Visa requirements for South African citizens are administrative entry restrictions by the authorities of other states placed on citizens of the Republic of South Africa. As of 13 April 2021, South African citizens had visa-free or visa on arrival access to 112 countries and territories, ranking the South African passport 43rd in terms of travel freedom according to the Global Passport power Rank 2023 report [2]
Where visa-free access is permitted, such access is not necessarily a right, and admission is at the discretion of border enforcement officers. Visitors engaging in activities other than tourism, including unpaid work, may require a visa or work permit.
It does not provide for where certain people under the assumption remained British Subjects without Citizenship, then later became British Overseas Citizens or British Subjects in 1983, there are different requirements. See Visa requirements for British Overseas citizens or South African nationality law.
This list provides for the period of stay under "Allowed Stay" generally for short stay activities where a Visa is not required in sovereign states.
Country | Visa requirement | Allowed stay | Notes (excluding departure fees) | Reciprocity |
---|---|---|---|---|
Afghanistan | Visa required[1] | — | ||
Albania | eVisa[2][3] |
|
— | |
Algeria | Visa required[4] | — | ||
Andorra | Visa required[5] |
|
— | |
Angola | Visa not required[6] | No | ||
Antigua and Barbuda | Visa not required[7] | 1 month | Yes | |
Argentina | Visa not required[8] | 90 days | Yes | |
Armenia | eVisa / Visa on arrival[9] | 120 days | No | |
Australia and territories | Visa required[10][11] |
|
— | |
Austria | Visa required[13] | — | ||
Azerbaijan | eVisa[14] | 30 days[15] | No | |
Bahamas | Visa not required[16] | 3 months |
|
Yes |
Bahrain | eVisa / Visa on arrival[17] | 14 days | No | |
Bangladesh | Visa required[18] | — | ||
Barbados | Visa not required[19] | 6 months | Yes | |
Belarus | Visa required[20] | — | ||
Belgium | Visa required[21] | — | ||
Belize | Visa not required[22] | Yes | ||
Benin | Visa not required[23] | 90 Days | Yes | |
Bhutan | eVisa[24][25] | — | ||
Bolivia | Visa on arrival[26] | 90 days | Yes | |
Bosnia and Herzegovina | Visa required[27] |
|
— | |
Botswana | Visa not required[28] | 90 days | Yes | |
Brazil | Visa not required[29] | 90 days | Yes | |
Brunei | Visa required[30] | — | ||
Bulgaria | Visa required[31] |
|
— | |
Burkina Faso | eVisa[32][33] | — | ||
Burundi | Visa on arrival[34] | 1 month | — | |
Cambodia | eVisa / Visa on arrival[35] | 30 days | No | |
Cameroon | Visa required[36] |
|
— | |
Canada | Visa required[37][38] |
|
— | |
Cape Verde | Visa on arrival[40] | Yes | ||
Central African Republic | Visa required[41] | — | ||
Chad | Visa required[42] | — | ||
Chile | Visa not required[43] | 90 days | Yes | |
China | Visa required[44] |
|
— | |
Colombia | Online visa[45] |
|
— | |
Comoros | Visa on arrival[46] | 45 days | No | |
Republic of the Congo | Visa required[47] | — | ||
Democratic Republic of the Congo | eVisa[48][49] | 7 days | — | |
Costa Rica | Visa not required[50] | 90 days | Yes | |
Côte d'Ivoire | eVisa[51][52] | 3 months |
|
No |
Croatia | Visa required[53] |
|
— | |
Cuba | Tourist card required[55] | 90 days |
|
— |
Cyprus | Visa required[56] |
|
— | |
Czech Republic | Visa required[57] | — | ||
Denmark | Visa required[58] | — | ||
Djibouti | eVisa[59][60] | 31 days | No | |
Dominica | Visa not required[61] | 6 months | No | |
Dominican Republic | Visa not required[62] | No | ||
Ecuador | Visa not required[63] | 90 days | Yes | |
Egypt | eVisa[64][65] | 30 days | Yes | |
El Salvador | Visa not required[66] | 90 days | No | |
Equatorial Guinea | eVisa[67][68] | — | ||
Eritrea | Visa required[69] |
|
— | |
Estonia | Visa required[70] | — | ||
Eswatini | Visa not required[71] | 30 days | Yes | |
Ethiopia | eVisa / Visa on arrival[72][73] | up to 90 days |
|
No |
Fiji | Visa not required[76] | 4 months | No | |
Finland | Visa required[77] | — | ||
France | Visa required[78] | — | ||
Gabon | Visa not required[79] | 30 days. | Yes | |
Gambia | Visa not required[80] | 90 days |
|
— |
Georgia | Visa not required[82] | 1 year | No | |
Germany | Visa required[83] | — | ||
Ghana | Visa not required[84] | 90 days |
|
Yes |
Greece | Visa required[85] | — | ||
Grenada | Visa not required[86] | 3 months | No | |
Guatemala | Visa not required[87] | 90 days | No | |
Guinea | eVisa[88][89] | 90 days | No | |
Guinea-Bissau | Visa on arrival[90] | 90 days | No | |
Guyana | Visa not required[91] | 3 months | Yes | |
Haiti | Visa not required[92] | 3 months | No | |
Honduras | Visa not required[93] | 90 days | No | |
Hungary | Visa required[94] | — | ||
Iceland | Visa required[95] | — | ||
India | eVisa[96] | 30 days |
|
Yes |
Indonesia | e-VOA / Visa on arrival[99] | 30 days[100][101] | No | |
Iran | eVisa[102][103] | 30 days | Yes | |
Iraq | Visa required[104] | — | ||
Ireland | Visa not required[105] | 90 days |
|
Yes |
Israel | Visa not required[106] | 90 days | Yes | |
Italy | Visa required[107] | — | ||
Jamaica | Visa not required[108] | 180 days | Yes | |
Japan | eVisa[109][110] | 90 days |
|
— |
Jordan | eVisa / Visa on arrival[111][112] |
|
Yes | |
Kazakhstan | eVisa[113][114] | — | ||
Kenya | Electronic Travel Authorisation[115][116] | 3 months |
|
Yes |
Kiribati | Visa not required[117] | 90 days |
|
— |
North Korea | Visa required[118] | — | ||
South Korea | Electronic Travel Authorization[119][120] | 30 days |
|
Yes |
Kuwait | Visa required[122] |
|
— | |
Kyrgyzstan | eVisa / Visa on arrival[124][125] | 1 month |
|
No |
Laos | eVisa / Visa on arrival[126] | 30 days |
|
No |
Latvia | Visa required[130] | — | ||
Lebanon | Visa required[131] |
|
— | |
Lesotho | Visa not required[132] | 90 days | Yes | |
Liberia | Visa required[133] |
|
— | |
Libya | Visa required[134] |
|
— | |
Liechtenstein | Visa required[135] | — | ||
Lithuania | Visa required[136] |
|
— | |
Luxembourg | Visa required[137] | — | ||
Madagascar | Visa on arrival[138] | 60 days | Yes | |
Malawi | Visa not required[139] | 90 days | Yes | |
Malaysia | Visa not required[140] | 90 days | Yes | |
Maldives | Free visa on arrival[141] | 90 days | Yes | |
Mali | Visa required[142] | — | ||
Malta | Visa required[143] | — | ||
Marshall Islands | Visa on arrival[144] | 90 days | No | |
Mauritania | Visa on arrival[145] |
|
No | |
Mauritius | Visa not required[146] | 90 days | Yes | |
Mexico | Visa required[147] |
|
— | |
Micronesia | Visa not required[148] | 30 days | No | |
Moldova | eVisa[149][150] |
|
— | |
Monaco | Visa required[151] |
|
— | |
Mongolia | eVisa[152][153] | 30 days | — | |
Montenegro | Visa required[154] |
|
— | |
Morocco | Visa required[155] | — | ||
Mozambique | Visa not required[156] | 3 months | Yes | |
Myanmar | eVisa[157][158] | 28 days |
|
No |
Namibia | Visa not required[159] | 3 months | Yes | |
Nauru | Visa required[160] | — | ||
Nepal | eVisa / Visa on arrival[161][162] | 90 days | No | |
Netherlands | Visa required[163] | — | ||
New Zealand | Visa required[164] |
|
— | |
Nicaragua | Visa not required[166] | 90 days | No | |
Niger | Visa required[167] | — | ||
Nigeria | eVisa[168][169] |
|
— | |
North Macedonia | Visa required[170] |
|
— | |
Norway | Visa required[171] | — | ||
Oman | eVisa[172][173] | 30 days | No | |
Pakistan | ETA / Online Visa[174][175] | 30 days / 3 months |
|
Yes |
Palau | Free visa on arrival[177] | 30 days | No | |
Panama | Visa not required[178] | 90 days | Yes | |
Papua New Guinea | eVisa[179][180] | 30 days | No | |
Paraguay | Visa not required[181] | 90 days | Yes | |
Peru | Visa not required[182] | 180 days | Yes | |
Philippines | Visa not required[183] | 30 days | Yes | |
Poland | Visa required[184] | — | ||
Portugal | Visa required[185] | — | ||
Qatar | Visa not required[186] | 30 days |
|
Yes |
Romania | Visa required[189] |
