🇿🇦 South Africa passport visa requirements

Covering 194 destinations · Last reviewed 2026-08-25

Where can South Africa passport holders travel in 2026? This page lists the visa requirement for every country — 59 visa-free, 33 visa on arrival, 33 eVisa and 69 requiring a visa in advance. Select any destination for full details: visa type, permitted stay, fees, required documents and the official application link.

Visa-free

Visa on arrival

eVisa / ETA

Visa required

125

Total without an embassy visa

Check a specific destination in the visa tool →

Read the full guide: Visa-free countries for South Africa passport holders (2026) — with practical tips, stay limits and how each category works.

Visa-free destinations (59)

Countries South Africa passport holders can enter with no visa — just a valid passport.

Destination	Max stay	More
🇦🇴 Angola	30 days	Angola entry rules →
🇦🇬 Antigua and Barbuda	180 days	Antigua and Barbuda entry rules →
🇦🇷 Argentina	90 days	Argentina entry rules →
🇧🇸 Bahamas	90 days	Bahamas entry rules →
🇧🇧 Barbados	180 days	Barbados entry rules →
🇧🇿 Belize	—	Belize entry rules →
🇧🇯 Benin	90 days	Benin entry rules →
🇧🇼 Botswana	90 days	Botswana entry rules →
🇧🇷 Brazil	90 days	Brazil entry rules →
🇨🇱 Chile	90 days	Chile entry rules →
🇨🇷 Costa Rica	180 days	Costa Rica entry rules →
🇩🇲 Dominica	180 days	Dominica entry rules →
🇩🇴 Dominican Republic	—	Dominican Republic entry rules →
🇪🇨 Ecuador	90 days	Ecuador entry rules →
🇸🇻 El Salvador	180 days	El Salvador entry rules →
🇸🇿 Eswatini	30 days	Eswatini entry rules →
🇫🇯 Fiji	120 days	Fiji entry rules →
🇬🇦 Gabon	30 days	Gabon entry rules →
🇬🇲 Gambia	90 days	Gambia entry rules →
🇬🇪 Georgia	360 days	Georgia entry rules →
🇬🇭 Ghana	90 days	Ghana entry rules →
🇬🇩 Grenada	90 days	Grenada entry rules →
🇬🇹 Guatemala	90 days	Guatemala entry rules →
🇬🇾 Guyana	30 days	Guyana entry rules →
🇭🇹 Haiti	90 days	Haiti entry rules →
🇭🇳 Honduras	90 days	Honduras entry rules →
🇮🇱 Israel	90 days	Israel entry rules →
🇯🇲 Jamaica	—	Jamaica entry rules →
🇰🇪 Kenya	90 days	Kenya entry rules →
🇰🇮 Kiribati	90 days	Kiribati entry rules →
🇱🇸 Lesotho	—	Lesotho entry rules →
🇲🇼 Malawi	90 days	Malawi entry rules →
🇲🇾 Malaysia	90 days	Malaysia entry rules →
🇲🇺 Mauritius	90 days	Mauritius entry rules →
🇫🇲 Micronesia	30 days	Micronesia entry rules →
🇲🇿 Mozambique	—	Mozambique entry rules →
🇳🇦 Namibia	90 days	Namibia entry rules →
🇳🇮 Nicaragua	90 days	Nicaragua entry rules →
🇵🇸 Palestine	—	Palestine entry rules →
🇵🇦 Panama	90 days	Panama entry rules →
🇵🇾 Paraguay	90 days	Paraguay entry rules →
🇵🇪 Peru	180 days	Peru entry rules →
🇵🇭 Philippines	30 days	Philippines entry rules →
🇷🇺 Russia	90 days	Russia entry rules →
🇷🇼 Rwanda	30 days	Rwanda entry rules →
🇰🇳 Saint Kitts and Nevis	90 days	Saint Kitts and Nevis entry rules →
🇱🇨 Saint Lucia	42 days	Saint Lucia entry rules →
🇻🇨 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines	90 days	Saint Vincent and the Grenadines entry rules →
🇸🇨 Seychelles	90 days	Seychelles entry rules →
🇸🇬 Singapore	30 days	Singapore entry rules →
🇹🇿 Tanzania	90 days	Tanzania entry rules →
🇹🇭 Thailand	60 days	Thailand entry rules →
🇹🇹 Trinidad and Tobago	90 days	Trinidad and Tobago entry rules →
🇹🇳 Tunisia	90 days	Tunisia entry rules →
🇺🇾 Uruguay	90 days	Uruguay entry rules →
🇻🇺 Vanuatu	120 days	Vanuatu entry rules →
🇻🇪 Venezuela	90 days	Venezuela entry rules →
🇿🇲 Zambia	90 days	Zambia entry rules →
🇿🇼 Zimbabwe	90 days	Zimbabwe entry rules →

Visa on arrival (33)

Countries where South Africa travellers get a visa at the border, no embassy visit needed.

Destination	Max stay	More
🇦🇲 Armenia	—	Armenia entry rules →
🇧🇴 Bolivia	—	Bolivia entry rules →
🇧🇮 Burundi	—	Burundi entry rules →
🇨🇻 Cabo Verde	—	Cabo Verde entry rules →
🇰🇭 Cambodia	—	Cambodia entry rules →
🇰🇲 Comoros	—	Comoros entry rules →
🇩🇯 Djibouti	—	Djibouti entry rules →
🇪🇬 Egypt	—	Egypt entry rules →
🇪🇹 Ethiopia	—	Ethiopia entry rules →
🇬🇼 Guinea-Bissau	—	Guinea-Bissau entry rules →
🇮🇩 Indonesia	—	Indonesia entry rules →
🇮🇷 Iran	—	Iran entry rules →
🇯🇴 Jordan	—	Jordan entry rules →
🇰🇬 Kyrgyzstan	—	Kyrgyzstan entry rules →
🇱🇦 Laos	—	Laos entry rules →
🇲🇬 Madagascar	—	Madagascar entry rules →
🇲🇻 Maldives	—	Maldives entry rules →
🇲🇭 Marshall Islands	—	Marshall Islands entry rules →
🇲🇷 Mauritania	—	Mauritania entry rules →
🇳🇵 Nepal	—	Nepal entry rules →
🇳🇬 Nigeria	—	Nigeria entry rules →
🇴🇲 Oman	—	Oman entry rules →
🇵🇼 Palau	—	Palau entry rules →
🇶🇦 Qatar	—	Qatar entry rules →
🇼🇸 Samoa	—	Samoa entry rules →
🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia	—	Saudi Arabia entry rules →
🇸🇳 Senegal	—	Senegal entry rules →
🇸🇱 Sierra Leone	—	Sierra Leone entry rules →
🇸🇴 Somalia	—	Somalia entry rules →
🇱🇰 Sri Lanka	—	Sri Lanka entry rules →
🇹🇯 Tajikistan	—	Tajikistan entry rules →
🇹🇱 Timor-Leste	—	Timor-Leste entry rules →
🇹🇻 Tuvalu	—	Tuvalu entry rules →

eVisa / online authorisation (33)

Countries that require South Africa citizens to apply online before travel (eVisa or ETA).

Destination	Max stay	More
🇦🇱 Albania	—	Albania entry rules →
🇦🇺 Australia	—	Australia entry rules →
🇦🇿 Azerbaijan	—	Azerbaijan entry rules →
🇧🇭 Bahrain	—	Bahrain entry rules →
🇧🇹 Bhutan	—	Bhutan entry rules →
🇧🇫 Burkina Faso	—	Burkina Faso entry rules →
🇨🇲 Cameroon	—	Cameroon entry rules →
🇨🇴 Colombia	—	Colombia entry rules →
🇨🇺 Cuba	—	Cuba entry rules →
🇨🇩 DR Congo	—	DR Congo entry rules →
🇬🇶 Equatorial Guinea	—	Equatorial Guinea entry rules →
🇬🇳 Guinea	—	Guinea entry rules →
🇮🇳 India	—	India entry rules →
🇮🇶 Iraq	—	Iraq entry rules →
🇨🇮 Ivory Coast	—	Ivory Coast entry rules →
🇯🇵 Japan	—	Japan entry rules →
🇰🇿 Kazakhstan	—	Kazakhstan entry rules →
🇱🇾 Libya	—	Libya entry rules →
🇲🇩 Moldova	—	Moldova entry rules →
🇲🇳 Mongolia	—	Mongolia entry rules →
🇲🇲 Myanmar	—	Myanmar entry rules →
🇵🇰 Pakistan	—	Pakistan entry rules →
🇵🇬 Papua New Guinea	—	Papua New Guinea entry rules →
🇸🇹 Sao Tome and Principe	—	Sao Tome and Principe entry rules →
🇰🇷 South Korea	—	South Korea entry rules →
🇸🇸 South Sudan	—	South Sudan entry rules →
🇸🇷 Suriname	—	Suriname entry rules →
🇸🇾 Syria	—	Syria entry rules →
🇹🇬 Togo	—	Togo entry rules →
🇹🇷 Turkey	—	Turkey entry rules →
🇦🇪 UAE	—	UAE entry rules →
🇺🇬 Uganda	—	Uganda entry rules →
🇻🇳 Vietnam	—	Vietnam entry rules →

Visa required in advance (69)

Countries where South Africa passport holders must obtain a visa before departure.

