Important:

Foreigners who wish to visit South Africa must have a passport valid for 30 more days after the intended return date from South Africa.  The passport must contain at least two unused visa pages for endorsement purposes. The unused visa page needed for endorsement is separate from pages reserved for observations and amendments. 

Visitors (Tourist) Visas

Visitors visas are for international travelers, (citizens of other countries) who has permanent residence outside the Republic of South Africa and who wish to go to the country on a temporary basis for tourism or business purposes for 90 days or less.

A visa simply indicates that your application has been reviewed at a South African embassy or consulate and that the consular officer has determined you are eligible to enter the country for a specific purpose. 

The visa will allow you to travel to a South African port of entry (airport or land border crossing) where an immigration official will then determine if you will be allowed to enter South Africa and for how long you can stay for that particular visit.  Visitors are restricted to the activity or reason for which their visas were issued. Applicants for visitors visas must provide evidence that they don’t intend to immigrate to the Republic of South Africa. 

On entry to South Africa, a visa is considered to be a visitor's permit. The  permit's period of validity is calculated from the date of entry into South Africa and will be set out under the heading "conditions" on the visa label. Applicants must ensure that they apply for the correct visa/permit. Entry in the Republic may be refused if the purpose of visit was not correctly stated.

    

Duration and Purpose of Stay

U.S. citizens (U.S. passport holders) traveling to the Republic of South Africa for 90 days or less for tourism or business purposes do not need visas. 

U.S. green card holders (non-US passport holders) who are nationals of other countries  must check the list of visa exempt countries to see if they need to apply for visas. 

If your visit would exceed 90 days or if you want to travel to South Africa to study or to work, you will need to apply for a temporary residence permit instead of a visitors visa.  Requirements for temporary residence permit is not the same with visitor (tourist) visa.

Please note that foreigners who wish to visit South Africa must have a passport valid for 30 more days after the intended return date from South Africa.  The passport must contain at least two unused visa pages for endorsement purposes. The unused visa page needed for endorsement is separate from pages reserved for observations and amendments

    

Entry Requirements for a Visitor's (Tourist) Visa

  • Passport valid for 30 more days after the intended return date from South Africa with at least two unused visa pages for endorsement. The unused page needed for endorsement purposes is separate from pages in a passport reserved for observations and amendments. 

  • Visa application form (BI-84).
  • Flight Itinerary
  • Two (2) 2 x 2" passport photos with white or light background
  • A statement or documentation confirming the purpose and duration of the visit.

  • Prescribed fee of US$72.00 in cash or money order. No personal checks will be accepted.

** New York applicants: Effective 1 April 2008, all fees for consular transactions including mailing fees (where applicable) must be paid in postal money order or certified bank checks only. Cash or personal check payments are not accepted. The postal money orders and certified bank checks must be made payable to the SACG, with the exact amount as no refunds will be made.

  • Proof of sufficient funds (recent bank statement)

  • Yellow fever certificate if the applicant will be traveling or intends traveling or traveled from or through the yellow fever endemic area. (Click here for list of countries falling within the Yellow Fever Belt)

  • Any other documentation or proof that the visa official may deem necessary
  • Processing Time: 5 days

Where to file your application

    

Application Fees

Nationals of certain countries are subject to visa fees. Fees are charged per application and are not refundable if the application be refused. Fees must be paid in postal money order or certified bank check payable to SACG (if application was submitted to any of the three Consulates General in the USA) or South African Embassy (if application was submitted to the South African Embassy in Washington, DC). The postal money order or certified bank check must be made out with the exact amount as no refunds will be made. Cash and personal check payments are not accepted.

 

      

Last Revised: Wednesday, May 07, 2008