New R500 visa fee officially introduced in South Africa
The Department of Home Affairs has officially introduced a new R500 fee for processing the new Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA).
The fee was introduced with visa fee amendments gazetted on Monday (17 August), following the proposal to introduce the fee in July.
The fee follows the system’s official launch last week.
The ETA platform pilot launched in October 2025 and has been available to nationals of participating countries. It forms part of the DHA’s digital transformation programme.
The system allows travellers to apply for visas and have these processed seamlessly within 24 hours.
President Cyril Ramaphosa launched the ETA with the DHA at OR Tambo International Airport on 12 August, and now plans to expand it.
Ramaphosa said the government will expand the system to additional countries, and, over time, digital processing will extend to include work visas, study visas and other immigration services.
DHA minister Leon Schreiber said that, when the first phase of the ETA was implemented, visa fees for onboarding countries were temporarily waived because the platform did not yet have an integrated online payment capability.
However, with the system now launched and online payment capability in place, the once fully subsidised programme can now start charging the necessary fees.
A processing fee of R500 will apply to each ETA application.
Schreiber previously noted that, in the next phase, the ETA will become compulsory for travellers from non-visa-exempt countries included on the platform. This may become the case for all travellers.
Initially, it will be optional for travellers from visa-exempt countries, Schreiber said.
“However, notwithstanding the optional nature of the platform for visa-exempt travellers, the Department anticipates fast uptake of this new system from visa-exempt travellers, given the significant improvements in efficiency and security it delivers,” he said.
Schreiber noted that the new fee would result in an overall saving for travellers, with the ETA processing being an in-sourced feature.
Using outsourcing services would accrue a fee of R1,550, which, when combined with the visa fee of R425, would result in a total payment of R1,975.
Using the streamlined ETA services, this would be reduced to R925, being R500 for ETA processing and the R425 visa fee, he said.
New visa fees
| Application | Section of the Act | Amount (R) |
|---|---|---|
| Electronic processing fee (applicable to the ETA) | 7(1)(i) | R500.00 |
| Certificate to enter or depart from the Republic at a place other than a port of entry | 9(3)(b) | R425.00 |
| Port of entry visa* | 10A | R425.00 |
| Transit visa* | 10B | R425.00 |
| Visitor’s visa* | 11 | R425.00 |
| Study visa* | 13 | R425.00 |
| Treaty visa* | 14 | R425.00 |
| Business visa* | 15 | R1,520.00 |
| Medical treatment visa* | 17 | R425.00 |
| Relatives visa* | 18 | R425.00 |
| Work visa* | 19 | R1,520.00 |
| Retired person visa* | 20 | R425.00 |
| Corporate visa* | 21 | R1,520.00 |
| Exchange visa* | 22 | R425.00 |
| Permanent residence permit (excluding applications by a foreigner contemplated in sections 26(b), 26(c) and 27(d) of the Act) | 25 | R1,520.00 |
| Proof of permanent residency | 7(1)(i) | R100.00 |
The tables below outline the differences between the outsourced and the new in-sourced ETA fee structure.
Outsourced Fee Structure
| Category | Outsourced Service Provider Fee | Requirement | Existing Visa Fee | Total Cost to Traveller |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Non-visa-exempt | R1,550 | Compulsory | R425 | R1,975 |
| Non-visa-exempt but visa-fee exempt | R1,550 | Compulsory | R0.00 | R1,550 |
| Visa-exempt | R0.00 | N/A | R0.00 | R0.00 |
New Fee Structure
| Category | ETA Insourcing Fee | Requirement | Existing Visa Fee | Total Cost to Traveller |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Non-visa-exempt | R500 | Compulsory | R425 | R925 |
| Non-visa-exempt but visa-fee exempt | R500 | Compulsory | R0.00 | R500 |
| Visa-exempt | R500 | Voluntary | R0.00 | R500 |
The full gazette can be read below:
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