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The visa policy of South Africa is the policy by which the South African government determines who may and may not enter their country. Visitors to South Africa must obtain a visa from one of the South African diplomatic missions unless they come from one of the visa exempt countries, in which case they get what is called a "Port of Entry Visa". Visitors who require a visa must apply in person and provide biometric data.
Contents
- Visa exemptions
- 90 days
- 30 days
- Diplomatic service and official passports
- Eligible international organizations
- Visa types
- Overstay consequences
- Minors
- Visitor statistics
- References
All visitors must hold a passport valid for 1 month after departure and with one blank page (two if a visa is required).
In December 2016 it was announced that South Africa will review its visa policy in accordance with the principle of reciprocity.
Visa exemptions
Nationals of the following countries can enter South Africa without a visa:
90 days
Nationals of the following 47 countries/territories who hold valid national passports are not required to obtain South African visas for visits of up to 90 days:
1 - for ordinary passport holders only.
2 – the maximum stay is 90 days per year.
3 - for British Citizens, British Overseas Territories citizens and British Nationals (Overseas) only.
30 days
Citizens of the following 28 countries/territories who hold valid national passports are not required to obtain South African visas for visits of up to 30 days:
1 - for ordinary passport holders only.
2 - for holders of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region passports only.
3 - for holders of Macau Special Administrative Region passports only.
Diplomatic, service and official passports
Citizens who are holders of diplomatic, official or service passports of the following countries do not require visas for visits of the indicated period and transit for up to 90 days (unless otherwise noted):
1 - 120 days
2 - 30 days
Eligible international organizations
Individuals holding the following travel documents are not required to obtain South African visas for visits of 90 days or less:
Visa types
Visas issued by South Africa are for:
Temporary residence visas issued by South Africa are:
Overstay consequences
According to the amended South African Immigration Act 13 of 2002, foreign nationals overstaying the expiry of their South African visas will be determined “undesirable” and, consequently, face being banned from the Republic for a period of up to 5 years.
Minors
From 1 June 2015, all minors under the age of 18 travelling in and out of South Africa must hold, in addition to their passport, an unabridged birth certificate with particulars of both parents. The requirement applies to both domestic and foreign citizens. If the child is travelling with only one parent, an affidavit with the absent parent's consent is required. If the child is travelling with another adult and without neither parents, an affidavit with consent of both parents must be produced. An unaccompanied minor, in addition to holding the affidavit and birth certificate, must in addition provide the information of the local South African host. The rule has been widely criticized by the tourism industry, but officials claimed that the rule was implemented to fight the widespread human trafficking in South Africa. By October 2016 over 13,000 tourists had been prevented from entered the country due to the unabridged birth certificate requirement having a negative impact on the economy.
Visitor statistics
Most visitors arriving to South Africa were from the following countries of nationality: