These are the countries that don’t need a visa to visit South Africa

 ·25 Sep 2017

The department of home affairs recently updated its list of countries which are not required to present a visa when entering the country.

Despite featuring a relatively diverse list of countries on the list, the department has come under considerable scrutiny over the past year for turning away millions of rands due to its strict tourist requirements, and for not effectively communicating changes made to its allowed countries list.

You can find the list of allowed countries detailed below.

90 days or less

The citizen who is a holder of a national passport (diplomatic, official or ordinary) of the following countries is not required to hold a visa for an intended stay of 90 days or less and when in transit.

(* marks specific exceptions)

A-G H-P Q-Z
African Union Laissez Passer Iceland Russian Federation
Andorra Ireland San Marino
Argentina Israel Singapore
Australia Italy Spain
Austria Jamaica St Vincent & the Grenadines
Belgium Japan Sweden
Botswana Liechtenstein Switzerland
Botswana Luxemburg Tanzania*
Brazil Malta Trinidad & Tobago*
Canada Monaco United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland*
Chile* Namibia British Islands*
Czech Republic Netherlands United States of America
Denmark Norway Uruguay
Ecuador Panama Venezuela
Finland Paraguay Zambia*
France Portugal Zimbabwe
Germany*
Greece

30 days 

The citizen who is a holder of a national passport (diplomatic, official or ordinary) of the following countries is not required to hold a visa for an intended stay of 30 days or less and when in transit.

(* marks specific exceptions)

A-F G-O P-Z
Antigua and Barbuda Hong Kong Peru
Bahamas* Hungary Poland
Barbados Jordan Seychelles
Belize Lesotho South Korea
Benin Macau Swaziland
Bolivia Malaysia Thailand
Cape Verde Malawi Turkey
Costa Rica Maldives
Cyprus Mauritius
Gabon Mozambique
Guyana

Special passports

In addition to the above broad visa rules, specific agreements have also been concluded with the following countries for holders of diplomatic and official passport holders.

(* marks specific exceptions)

A-G H-P Q-Z
Albania (120 days) Hungary (120 days) Romania (90 days)
Algeria (30 days) India (90 days) Rwanda (30 days)
Angola (90 days) Indonesia (30 days) Senegal (90 days)
Belarus (90 days) Ivory Coast (30 days) Slovak Republic (90 days)
Benelux states (90 days) Kenya (30 days) Thailand (90 days)
Bulgaria (90 days) Mexico (90 days) Thailand (90 days)*
China (30 days) Madagascar (30 days) Vietnam (90 days)
Cyprus (90 days) Morocco (30 days)
Comoros (90 days) Mozambique (90 days)
Croatia (90 days) Namibia (30 days)
Cuba (90 days) Nigeria (90 days)
Egypt (30 days) Paraguay (120 days)
Ghana (90 days) Poland (90 days)
Guinea (90 days)

Read: The jobs that UK businesses are paying South Africans and other foreigners to fill

Show comments
Subscribe to our daily newsletter