|
— | |
Russia | Visa not required[190] | 90 days |
|
Yes |
Rwanda | eVisa / Visa on arrival[191] | 30 days | No | |
Saint Kitts and Nevis | Visa not required[192] | 3 months | No | |
Saint Lucia | Visa not required[193] | 6 weeks | No | |
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | Visa not required[194] | 3 month | Yes | |
Samoa | Entry Permit on arrival[195] | 90 days | No | |
San Marino | Visa required[196] | — | ||
São Tomé and Príncipe | eVisa[197][198] | Yes | ||
Saudi Arabia | eVisa / Visa on arrival[199][200] | 90 days | — | |
Senegal | Visa on arrival[201][202] | 90 days | No | |
Serbia | Visa required[203] |
|
— | |
Seychelles | Electronic Border System[204][205] | 3 months |
|
Yes |
Sierra Leone | eVisa / Visa on arrival[206][207] | 3 months / 30 days | No | |
Singapore | Visa not required[208] | 30 days | Yes | |
Slovakia | Visa required[209] | — | ||
Slovenia | Visa required[210] | — | ||
Solomon Islands | Visa required[211] | — | ||
Somalia | Visa on arrival[212] | 30 days |
|
No |
South Sudan | eVisa[213][214] |
|
No | |
Spain | Visa required[215] | — | ||
Sri Lanka | ETA / Visa on arrival[216][217] | 30 days |
|
No |
Sudan | Visa required[218] | — | ||
Suriname | Visa not required[219][220] | 90 days | No | |
Sweden | Visa required[223] | — | ||
Switzerland | Visa required[224] | — | ||
Syria | Visa required[225] | — | ||
Tajikistan | eVisa[226][227] | 45 days |
|
No |
Tanzania | Visa not required[228] | 90 days | Yes | |
Thailand | Visa not required[229] | 30 days |
|
Yes |
Timor-Leste | Visa on arrival[230] | 30 days | No | |
Togo | Visa not required[231] |
|
No | |
Tonga | Visa required[233] | — | ||
Trinidad and Tobago | Visa not required[234] | 90 days | Yes | |
Tunisia | Visa not required[235] | 3 months | Yes | |
Turkey | eVisa[236] | 30 days | Yes | |
Turkmenistan | Visa required[237] |
|
— | |
Tuvalu | Visa on arrival[238] | 1 month | No | |
Uganda | eVisa[239][240] | 3 months | Yes | |
Ukraine | Visa required[241] |
|
No | |
United Arab Emirates | Visa required[242] |
|
— | |
United Kingdom and Crown dependencies | Visa required[244] |
|
— | |
United States | Visa required[245] |
|
— | |
Uruguay | Visa not required[247] | 90 days | Yes | |
Uzbekistan | Visa required[248] |
|
— | |
Vanuatu | Visa not required[250] | 30 days | No | |
Vatican City | Visa required[251] |
|
— | |
Venezuela | Visa not required[252] | 90 days | Yes | |
Vietnam | eVisa[253][254] |
|
— | |
Yemen | Visa required[256] | — | ||
Zambia | Visa not required[257] | 90 days | Yes | |
Zimbabwe | Visa not required[258] | 3 months | Yes |
Territory | Conditions of access | Notes |
---|---|---|
Abkhazia | Visa required[259] | |
Kosovo | Visa not required[260] | 90 days |
Northern Cyprus | Visa not required[261] | 3 months |
Palestine | Visa not required[262] | Arrival by sea to Gaza Strip not allowed.[263] |
Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic | Undefined visa regime in the Western Sahara controlled territory. | |
Somaliland | Visa on arrival | 30 days for 30 US dollars, payable on arrival.[264][265] |
South Ossetia | Visa not required[266] | Multiple entry visa to Russia and three day prior notification are required to enter South Ossetia.[267][268] |
Taiwan | Visa required[269][270] | |
Transnistria | Visa not required[271] | Registration required after 24h.[272][273] |
Territory | Conditions of access | Notes |
---|---|---|
China | ||
Hong Kong | Visa not required[274] | 30 days. Landing slip with stay conditions issued upon arrival in place of entry stamp. This is not a permit, however it is used to classify South African citizens as being visa exempted. |
Macau | Visa not required[275] | 30 days |
Denmark | ||
Faroe Islands | Visa required[276] | |
Greenland | Visa required[277] | |
France | ||
French Guiana | Visa required[278] | |
French Polynesia | Visa required[279] | |
