Full List of Visa on Arrival Countries for South African Passport Holders

Updated 18 October 2026

South African passport holders can enter 101 countries and territories without arranging a visa in advance, according to the Henley Passport Index, which ranks the South African passport 52nd in the world in 2026. Of those, 27 issue a visa on arrival at the border, 66 are fully visa-free and 8 need only an electronic travel authorisation (eTA) filled in online before you fly. This page lists every visa on arrival destination, grouped by region, and then the visa-free and eTA lists. The data comes from the Henley Passport Index, retrieved on 18 October 2026. Entry rules change often, so always confirm with the destination’s embassy or official immigration website before you book.

South African passport at a glance (2026)

Access type	Destinations
Visa-free	66
Visa on arrival	27
Electronic travel authorisation	8
Total without a prior visa	101
eVisa (apply online before travel)	36
Henley Passport Index rank	52nd (101 destinations)

The passport ranked 48th with 106 destinations in 2025, so it has lost some access over the past year.

What visa on arrival means

A visa on arrival is issued at the airport or land border when you land, so you do not need to visit an embassy first. You usually still have to meet conditions: a fee (often payable in US dollars or local currency), a passport valid for at least six months, a return or onward ticket, proof of accommodation and sometimes proof of funds. Some countries listed here also offer an eVisa online, which can save time in the arrivals queue.

Visa on arrival countries for South Africans (27)

Africa (9)

• Burundi
• Cape Verde
• Comoros
• Djibouti
• Egypt
• Ethiopia
• Guinea-Bissau
• Madagascar
• Sierra Leone

Asia (6)

• Cambodia
• Indonesia
• Laos
• Maldives
• Nepal
• Timor-Leste

Middle East (4)

• Iran
• Jordan
• Qatar
• Saudi Arabia

Central Asia and the Caucasus (3)

• Armenia
• Kyrgyzstan
• Tajikistan

Pacific (5)

• Marshall Islands
• Niue
• Palau
• Samoa
• Tuvalu

Visa-free countries for South Africans (66)

These destinations let South African passport holders in without any visa, usually for a fixed stay such as 30 or 90 days that varies by country:

• Angola
• Antigua and Barbuda
• Argentina
• Barbados
• Belize
• Benin
• Bolivia
• Botswana
• Brazil
• British Virgin Islands
• Cayman Islands
• Chile
• Cook Islands
• Costa Rica
• Dominica
• Dominican Republic
• Ecuador
• El Salvador
• Fiji
• Gabon
• Georgia
• Grenada
• Guatemala
• Guyana
• Haiti
• Honduras
• Hong Kong (SAR China)
• Jamaica
• Kenya
• Kiribati
• Lesotho
• Macao (SAR China)
• Malawi
• Malaysia
• Mauritius
• Micronesia
• Montserrat
• Mozambique
• Namibia
• Nicaragua
• Oman
• Panama
• Paraguay
• Peru
• Philippines
• Reunion
• Rwanda
• Senegal
• Singapore
• St. Helena
• St. Lucia
• St. Vincent and the Grenadines
• Tanzania
• Thailand
• The Bahamas
• The Gambia
• Togo
• Trinidad and Tobago
• Tunisia
• Turks and Caicos Islands
• Uruguay
• Vanuatu
• Venezuela
• Zambia
• Zimbabwe
• eSwatini

The list includes most of the Southern African Development Community, East African states such as Kenya, Tanzania and Rwanda, much of South America, and Asian hubs such as Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, the Philippines and Hong Kong.

Destinations needing an eTA (8)

An electronic travel authorisation is not a full visa, but you must apply online and get approval before you travel:

• Ghana
• Israel
• Palestinian Territory
• Russian Federation
• Seychelles
• South Korea
• Sri Lanka
• St. Kitts and Nevis

Popular destinations that need an eVisa

A further 36 destinations let South Africans apply for a visa online rather than at an embassy. They include the United Arab Emirates, India, Türkiye, Vietnam, Uganda, Nigeria and the United Kingdom. The full eVisa list is:

• Albania
• Anguilla
• Azerbaijan
• Bahrain
• Bangladesh
• Bhutan
• Burkina Faso
• Cameroon
• Chad
• Congo (Dem. Rep.)
• Cuba
• Côte d’Ivoire
• Equatorial Guinea
• Guinea
• India
• Japan
• Kazakhstan
• Libya
• Mauritania
• Mongolia
• Myanmar
• Nigeria
• Pakistan
• Solomon Islands
• Somalia
• South Sudan
• Suriname
• Syria
• São Tomé and Príncipe
• Türkiye
• Uganda
• Ukraine
• United Arab Emirates
• United Kingdom
• Uzbekistan
• Vietnam

The remaining destinations, including the Schengen area countries, the United States, Canada, Ireland and China, need a visa arranged in advance through an embassy or visa centre.

Tips before you travel

• Check passport validity. Six months from the date you enter is the safe rule, with at least two blank pages.
• Carry proof. Have a printed return ticket, hotel booking and bank statement ready for the immigration officer.
• Have the fee in cash. Many visa on arrival desks prefer US dollars in clean, recent notes.
• Confirm transit rules. Connecting through a country can need its own transit visa even if your final destination is visa-free.
• Get travel insurance. Some countries ask for it at the border.

For Kenyan readers

Kenya is visa-free for South African passport holders, which makes Nairobi an easy stop for South African business travellers and tourists. If you are a Kenyan planning your own trips, see how to apply for a Kenyan passport online, and size your photo with our eCitizen passport photo resizer. Kenyans working abroad may also find our guide to nursing jobs in Saudi Arabia useful.

Frequently asked questions

How many countries can South Africans visit without a visa?

101 in 2026, counting visa-free, visa on arrival and eTA destinations, according to the Henley Passport Index.

Which countries give South Africans a visa on arrival?

27, including Egypt, Ethiopia, Madagascar, the Maldives, Indonesia, Cambodia, Nepal, Jordan, Qatar and Saudi Arabia.

Do South Africans need a visa for Kenya?

No. Kenya is on the visa-free list for South African passport holders.

Can South Africans visit Thailand without a visa?

Yes. Thailand is listed as visa-free for South African passport holders.

Where does the South African passport rank?

52nd on the 2026 Henley Passport Index, down from 48th in 2025.