South Africa Visa Fees and Costs (2026)
Complete breakdown of all South Africa visa fees, service charges, and additional costs.
Estimated Total Cost
Actual costs depend on visa type, nationality, and optional services selected.
Visa Application Fees
| Visa Type | Adult Fee | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Visitor visa for Nigerian citizens (and other fee-paying nationalities) | ZAR 425 | Home Affairs fee, converted to local currency, plus the VFS Global service charge; Nigeria, China, Indonesia, Vietnam, Ukraine, Morocco, Ethiopia and Uganda are marked fee-paying on the exemption list |
| Electronic Travel Authorisation for Indian and Mexican citizens | ZAR 500 | R500 processing fee since 17 August 2026; visa fee waived for India and Mexico per the exemption list |
| Electronic Travel Authorisation for Chinese and Indonesian citizens | ZAR 925 | R500 processing fee plus the R425 visa fee |
| Visitor visa for Indian, Egyptian and Mexican citizens (paper route) | ZAR 0 | No Home Affairs visa fee (exemption list fee column: No); VFS service charge applies |
| Visitor visa for Pakistani, Philippine, Bangladeshi and other nationalities not on the list | ZAR 425 | Plus VFS service charge; Pakistan and Bangladesh also need a transit visa since 1 August 2022 |
| Visa-free entry (UK, US, EU, Australia, Canada, Brazil, Saudi Arabia, Russia, Malaysia and others) | ZAR 0 | 90 days per visit; Kenya, Ghana and Tanzania 90 days per year; Poland, Korea, Thailand, Türkiye, Jordan 30 days |
| SARS traveller declaration (all travellers) | ZAR 0 | Free; required before entering or leaving since 1 July 2026 |
Service Centre Fees
| Provider | Service | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| VFS Global | Visitor visa lodgement and biometrics | ZAR Varies |
| Department of Home Affairs ETA portal | ETA processing | ZAR 500 |
Additional Costs
For this trip
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Fee Waivers and Exemptions
- No Home Affairs visa fee for Indian, Egyptian and Mexican applicants (exemption list fee column)
- No fee for the roughly 100 nationalities exempt for ordinary passports
- The SARS traveller declaration is free
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What to Do Next
Now that you know the costs, here are your next steps:
Payment Methods
- Local currency at VFS Global or the mission for visitor visas
- Card online for the ETA and e-Visa
- No fee for visa-free entry or the SARS declaration
Important
Fees may change without notice. Always verify current fees on the official embassy or visa application website before paying.
Official Fee Information
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