Last Updated on September 27, 2023 by Lauren Melnick
One of the most frustrating parts about travelling as a South African is tourist visa applications.
You have to make appointments at consulates, take time off work for officials to grill you about the purpose of your trip, make a sizeable offering of paperwork, and the expensive visa fees.
(I’m looking at you, the United Kingdom and the United States of America!)
But there is light at the end of the tunnel, my friends.
Once, we had only a measly 90 visa-free countries to visit, but as of 2023, South African passport holders can visit 111 visa-free countries (including visa on arrival), ranking South Africa’s passport 46th in terms of travel freedom.
As long s you have a valid passport, you can gain access to 64 countries (visa-free) and 47 (visa on arrival), leaving 87 countries with visa requirements for South Africans.
Hopefully, this number will continue to climb, but I think that’s a pretty decent chunk of the world to explore in the meantime!
If you need a little wanderlust inspiration – here is a complete list of visa-free countries for South Africans!
P.S. Always double-check the visa requirements for each destination. Things can change before I’ve had a chance to update this blog post.
Psst…Want more visa-free travel inspiration? Check out my other posts:
- 12 Best Visa-Free Destinations for South Africans to Visit
- 14 Unique Visa-Free Countries for South Africans
- 20 Incredible Visa-Free Countries South Africans Need to Visit
Table of Contents
Visa-Free Countries for South Africans
What does visa-free mean exactly?
It means there are no entry requirements (besides a valid passport).
All you need to do is book your flights, get your passport stamped at the port of entry, and you’re good to go!
Africa
- Angola – 30 days
- Benin – 90 days
- Botswana – 90 days
- Gabon – 30 days
- Gambia – 90 days
- Kenya – 90 days
- Lesotho – 90 days
- Malawi – 90 days
- Mauritius – 90 days
- Mozambique – 90 days
- Namibia – 90 days
- Reunion – 90 days
- Swaziland / eSwatini – 30 days
- Tanzania – 90 days
- Tunisia – 90 days
- Zambia – 30 days
- Zimbabwe – 90 days
Read more on Africa travel:
- An Incredible 10-Day Namibia Road Trip Itinerary
- How To Travel To Mozambique on a Budget from South Africa
- Reunion Island Itinerary: How to See the Best of Reunion Island in One Week
- A Quick Guide to Victoria Falls: Everything You Need to Know
- 10 of the Cheapest African Countries to Visit
- 7 Epic Things to Do in Diani Beach, Kenya
- How to Travel Kenya on a Budget
- What It’s Like Staying on Mumbo Island in Malawi
- The Perfect Self-Drive Botswana Itinerary for an Epic Safari Trip
- Botswana Bucket List: 10+ Best Things to do in Botswana
- The Ultimate South Africa Bucket List: 40+ Amazing Places to Visit
Asia
- Hong Kong – 30 days
- Indonesia – 30 days
- Macau – 30 days
- Malaysia – 90 days
- Philippines – 30 days
- Singapore – 30 days
- Thailand – 30 days
Read more on Asia travel:
- The Best of Bangkok: The Perfect 3-day Bangkok Itinerary
- Singapore 4-Day Itinerary: The Ultimate Guide for First-Time Travellers
- How to Travel Bali on a Budget as a Frugal South African
- How to Backpack Sepilok, Borneo on a Budget
Europe
- Georgia – 360 days
- Ireland – 90 days
- Kosovo – 90 days
- Russia – 90 days
Read more on Europe travel:
- A Quick Guide To The Cliffs of Moher
- The Ultimate Tbilisi, Georgia Travel Guide
- 7 Experiences You Absolutely Must Have in Georgia
- How to Apply for Your Schengen Visa as a South African
- Digital Nomad Visas: 15+ Destinations That Let You Work Remotely
Caribbean
- Antigua and Barbuda – 180 days
- Bahamas – 90 days
- Barbados – 180 days
- The British Virgin Islands – 30 days
- Cayman Islands – 6 months
- Dominica – 180 days
- Dominican Republic
- Grenada – 90 days
- Haiti – 90 days
- Jamaica
- Saint Kitts and Nevis – 90 days
- Saint Lucia – 42 days
- St Vincent and Grenadines – 90 days
- Trinidad and Tobago – 90 days
- The Turks and Caicos Islands – 90 days
Read More: 12 Best Visa-Free Countries for South Africans to Visit
Central America
- Belize – 30 days
- Costa Rica – 90 days
- El Salvador – 90 days
- Guatemala – 90 days
- Honduras – 90 days
- Nicaragua – 90 days
- Panama – 90 days
South America
- Argentina – 90 days
- Brazil – 90 days
- Chile – 90 days
- Ecuador – 90 days
- Falkland Islands
- Guyana – 30 days
- Paraguay – 90 days
- Peru – 180 days
- Uruguay – 90 days
- Venezuela – 90 days
Read More: 14 Unique Visa-Free Countries for South Africans
Oceania
- Cook Islands – 31 days
- Fiji – 120 days
- Micronesia – 30 days
- Vanuatu – 30 days
Middle East
- Israel – 90 days
- Palestine – 30 days
Read More: 20 Incredible Visa-Free Countries South Africans Need to Visit in 2020
Visa on Arrival Countries for South Africans
What does a visa on arrival mean, and what makes it different to the rest?
