumvent this Arab League boycott of Israel, the Israeli immigration services have now mostly ceased to stamp foreign nationals' passports on either entry to or exit from Israel (unless the entry is for some work-related purposes). Since 15 January 2013, Israel no longer stamps foreign passports at Ben Gurion Airport. Passports are still (as of 22 June 2017) stamped at Erez when passing into and out of Gaza.^{[citation needed]}

Iran refuses admission to holders of passports containing an Israeli visa or stamp that is less than 12 months old.

Armenian ethnicity[]

Entry Permit to Nagorno-Karabakh issued in Yerevan as a stand-alone document rather than a visa affixed in a passport

Due to a state of war existing between Armenia and Azerbaijan,^{[368][369][370]} Armenian citizens and other foreign nationals of Armenian descent are likely to encounter difficulties when attempting to enter the Republic of Azerbaijan.^{[371][372][373]}

Azerbaijan bans visits by foreign citizens to the separatist region of Nagorno-Karabakh^[373] (the de facto independent Republic of Artsakh), its surrounding territories, and the Azerbaijani exclaves of Karki, Yuxarı Əskipara, Barxudarlı, and Sofulu which are de jure part of Azerbaijan but under the control of Armenia, without the prior consent of the government of Azerbaijan. Foreign citizens who enter these territories will be permanently banned from entering the Republic of Azerbaijan^[374] and will be included in their "list of personae non gratae".^[375] As of 2 September 2019, the list mentioned 852 people.

Biometrics[]

A fingerprint scanner at Dulles International Airport collects biometric data on visitors, which can be used for confirming identities.

Several countries mandate that all travellers, or all foreign travellers, be fingerprinted on arrival and will refuse admission to or even arrest travellers who refuse to comply. In some countries, such as the United States, this may apply even to transit passengers who merely wish to quickly change planes rather than go landside.^[376]

Fingerprinting countries include Afghanistan,^[377][378] Argentina,^[379] Brunei, Cambodia,^[380] China,^[381] Ethiopia,^[382] Ghana, Guinea,^[383] India, Japan,^[384][385] Kenya (both fingerprints and a photo are taken),^[386] Malaysia upon entry and departure ^[387], Mongolia, Paraguay, Saudi Arabia,^[388] Singapore, South Korea,^[389] Taiwan, Thailand,^[390] Uganda,^[391] the United Arab Emirates and the United States.

Many countries also require a photo be taken of people entering the country. The United States, which does not fully implement exit control formalities at its land frontiers (although long mandated by domestic legislation),^{[392][393][394]} intends to implement facial recognition for passengers departing from international airports to identify people who overstay their visa.^[395]

Together with fingerprint and face recognition, iris scanning is one of three biometric identification technologies internationally standardised since 2006 by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) for use in e-passports^[396] and the United Arab Emirates conducts iris scanning on visitors who need to apply for a visa.^[397][398]

Consular protection of South African citizens abroad[]

Diplomatic missions of South Africa

See also[]

• Visa policy of South Africa
• South African passport
• South African nationality law

References and Notes[]

References

Notes