Countries exempt from South African Visas

PASSPORT HOLDERS WHO ARE EXEMPT FROM VISAS FOR SOUTH AFRICA

SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE 

  1. The holder of a national South African passport, travel document or document for travel purposes does not require a port of entry visa to enter the country,
  2. A staff member of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) who travel on a SADC laissez-passer does not require a port of entry visa for bona fide official business visits up to 90 days and when in transit.
  3. Holders of United Nations Laissez-passers; excluding its agencies, except for to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and persons performing services on behalf of the United Nations, including their spouses, dependent relatives and other members of their households, do not require port of entry visas when visiting the Republic for periods not exceeding 90 days, including official visits, transit or when applying for accreditation for placement at a UN mission in the Republic: Provided they are in possession of the relevant letters or identification documents to identify themselves at ports of entry as personnel of a United Nations agency.
  4. Members of foreign military forces attending any military related matters with the South African National Defence Force do not require port of entry visas or study visas, irrespective of their duration of stay, provided that they are in possession of valid passports and letters of invitation by the South African National Defence Force, as well as letters of consent from the military force of which they are members.
  5. Foreign commercial heavy-duty vehicle drivers from Lesotho, Botswana, Kingdom of Eswatini, Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Malawi do not require port of entry visas when entering the Republic, provided their visits do not exceed the period for which their respective countries enjoy visa free entry and on condition that they can produce a letter confirming their employment with a transport company abroad. Visitor’s visas in terms of section 11(1)(a) of the Immigration Act, with authorisation to conduct work in terms of section 11(2) of the said Act, may be issued for the period of the visa exemption status of the respective country, which period may not exceed 90 days at a time.
  6. General Work Visas are not required by foreign commercial heavy duty vehicle drivers who are employed by South African companies and originate from countries which enjoy visa free movement into South Africa, on condition that they can produce a letter confirming their employment on entry. In accordance with a High Court ruling by the North Gauteng High Court on 31 March 2011, foreign commercial heavy duty vehicle drivers may be issued with visitor’s visas in terms of section 11(1)(a) of the Immigration Act, with authorisation to conduct work in terms of section 11(2) of the said Act for the period of their countries’ visa exemption status, which period may not exceed 90 days at a time.
  7. With effect from 18 December 2015 travellers, with the exception of deportees, who transit through O R Tambo International Airport; Cape Town International Airport; King Shaka International Airport and Lanseria International Airport do not require transit visas as contemplated in section 10B(4)(a) of the Immigration Act, 2002 (Act No 13 of 2002). However, transiting passengers will be subjected to biometric capturing. Deportees transiting at any port of entry are required to be in possession of a transit visa at all times and must be escorted.
  8. Further to this, with effect from 1 August 2022 all ordinary passport holders of Pakistan and Bangladesh who intend to enter South Africa en route to another country, are required to be in possession of a port of entry or a transit visa, as the case may be.
  9. The attached Schedule outlines national passport holders from countries who are exempt from port of entry visa requirements, the category of passport holders who are exempt from port of entry visa requirements and the period for which such visa exemption applies. Where a national passport holder of a specific country is required to be in possession of a port of entry visa to proceed to South Africa, the list also outlines whether or not an administrative processing fee is payable or not. Please note that countries marked with an asterisk are only subject to visa fees if the intended visit exceeds thirty (30) days:
  10. All travellers to South Africa are advised that if you are the holder of a national passport of a country whose passport holders are exempt from visa requirements, but your individual visa exemption has been officially withdrawn, a port of entry visa application must be submitted through the South African Embassy/ High Commission/ Consulate General in your country of origin or of long-term residence.

Issued on 19 MARCH 2024

 

Visa  Exemption List
COUNTRY NAME/ORGANISATIONS Passport Type Visa Fees 
Diplomatic Official Service Ordinary Special 
African Union Laissez Passer 90 Days No
African Development Bank Laissez-Passers 90 Days No
Albania (Republic of) 120 Days 120 Days 120 Days     Yes
Algeria 30 Days 30 Days 30 Days     No
Andorra (Principality of) 90 Days 90 Days   90 Days   Yes
Angola (Republic of) 90 Days     90 Days P/A  90 Days Yes
Anguilla 90 Days 90 Days   90 Days   Yes
Antigua and Barbuda 30 Days 30 Days   30 Days   No
Argentina 90 Days 90 Days   90 Days   No
Australia 90 Days 90 Days   90 Days   Yes
Austria (Republic of) 90 Days 90 Days  90 Days 90 Days   Yes
Bahamas       30 Days   Yes
Barbados 30 Days 30 Days   30 Days   No
Belarus (Republic of) 90 Days 90 Days 90 Days     Yes
Belgium 90 Days 90 Days   90 Days   Yes
Belize* 30 Days 30 Days   30 Days   Yes
Benin (Republic of)* 30 Days 30 Days   30 Days   Yes
Bermuda 90 Days 90 Days   90 Days   No
Bolivia, Plurinational State of 30 Days 30 Days   30 Days   No
Botswana 90 Days 90 Days   90 Days   No
Brazil 90 Days 90 Days   90 Days   No
British Antarctic Territory       90 Days   Yes
British Indian Ocean Territory 90 Days 90 Days   90 Days   Yes
British Virgin Island 90 Days 90 Days   90 Days   No
Bulgaria (Republic of) 90 Days 90 Days 90 Days     Yes
Canada 90 Days 90 Days   90 Days   Yes
Cape Verde 30 Days 30 Days   30 Days   No
Cayman Islands 90 Days 90 Days   90 Days   Yes
Chile 90 Days 90 Days   90 Days   No
China (People’s Republic of) 30 Days 30 Days 30 Days     Yes
Comoros (Union of) 90 Days 90 Days 90 Days     Yes
Congo (Democratic Republic of) 90 Days 90 Days 90 Days     Yes
Costa Rica 30 Days 30 Days   30 Days   No
Croatia (Republic of) 90 Days 90 Days 90 Days     Yes
Cuba (Republic of) 90 Days 90 Days 90 Days     Yes
Cyprus 90 Days 90 Days 90 Days 30 Days   No
Czech Republic 90 Days 90 Days   90 Days   No
Denmark (Kingdom of) 90 Days 90 Days   90 Days   Yes
Ducie and Oeno Islands 90 Days 90 Days   90 Days   Yes
Ecuador 90 Days 90 Days   90 Days   No
Egypt 30 Days 30 Days 30 Days     No
Ethiopia (The Federal Democratic Republic of) 90 Days 90 Days 90 Days      Yes
Falkland Islands 90 Days 90 Days   90 Days   Yes
Finland (Republic of) 90 Days 90 Days   90 Days   Yes
France (Republic of) 90 Days 90 Days   90 Days   Yes
Gabon (Republic of)* 30 Days 30 Days   30 Days   Yes
Germany (Federal Republic of) 90 Days 90 Days   90 Days   Yes
Ghana (Republic of) 90 Days 90 Days 90 Days 90 Days P/A    Yes
Gibraltar 90 Days 90 Days   90 Days   Yes
Greece (Hellenic Republic of) 90 Days 90 Days   90 Days   Yes
Guernsey 90 Days 90 Days   90 Days   No
Guinea (Republic of) 90 Days 90 Days 90 Days     Yes
Guyana 30 Days 30 Days   30 Days   No
Henderson 90 Days 90 Days   90 Days   Yes
Hong Kong (SpecialAdministrative Region of China)* 30 Days 30 Days   30 Days   Yes
Hungary 120 Days 120 Days 120 Days 30 Days   No
Iceland (Republic of) 90 Days 90 Days   90 Days   Yes
India 90 Days 90 Days 90 Days     No
Indonesia (Republic of) 30 Days 30 Days 30 Days     Yes
Ireland 90 Days 90 Days   90 Days   No
Isle of Man 90 Days 90 Days   90 Days   No
Israel 90 Days 90 Days   90 Days   No
Italy (Republic of) 90 Days 90 Days   90 Days   Yes
Ivory Coast (Republic of Còte D’Ivoire) 30 Days 30 Days 30 Days     Yes
Jamaica 90 Days 90 Days   90 Days   Yes
Japan 90 Days 90 Days   90 Days   Yes
Jersey 90 Days 90 Days   90 Days   No
Jordan 30 Days 30 Days   30 Days   No
Kenya (Republic of) 90 Days 90 Days 90 Days 90 Days P/A    Yes
Kingdom of Eswatini (Swaziland) 30 Days 30 Days   30 Days   No
Lesotho (Kingdom Of) 30 Days 30 Days   30 Days   No
Liberia 90 Days 90 Days 90 Days     Yes
Liechtenstein 90 Days 90 Days   90 Days   No
Lithuania (Republic of) 30 Days P/A 30 Days P/A       Yes
Luxembourg (Grand Duchy of) 90 Days 90 Days 90 Days 90 Days   Yes
Macau       30 Days   No
Madagascar (Republic of) 30 Days 30 Days 30 Days 90 Days P/A   Yes
Malawi 30 Days     30 Days  30 Days No
Malaysia 90 Days 90 Days 90 Days  90 Days   Yes