Well, your entry visa isn’t free.
You will usually pay a fee on arrival, but you won’t need to go to the embassy in your country of residence beforehand.
For an eVisa, the process is slightly different.
Instead of going to the consulate in person, you’ll complete an online application form, upload any required documents, and pay your fee. Then, the consulate emails you an electronic visa to print out or show on your phone upon arrival.
The process will differ depending on the destination country, but it’s a straightforward process and only takes a couple of minutes to complete.
Africa
- Burundi – 30 days
- Cape Verde – visa on arrival (EASE)
- Comoros – 45 days
- Congo – 90 days (eVisa)
- Djibouti – 31 days
- Equatorial Guinea – visa on arrival
- Egypt – 30 days (eVisa)
- Ethiopia – 90 days (eVisa)
- Ghana – 30 days
- Guinea – 90 days (eVisa)
- Guinea-Bissau – 90 days
- Madagascar – 30 days
- Mauritania – visa on arrival
- Nigeria – 30 days (eVisa)
- Rwanda – 30 days
- Senegal – 90 days
- Seychelles – 90 days (tourist registration)
- Sierra Leone – 30 days (eVisa)
- Somalia – 30 days
- South Sudan – eVisa
- St Helena – 90 days
- Togo – 15 days (eVisa)
- Uganda
Read More on Africa Travel:
- Travel to Rwanda: 15 Useful Things to Know Before You Go
- Everything You Need to Know about the Dian Fossey Hike
- Akagera National Park: The Complete Guide
- 100 of the Best Places You Can Visit in Africa
Asia
- Armenia – 120 days
- Azerbaijan – 30 days (eVisa)
- Cambodia – 30 days
- India – 30 days (eVisa)
- Kyrgyzstan – 30 days (eVisa)
- Laos – 30 days
- Maldives – 90 days
- Nepal – 90 days
- Pakistan – 30 days (eTA)
- South Korea – 30 days (eTA)
- Sri Lanka – 30 days (eTA)
- Tajikistan – 45 days (eVisa)
- Timor-Leste – 30 days
- Vietnam – 90 days (eVisa)
Read More on Asia Travel:
- 20 Maldives Travel Tips to Plan The Tropical Getaway of Your Dreams
- How to Get Your Visa on Arrival for Vietnam in 3 Easy Steps
- What You Need to Know About Trekking in Sapa, Vietnam
- My Complete 2-Week Vietnam Backpacking Itinerary
- How To Conquer The Temples of Angkor Wat in One Day
Middle East
- Iran – 30 days (eVisa)
- Jordan – 30 days (eVisa)
- Oman – 30 days (eVisa)
- Qatar – 30 days
- Saudi Arabia (eVisa)
- Turkey (eVisa)
Read More: South Africans: How To Get Your Visa On Arrival For Iran
Oceania
- Marshall Islands – 90 days
- Palau – 30 days
- Papua New Guinea – 30 days (eVisa)
- Samoa – 90 days
- Tuvalu – 30 days
South America
- Bolivia – 90 days
- Suriname – 90 days (eVisa)
Which of these visa-free travel destinations for South Africans are you going to visit next? Let me know in the comments below!
If you like it, then you should put a pin on it
Such a helpful article. Well done on the research, thank you.
Mozambique Tofo
thank you! makes choosing holiday spots so much easier….
I know!! And much less painful