Wondering what are the visa–free countries for South Africans are in 2024 ? See my guide below.
One of the worst aspects of travelling is having to apply for visas. A South African passport, while providing access to many countries, comes with several disadvantages too. One of the primary issues is the limited visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to countries, especially in Europe and North America, which often requires extensive and costly visa application processes. This can be a significant inconvenience for travellers, making it a deterrent to travel to those countries. Personally, my decision on where to travel is often affected by the country’s visa requirements.
As of 2024, the South African passport ranks 47th on the Henley Passport Index, which measures the global travel freedom of passports based on the number of destinations their holders can access without a visa. This position is a slight improvement from its previous rank of 53rd in 2023.
The highest ranked passport is that of Singapore, followed by France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Spain and Austria.
South African passport holders can currently travel to over 100 destinations either without requiring a visa, or by obtaining a visa on arrival or an e-visa. Ireland has recently revoked visa-free travel for South Africans.
Important: Please verify before travelling as status may have changed.
South African passports
1. Visa-free countries for South Africans
These are the countries South Africans can travel to without a visa.
Angola
Antigua and Barbuda
Argentina
Bahamas
Barbados
Belize
Benin
Botswana
Brazil
British Virgin Islands
Cayman Islands
Chile
Cook Islands
Costa Rica
Dominica
Dominican Republic
Ecuador
El Salvador
Eswatini
Falkland Islands
Fiji
Gabon
Gambia
Georgia
Ghana
Grenada
Guatemala
Guyana
Haiti
Honduras
Hong Kong
Jamaica
Kenya
Kiribati
Kosovo
Lesotho
Macao
Malawi
Malaysia
Mauritius
Micronesia
Montserrat
Mozambique
Namibia
Nicaragua
Niue
Palestinian Territories
Panama
Paraguay
Peru
Philippines
Reunion
Russia
Rwanda
Saint Kitts and Nevis
Saint Lucia
Singapore
Vincent and the Grenadines
Tanzania
Thailand
Trinidad and Tobago
Tunisia
Turks and Caicos Islands
Uruguay
Vanuatu
Venezuela
Zambia
Zimbabwe
Victoria Falls – Zambia
2. Visa on Arrival
The following countries provide a Visa on Arrival for South Africans
Armenia
Bolivia
Burundi
Cambodia
Cape Verde
Comoros / Comoro Islands
Djibouti
Egypt
Ethiopia
Guinea-Bissau
Indonesia
Iran (Prior application required)
Jordan
Kyrgyzstan
Laos
Maldives
Marshall Islands
Mauritania
Nepal
Nigeria
Palau
Qatar
Samoa
Sierra Leone
Somalia
Helena
Tajikistan
Timor-Leste
Tuvalu
Uzbekistan (Prior application required)
Camels at Petra in Jordan
3. E-Visas for South Africans
The following countries require an E-Visa for South Africans
Albania
Australia
Azerbaijan
Bahrain
Cameroon
Congo (Democratic Republic)
Equatorial Guinea
Guinea
India
Japan
Kazakhstan
Libya
Madagascar
Myanmar
Oman
Sao Tome and Principe
Saudi Arabia
Suriname
Togo
Turkey
Uganda
United Arab Emirates
Vietnam
Burj Khalifa , Dubai, United Arab Emirates
4.Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) Countries for South Africa Citizens
The following countries require South Africa passport holders to obtain an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) prior to visiting. This is a digital travel document which can be obtained online prior to travel.
Israel
Pakistan
Seychelles
South Korea
Sri Lanka
5. Visas Required For South Africans
The following countries require South Africans to apply for a visa.
Afghanistan
Algeria
American Samoa
Andorra
Anguilla
Aruba
Austria
Bangladesh
Belarus
Belgium
Bermuda
Bhutan
Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Brunei
Bulgaria
Burkina Faso
Canada
Central African Republic
Chad
China
Colombia
Congo
Côte d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast)
Croatia
Cuba
Curacao
Cyprus
Czechia
Denmark
Eritrea
Estonia
Faroe Islands
Finland
France
French Guiana
French Polynesia
French West Indies
Germany
Gibraltar
Greece
Greenland
Guam
Hungary
Iceland
Iraq
Ireland
Italy
Kuwait
Latvia
Lebanon
Liberia
Liechtenstein
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Mali
Malta
Mayotte
Mexico
Moldova
Mongolia
Monaco
Montenegro
Morocco
Nauru
Netherlands
New Caledonia
New Zealand
Niger
Norfolk Island
North Korea
North Macedonia
Northern Mariana Islands
Norway
Papua New Guinea
Poland
Portugal
Puerto Rico
Romania
San Marino
Serbia
Senegal
Slovakia
Slovenia
Solomon Islands
South Sudan
Spain
Maarten
Pierre and Miquelon
Sudan
Sweden
Switzerland
Syria
Taiwan
Tonga
Turkmenistan
Ukraine
United Kingdom
United States of America
US Virgin Islands
Vatican City
Wallis and Futuna
Yemen
Sara Essop is a travel blogger and writer based in South Africa. She writes about family travel and experiences around the world. Although she has been to 49 countries thus far, she especially loves showcasing her beautiful country and is a certified South Africa Specialist.
