Byevisa » South Africa Tourist Visa

A visa is required. We cannot assist in processing this document, but we provide useful information.

South Africa’s Electronic Visa (eVisa) system is in the process of being launched and should be ready soon. It will allow visitors from a number of countries to quickly and easily obtain a South Africa tourist visa online. 

The online visa system is currently being offered only to citizens of Kenya and India who are entering through the Lanseria or Tambo airports. It is expected to be available to other nationalities later in 2020. When the system is officially launched, Byevisa will be a quick and easy way to get your South Africa travel authorisation. Until then, those who require a visa must apply in person at an embassy or consulate.

All About the South Africa eVisa

Many countries don’t require an authorisation to be obtained in advance to visit South Africa. If you’re from Australia, Canada, Europe, the US, New Zealand, the UK or more countries listed below, a visa is not required for stays up to 90 days.

For those who do need a visa, its validity period and how long you can stay will be depend on your nationality.

The government fee for the eVisa authorisation also depends on your nationality. Byevisa charges an additional processing fee because we handle your paperwork on your behalf. Our prices start at just 25 USD.

Keep reading below for more information about how to apply for your South Africa eVisa with Byevisa.

Is There a Difference Between an eVisa and a South Africa Visa on Arrival (VoA)?

Yes. An Electronic Visa (eVisa) is a travel authorisation that you apply for online before your trip. It saves you time and hassle from having to fill out paperwork at a consulate or embassy. Byevisa is the smartest choice to apply for your eVisa online. We process your paperwork on your behalf, and when it’s approved we send your authorisation to you by email.

By comparison, a Visa on Arrival (VoA) is an authorisation that you obtain when you arrive to the country, in the airport or at a border checkpoint, without needing to apply in advance. South Africa does not offer the option of a Visa on Arrival, making it necessary for many visitors to obtain a visa in advance. However, some nationalities such as the US and the UK may enter without applying for an authorisation.

South Africa Visa Requirements and Eligibility

You may be asking yourself if you need a visa for South Africa. You can find out what type of visa you need by selecting your nationality and destination in our web checker tool here:

Check Visa Eligibility

Read below to see more about who’s eligible for an eVisa and the requirements for visitors to South Africa.

Currently, only Kenyan and Indian citizens are eligible to apply for an eVisa. We highlight below the nationalities that are exempt from visa requirements, as well as the nationalities that must apply in person at an embassy. When the new e-Visa system is fully launched, some tourists who were previously visa-exempt may need to apply for an eVisa.

Requirements for all visitors: 

  • You must have a passport that is valid for a minimum of 30 days from the date of your departure. Your passport must have 2 consecutive blank pages available for stamping.
  • Any visitors coming from a country with a yellow fever risk must be vaccinated, and you need to present your vaccination certificate as part of your application. You can see the list of countries with yellow fever risk on the World Health Organisation’s website.
  • If you’re travelling with a child under the age of 18, you need to present a birth certificate that lists you as the parent of the child. If the child is traveling with 1 parent, you must present an affidavit giving the other parent’s consent for the child to travel.
  • You also need to present proof that you have sufficient funds for your stay, as well as your return air ticket confirmation.

If you’re a citizen of one the following 52 visa-free countries for South Africa, you don’t need a visa and may stay for up to 90 days:

  • Andorra, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Botswana, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Czech Republic, Denmark, Ecuador, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Mozambique, Namibia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Panama, Paraguay, Portugal, Qatar, Russia, St Vincent & the Grenadines, San Marino,Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Tanzania, Trinidad & Tobago, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States, Uruguay, Venezuela, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

Also, these 28 nationalities may enter visa-free for up to 30 days:

  • Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Cape Verde, Costa Rica, Cyprus, Eswatini, Gabon, Guyana, Hong Kong, Hungary, Jordan, Lesotho, Macau, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritius, Peru, Poland, Seychelles, South Korea, Thailand, and Turkey.

Currently, all of the nationalities listed below need to apply for a visa at an embassy or consulate. When the new eVisa system is launched, many of these will be able to apply for an authorisation online.

Afghanistan
Albania
Algeria
Armenia
Azerbaijan
Bahrain
Bangladesh
Belarus
Bermuda
Bhutan
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Brunei
Bulgaria
Burkina Faso
Burundi
Cambodia
Cameroon
Central African Republic
Chad
China
Colombia
Comoros
Congo
Côte d’Ivoire
Croatia
Cuba
Djibouti
Dominican Republic
DR of Congo
Egypt
El Salvador
Equatorial Guinea
Eritrea
Estonia
Ethiopia

Faroe Islands
Fiji
French Guiana
Gambia
Georgia
Ghana
Gibraltar
Greenland
Guatemala
Guinea
Guinea-Bissau
Honduras
Indonesia
Iran
Iraq
Kazakhstan
Kiribati
Kosovo
Kuwait
Kyrgyzstan
Laos
Latvia
Lebanon
Liberia
Libya
Lithuania
Macedonia
Madagascar
Mali
Mauritania
Mexico
Moldova
Mongolia
Montenegro
Morocco

