South Africa’s Department of Home Affairs has published an official list of countries whose citizens are permitted to enter the country without obtaining a visa.
The list covers more than 100 countries across Africa, Europe, Asia, the Americas, and Oceania.
African countries eligible for visa-free entry
The African countries included on the list are:
- Nigeria
- Ghana
- Kenya
- Egypt
- Ethiopia
- Morocco
- Tanzania
- Uganda
- Rwanda
- Senegal
- Ivory Coast
- Mozambique
- Namibia
- Botswana
- Zambia
- Malawi
- Madagascar
- Mauritius
- Seychelles
- Lesotho
- Kingdom of Eswatini
- Liberia
- Guinea
- Benin
- Gabon
- Mali
- Niger
- Cape Verde
- Comoros
- Angola
- Democratic Republic of Congo
- São Tomé and PrÃncipe
European countries on the visa-free list
The European countries granted visa-free access are:
- United Kingdom
- Germany
- France
- Italy
- Spain
- Portugal
- Netherlands
- Belgium
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- Norway
- Denmark
- Austria
- Finland
- Ireland
- Luxembourg
- Greece
- Iceland
- Poland
- Czech Republic
- Hungary
- Romania
- Bulgaria
- Croatia
- Slovak Republic
- Malta
- Cyprus
- Liechtenstein
- Russian Federation
- Belarus
- Monaco
- San Marino
- Andorra
- Gibraltar
- Guernsey
- Jersey
- Isle of Man
Asian countries covered
The Asian countries included are:
- India
- China
- Japan
- Singapore
- Malaysia
- Thailand
- Indonesia
- Vietnam
- United Arab Emirates
- Saudi Arabia
- Qatar
- Israel
- Jordan
- Hong Kong (Special Administrative Region of China)
- South Korea
- Turkey
North American and Caribbean countries and territories
The countries and territories from North America and the Caribbean are:
- United States of America
- Canada
- Mexico
- Panama
- Costa Rica
- Cuba
- Jamaica
- Trinidad and Tobago
- Belize
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Barbados
- Bahamas
- Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
- Bermuda
- Cayman Islands
- British Islands
- Turks and Caicos Islands
South American countries
The South American countries on the list are:
- Argentina
- Brazil
- Chile
- Colombia
- Uruguay
- Peru
- Paraguay
- Bolivia
- Ecuador
- Venezuela
- Guyana
Oceania
The Oceania countries granted visa-free access are:
- Australia
- New Zealand
African and international travel documents also qualify
According to the South African government, visa-free entry also extends beyond national passports. Holders of the African Union Laissez-Passer, the SADC Laissez-Passer, and the United Nations Laissez-Passer are likewise exempt from visa requirements when travelling to South Africa.
Conditions apply to some countries
While the listed countries enjoy visa-free access, South Africa noted that certain destinations are subject to specific conditions.
Kenya, Hong Kong, Belize, Benin, Gabon, South Korea, Thailand, and Turkey are marked with an asterisk, indicating that additional requirements or restrictions apply to their visa-free status.
Citizens of these countries are advised to confirm the applicable entry requirements with South African authorities before making travel arrangements.
