South Africa eVisa - passport holders of visa-free countries

According to South Africa’s visa policy, all travelers who go to South Africa must obtain a visa from the nearest South African embassy, except for visa-exempt nationalities. South Africa lists 80 visa-exempt nationalities in total. So if you are among them, you are not required to get a visa from a South African diplomatic mission.

What are the entry requirements for the passport holders of the visa-free countries?

Even if you are exempt from getting a South African visa, that does not mean you can just board a plane and be on your way. You are still required to meet a few simple conditions. While you do not need a South Africa visa, as a passport holder of one of the visa-free countries, you must make sure that your travel document remains valid for at least another month from the date of your intended departure from South Africa. So, if you plan on leaving South Africa on December 16th, 2019, for instance, your passport must be valid until January 16th, 2020. Moreover, your passport must have at least one blank page available for stamping.

What if I am not from one of the South Africa visa-free countries?

In that case, your only option is to apply for a visa at the nearest South African embassy or consulate. However, the South African government has recently decided to adopt the electronic visa system, offering the option of obtaining an eVisa starting November 2019. Unfortunately, there is not much information about it, as the official guidelines have not been disclosed yet. Since there are no details out there, the South Africa eVisa is somewhat of a mystery at the moment, including what nationalities will be eligible, the requirements, validity, fees, and other relevant information.

Will the online application process be as challenging as going to the embassy?

We do not know much about the South Africa eVisa, but we do know this: the application process will be essentially effortless. iVisa is preparing for the moment when the South Africa eVisa goes live, offering a simple application form that can be completed in just a few minutes. All that will be required is a valid passport, an e-mail address, and a valid means of payment. Of course, once the official guidelines are released, more requirements may emerge, but this is what we know so far. The bottom line is that the passport holders of visa-free countries do not need a South Africa visa. But even if you are not among them, getting a South African eVisa will soon be a breeze if you are on the list of eligible nationalities. iVisa will do its best to provide you with a smooth and accessible online application process.