South Africa has officially moved into the top 50 powerful passports on the planet, as 11 more countries granted SA nationals visa-free entry in the last year.
BusinessTech shared travel advisors Henley & Partners’ latest travel index, and it is good news for any of us with a touch of wanderlust.
The total amount of countries South Africans can visit without applying for a visa stands at 102. So if there’s somewhere on your bucket list you want to visit, now might be the perfect time to take to the skies.
Countries that are visa-free to enter if you are South African
We’ve grouped together all the countries that are as good as hassle-free to travel to. The Caribbean is particularly inviting, as is South America. However, only three European countries offer a visa-free route for South Africans.
Angola, Antigua & Barbuda, Argentina, Bahamas, Barbados, British Virgin Islands, Belize, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Cayman Islands, Chile, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Falkland Islands, Georgia, Grenada, Guatemala, Haiti, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Kenya, Kosovo, Lesotho, Macao, Malawi, Malaysia, Mauritius, Micronesia, Mozambique, Namibia, Nicaragua, Niue, Palestinian Territories, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Qatar, Reunion, Russia, Saint Kitts & Nevis, Saint Lucia, Senegal, Singapore, South Korea, St Vincent & the Grenadines, Swaziland, Tanzania, Thailand, Trinidad & Tobago, Turks and Caicos Islands, Tunisia, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Venezuela, and Zimbabwe.
Countries that require an eTA or visa on arrival for South Africans
Okay, so you don’t have to go through all the tedious paperwork and dreaded submissions. But technically, you do need to complete a visa once you land. These are infinitely more simple than doing a “formal submission” back home, though.
Armenia, Benin, Cambodia, Cape Verde, Comoros, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, Iran, Jordan, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Madagascar, Mauritania, Maldives, Nepal, Oman, Palau, Rwanda, Samoa, Seychelles, Somalia, Sri Lanka, St. Helena, Timor-Leste, Tajikistan, Togo, Turkey, Tuvalu, Uganda and Zambia.
What is an ETA visa?
Some places will require an ETA (Electronic Travel Visa) before you can enter. It is an electronically stored authority equivalent to a visa. There is no stamp or label placed in your passport, but you will have to complete an online form for this.
When booking your travel, consult with the airline to find if an ETA visa is applicable to your destination of choice.
