South Africans can now visit 108 countries visa-free – with one new destination added

The Henley Passport Index has been released, showing the 108 countries South Africans can travel to without a visa.

The index is based on data from the  International Air Transport Association (IATA) – the largest, most accurate travel information database.

Four EU members – France, Germany, Italy, and Spain — have joined Japan and Singapore in having the strongest passports in the world. Citizens in these countries can travel to 194 out of 227 across the globe without a visa.

South Africa is in the middle of the road, ranking 53rd with Qatar. South Africans can travel to 108 countries without a visa.

Since 2006, South Africa’s place on the rankings dropped from a high of 35 in 2009 to a low of 58 in 2021.

This is concerning as Christian H. Kaelin, Chairman of Henley & Partners, said that the global mobility gap between those at the top and bottom of the index is now greater than ever.

“The average number of destinations travellers are able to access visa-free has nearly doubled from 58 in 2006 to 111 in 2024. However, as we enter the new year, the top-ranked countries are now able to travel to a staggering 166 more destinations visa-free than Afghanistan, which sits at the bottom of the ranking with access to just 28 countries without a visa,” Kaelin said.

Where South Africans travel without a visa

Since the last index, South Africans can now travel to Kiribati in Oceania without a visa. The small island nation is home to just over 120,000 people.

Many countries South Africans can travel to without a visa are found in Africa, Asia, the Americas, the Caribbean and Asia.

However, popular emigration hotspots for South Africans, including the UK, Australia, and the USA, still require a visa.

Only Ireland, one of the four countries in Europe that offer visa-free travel to South Africans, could be considered an emigration hotspot for South African expats.

The 108 countries that South Africans can visit without a visa can be found below (Note: *visa on arrival, **eTA):

Africa

Americas 

Asia

Caribbean

Europe

Middle East 

Oceania 

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