{"id":43110,"date":"2022-05-19T01:02:44","date_gmt":"2022-05-18T23:02:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/?p=43110"},"modified":"2026-10-14T12:54:43","modified_gmt":"2026-10-14T10:54:43","slug":"south-africa-visa-and-entry-requirements","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/south-africa-visa-and-entry-requirements\/","title":{"rendered":"South Africa Visa and Entry Requirements: The ETA, Passports and Travelling With Children"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Planning a trip to Gauteng from abroad? Entering South Africa has changed. Home Affairs now runs an online Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA), and the rules for children travelling with their parents are simpler than they were a few years ago. Here is what to sort out before you fly, based on the Department of Home Affairs&#8217; own guidance.<\/p><div id=\"gaute-2708626200\" class=\"gaute-after-paragraph-1 gaute-entity-placement\" style=\"margin-top: 30px;margin-bottom: 30px;\"><div class=\"gaute-adlabel\">Advertisement<\/div><script async src=\"\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-1852772760112594\" crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script><ins class=\"adsbygoogle\" style=\"display:block;\" data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-1852772760112594\" \ndata-ad-slot=\"1819787043\" \ndata-ad-format=\"auto\" data-full-width-responsive=\"true\"><\/ins>\n<script> \n(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); \n<\/script>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Rules can change at short notice, so check the official pages linked below, or the South African embassy or consulate that serves your country, before you book.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Last checked against Home Affairs sources: October 2026.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What to have with you when you land<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At the port of entry, an immigration officer may ask to see:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>a valid passport<\/li><li>your ETA approval or visa<\/li><li>a return or onward ticket<\/li><li>proof of where you will stay<\/li><li>proof that you can support yourself during your visit<\/li><li>a yellow fever vaccination certificate, if you are travelling from a yellow fever risk country<\/li><li>an invitation letter, if you are coming for short-term work<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">An approved ETA or visa does not guarantee entry. The final decision is made by the immigration officer at the airport or border post.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The ETA is a digital travel authorisation that you apply for online at <a href=\"https:\/\/eta.dha.gov.za\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">eta.dha.gov.za<\/a> before you travel. How it works depends on your passport:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><strong>If your country is visa-exempt<\/strong>, you receive an Electronic Travel Authorisation.<\/li><li><strong>If your country needs a visa<\/strong>, you are issued with a Port of Entry Visa through the same system.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Either way, you are given your visitor&#8217;s visa when you arrive and are processed at the port of entry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The ETA is currently in use at four airports: OR Tambo International in Johannesburg, Lanseria International, Cape Town International and King Shaka International in Durban. Home Affairs says more ports of entry will follow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A few practical points from Home Affairs:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Most applications are processed automatically, and you will usually get an outcome by email within 24 hours.<\/li><li>An ETA is typically valid for up to six months from the date it is issued and allows more than one entry, but each stay is limited to a maximum of 90 days.<\/li><li>How long you may stay on a particular visit is decided at the port of entry, not by the ETA&#8217;s validity period.<\/li><li>You cannot correct mistakes on an application, because the details are read from your passport. Check everything before you submit.<\/li><li>Any fees paid are not refundable, whatever the outcome.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Visa-exempt travellers who arrive without an ETA can still travel, but are processed through the standard immigration procedure. Travellers who need a visa may be refused boarding or entry without one. If your ETA application is turned down, you can still apply through a South African mission in your country or through the eVisa system where it is available.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For background on how the system was introduced, see our earlier report on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/new-digital-visa-system-to-transform-travel\/\">South Africa&#8217;s new digital visa system<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"gaute-3916250286\" class=\"gaute-inbetween-content gaute-entity-placement\" style=\"margin-top: 30px;margin-bottom: 30px;margin-left: auto;margin-right: auto;text-align: center;\"><div class=\"gaute-adlabel\">Advertisement<\/div><script async src=\"\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-1852772760112594\" crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script><ins class=\"adsbygoogle\" style=\"display:block;\" data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-1852772760112594\" \ndata-ad-slot=\"1819787043\" \ndata-ad-format=\"auto\" data-full-width-responsive=\"true\"><\/ins>\n<script> \n(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); \n<\/script>\n<\/div><h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Do you need a visa?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It depends on your nationality, the type of passport you hold and how long you plan to stay. Home Affairs keeps the official list of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dha.gov.za\/index.php\/immigration-services\/exempt-countries\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">countries exempt from South African visas<\/a>, and notes that it can change without notice. Check it against your own passport rather than relying on a list copied elsewhere.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Visitors who come for tourism may stay for up to 90 days per visit. Working is a separate matter: an ETA on its own does not allow you to work. Short-term work of up to 90 days needs an invitation from an organisation registered on the ETA platform and a work visitor&#8217;s visa issued under section 11(2) of the Immigration Act.