Visas are issued by South African missions abroad and must be affixed in the applicant’s passport before departing to South Africa. Visas are not issued on arrival at South African ports of entry. In order to gain a visa you are required to have two un-used (blank) pages in your passport.
Many countries do not need a visa to visit for 90 days or less. See what countries do not require a visa >>
Visas are issued by the South African Department of Home Affairs. The Cape Town and Western Cape Convention Bureau is in no position to guarantee visas, but will provide assistance for visa applications by issuing a letter confirming the conference and/or confirming that a particular delegate has registered for the conference. The applicant will be required to submit this letter of invitation along with other documentation (refer to www.southafrica.info/travel/documents/visas.htm).
Passport / Travel Document Holders Who Are Exempt from Visas for South Africa
The citizen who is a holder of a national passport (diplomatic, official and ordinary) / travel document of the foreign countries / territories / international organizations listed below are not required to hold a visa when reporting to an immigration officer at a South African port of entry, subject to the terms and conditions set out in this list, including inter alia the intended period of stay in the country.
1. The holder of a South African passport, travel document and document for travel purposes.
2. The citizen who is a holder of a national passport (diplomatic, official or ordinary) / travel document of the following countries / territories / international organizations is not required to hold a visa in respect of purposes for which a visitor’s permit may be issued for an intended stay of 90 days or less and when in transit:
| Argentina |
Denmark |
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland |
| Australia |
Ecuador |
British Islands Bailiwick of Guernsey and Jersey |
| Austria |
Finland |
Isle of Man and Virgin Islands |
| Belgium |
France |
Republic of Ireland |
| Botswana |
Germany |
British Overseas Territories |
| Brazil |
Greece |
Uruguay |
| Canada |
Iceland |
Venezuela |
| Chile |
Israel |
United States of America
|
| Czech Republic |
Italy |
|
Note that a national of the following countries does require a visa:
- British Dependent Territories including:
- Anguilla
- Bermuda
- British Antarctic Territory
- British Indian Ocean Territory
- Cayman Islands
- Falkland Islands
- Gibraltar
- Montserrat
- Pitcairn
- Henderson
- St Helena
- Ducie and Oeno Islands
- Sovereign Base Area of Akrotiri and Dhekelia
- Turks and Caicos Island
3. The citizen who is a holder of a national passport (diplomatic, official and ordinary) / travel document of the following countries / territories / international organisations is not required to hold a visa in respect of purposes for which a visitor’s permit may be issued for an intended stay of 30 days or less and when in transit:
| Antigua and Barbuda |
Cape Verde |
Hong Kong* |
| Barbados |
Costa Rica |
Hungary |
| Belize |
Cyprus |
Jordan |
| Benin |
Gabon |
Lesotho |
| Bolivia |
Guyana |
Macau** |
*only with regard to holders of Hong Kong British National Overseas passports and Hong Kong Special Administrative Region passports
**only with regard to holders of Macau Special Administrative Region passports (MSAR)
THE CONFERENCE
| Jamaica |
Namibia |
Slovak Republic |
| Japan |
Netherlands |
South Korea |
| Liechtenstein |
New Zealand |
Spain |
| Luxemburg |
Norway |
St Vincent & the Grenadines |
| Malaysia |
Paraguay |
Swaziland |
| Malawi |
Peru |
Sweden |
| Maldives |
Poland |
Switzerland |
| Malta |
Portugal |
Thailand |
| Mauritius |
San Marino |
Turkey |
| Monaco |
Seychelles |
Zambia |
| Mozambique |
Singapore |
|
All citizens of countries not listed above require visas to enter South Africa.