Destination	Max stay	More
🇦🇫 Afghanistan	—	Afghanistan entry rules →
🇩🇿 Algeria	—	Algeria entry rules →
🇦🇩 Andorra	—	Andorra entry rules →
🇦🇹 Austria	—	Austria entry rules →
🇧🇩 Bangladesh	—	Bangladesh entry rules →
🇧🇾 Belarus	—	Belarus entry rules →
🇧🇪 Belgium	—	Belgium entry rules →
🇧🇦 Bosnia and Herzegovina	—	Bosnia and Herzegovina entry rules →
🇧🇳 Brunei	—	Brunei entry rules →
🇧🇬 Bulgaria	—	Bulgaria entry rules →
🇨🇦 Canada	—	Canada entry rules →
🇨🇫 Central African Republic	—	Central African Republic entry rules →
🇹🇩 Chad	—	Chad entry rules →
🇨🇳 China	—	China entry rules →
🇭🇷 Croatia	—	Croatia entry rules →
🇨🇾 Cyprus	—	Cyprus entry rules →
🇨🇿 Czech Republic	—	Czech Republic entry rules →
🇩🇰 Denmark	—	Denmark entry rules →
🇪🇷 Eritrea	—	Eritrea entry rules →
🇪🇪 Estonia	—	Estonia entry rules →
🇫🇮 Finland	—	Finland entry rules →
🇫🇷 France	—	France entry rules →
🇩🇪 Germany	—	Germany entry rules →
🇬🇷 Greece	—	Greece entry rules →
🇭🇺 Hungary	—	Hungary entry rules →
🇮🇸 Iceland	—	Iceland entry rules →
🇮🇪 Ireland	—	Ireland entry rules →
🇮🇹 Italy	—	Italy entry rules →
🇰🇼 Kuwait	—	Kuwait entry rules →
🇱🇻 Latvia	—	Latvia entry rules →
🇱🇧 Lebanon	—	Lebanon entry rules →
🇱🇷 Liberia	—	Liberia entry rules →
🇱🇮 Liechtenstein	—	Liechtenstein entry rules →
🇱🇹 Lithuania	—	Lithuania entry rules →
🇱🇺 Luxembourg	—	Luxembourg entry rules →
🇲🇱 Mali	—	Mali entry rules →
🇲🇹 Malta	—	Malta entry rules →
🇲🇽 Mexico	—	Mexico entry rules →
🇲🇨 Monaco	—	Monaco entry rules →
🇲🇪 Montenegro	—	Montenegro entry rules →
🇲🇦 Morocco	—	Morocco entry rules →
🇳🇷 Nauru	—	Nauru entry rules →
🇳🇱 Netherlands	—	Netherlands entry rules →
🇳🇿 New Zealand	—	New Zealand entry rules →
🇳🇪 Niger	—	Niger entry rules →
🇰🇵 North Korea	—	North Korea entry rules →
🇲🇰 North Macedonia	—	North Macedonia entry rules →
🇳🇴 Norway	—	Norway entry rules →
🇵🇱 Poland	—	Poland entry rules →
🇵🇹 Portugal	—	Portugal entry rules →
🇨🇬 Republic of the Congo	—	Republic of the Congo entry rules →
🇷🇴 Romania	—	Romania entry rules →
🇸🇲 San Marino	—	San Marino entry rules →
🇷🇸 Serbia	—	Serbia entry rules →
🇸🇰 Slovakia	—	Slovakia entry rules →
🇸🇮 Slovenia	—	Slovenia entry rules →
🇸🇧 Solomon Islands	—	Solomon Islands entry rules →
🇪🇸 Spain	—	Spain entry rules →
🇸🇩 Sudan	—	Sudan entry rules →
🇸🇪 Sweden	—	Sweden entry rules →
🇨🇭 Switzerland	—	Switzerland entry rules →
🇹🇼 Taiwan	—	Taiwan entry rules →
🇹🇴 Tonga	—	Tonga entry rules →
🇹🇲 Turkmenistan	—	Turkmenistan entry rules →
🇺🇦 Ukraine	—	Ukraine entry rules →
🇬🇧 United Kingdom	—	United Kingdom entry rules →
🇺🇸 United States	—	United States entry rules →
🇺🇿 Uzbekistan	—	Uzbekistan entry rules →
🇾🇪 Yemen	—	Yemen entry rules →

Frequently asked questions

How many countries can South Africa passport holders visit visa-free?

South Africa passport holders can enter 59 countries and territories visa-free, and a further 33 offer a visa on arrival — 92 destinations in total with no advance visa needed. Including eVisa/ETA destinations, 125 countries are reachable without visiting an embassy.

Which countries can South Africa citizens visit without a visa?

Visa-free destinations for South Africa citizens include Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Benin, Botswana, Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica, Dominica, and more — see the full list above.

How many countries require a visa for South Africa passport holders?

69 countries require South Africa passport holders to obtain a visa before travelling. The full list is above, each linking to the requirements, costs and official application link.

Is this South Africa visa information official?

No. isvisarequired.com provides general guidance compiled from public government and IATA sources, last reviewed 2026-08-25. Visa rules change often — always confirm with the destination's official immigration authority or embassy before you book or travel.

Other passports

🇦🇺 Australia passport 🇧🇷 Brazil passport 🇨🇦 Canada passport 🇨🇳 China passport 🇩🇪 Germany passport 🇮🇳 India passport 🇳🇬 Nigeria passport 🇵🇭 Philippines passport 🇸🇬 Singapore passport 🇦🇪 UAE passport 🇬🇧 United Kingdom passport 🇺🇸 United States passport

This is general guidance, not an official government source. Visa policies can change at any time — always verify with the destination country's embassy or official immigration website before booking travel.