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Passport rules<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For an ETA, Home Affairs says your passport must:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>be valid for at least seven months from your intended travel date<\/li><li>still be valid for at least 30 days after your visa expires<\/li><li>meet international machine-readable standards, with a clear, scannable photo and the code strip at the bottom of the photo page<\/li><li>be in good condition, with no damage or alterations<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Applications with passports that do not meet these rules may be declined automatically, so renew a damaged or nearly expired passport before you apply.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Travelling with children<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The rules for children were relaxed when amendments to the Immigration Regulations came into force on 1 December 2018. Under Home Affairs&#8217; updated advisory:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><strong>Foreign children from visa-exempt countries<\/strong> who travel with a parent or another adult need a valid passport.<\/li><li><strong>Foreign children who need a visa<\/strong> submit the supporting documents, such as a birth certificate and parental consent, as part of the visa application. Once they hold a valid South African visa, they do not have to produce those documents again at the port of entry.<\/li><li><strong>Unaccompanied minors of any nationality<\/strong> must carry a fuller set of documents, including a copy of the birth certificate, a parental consent letter, copies of the parents&#8217; passports or IDs and their contact details, and a letter from the person receiving the child in South Africa with that person&#8217;s address, contact details and a copy of their ID or passport.<\/li><li>A <strong>parental consent letter<\/strong> must not be older than six months when it is presented.<\/li><li>Children in <strong>direct transit<\/strong> through an international airport do not need supporting documents.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">South African children leaving or entering the country have their own document rules, set out in the same Home Affairs advisory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Children also fall under the ETA. Home Affairs says minors require an ETA, but that applications for minors will only open in a future phase, so check the ETA site for the current position before you travel as a family.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"gaute-3916250286\" class=\"gaute-inbetween-content gaute-entity-placement\" style=\"margin-top: 30px;margin-bottom: 30px;margin-left: auto;margin-right: auto;text-align: center;\"><div class=\"gaute-adlabel\">Advertisement<\/div><script async src=\"\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-1852772760112594\" crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script><ins class=\"adsbygoogle\" style=\"display:block;\" data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-1852772760112594\" \ndata-ad-slot=\"1819787043\" \ndata-ad-format=\"auto\" data-full-width-responsive=\"true\"><\/ins>\n<script> \n(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); \n<\/script>\n<\/div><h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Yellow fever<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you are travelling from a country with a risk of yellow fever, you need proof of vaccination, and you can be refused entry without it. According to the World Health Organization, one dose of the vaccine protects you for life, and the certificate is valid for life from 10 days after you are vaccinated. Plan the jab at least 10 days before you fly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Do not overstay<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Staying longer than your visa allows can lead to fines, being declared an undesirable person and restrictions on future travel to South Africa. If your plans change, deal with it before your visa runs out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Where to check the latest rules<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>ETA applications and questions: <a href=\"https:\/\/eta.dha.gov.za\/faq\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">eta.dha.gov.za<\/a><\/li><li>Visa exemptions: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dha.gov.za\/index.php\/immigration-services\/exempt-countries\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Department of Home Affairs<\/a><\/li><li>Anything specific to your situation: the South African embassy, high commission or consulate that serves your country<\/li><\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Planning a trip to Gauteng from abroad? Entering South Africa has changed. Home Affairs now runs an online Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA), and the rules for children travelling with their parents are simpler than they were a few years ago. Here is what to sort out before you fly, based on the Department of Home<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":43185,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rank_math_focus_keyword":"","rank_math_title":"South Africa Entry Requirements: ETA, Visas and Children","rank_math_description":"What you need to enter South Africa: the new ETA, passport rules, who needs a visa, travelling with children and the yellow fever certificate.","footnotes":"","_ppma_block_editor_authors":""},"categories":[1922],"tags":[],"ppma_author":[11570],"class_list":["post-43110","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-international-travel"],"authors":[{"term_id":11570,"user_id":1,"is_guest":0,"slug":"gauteng-staff-writer","display_name":"Gauteng Staff Writer","avatar_url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/b8087b6cbb961de62a23e4755a5539c52ec6a12ea806223b6c00811341f31997?s=96&r=g","author_category":"","first_name":"","last_name":"","user_url":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g","job_title":"","description":"We are passionate about celebrating Gauteng\u2019s vibrancy, helping residents and visitors navigate the province, and keeping our community up to date with everything happening around them."}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/43110","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=43110"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/43110\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":43118,"href":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/43110\/revisions\/43118"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/43185"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=43110"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=43110"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=43110"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/ppma_author?post=43110"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}