French West Indies | Visa required | Includes overseas departments of Guadeloupe and Martinique and overseas collectivities of Saint Barthélemy and Saint Martin. |
Mayotte | Visa required[280] | |
New Caledonia | Visa required[281] | |
Réunion | Visa not required[282] | 3 months. Travel to mainland France is prohibited unless in possession of a Valid Schengen Visa, Identity and Visa checks are conducted between Reunion and mainland France/ EU or EEA countries and Switzerland. |
Saint Pierre and Miquelon | Visa required[283] | |
Wallis and Futuna | Visa required[284] | |
Netherlands | ||
Aruba | Visa required[285] | |
Caribbean Netherlands | Visa required[286] | Includes Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba. |
Curaçao | Visa required[287] | |
Sint Maarten | Visa required[288] | |
New Zealand | ||
Cook Islands | Visa not required[289] | 31 days |
Niue | Visa not required[290] | 30 days |
Tokelau | Visa required[291] | |
United Kingdom | ||
Akrotiri and Dhekelia | Visa required[292] | |
Anguilla | Electronic Visa[293] | *You do NOT need to apply for a visa if: You have a valid visa to enter the UK, US or Canada. A valid UK, US or Canada visa can be used to enter Anguilla.[294] |
Bermuda | Visa required[295] | Visa not required for holders of Canadian, US or UK multiple-entry visa valid for at least 45 days beyond the period of intended stay in Bermuda for a maximum stay of 3 months |
British Indian Ocean Territory | Special permit required | Special permit required.[296] |
British Virgin Islands | Visa not required[297] | 30 days, extensions possible |
Cayman Islands | Visa not required[298] | 6 months |
Falkland Islands | Visa not required[299] | |
Gibraltar | Visa required[300] |
|
Montserrat | Visa not required[301] | 6 months |
Pitcairn Islands | Visa not required | 14 days visa free and landing fee US$35 or tax of US$5 if not going ashore.[302][303][304] |
Ascension Island | eVisa[305][306] |
|
Saint Helena | Visitor's Pass required | Visitor's Pass granted on arrival valid for 4/10/21/60/90 days for 12/14/16/20/25 pound sterling.[307] |
Tristan da Cunha | Permission required | Permission to land required for 15/30 pounds sterling (yacht/ship passenger) for Tristan da Cunha Island or 20 pounds sterling for Gough Island, Inaccessible Island or Nightingale Islands.[308] |
South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands | Permit required | Pre-arrival permit from the Commissioner required (72 hours/1 month for 110/160 pounds sterling).[309][310] |
Turks and Caicos Islands | Visa not required[311] | 90 days |
United States | ||
American Samoa | Visa required[312] | |
Guam | Visa required[313] | |
Northern Mariana Islands | Visa required[314] | |
Puerto Rico | Visa required[315] | US visa is required to visit Puerto Rico |
U.S. Virgin Islands | Visa required[316] | |
Antarctica and adjacent islands | ||
Special permits required for Bouvet Island, British Antarctic Territory, French Southern and Antarctic Lands, Argentine Antarctica, Australian Antarctic Territory, Chilean Antarctic Territory, Heard Island and McDonald Islands, Peter I Island, Queen Maud Land, Ross Dependency.[317][318][319][320][321][322][323][324][325][326][327][328] |
Territory | Conditions of access | Notes |
---|---|---|
Belarus Belovezhskaya Pushcha National Park |
Visa not required | 3 days;[329] must first obtain an electronic pass[330] |
China Hainan |
Visa on arrival[331] | 15 days. Available at Haikou Meilan International Airport and Sanya Phoenix International Airport. Visa not required for 15 days for traveling as part of a tourist group (5 or more people)[332] |
China Tibet Autonomous Region |
TTP required | Tibet Travel Permit required (10 US Dollars).[333][334] |
Crimea | Visa required | Visa issued by Russia is required.[335] |
Ecuador Galápagos |
Pre-registration required | Online pre-registration is required. Transit Control Card must also be obtained at the airport prior to departure.[336] |
Eritrea outside Asmara | Travel permit required | To travel in the rest of the country, a Travel Permit for Foreigners is required (20 Eritrean nakfa).[337] |
Greece Mount Athos |
Special permit required | Special permit required (4 days: 25 euro for Orthodox visitors, 35 euro for non-Orthodox visitors, 18 euro for students). There is a visitors' quota: maximum 100 Orthodox and 10 non-Orthodox per day and women are not allowed.[338][339] |
India PAP/RAP | PAP/RAP required | Protected Area Permit (PAP) required for whole states of Nagaland and Sikkim and parts of states Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh, Uttaranchal, Jammu and Kashmir, Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh. Restricted Area Permit (RAP) required for all of Andaman and Nicobar Islands and parts of Sikkim. Some of these requirements are occasionally lifted for a year.[340][341][342][343][344][345] |
Iran Kish Island |
Visa not required | Visitors to Kish Island do not require a visa.[346] |
Iraqi Kurdistan | Visa on arrival | Visa on arrival for 15 days is available at Erbil and Sulaymaniyah airports.[347] |
Fiji Lau Province |
Special permission required | Special permission required.[348] |
France Clipperton Island |
Special permit required | Special permit required.[349] |
Kazakhstan | Special permission required | Special permission required for the town of Baikonur and surrounding areas in Kyzylorda Oblast, and the town of Gvardeyskiy near Almaty.[350] |
North Korea outside Pyongyang | Special permit required | People are not allowed to leave the capital city, tourists can only leave the capital with a governmental tourist guide (no independent moving) |
Malaysia Sabah and Sarawak | Visa not required | These states have their own immigration authorities and passport is required to travel to them, however the same visa applies.[351] |
Maldives outside Malé | Permission required | With the exception of the capital Malé, tourists are generally prohibited from visiting non-resort islands without the express permission of the Government of Maldives.[352] |
Norway Jan Mayen |
Permit required | Permit issued by the local police required for staying for less than 24 hours[353] and permit issued by the Norwegian police for staying for more than 24 hours.[354] |
Norway Svalbard | Visa not required | |
Novorossiya | Restricted area | Crossing from Ukraine requires visit purpose to be explained to Ukrainian passport control on exit and those who entered from Russia are not allowed to proceed further into Ukraine.[355] |
Russia | Special authorization required | Several closed cities and regions in Russia require special authorization.[356] |
Sudan outside Khartoum | Travel permit required | All foreigners traveling more than 25 kilometers outside of Khartoum must obtain a travel permit. |
Sudan Darfur |
Travel permit required | Separate travel permit is required.[357] |
Tajikistan Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Province |
OIVR permit required | OIVR permit required (15+5 Tajikistani Somoni) and another special permit (free of charge) is required for Lake Sarez.[358][359][360] |
UN Buffer Zone in Cyprus | Access Permit required[361] | Access Permit is required for travelling inside the zone, except Civil Use Areas. |
Korean Demilitarized Zone | Restricted zone. | |
UNDOF Zone and Ghajar | Restricted zone. | |
United States Minor Outlying Islands | Special permits required | Special permits required for Baker Island, Howland Island, Jarvis Island, Johnston Atoll, Kingman Reef, Midway Atoll, Palmyra Atoll and Wake Island.[362][363][364][365][366][367][368] |
Venezuela Margarita Island |
Visa not required | All visitors are fingerprinted.[369] |
Vietnam Phú Quốc |
Visa not required | 30 days[370] |
Yemen outside Sana’a or Aden | Special permission required | Special permission needed for travel outside Sana’a or Aden.[371] |
