Government

Major blow to South African passport holders

Luke Fraser

 ·16 Oct 2025

South Africa has dropped out of the ranking of the best 50 passports in the world, with the country falling from 48th to 53rd globally.

This is according to the latest Henley Passport Index, which compares visa-free access of 199 different passports to 227 travel destinations. 

The ranking is determined through a passport strength score. A passport scores one point for every country a traveller can enter visa-free.

The same applies if a traveller can obtain a visa on arrival (VOA), a visitor’s permit, or an electronic travel authority (ETA) when entering the destination.

However, if a visa must be attained, even if it is through a government-approved electronic visa (e-Visa) before departure, it is not counted. This also applies if pre-departure government approval is required for a visa on arrival.

South Africa jumped into the top 50 passports in 2024, but the country has since seen the total number of countries that its travellers can enter visa-free decline from 103 to 102. 

Due to this, South Africa dropped down the rankings from 48th previously to 53rd in the world. South Africa is just behind Qatar, but there is still a nine-point difference between the two.

Singapore remains at the top of the rankings, which has visa-free access to 193 countries. South Korea follows with 190 countries, while Japan is third with 189 countries. 

There is a five-way tie for fourth, with Germany, Spain, Switzerland, Italy and Luxembourg all having access to 188 countries. 

On the other end of the scale, Afghanistan remains the world’s weakest passport, with only 24 countries allowing for visa-free access, beating Syria’s 26 countries. 

Notably, the United States has dropped out of the top 10 ranking for the first time in 20 years, coinciding with stricter US immigration and travel policies under the Trump administration, losing reciprocal free access.

Who did South Africa lose access to

South Africa’s drop in the rankings came as the nation lost visa-free access to Somalia.  

The Immigration and Citizenship Agency of Somalia officially launched its eVisa service on 1 September 2025. 

This replaced the previous visa-on-arrival (VoA) system, and travellers must now apply for permission before setting foot in the country.

Isxaaq Hassan Takow, Director of the Somalian Department of Foreign Affairs, said the online platform has been developing for some time.

He said the new system would simplify visa applications by making them accessible to travellers from anywhere in the world, with approvals given quickly. 

However, for many travellers, including South Africans, the new system marks a massive change. 

Under the old system, South African passports could make last-minute travel plans to Somalia, complete the visa process at the airport or border, and gain entry. 

The eVisa system introduces a pre-travel requirement that removes some of the previous ease-of-use for individuals who need to travel at short notice. 

The new digital process also allows for fewer options to address potential complications quickly.

A denied eVisa application means a traveller cannot board their flight, and their non-refundable application fee is forfeited.

However, Somali officials emphasised the benefits of the change, with Minister of Interior Security Abdullahi Sheikh Ismail Fartaag stating that the new system will improve national security. 

He added that it will enhance monitoring of travellers, increase transparency, and ensure that visa-related fees go directly into the Ministry of Finance.

Some exemptions to the new visa category include diplomats, residents, holders of multiple-entry visas, UNLP passport holders, or nationals of countries with visa-free agreements.

Despite this, there are still several popular tourist destinations that South Africans can travel to without a visa, including Mauritius, Thailand, Singapore, South Korea and more.

The 102 countries where South Africans don’t need a visa

Americas 

Asia

Caribbean

Europe

Middle East 

Oceania 

*Visa on Arrival/ETA