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🇿🇦 Who needs a visa for South Africa?

U.S. State Department travel advisory for South Africa: Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution (updated 27 May 2025). It is written for U.S. citizens; read the advisory before you book.

World map: which passports can enter South Africa visa-free, with an ETA, e-Visa, visa on arrival or with a visa

Travel essentials for South Africa

Capital	Pretoria, Bloemfontein, Cape Town
Currency	South African rand (ZAR, R)
Official languages	Afrikaans, English, Southern Ndebele, Northern Sotho, Southern Sotho, Swazi, Tswana, Tsonga, Venda, Xhosa, Zulu
Calling code	+27
Plugs and voltage	type C, D, M, N · 230 V
Internet domain	.za

Neighbouring countries: 🇧🇼 Botswana, 🇱🇸 Lesotho, 🇲🇿 Mozambique, 🇳🇦 Namibia, 🇸🇿 Eswatini, 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe

Visa requirements by passport

Entry requirements for South Africa by passport, grouped from visa-free to visa required. Data updated September 2026; confirm with an embassy of South Africa before you travel.

Visa-free (86)

🇦🇩 Andorra · 90 days
🇦🇴 Angola · 30 days
🇦🇬 Antigua and Barbuda · 30 days
🇦🇷 Argentina · 90 days
🇦🇺 Australia · 90 days
🇦🇹 Austria · 90 days
🇧🇸 Bahamas · 30 days
🇧🇧 Barbados · 30 days
🇧🇪 Belgium · 90 days
🇧🇿 Belize · 30 days
🇧🇯 Benin · 30 days
🇧🇴 Bolivia · 30 days
🇧🇼 Botswana · 90 days
🇧🇷 Brazil · 90 days
🇨🇦 Canada · 90 days
🇨🇻 Cape Verde · 30 days
🇨🇱 Chile · 90 days
🇨🇷 Costa Rica · 30 days
🇨🇾 Cyprus · 30 days
🇨🇿 Czech Republic · 90 days
🇩🇰 Denmark · 90 days
🇪🇨 Ecuador · 90 days
🇸🇿 Eswatini · 30 days
🇫🇮 Finland · 90 days
🇫🇷 France · 90 days
🇬🇦 Gabon · 30 days
🇩🇪 Germany · 90 days
🇬🇭 Ghana · 90 days
🇬🇷 Greece · 90 days
🇬🇾 Guyana · 30 days
🇭🇰 Hong Kong · 30 days
🇭🇺 Hungary · 30 days
🇮🇸 Iceland · 90 days
🇮🇪 Ireland · 90 days
🇮🇱 Israel · 90 days
🇮🇹 Italy · 90 days
🇯🇲 Jamaica · 90 days
🇯🇵 Japan · 90 days
🇯🇴 Jordan · 30 days
🇰🇪 Kenya · 90 days
🇱🇸 Lesotho · 30 days
🇱🇮 Liechtenstein · 90 days
🇱🇺 Luxembourg · 90 days
🇲🇴 Macau · 30 days
🇲🇬 Madagascar · 90 days
🇲🇼 Malawi · 30 days
🇲🇾 Malaysia · 90 days
🇲🇻 Maldives · 30 days
🇲🇹 Malta · 90 days
🇲🇺 Mauritius · 30 days
🇲🇨 Monaco · 90 days
🇲🇿 Mozambique · 30 days
🇳🇦 Namibia · 90 days
🇳🇱 Netherlands · 90 days
🇳🇿 New Zealand · 90 days
🇳🇴 Norway · 90 days
🇵🇸 Palestine · 90 days
🇵🇦 Panama · 90 days
🇵🇾 Paraguay · 90 days
🇵🇪 Peru · 30 days
🇵🇱 Poland · 30 days
🇵🇹 Portugal · 90 days
🇶🇦 Qatar · 90 days
🇷🇺 Russia · 90 days
🇻🇨 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines · 90 days
🇸🇲 San Marino · 90 days
🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia · 90 days
🇸🇨 Seychelles · 30 days
🇸🇬 Singapore · 90 days
🇰🇷 South Korea · 30 days
🇪🇸 Spain · 90 days
🇸🇪 Sweden · 90 days
🇨🇭 Switzerland · 90 days
🇸🇹 São Tomé and Príncipe · 90 days
🇹🇿 Tanzania · 90 days
🇹🇭 Thailand · 30 days
🇹🇹 Trinidad and Tobago · 90 days
🇹🇳 Tunisia · 90 days
🇹🇷 Turkey · 30 days
🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates · 90 days
🇬🇧 United Kingdom · 90 days
🇺🇸 United States · 90 days
🇺🇾 Uruguay · 90 days
🇻🇪 Venezuela · 90 days
🇿🇲 Zambia · 90 days
🇿🇼 Zimbabwe · 90 days

🇿🇦 Who needs a visa for South Africa?

Travel essentials for South Africa

Visa requirements by passport

Visa-free (86)

ETA required (8)

e-Visa (30)

Visa required (74)