{"id":440387,"date":"2020-10-17T07:00:20","date_gmt":"2020-10-17T05:00:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/?p=440387"},"modified":"2020-10-16T10:45:38","modified_gmt":"2020-10-16T08:45:38","slug":"these-are-the-visa-free-countries-you-can-travel-to-on-a-south-african-passport","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/lifestyle\/440387\/these-are-the-visa-free-countries-you-can-travel-to-on-a-south-african-passport\/","title":{"rendered":"These are the visa-free countries you can travel to on a South African passport\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"

Henley & Partners has published its latest passport index, outlining the countries that South African can travel to visa-free right now, and how the coronavirus pandemic has impacted international travel.<\/p>\n

The data shows that the pandemic has completely upended the seemingly unshakeable global mobility hierarchy that has dominated the last few decades, with more change still to come.<\/p>\n

At the beginning of the year, for instance, the US passport was ranked in sixth position on the index – the original ranking of all the world’s passports according to the number of destinations their holders can access without a prior visa \u00ad- and Americans could travel hassle-free to 185 destinations around the world.<\/p>\n

That number has since dropped dramatically by over 100, with US passport holders currently able to access fewer than 75 destinations, with the most popular tourist and business centres notably excluded.<\/p>\n

Without taking the various pandemic-related travel bans and restrictions into account,\u00a0Japan<\/span> continues to hold the number one spot on the index, with a visa-free\/visa-on-arrival score of 191.<\/p>\n

Singapore<\/span> remains in second place, with a score of 190, while Germany<\/span>\u00a0and\u00a0South Korea<\/span> are tied third, each with a score of 189.<\/p>\n

Dr.\u00a0Christian H. Kaelin<\/span>, chairman of Henley & Partners, said travel freedom is something citizens of wealthy democratic countries such the UK, the US, and Western European nations have taken for granted for decades.<\/p>\n

“The pandemic has abruptly changed this, and there’s been a shift away from travel freedom being regarded as the prerogative of nationals with once-powerful passports, towards a realization that it is now a necessary luxury for those wishing to access first-class education, business opportunities, and quality healthcare for themselves and their families,” he said.<\/p>\n

\n

South Africa<\/strong><\/p>\n

The index shows that South Africa has moved up one place to 52nd position, with passport holders able to access 101 destinations without obtaining a prior visa.<\/p>\n

However, as with other countries, it faces ongoing travel restrictions.<\/p>\n

An analysis by BusinessTech,<\/a><\/strong> using the Department of Home Affairs’ list of high-risk countries, shows that of the 60 countries listed by South Africa, only 18 actually allow South Africans to visit them for leisure purposes.<\/p>\n

For some counties, travel is possible, but not directly \u2013 such as Malta or Montenegro, which would require a citizen from a \u2018red list\u2019 country (such as South Africa) to spend 14 or 15 days in a \u2018green list\u2019 country before entering.<\/p>\n

As with South Africa\u2019s opening of borders, countries that do allow travel for leisure and tourism purposes do not do so unconditionally, and will require travellers to either submit recent negative Covid-19 tests, or be subject to a mandatory quarantine period.<\/p>\n

Note:<\/strong> As travel restrictions are changing on an ongoing basis, the below is as reported at 4 October 2020, with the latest available information from each respective country. Many countries have indicated reviews to lists in the coming weeks.<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

There are many regions – which South Africa has classified as low or medium risk – that are still restricting travel from<\/strong> South Africa.<\/p>\n

This includes countries like Canada, Japan and most of Europe, which uses a centralised database<\/a> to categorise high-risk countries.<\/p>\n

The definition of high risk can differ from territory to territory, but countries like Russia classify it as a 14-day cumulative Covid-19 infection rate higher than 25 people per 100,000 people.<\/p>\n

However, because these restrictions change frequently it is still important for travellers to familiarise themselves with the existing visa regimes.<\/p>\n

Below are the 101 countries South Africans can travel to visa-free according to the latest Henley & Partners report.<\/p>\n

\n

* Indicates visa on arrival or eTA.<\/em><\/p>\n

Africa<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Angola<\/td>\nMadagascar*<\/td>\nSierra Leone*<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Benin<\/td>\nMalawi<\/td>\nSomalia*<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Botswana<\/td>\nMauritania*<\/td>\nSt. Helena*<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Cape Verde Islands*<\/td>\nMauritius<\/td>\nSwaziland (eSwatini)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Comores Islands*<\/td>\nMozambique<\/td>\nTanzania<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Ethiopia*<\/td>\nNamibia<\/td>\nTogo*<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Gabon<\/td>\nNigeria<\/td>\nTunisia<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Ghana*<\/td>\nReunion<\/td>\nUganda*<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Guinea-Bissau*<\/td>\nRwanda*<\/td>\nZambia<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Kenya<\/td>\nSenegal<\/td>\nZimbabwe<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Lesotho<\/td>\nSeychelles*<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n

Asia\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Cambodia<\/span>*<\/td>\nMalaysia<\/td>\nSri Lanka*<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Hong Kong (SAR China)<\/td>\nMaldives*<\/td>\nTajikistan*<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Indonesia<\/td>\nNepal*<\/td>\nThailand<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Kyrgyzstan*<\/td>\nPhilippines<\/td>\nTimor-Leste*<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Laos*<\/td>\nSingapore<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Macao\u00a0(SAR China)<\/td>\nSouth Korea<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n

Europe\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n
\n\n\n
Ireland<\/td>\nKosovo<\/td>\nRussian Federation<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n

Oceania\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n
\n\n\n\n\n
Cook Islands<\/td>\nMicronesia<\/td>\nSamoa*<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Fiji<\/td>\nNiue<\/td>\nTuvalu*<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Marshall Islands*<\/td>\nPalau Islands*<\/td>\nVanuatu<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n

Caribbean\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Antigua and Barbuda<\/td>\nDominican\u00a0Republic<\/td>\nSt. Lucia<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Bahamas<\/td>\nGrenada<\/td>\nSt. Vincent and the Grenadines<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Barbados<\/td>\nHaiti<\/td>\nTrinidad and Tobago<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
British Virgin Islands<\/td>\nJamaica<\/td>\nTurks and Caicos<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Cayman Islands<\/td>\nMontserrat<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Dominica<\/td>\nSt. Kitts and Nevis<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n

Americas\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Argentina<\/td>\nEcuador<\/td>\nNicaragua<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Belize<\/td>\nEl Salvador<\/td>\nPanama<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Bolivia*<\/td>\nFalkland Islands<\/td>\nParaguay<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Brazil<\/td>\nGuatemala<\/td>\nPeru<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Chile<\/td>\nGuyana<\/td>\nUruguay<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Costa Rica<\/td>\nHonduras<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n

Middle East\/Other\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n
\n\n\n\n\n
Armenia*<\/td>\nIsrael<\/td>\nQatar<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Georgia<\/td>\nJordan*<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Iran*<\/td>\nPalestinian Territory<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n

Read: Tax hikes proposed for South Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Henley & Partners has published its latest passport index, outlining the countries that South African can travel to visa-free right now, and how the coronavirus pandemic has impacted international travel.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":292744,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9876],"tags":[26,10004],"class_list":["post-440387","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-lifestyle","tag-headline","tag-henley-partners"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/440387","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/10"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=440387"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/440387\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":441302,"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/440387\/revisions\/441302"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/292744"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=440387"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=440387"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=440387"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}