South African Visitor Visa

DURATION AND PURPOSE OF STAY

U.S. citizens (U.S. passport holders) visiting South Africa for ninety (90) days or less for tourism and/or business purposes do not need visas.

U.S. green card holders (non-US passport holders) and nationals of other countries must check the list of visa exempt countries to see if they need to apply for visas. If the names of their countries are not listed, it means they need to apply for visas. There are also countries that are visa exempt if applicant is traveling to South Africa for a period of 30 days or less.

There are countries which are required to apply for visas but are exempt from visa fees, e.g. India, Colombia, Mexico, etc. Please refer to the list of countries that pay for visa and if your country is not listed it means you do not need to pay for visa.

FOR VISITS EXCEEDING 9- DAYS OR IF YOU WANT TO TRAVEL TO SOUTH AFRICA TO STUDY OR TO WORK If your visit would exceed ninety days or if you want to travel to South Africa to study or to work, you will need to apply for a temporary residence visa instead of a visitor's visa. Requirements for a temporary residence visa are not the same with visitor's visa.

YELLOW FEVER CERTIFICATE

Yellow fever certificate is required only if the applicant is passing through yellow fever belt area before entering South Africa.

Foreigners who wish to visit South Africa must have passports / travel documents valid for thirty (30) more days after the intended return date from South Africa. The passport must contain at least two (2) unused (blank) pages labeled Visa when presented at the Embassy or Consulate; One page is for affixing the visa or permit at the Embassy/Consulate and the other page is for endorsement of entry/departure stamp by the South African Immigration Services.

Note: Visa pages referred to above do not include pages reserved for Endorsements, Amendments or Observations.

Port of Entry Visa (Tourist Visa) – 90 days or less
Section 11(2) – Short term or urgent work in the Republic of South Africa
Port of Entry Visa (Tourist Visa) – More than 90 days
Visa to attend Business Meetings – 90 days or less
Visa to Conduct Research – Up to 3 years
Visitor’s Visa Section 11(6) for Spouse of a Citizen or Permanent