List of Changes
Visa Requirements Abolished/ Imposed (agreement conferred) | Abolished | Imposed | Date of Effect | Reciprocity (at time of agreement and subsequent implementation) | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Canada | Yes | 1969-1972 | No | ||
United Kingdom (July 2009) | Yes | July 2009 | No | ||
Colombia (September 2016) | Yes | Yes | |||
New Zealand (November 2016) | Yes | 21 November 2016 | No | ||
Russia (April 2017) | Yes | 1 April 2017 | Yes | ||
Qatar (June–August 2017) | Yes | Yes | |||
Angola (November 2017) | Yes | 1 December 2017 | Yes | ||
Egypt (November 2019) | Simplified (E-visa) | November 2019 | No |
In some instances, a Visa Exemption permits entry in lieu of obtaining a Visa/ Entry Visa if in possession of the following Visas or Permanent Relationships, this is not limited to entitlements or provisions laid down by the country's law, for instance, right to enter without prior authority due to background such as in the case of former Indian Citizens:
This list does not include the ability of a Visa Document Exemption/ Substitute for a Visa Application, for instance a US Visa as an exemption document for the issue of a Qatari e-Visa.
Summary of Visa Exemptions
Country of Issue where document can be used as an Exemption for entry | for entry to | Visa or Residence Permit | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
United States | Albania
Bosnia and Herzegovina Bermuda of the United Kingdom Mexico Montenegro North Macedonia São Tomé and Príncipe Serbia |
Both | |
Canada | Bermuda of the United Kingdom | Both | |
United Kingdom | Canada #
New Zealand # United Arab Emirates # United Kingdom: +Indefinitely # Bermuda of the United Kingdom # |
# Holders of the Right of Abode | |
United Kingdom | Bermuda of the United Kingdom | Both Indefinite and Temporary Visas | |
Australia | New Zealand | Australian Permanent Residence |
List of Visa Exemptions
North America
United States of America - South African Citizens in possession of a valid United States Multiple Entry Visa in their passport may enter the following country(ies) visa-free for the time indicated beside, this also includes the countries consisting of the former Yugoslavia:
Canada - South African Citizens in possession of a valid Canadian Multiple Entry Visa in their passport may enter the following country(ies) visa-free for the time indicated adjacent:
British Isles
United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland
Right of Abode in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland - South African Citizens who are in possession of a Valid Certificate of Entitlement substantiating their claim to the Right of Abode in the United Kingdom in their South African passport (as either a British National or South African/ Commonwealth Citizen) may enter the following Commonwealth Realms/ countries for the same period for as a South African Citizen who would usually a Visa but without the Right of Abode in the United Kingdom (+except the United Kingdom as right to reside is automatic):
South African citizens in possession of Leave to Remain or Enter holders(whether permanent or temporary)/ Ireland Biometric Visa or Permanent Residency holders:
Holder's of a United Kingdom Visa May enter:
Bermuda of the United Kingdom: 3 months (if arriving or transiting from the United Kingdom).
Australasia
Australia
Permanent Residence in the Commonwealth of Australia - South African Citizens with any type of a Valid Australian Permanent Resident Visa electronically granted or as a label still valid may enter the following country:
Holder's must also consider that they will be able to return to Australia as a Permanent Resident should the expiry of their travel facility on their Australian Permanent Residence occur whilst they are in New Zealand. The Australian Resident Visa granted in New Zealand is indefinite if in New Zealand, however expires when leaving.
