PASSPORT HOLDERS WHO ARE EXEMPT FROM VISAS FOR SOUTH AFRICA
SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE
The citizen who is a holder of a national passport (diplomatic, official and
ordinary) of the foreign countries / territories / international
organisations listed below are not required to hold a visa when reporting to
an immigration officer for an examination 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 Republic.
1. The holder of a national 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) of the following countries / territories / international
organisations is not required to hold a visa in respect of purposes for
which a port of entry visa may be issued or by virtue of being a person
contemplated in section 31(3)(b) [accredited in SA] for an intended stay
of 90 days or less and when in transit:
African Union Laissez Passer
Andorra
Argentina
Australia
Austria
Belgium
Botswana
Brazil
Canada
Chile (only ordinary passport holders)
Czech Republic
Denmark
Ecuador
Finland
France
Germany (except in diplomatic staff due to assume duty at the Embassy and
Consulates of Germany in SA)
Greece
Iceland
Ireland
Israel
Italy
Jamaica
Japan
Liechtenstein
Luxemburg
Malta
Monaco
Namibia (only ordinary passport holders 90 days per annum)
Netherlands
Norway
Panama
Paraguay
Portugal
Russian Federation
San Marino
Singapore
Spain
St Vincent & the Grenadines
Sweden
Switzerland
Tanzania (90 days per annum)
Trinidad & Tobago (only ordinary passport holders)
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (only ordinary passport
holders)
British Islands Bailiwick of Guernsey and Jersey, Isle of Man. British
Oversees Territories namely: Anguilla, Bermuda, British Antarctic Territory,
British Indian Ocean Territory, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands,
Falkland Islands, Gibraltar, Montserrat, St Helena and Dependencies
(Ascension Island, Gough Island and Tristan da Cunha), Pitcairn, Henderson,
Ducie and Oeno Islands, the Sovereign Base Areas of Cyprus South Georgia and
South Sandwich Islands and the Turks and Caicos Island.
United States of America (except in respect of diplomatic staff due to
assume duty at the Embassy and Consulates of the USA in SA, as well as
service passport holders)
Uruguay
Venezuela
Zambia (90 days per annum)
Zimbabwe
3. The citizen who is a holder of a national passport (diplomatic, official
and ordinary) of the following countries / territories / international
organisations is not required to hold a visa in respect of purposes for
which a port of entry visa may be issued or by virtue of being a person
contemplated in section 31(3)(b) [accredited in SA] for an intended stay
of 30 days or less and when in transit:
Antigua and Barbuda
Bahamas (only ordinary passport holders)
Barbados
Belize
Benin
Bolivia
Cape Verde
Costa Rica
Cyprus
Gabon
Guyana
Hong Kong[only
with regard to holders of Hong Kong British National Overseas passports and
Hong Kong Special Administrative Region passports]
Hungary
Jordan
Lesotho
Macau[only
with regard to holders of Macau Special Administrative Region passports
(MSAR)]
Malaysia
Malawi
Maldives
Mauritius
Mozambique
Peru
Poland
Seychelles
South Korea
Swaziland
Thailand
Turkey
4. Agreements have also been concluded with the following countries for
holders of diplomatic and official passport holders.
Citizens who are holders of diplomatic, official and service passports of
the following countries do not require visas in respect of purposes for
which a port of entry visa may be issued or by virtue of being a person
contemplated in section 31(3)(b) [accredited in SA] for the period
indicated and transit:
Albania(120
days)
Algeria(30
days)
Angola(90
days)
Belarus(90
days)
Benelux states(90
days)
Bulgaria(90
days)
China (PROC) (30 days)
Cyprus(90
days)
Comoros(90
days)
Croatia(90
days)
Cuba (90
days)
Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) (90 days)
Egypt(30
days)
Ghana(90
days)
Guinea(90
days)
Hungary(120
days)
India (90 days)
Indonesia(30
days
Ivory Coast (Cote dˇ¦Ivoire)(30
days)
Kenya(30
days)
Mexico(90
days)
Madagascar(30
days)
Morocco(30
days)
Mozambique(90
days)
Namibia(30
days)
Nigeria(90
days)
Paraguay(120
days)
Poland(90
days)
Romania(90
days)
Rwanda(30
days)
Senegal(90
days)
Slovak Republic(90
days)
Thailand(90
days)
Tunisia (90
days) (also special passports)
Vietnam(90
days)
5. Notwithstanding this Schedule, a foreigner whose visa exemption has been
withdrawn shall comply with the visa requirements until notified by the
Department that his or her visa exemption has been re-instated by the
Department on petition or of its own accord.
6. General Work Visas are not required by commercial heavy duty vehicle
drivers who are employed by South African companies and originate from
countries which enjoy visa free movement into South Africa, on condition
that they can produce a letter confirming their employment on entry. In
accordance with a High Court ruling by the North Gauteng High Court on 31
March 2011, foreign commercial heavy duty vehicle drivers may be issued with
visitorˇ¦s visas in terms of section 11(1)(a) of the Immigration Act, with
authorisation to conduct work in terms of section 11(2) of the said Act
for the period of their visa exemption, which period may not exceed 90 days
at a time.
7. Port of entry visas are not required by foreign employed commercial
heavy-duty vehicle drivers from Lesotho, Swaziland, Botswana, Namibia,
Zambia, Zimbabwe and Malawi who are entering the Republic, provided their
visits do not exceed the period of their visa exemption and on condition
that they can produce a letter confirming their employment with a transport
company abroad on entry. Visitorˇ¦s visas in terms of section 11(1)(a) of the
Immigration Act, with authorisation to conduct work in terms of section
11(2) of the said Act for the period of their visa exemption, which period
may not exceed 90 days at a time
8. Staff members of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) who
travel on SADC laissez-passers are exempt from visa requirements for bona
fide official business visits up to 90 days and transit.
9.
The following categories of the UN as well as their spouses, dependent
relatives and other members of the households are exempt from visa
requirements when visiting the Republic for periods not exceeding 90 days
for purposes for which a port of entry visa may be issued, and for official
business purposes and transits and when accredited for placement at a UN
mission in the Republic for the duration of their accreditation, provided
they are in possession of the relevant letters or identification documents
to identify themselves at ports of entry as personnel of an UN agency.
ˇP
Holders of United Nations Laissez-passers
ˇP
Volunteers attached to the UN
ˇP
Persons involved in any United Nations agency
ˇP
Persons performing services on behalf of the UN
10.Members
of military forces attending any military related matters with the South
African National Defence Force are exempt from visa and study visa requirements;irrespective
of their duration of stay provided they are in possession of letters of
invitation from the SANDF as well as letters of consent from the military
force of which they are members.
11.
With effect from 18 December 2015 travellers, with the exception of
deportees, who transit through O R Tambo International Airport; Cape Town
International Airport; King Shaka International Airport and Lanseria
International Airport do not require transit visas as contemplated in
section 10B(4)(a) of the Immigration Act, 2002 (Act No 13 of 2002). However,
transiting passengers will be subjected to biometric capturing. Deportees
transiting at any port of entry are required to be in possession of a
transit visa at all times and must be escorted.
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