Maldives 30 Days 30 Days   30 Days   No
Mali (Republic of) 90 Days 90 Days 90 Days     Yes
Malta 90 Days 90 Days   90 Days   No
Mauritius 30 Days 30 Days   30 Days   No
Mexico 90 Days 90 Days 90 Days     No
Monaco (Principality of) 90 Days 90 Days   90 Days   Yes
Montserrat 90 Days 90 Days   90 Days   Yes
Morocco (Kingdom of) 30 Days 30 Days 30 Days     Yes
Mozambique (Republic of) 90 Days 90 Days 90 Days 30 Days   Yes
Namibia 30 Days 30 Days 30 Days 90 Days P/A   No
Netherlands (The Kingdom of) 90 Days 90 Days 90 Days 90 Days   Yes
New Zealand       90 Days   Yes
Niger 90 Days 90 Days 90 Days     Yes
Nigeria (Republic of) 90 Days 90 Days 90 Days     Yes
Norway 90 Days 90 Days   90 Days   Yes
Palestine (State of)       90 Days     No
Panama (Republic of) 90 Days 90 Days   90 Days   Yes
Paraguay 120 Days 120 Days 120 Days 90 Days   No
Peru 30 Days 30 Days   30 Days   No
Pitcairn Islands 90 Days 90 Days   90 Days   Yes
Poland (Republic of) 90 Days 90 Days 90 Days 30 Days   Yes
Portugal (Republic of) 90 Days 90 Days   90 Days   Yes
Qatar (State of)       90 Days   Yes
Republic of Korea (South Korea)* 30 Days 30 Days   30 Days   Yes
Romania 90 Days 90 Days 90 Days     Yes
Russian Federation 90 Days 90 Days   90 Days   Yes
Rwanda (Republic of) 30 Days 30 Days 30 Days     Yes
SADC laissez-passers   90 Days       No
Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha,Gough Island 90 Days 90 Days   90 Days   Yes
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 90 Days 90 Days   90 Days   No
San Marino (Republic of) 90 Days 90 Days   90 Days   Yes
São Tomé and Príncipe (Democratic Republic of)       90 Days   Yes
Saudi Arabia (Kingdom of)       90 Days   Yes
Senegal 90 Days 90 Days 90 Days     No
Seychelles 30 Days 30 Days   90 Days P/A   No
Sierre Leone (Republic of) 90 Days P/A 90 Days P/A 90 Days P/A     Yes
Singapore (Republic of) 90 Days 90 Days   90 Days   Yes
Slovak Republic 90 Days 90 Days 90 Days     No
South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands 90 Days 90 Days   90 Days   No
Spain (Kingdom of) 90 Days 90 Days   90 Days   Yes
Sweden 90 Days 90 Days   90 Days   No
Switzerland 90 Days 90 Days   90 Days   No
Tanzania (United Republic of) 90 Days P/A 90 Days P/A   90 Days P/A   Yes
Thailand (Kingdom of)* 90 Days 90 Days 90 Days 30 Days   Yes
Trinidad and Tobago (Republic of)       90 Days   Yes
Tunisia (Republic of) 90 Days 90 Days 90 Days 90 Days 90 Days Yes
Turkey (Republic of)* 30 Days   30 Days  30 Days  30 Days Yes
Turks and Caicos Islands 90 Days 90 Days   90 Days   Yes
Uganda (Republic of) 90 Days 90 Days 90 Days     Yes
United Arab Emirates       90 Days   Yes
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland       90 Days   No
United Nations Lasse Passer 90 Days No
United States of America 90 Days 90 Days 90 Days 90 Days 90 Days Yes
Uruguay 90 Days 90 Days   90 Days   No
Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of) 90 Days 90 Days   90 Days   Yes
Vietnam (Republic of) 90 Days 90 Days 90 Days     Yes
Virgin Islands (British) 90 Days 90 Days   90 Days   No
Zambia 90 Days P/A 90 Days P/A   90 Days P/A   No
Zimbabwe 90 Days 90 Days   90 Days   No

 

Special Notes
Diplomatic,Official and Service Passport holders do not pay VISA FEES
Angola (Republic of) Each visit not to exceed 30 days
Germany (Federal Republic of) Except diplomatic passport holders who are due to assume duty at the Embassy and Consulates of Germany in South Africa, require visas for accreditation purposes
United States of America Except  diplomatic passport holders who are due to assume duty at the Embassy and Consulates of the USA in South Africa, require visas for accreditation purposes
P/A P/A indicates per anum or per calendar year
Belize* Please note that countries marked with an asterisk are only subject to visa fees if the intended visit exceeds thirty (30) days:
Benin (Republic of)*
Gabon (Republic of)*
Hong Kong (SpecialAdministrative Region of China)*
Republic of Korea (South Korea)*
Thailand (Kingdom of)*
Turkey (Republic of)*