As of 1 October 2019, Australian Permanent Residents need to apply for a New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority (NZeTA) if they wish to enter New Zealand. The ETA is valid for 2 years however there is no time limit on the length of stay, this is just the time the holder must enter within. The cost is NZD 9 on the mobile app and NZD 12 on the internet per traveller and takes about 5 minutes to complete. The aim is to preauthorise travel to New Zealand. Once the Australian Permanent Resident arrives, they will be granted a New Zealand Visa for Australian Residents (Australian Resident Visa) subject to satisfying character requirements. It is very important to consider three things: Validity of Australian Permanent Residence in order to return to Australia or New Zealand, Validity of NZeTA and leaving New Zealand. Leaving New Zealand will terminate the New Zealand Visa for Australian Resident, if the Australian Permanent Resident Visa is not Valid then they will not be able to return to New Zealand or Australia. There are no other costs involved. https://www.immigration.govt.nz/new-zealand-visas/apply-for-a-visa/about-visa/australian-resident-visa
European Union
European Union Family Member - South African Citizens who are travelling with or joining their EU family members in the European Union in a Country other than where their family member is a citizen of does not require a Visa to enter and enjoy the same entry rights and stay, however this would be difficult to prove and as a result, entry could be refused. Visa should be applied for in advance which is usually with no or minimal requirements to meet if the applicant is a family member of an EU Citizen. For instance, a person who wants to travel with their spouse to France where their spouse is a Citizen of the Republic of Lithuania should apply for a Schengen Visa in advance or where a person wants to join their Lithuanian spouse who resides in France should also apply for a Schengen Visa in order to prove their right and avoid misconception. In most cases, airlines will not permit travel without a visa. There is no time limit a family member can stay (indefinite stay), they must just enter before the Visa expires if joining their family or travelling at the same time. There are no costs involved either. European Union citizens and their South African family members will need to apply for settled or pre-settled status if they wish continue residing in the UK after 31 December 2020. Settled Status can be granted when the applicant has resided in the UK for 5 years and is valid indefinitely. In order to maintain settled status, people must visit the UK every 5 years. Pre-Settled status is granted when the applicant has resided in the UK for less than 5 years and is valid for 5 years. In order to maintain pre-settled status, people must visit the UK every two years. However, applicants would have to meet continuous residence until they reach 5 years if they want to qualify for settled status after 31 December 2020. It will not be possible to be granted another pre-settled Visa.
Schengen Visa (Long Stay) - Holder's of a Valid Long Stay Category D Visa who arrive in the Schengen European country of their Visa and apply for a Residence Card shortly after arriving will be able to use their EU residence permit/ card for travel within the Schengen States, if granted.
This section is transcluded from Non-visa travel restrictions. (edit | history) |
Many countries have entry restrictions on foreigners that go beyond the common requirement of having either a valid visa or a visa exemption. Such restrictions may be health related or impose additional documentation requirements on certain classes of people for diplomatic or political purposes.
Many countries require a minimum number of blank pages to be available in the passport being presented, typically one or two pages.[374] Endorsement pages, which often appear after the visa pages, are not counted as being valid or available.
Main articles: Vaccination requirements for international travel, International Certificate of Vaccination or Prophylaxis, and Vaccine passports during the COVID-19 pandemic |
Many African countries, including Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Côte d'Ivoire, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone and Togo, South Sudan, Uganda, and Zambia, require all incoming passengers older than nine months to one year[375] to have a current International Certificate of Vaccination or Prophylaxis, as does the South American territory of French Guiana.[376]
Some other countries require vaccination only if the passenger is coming from an infected area or has visited one recently or has transited for 12 hours in those countries: Algeria, Botswana, Cabo Verde, Chad, Djibouti, Egypt, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Lesotho, Libya, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Papua New Guinea, Seychelles, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Tunisia, Uganda, United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe.[377][378]
Very few countries, such as Paraguay, just require a valid passport on arrival.
However many countries and groupings now require only an identity card – especially from their neighbours. Other countries may have special bilateral arrangements that depart from the generality of their passport validity length policies to shorten the period of passport validity required for each other's citizens[379][380] or even accept passports that have already expired (but not been cancelled).[381]
Some countries, such as Japan,[382] Ireland and the United Kingdom,[383] require a passport valid throughout the period of the intended stay.
In the absence of specific bilateral agreements, countries requiring passports to be valid for at least 6 more months on arrival include Afghanistan, Algeria, Anguilla, Bahrain,[384] Bhutan, Botswana, British Virgin Islands, Brunei, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Cayman Islands, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Costa Rica, Côte d'Ivoire, Curaçao, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Fiji, Gabon, Guinea Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Israel,[385] Jordan, Kenya, Kiribati, Kuwait, Laos, Madagascar, Malaysia, Marshall Islands, Mongolia, Myanmar, Namibia, Nepal, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Oman, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Peru,[386] Philippines,[387] Qatar, Rwanda, Samoa, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Tanzania, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Tokelau, Tonga, Turkey, Tuvalu, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, Vanuatu, Venezuela, and Vietnam.[388]
Countries requiring passports valid for at least 4 months on arrival include Micronesia and Zambia.
