The South African passport ranks 98th in the world as of January 2024 according to VisaGuide Passport Index. This means that South African citizens can travel visa-free to 74 countries in the world. However, to enter the remaining countries, South African passport holders must apply for a visa beforehand.
Where Can South African Passport Holders Travel Without a Visa?
As of January 2024, South African passport holders can travel visa-free to 74 countries and territories:
- Angola
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Argentina
- Bahamas
- Barbados
- Belize
- Benin
- Botswana
- Brazil
- British Virgin Islands
- Cayman Islands
- Chile
- Cook Islands
- Costa Rica
- Dominica
- Dominican Republic
- Ecuador
- El Salvador
- Falkland Islands
- Fiji
- Gabon
- Georgia
- Ghana
- Grenada
- Guatemala
- Guyana
- Haiti
- Honduras
- Hong Kong
- Ireland
- Israel
- Jamaica
- Kenya
- Kiribati
- Kosovo
- Lesotho
- Macau
- Malawi
- Malaysia
- Mauritius
- Micronesia
- Montserrat
- Mozambique
- Namibia
- Nicaragua
- Niue
- Pakistan
- Palestine
- Panama
- Paraguay
- Peru
- Philippines
- Qatar
- Réunion
- Russia
- Singapore
- South Korea
- Saint Kitts and Nevis
- Saint Lucia
- Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
- Suriname
- Tanzania
- Thailand
- Gambia
- Togo
- Trinidad and Tobago
- Tunisia
- Turks and Caicos Islands
- Uruguay
- Vanuatu
- Venezuela
- Zambia
- Zimbabwe
- Eswatini
For visa-free travels, you still must have a valid passport — usually six months after your departure date— and you must purchase travel health insurance as required by your destination country.
What Countries Issue eVisa to South African Citizens?
The following 26 countries issue eVisas for South African passport holders:
- Albania
- Azerbaijan
- Bhutan
- Burkina Faso
- Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Ivory Coast
- Djibouti
- Egypt
- Equatorial Guinea
- Guinea
- India
- Iran
- Japan
- Kazakhstan
- Moldova
- Mongolia
- Myanmar
- Nigeria
- Oman
- Papua New Guinea
- São Tomé and Príncipe
- South Sudan
- Tajikistan
- Türkiye
- Uganda
- Vietnam
The process of getting an eVisa is more or less the same as applying for a traditional visa. However, in this case, you don’t have to visit a visa application center— you can submit your application online, including the visa payment.
After your application is approved, you will receive an email confirming your visa status along with a document you must print out and bring with you when crossing the border. Your visa will be registered online, but some officers may ask you for a physical copy of the permit; that is why it’s important to keep the copy on your person while traveling.
What Countries Issue Visa on Arrival to South African Passport Holders?
If you are a South African citizen, you can get a visa on arrival for the 29 countries listed below:
- Armenia
- Bahrain
- Bolivia
- Burundi
- Cambodia
- Cabo Verde
- Comoros
- Ethiopia
- Guinea-Bissau
- Indonesia
- Jordan
- Kyrgyzstan
- Laos
- Madagascar
- Maldives
- Marshall Islands
- Mauritania
- Nepal
- Palau
- Rwanda
- Saudi Arabia
- Senegal
- Seychelles
- Sierra Leone
- Somalia
- Sri Lanka
- Saint Helena
- Timor-Leste
- Tuvalu
You receive a visa on arrival (VOA) after entering the country that issues such a visa. Usually, there is a separate section at the airport where you can submit your application for your visa on arrival.
Countries With Visa Requirements for South African Citizens
You need a valid visa to enter the following 97 countries with a South African passport:
- Afghanistan
- Algeria
- American Samoa
- Andorra
- Anguilla
- Aruba
- Australia
- Austria
- Bangladesh
- Belarus
- Belgium
- Bermuda
- Caribbean Netherlands
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Brunei
- Bulgaria
- Cameroon
- Canada
- Central African Republic
- Chad
- China
- Colombia
- Republic of the Congo
- Croatia
- Cuba
- Curaçao
- Cyprus
- Czechia
- Denmark
- Eritrea
- Estonia
- Faroe Islands
- Finland
- France
- French Guiana
- French Polynesia
- French West Indies
- Germany
- Gibraltar
- Greece
- Greenland
- Guam
- Hungary
- Iceland
- Iraq
- Italy
- Kuwait
- Latvia
- Lebanon
- Liberia
- Libya
- Liechtenstein
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Mali
- Malta
- Mayotte
- Mexico
- Monaco
- Montenegro
- Morocco
- Nauru
- Netherlands
- New Caledonia
- New Zealand
- Niger
- North Korea
- North Macedonia
- Northern Mariana Islands
- Norway
- Poland
- Portugal
- Puerto Rico
- Romania
- Samoa
- San Marino
- Serbia
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- Solomon Islands
- Spain
- Saint Martin
- Sudan
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- Syria
- Taiwan
- Tonga
- Turkmenistan
- United States Virgin Islands
- Ukraine
- United Arab Emirates
- United Kingdom
- United States
- Uzbekistan
- Vatican City
- Yemen
