Visas are extra paperwork that need to be completed before coming to South Africa. There are exceptions for people from countries who have visa-waiver agreements with South Africa or you can simply apply to get your visa when you arrive at the passport control.
Visas are required for some individuals who plan on travelling to Johannesburg. People who will be travelling to visit friends and family, as well as business persons dealing with trade negotiations and those planning on working in South Africa will require a visa issued by the Department of Home Affairs. The following article will provide information about what is required, documents needed and get answers to help with the visa application process. We will base our discussion today on – Visa For Johannesburg. But, other resources which you can find on our website include some frequently asked questions such as: visa south africa and south africa visa processing time
Visa For Johannesburg
Applying for a South African Visa
General information about South African Visas
Visitors’ visas are for international travelers (citizens of other countries) who have permanent residence outside South Africa and who wish to visit the country on a temporary basis for tourism or business purposes for a period of 90 days or less.
A visa simply indicates that your application has been reviewed at a South African embassy, mission or consulate and that the consular officer has determined you are eligible to enter the country for a specific purpose.
The visa will allow you to travel to a South African port of entry where an immigration official will then determine if you are allowed to enter South Africa and for how long you can stay for that particular visit. Visitors are restricted to the activity or reason for which their visas were issued.
On entry to South Africa, a visa is considered to be a visitor’s permit. The permit’s period of validity is calculated from the date of entry into the country and will be set out under the heading “conditions” on the visa label. You must ensure that you apply for the correct visa/permit. Entry in the country may be refused if the purpose of visit was not correctly stated.
Requirements for visitor’s visas differ from country to country (click here to see which countries are currently exempt), and the requirements are subject to change. As each application is treated as an individual case and you should make enquiries with your nearest South African mission or consulate abroad or any office of the Department of Home Affairs to see whether or not you are required to apply for a visa.
Remember that there is a fee charged for issuing a visa, and you should check the cost with the office as well as this is updated annually. The fee is payable in different currencies in different countries.
Visas are not issued at South African ports of entry, and airline officials are obliged to insist on visas before allowing passengers to board. If you arrive without a visa, immigration officials are obliged to put you onto a flight back to your home country.
Foreigners with long term status (work permits/permit residence) in the neighbouring countries who transit the Republic to return to their employment or residence are not subject to the transit visa, provided they are in possession of proof of their status.
South African visitors’ visas may be granted for:
- visits to family or friends and also for tourism purposes
- business purposes
- spouse to join a spouse who is in South Africa on a work or study permit
- children to join parents who are in South Africa on work or study permits
- fiancée/ fiancé to join his or her partner with the intension of marrying within 90 days
- study purposes (max stay 3-months)
- charitable or voluntary activities
- research
- conferences
- to work in the production of an movie or show (i.e. in the entertainment industry)
- for medical purposes (max stay 3-months)
- sport events
Documents required to apply for a visa
- A passport or travel document valid for no less than 30 days after the expiry of your intended visit
- Your passport must have at least TWO unused page for entry / departure endorsements
- A completed Form BI-84 (application for a visa)
- Payment of the prescribed fee
- A yellow-fever vaccination certificate (if required)
- Statement and/or documentation confirming the purpose and duration of your visit
- Two colour passport photographs
- A return or onward ticket if you are travelling by air
- If you have children (minors) travelling with you or joining in South Africa, you will need to provide the following additional documents
- Proof of guardianship or custody or
- Consent from the guardian in the case of an unaccompanied minor
- Proof of financial means to pay for your living expenses while in South Africa in the form of:
- Bank statements
- Salary advances
- Undertakings by the host(s) in South Africa
- Bursary
- Medical cover or
- Cash available (including credit cards and travellers’ cheques)
Requirements for entering South Africa
You will need the following if you wish to visit South Africa:
- A valid and acceptable passport or travel document for your intended stay
- At least one blank page in your passport for endorsements
- A valid visa, if required
- Sufficient funds to pay for your day-to-day expenses during your stay
- A return or onward ticket
- Yellow fever certificates if your journey starts or entails passing through the yellow fever belt of Africa or South America.
Don’t forget that there are certain goods that you cannot bring into South Africa and other goods on which duties need to be paid.
For Customs requirements, click here: http://www.sars.gov.za/ClientSegments/Customs-Excise/Travellers/Pages/Arrival-in-SA.aspx
For Agricultural requirements, click here: http://www.daff.gov.za/daffweb3/Services/Imports
ORDINARY PASSPORT / TRAVEL DOCUMENT HOLDERS WHO ARE SUBJECT TO SOUTH AFRICAN VISA FEES
SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE
Fees for the issuance of a visitor’s visa in terms of section 11(1) of the Immigration Act shall be collected in respect of passport / travel document holders of the following foreign countries when travelling on an ordinary passport (visa fees are not levied for diplomatic and official/service passport holders). Please note that countries marked with an asterisk are only subject to visa fees if the intended visit exceeds thirty (30) days:
Aden
Afghanistan (Transitional Islamic State of)
Akrotiri and Dhekelia in Cyprus (Sovereign base area of)
Albania (Republic of)
American Samoa
Andorra (Principality of)
Angola (Republic of)
Anguilla
Armenia (Republic of)
Aruba
Ascension
Azerbaijan (Republic of)
Australia
Austria (Republic of)
Bahamas (The Commonwealth of the)
Bahrain (The Kingdom of)
Belarus (Republic of)
Belau (Palau) Republic of)
Belgium
Belize*
Byelorussia
Benin (Dahomey) (Republic of)*
Bhutan (Kingdom of)
Bosnia/Herzegovina
Bouvet Islands
British Antarctic Territory
British Indian Ocean Territory
Brunei Darassalam
Bulgaria (Republic of)
Burkina Faso (Republic of)
Burma (Myanmar)
Burundi (Republic of)
Cambodia (Kampuchea) (Kingdom of)
Cameroon (Republic)
Cayman Islands
Canada
Central African Republic
Chad
China (People’s Republic of)
Comoros (Union of)
Congo (Democratic Republic of)
Cote D’lvoire (Republic of)
Croatia (Republic of)
Cuba (Republic of)
Denmark (Kingdom of)
Dahomey (Benin) (Republic of Benin)
Diego Garcia
Djibouti (Republic of)
Dominican Republic
Ducie & Oeno Islands
Eastern Caribbean
El Salvador (Republic of)
Ellice Island (Tuvalu)
Equatorial Guinea*
Eritrea (State of)
Estonia (Republic of)
Ethiopia (The Federal Democratic Republic of)
Falkland Islands
Fiji Islands (Republic of the)
Finland (Republic of)
France (Republic of)
French Guiana
French Polynesia
Gabon (Republic of)*
Gambia (The)
Georgia (Republic of)
Germany (Federal Republic of)
Ghana (Republic of)
Gibraltar
Gilbert Island (Kiribati)
Greece (Hellenic Republic of)
Greenland
Grenada
Guadeloupe
Guam
Guatemala (Republic of)
Guinea (Republic of)
Guinea-Bissau (Republic of)
Haiti (Republic of)
Henderson
Holy See
Honduras (Republic of)
Hong Kong (Special Administrative Region)*
Iceland (Republic of)
Indonesia (Republic of)
Iran (Islamic Republic of)
Iraq (Republic of)
Italy (Republic of)
Ivory Coast (Republic of Còte D’Ivoire)
Jamaica
Japan
Kampuchea (Cambodia) (Kingdom of)
Kazakhstan (Republic of)
Kenya (Republic of)*
Kyrgyzstan
Kiribati (Gilbert Island)
Korea (Democratic People’s Republic of/North)
Korea (|Republic of/South)*
Kyrgyz Republic
Laos (People’s Democratic Republic)
Latvia (Republic of)
Lebanon (Republic of)
Liberia
Libya (Socialist People’s Libyan Arab Jamahiriya)
Lithuania (Republic of)
Luxemburg (Grand Duchy of)
Macedonia (The former Yugoslav Republic of)
Madagascar (Republic of)
Malaysia (Federation of)*
Mali (Republic of)
Martinique
Marshall Islands (Republic of)
Mauritania (Islamic Republic of)
Micronesia (Federated States of)
Moldova (Republic of)
Monaco (Principality of)
Mongolia
Montserrat
Morocco (Kingdom of)
Mozambique (Republic of)
Myanmar (Burma) (The Union of)
Naura (Republic of)
Nepal (Kingdom of)
Netherlands (The Royal)
Netherlands Antilles
New Zealand
Nicaragua
Niger
Nigeria (Republic of)
Northern Marianas
Norway
Oman (Sultanate of)
Pakistan (Islamic Republic of)
Palau (Belau) (Republic of)
Panama (Republic of)
Papua New Guinea
Philippines (Republic of the)*
Pitcairn Islands
Poland (Republic of)
Portugal (Republic of)
Puerto Rico
Qatar (State of)
Reunion
Romania
Russian Federation (except private guests of Embassy or Consular staff)
Rwanda (Republic of)
Samoa (The Independent State of)
San Marino (Republic of)
Sao Tome & Principe (Democratic Republic of)
Saudi Arabia (Kingdom of)
Serbia & Montenegro
Sierra Leone (Republic of)
Singapore (Republic of)
Slovenia (Republic of)
Somalia
Spain (Kingdom of)
Sri Lanka (Democratic Socialist Republic of)
St Kitts and Nevis
St Lucia
Sudan (Republic of the)
Suriname (Republic of)
Syrian (Arab Republic)
Tajikistan (Republic of)
Tanzania (United Republic of)
Thailand (Kingdom of)*
Togo (Republic of)
Trinidad and Tobago (Republic of)
Tristan da Cunha
Tunisia (Republic of)
Turkey (Republic of)*
Turkmenistan (Republic of)
Turks & Caicos Islands
Tuvalu (Ellice Islands)
Uganda (Republic of)
Ukraine
United Arab Emirates
United States of America
Uzbekistan (Republic of)
Vanuatu (Republic of)
Vatican City (Holy S ee)
Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of)
Vietnam (Socialist Republic of)
Western Sahara
Yemen (Republic of)
Documents required to apply for a visa
- A passport or travel document valid for no less than 30 days after the expiry of your intended visit
- Your passport must have at least TWO unused page for entry / departure endorsements
- A completed Form BI-84 (application for a visa)
- Payment of the prescribed fee
- A yellow-fever vaccination certificate (if required)
- Statement and/or documentation confirming the purpose and duration of your visit
- Two colour passport photographs
- A return or onward ticket if you are travelling by air
- If you have children (minors) travelling with you or joining in South Africa, you will need to provide the following additional documents
- Proof of guardianship or custody or
- Consent from the guardian in the case of an unaccompanied minor
- Proof of financial means to pay for your living expenses while in South Africa in the form of:
- Bank statements
- Salary advances
- Undertakings by the host(s) in South Africa
- Bursary
- Medical cover or
- Cash available (including credit cards and travellers’ cheques)
Duration and Purpose of Stay
U.S. citizens (U.S. passport holders) visiting the Republic of South Africa for ninety (90) days or less for tourism / 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.
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Visitor Visa South Africa
What is a visitor visa for South Africa
A visitor visa in South Africa allows a non-visa exempt foreign national to visit the country for tourism purposes and needs to be applied for prior to arrival in South Africa.
The visitor’s visa for South Africa also covers many subsets such as the long stay visitors visa, the visitors visa with spouse and visitors visa with children.
Who is a visitors visa for?
The visitor’s visa is for a temporary stay in South Africa of up to 90 days and is mainly used for recreational and leisure visiting. Perfect for holidaymakers or for visiting family for a short period of time. South African visitor’s visas are by far the most popular visa issued for those entering the country as South African tourism continues to grow. While the long stay visitors visa can cover a stay of up to 3 years depending on certain conditions being met.
Apply for a visitors Visa
To qualify for a South African visitors visa you will firstly need to pick the correct one to match the reason for your visit.
Before you apply for a visa please make sure you’re not departing from a visa exempt country, see the list here. https://www.savisas.com/visa-exempt-countries/
Long stay visitor visa South Africa
A long stay visitor visa allows a foreign national to remain in South Africa for a period exceeding 3 months, but not exceeding 3 years.Long-stay visitor visas are a collection of many visa sub-categories.A candidate could qualify for a long-stay visa if:
- You are an accompanying spouse or life partner to a foreign national who holds or qualifies for a valid work visa, study visa, business visa, retirement visa, relative’s visa, treaty visa or crew visa
- Your accompanying child/children would also qualify on the above grounds
- You are partaking in an academic sabbatical supported by your educational institution
- You are teaching at an international school
- Involved in films and advertisements produced in South Africa, including, but not restricted to, an actor, cameraman, hairstylist, make-up artist or sound and lighting crew
- You are a journalist in the employ of a foreign news agency
- Conducting research activities, with proof of financial support
- You are an artist who wishes to perform, write, paint and sculpt
- You are a tour leader or host of such tour
- You are the spouse or life partner of a South African citizen/permanent resident and you have been offered a job, registered to study or has opened and conducts your own business
- You, as parents, are both foreign nationals on temporary residency visas and have had a child that was born in South Africa
Visitor visa – accompanying spouse
To enable us to apply for an accompanying spouse visitor visa the following evidence will need to be provided:
- Marriage certificate/spousal affidavit
- Divorce decree (if applicable)
- Proof of court order awarding custody (if applicable)
- Support confirmation from spouse.
- Undertaking to repatriate the family from the temporary residence permit visa holder’s employer.
Visitor visa – accompanying child
To enable us to apply for an accompanying child visitor visa the following evidence will need to be provided:
- Proof of support from parent(s)
- Undertaking to repatriate the family
- Proof of funds
- All minors under the age of 18 need to possess an unabridged birth certificate when entering or exiting South Africa.
Visitors visa validy and duration
For what duration is a South African short stay visitor visa valid?
A visitor visa is usually valid for 3 months unless the visa has been applied for on other grounds. The visa can be extended for a further 3 months, as long as the application is made 60 days prior to the expiry of the current visitor visa and as long as there are no restrictions on the current permit. Restrictions to a visa are endorsed onto the face of the visa and may include “may not change status”, “may not renew”, etc.
For what duration is a long stay visitor visa valid?
A long stay visitor visa in South Africa can be issued for any period not exceeding 3 years, provided the foreign national controls sufficient financial resources to sustain him or herself while in South Africa.
Pros of a visitor’s visa
- Processing time is faster than other more complex visas
Cons of a visitor’s visa
- You cannot work, open a business, or study even on a long-term stay visa. You will need to reapply should you want to work or study
- You need to reapply should you want to extend your stay