Countries requiring passports with a validity of at least 3 months beyond the date of intended departure include Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Honduras, Montenegro, Nauru, Moldova and New Zealand. Similarly, the EEA countries of Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, all European Union countries (except the Republic of Ireland) together with Switzerland also require 3 months validity beyond the date of the bearer's intended departure unless the bearer is an EEA or Swiss national.
Countries requiring passports valid for at least 3 months on arrival include Albania, North Macedonia, Panama, and Senegal.
Bermuda requires passports to be valid for at least 45 days upon entry.
Countries that require a passport validity of at least one month beyond the date of intended departure include Eritrea, Hong Kong, Lebanon, Macau, the Maldives[389] and South Africa.
Some countries, including Australia, Canada, Fiji, New Zealand and the United States,[390] routinely deny entry to non-citizens who have a criminal record while others impose restrictions depending on the type of conviction and the length of the sentence.
The government of a country can declare a diplomat persona non grata, banning entry into that country. In non-diplomatic use, the authorities of a country may also declare a foreigner persona non grata permanently or temporarily, usually because of unlawful activity.[391]
For example, Azerbaijan bans visits by foreign citizens that have previously entered Azerbaijan through non-Azerbaijani controlled borders. This includes the illegal entry into the separatist region of Nagorno-Karabakh[392] (the de facto independent Republic of Artsakh), its surrounding Armenian-occupied territories, and the Azerbaijani exclaves of Karki, Yuxarı Əskipara, Barxudarlı, and Sofulu which are de jure part of Azerbaijan but under the control of Armenia. Foreign citizens who enter these territories will be permanently banned from entering the Republic of Azerbaijan[393] and will be included in their "list of personae non gratae".[394] As of 2 September 2019,[update] the list mentioned 852 people.
Kuwait,[395] Lebanon,[396] Libya,[397] Syria,[398] and Yemen[399] do not allow entry to people with passport stamps from Israel or whose passports have either a used or an unused Israeli visa, or where there is evidence of previous travel to Israel such as entry or exit stamps from neighbouring border posts in transit countries such as Jordan and Egypt.
To circumvent this Arab League boycott of Israel, the Israeli immigration services have now mostly ceased to stamp foreign nationals' passports on either entry to or exit from Israel (unless the entry is for some work-related purposes). Since 15 January 2013, Israel no longer stamps foreign passports at Ben Gurion Airport. Passports are still (as of 22 June 2017[update]) stamped at Erez when passing into and out of Gaza.[citation needed]
Iran refuses admission to holders of passports containing an Israeli visa or stamp that is less than 12 months old.
See also: Countries applying biometrics |
Several countries mandate that all travellers, or all foreign travellers, be fingerprinted on arrival and will refuse admission to or even arrest travellers who refuse to comply. In some countries, such as the United States, this may apply even to transit passengers who merely wish to change planes rather than go landside.[400]
Fingerprinting countries/regions include Afghanistan,[401][402] Argentina,[403] Brunei, Cambodia,[404] China,[405] Ethiopia,[406] Ghana, Guinea,[407] India, Japan,[408][409] Kenya (both fingerprints and a photo are taken),[410] Malaysia upon entry and departure,[411] Mongolia, Paraguay, Saudi Arabia,[412] Singapore, South Korea,[413] Taiwan, Thailand,[414] Uganda,[415] the United Arab Emirates and the United States.
Many countries also require a photo be taken of people entering the country. The United States, which does not fully implement exit control formalities at its land frontiers (although long mandated by domestic legislation),[416][417][418] intends to implement facial recognition for passengers departing from international airports to identify people who overstay their visa.[419]
Together with fingerprint and face recognition, iris scanning is one of three biometric identification technologies internationally standardised since 2006 by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) for use in e-passports[420] and the United Arab Emirates conducts iris scanning on visitors who need to apply for a visa.[421][422]
Main article: List of diplomatic missions of South Africa |