Myanmar
Nepal
Nicaragua
Niger
Nigeria
North Korea
Oman
Pakistan
Philippines
Puerto Rico
Romania
Rwanda
Sao Tome and Principe
Senegal
Serbia
Sierra Leone
Slovakia
Slovenia
Somalia
South Sudan
Sri Lanka
Sudan
Suriname
Syria
Taiwan
Tajikistan
Timor-Leste
Togo
Tunisia
Turkmenistan
Uganda
Ukraine
Uzbekistan
Vietnam
Yemen

South Africa Visa Application Process

Once the South Africa eVisa system is ready, Byevisa is here to guide you through our easy application process. All you need to do is the following:

Complete our application form with some details about yourself that match your passport data. We also ask for travel information like where you’re staying and your arrival and departure dates. You must also provide required documents.

With Byevisa you make 1 easy payment for the government’s visa fee and our processing fee. We offer 3 service speeds of 15, 17 or 19 business days.

After submitting your application, Byevisa processes it in the timeframe you selected.

We send your eVisa directly to your email inbox once it’s approved. You need to print out this authorisation to show to immigration officials upon arrival.

South Africa Visa Application Form and Documents

It’s simple to complete your online application with Byevisa. You can do so from anywhere in the world, as long as you have an internet connection. Below we outline all the steps of the application process.

1. Choose your nationality and your destination (South Africa) from the eligibility checker.

2. If you’re eligible, you can begin your application. You fill in the following required fields, including:

  • The email address where you want us to send your eVisa.
  • Your full name as it appears in your passport.
  • The dates of your arrival and departure.
  • Your gender.
  • Your birth date.
  • The country where you were born.
  • Your nationality.

If you’re travelling with other people, there’s an option to add new applicants. This lets you fill in the accompanying members’ information.

3. Review all your application details, and then proceed to enter your payment information. Here you enter either a debit/credit card number or choose to pay via PayPal. Then you are ready to submit the form.

4. As soon as your application is approved, we send your eVisa directly to your email inbox. You must print this eVisa document to present to immigration authorities when you arrive.

Please be aware you may need to provide the following documents:

  • A scan of your passport bio page.
  • A passport photo.
  • Your hotel reservation or other proof of your accommodation arrangements.
  • Your travel itinerary.
  • A recent bank statement.
  • Your yellow fever vaccination certificate if required.
  • Other documents, if required.

How to Check Your South Africa Visa Status Online

Your evisa is sent directly to your email inbox. However, if you need assistance with South Africa visa tracking, you can contact our customer support team. We’re here to help.

Click the Status section from the main menu and fill out the following information:

  • Your full name.
  • Your email address.
  • The subject of your message.
  • A message explaining the details of your issue.

Send us the message, and a customer support agent will respond as soon as possible.

How Much Does a South Africa Visa Cost?

The South Africa visa fee for the new eVisa has not been announced, but we do know that it will depend on your nationality.

Here at Byevisa, our fee varies according to how quickly you want us to process your application. Our service speeds are Standard, Rapid, and Highly Rapid.

  • Standard service has a fee of 25 USD and we process your eVisa in 19 business days.
  • Rapid service costs 40 USD and processing takes 17 business days.
  • With our Highly Rapid service you pay 50 USD and we process it in the shortest possible time of 15 business days.

More South Africa Visa Questions and Information

Do you have more questions about how to get a visa for this nation of natural wonders? Below you can find the answers to some frequently asked questions.

The country is in the process of launching a new e-Visa system that is only being piloted for citizens of Kenya and India. It will not be available online until the system is fully rolled out. Come back soon to see if it’s ready.
It is not clear at this time what the eVisa options will be for each nationality. We will update this information when it becomes available.
India is included among the first countries that can use the new eVisa system. Fortunately, this means Indian citizens can get faster access to obtain travel authorisations. There is no South African Visa on Arrival for Indian citizens, so be sure to get your visa ahead of time through the embassy or online.
Our shortest available processing time is 15 business days with our Highly Rapid service, so it’s necessary to complete your application well in advance to give ample time for processing.
If you have a second nationality, you should apply with the passport that you plan to travel with. Also, you may need to include information about your other nationality in your application, including the country and the date you acquired citizenship.
It’s important to check all your application information and supporting documents to make sure your data is correct before submitting it. Any missing or incorrect information could lead to your application being denied. If this happens, reach out to us to find out how to re-submit your application.
The South Africa visa processing time is between 15 and 19 business days. You can choose the service speed at the time of your application.
The validity period varies depending on the country your passport is from. We will provide more information when it becomes available.
Yes, you must print the travel authorisation that we send you by email. This document is what you need to present to immigration authorities, along with your passport, to be able to enter the country.
We will include an example of the eVisa for you to see when the authorisation becomes available.
Please find below a selection of additional links to help you before you visit the Springbok Nation: