There are more than 30 African nationalities who can visit South Africa visa-free for up to 90 days. Terms and conditions apply, of course. Picture: Ross Jansen
Cape Town – Are you or a family member planning on travelling or relocating to South Africa? There are a number of African countries that don’t require a visa to enter sunny South Africa.
With new visa technology and a sharp rise in global travellers looking to explore a post Covid-19 world after being cooped up for the past three years, South African authorities say they are expecting a bumper tourism season in 2022/23.
The eVisa system was launched in 14 countries in February 2022.
Facilities with smart technology have also been set up at major South African airports to facilitate electronic document checks.
Citizens of these African countries don’t need a visa to visit South Africa:
Angola
Cape Verde
Democratic Republic of Congo
Egypt
Ethiopia
Ghana
Guinea
Ivory Coast (Republic of Còte D’Ivoire)
Kenya
Kingdom of eSwatini
Kingdom of Lesotho
Liberia
Madagascar
Malawi
Mali
Mauritius
Kingdom of Morocco
Mozambique
Namibia
Niger
Rwanda
Senegal
Seychelles
Uganda
Zambia
Zimbabwe – Citizens of Zimbabwe do not need a visa to visit South Africa for stays of up to 90 days. This is because Zimbabweans are granted visa exemption for South Africa under mutual visa waiver agreements, according to the website South Africa Visa.com. You can find a full list of visa-exempt countries on South Africa’s Department if Home Affairs website.
Algeria
South Africa tourist visa is required for Algerian citizens. The stay is usually short with a period of 90 days and visa expires in 90 days. Applicant is required to be present when applying for South Africa tourist visa, according to Visa List.
Nigeria - Most Nigerians need a visa to enter South Africa. Visas on arrival are not available so Nigerian citizens must obtain their visa before travelling. The only Nigerian nationals who can enter the country without a visa are holders of diplomatic, service, and official passports.
South Africa Passport Strength
The South African passport was ranked 51 out of 111 countries in a new report by Henley & Partners, seven spots down from 2021, when it ranked 58th.
The “Henley & Partners Passport Index for 2022”, which was released on January 11, outlines the number of countries travellers can visit without obtaining a visa before take-off.
On the list, Japan, Singapore and Germany hold the most powerful passports in the land, with their citizens having access to 192 and 190 countries, respectively.
South African Tourism Boom expected
According to travel experts, the new South Africa e-Visa is expected to increase the number of visitors to South Africa.
In 2017, 16 million tourists went to South Africa and this figure is expected to reach 19.5 million in 2022.
The e-Visa will make it much easier for people of more nationalities to enjoy what South Africa has to offer, say travel experts.
IOL