Countries exempt from South African Visas

Countries exempt from South African Visas

von Petrus Jacobus van der Walt Januar 05, 2023

Countries exempt from South African Visas

EXEMPT PASSPORT HOLDERS FOR SOUTH AFRICAN VISAS ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE. 

A port-of-entry visa is not necessary for admission for holders of a national South African passport, travel document, or document for travel purposes.


For legitimate official business visits lasting up to 90 days and while in transit, an employee of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) traveling on a SADC laissez-passer is exempt from the port of entry visa requirement.
To enter the Republic for stays under 90 days, including official visits, transit, or when applying for accreditation to work at a UN mission, port of entry visas are not necessary for holders of United Nations laissez-passers, volunteers attached to the UN, people working for any UN agency, and people performing services on behalf of the UN, including their spouses, dependent relatives, and other members of their households.


Regardless of the length of their stay, members of foreign military forces are exempt from port-of-entry and study visa requirements if they are attending military-related events with the South African National Defence Force and have valid passports, letters of invitation from the SA National Defence Force, and letters of consent from the military force they are a part of.
Lesotho, Botswana, the Kingdom of Eswatini, Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and Malawi nationals driving commercial heavy-duty vehicles do not need port-of-entry visas to enter the Republic as long as their stays do not exceed the time frames in which those countries are visa-free, and as long as they can show documentation proving their employment with a transport company abroad. For the duration of the respective country's visa exemption status, which cannot exceed 90 days at a time, visitor visas under section 11(1)(a) of the Immigration Act may be issued with permission to undertake work under section 11(2) of the same Act.


Typical Work Drivers of foreign commercial heavy-duty vehicles employed by South African businesses who are citizens of nations with visa-free entry privileges are exempt from needing visas, provided they can show a letter verifying their job upon entry. Foreign commercial heavy-duty vehicle drivers may receive visitor visas under section 11(1)(a) of the Immigration Act and authorization to engage in employment under section 11(2) of the same Act for the duration of their countries' visa exemption status, which cannot exceed 90 days at a time. This decision was made by the North Gauteng High Court on March 31, 2011.


By section 10B(4)(a) of the Immigration Act of 2002, transit visas are no longer necessary for travelers passing through O R Tambo International Airport, Cape Town International Airport, King Shaka International Airport, and Lanseria International Airport as of December 18, 2015, except for deportees (Act No 13 of 2002). However, biometric data will be taken from travelers in transit. Deportees passing through any port of entry are expected to have a transit visa on them at all times, and they must also be escorted.
In addition, beginning on August 1, 2022, all ordinary passport holders from Pakistan and Bangladesh who plan to travel to another nation via South Africa must have a transit visa or a port of entry, as applicable.
The attached Schedule lists national passport holders from nations who are exempt from port-of-entry visa requirements, along with the category of exempt passport holders and the duration of the visa exemption. The list also specifies if an administrative processing charge is required or not when a national passport holder of a particular nation must have a port of entry visa to go to South Africa. Please take note that visa fees only apply to the nations denoted by an asterisk if the proposed visit lasts longer than thirty (30) days:


All visitors to South Africa are advised that a port of entry visa application must be made through the South African Embassy/High Commission/Consulate General in your country of origin or of long-term residence if you are the owner of a national passport from a nation whose passport holders are exempt from visa requirements, but your visa exemption has been formally withdrawn.

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   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     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* 30 Days 30 Days   30 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
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
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 annum 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 (Special Administrative Region of China)*
Malaysia*
Republic of Korea (South Korea)*
Thailand (Kingdom of)*
Turkey (Republic of)*

 

Information supplied by the South African Department of Home Affairs.

All information was correct at the time of publishing.




Petrus Jacobus van der Walt
Petrus Jacobus van der Walt

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