South African Passport
The South African passport grants access to 78 countries without a visa. Additionally, it allows for 53 visas and 15 visas upon arrival. However, a visa is required for travel to 106 countries.
South Africa, a country in the southernmost part of Africa, has a diverse population. The current population stands at approximately 60 million people, making it the 24th most populous country in the world.
The South African passport ranks at 53rd place, according to the Henley Passport Index. This ranking is based on the number of countries that grant visa-free access to South African passport holders.
Visa-free map
Nearby countries
The nearest visa free countries to visit for South African passport holders are Lesotho, Botswana, Eswatini, Namibia, Zimbabwe and Zambia.
Visa free countries
So, where can South Africans travel without a visa? We have listed all the countries where South Africa citizens can travel visa-free, eliminating the hassle of visa paperwork.
Africa
- 🇦🇴 Angola (90 days)
- 🇧🇯 Benin (90 Days)
- 🇧🇼 Botswana (90 days)
- 🇸🇿 Eswatini (30 days)
- 🇬🇦 Gabon (30 days.)
- 🇬🇲 Gambia (90 days)
- 🇬🇭 Ghana (90 days)
- 🇱🇸 Lesotho (90 days)
- 🇲🇼 Malawi (90 days)
- 🇲🇺 Mauritius (180 days)
- 🇲🇿 Mozambique (3 months)
- 🇳🇦 Namibia (3 months)
- 🇷🇼 Rwanda (30 days)
- 🇹🇿 Tanzania (90 days)
- 🇹🇬 Togo (N/A)
- 🇹🇳 Tunisia (3 months)
- 🇿🇲 Zambia (90 days)
- 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe (3 months)
- 🇷🇪 Réunion (3 months. Travel to mainland France is prohibited unless in possession of a Valid Schengen Visa, Identity and Visa checks are conducted between Reunion and mainland France/ EU or EEA countries and Switzerland.)
Americas
- 🇦🇬 Antigua and Barbuda (6 months)
- 🇦🇷 Argentina (90 days)
- 🇧🇸 Bahamas (3 months)
- 🇧🇧 Barbados (6 months)
- 🇧🇿 Belize (N/A)
- 🇧🇷 Brazil (90 days)
- 🇨🇱 Chile (90 days)
- 🇨🇷 Costa Rica (90 days)
- 🇩🇲 Dominica (6 months)
- 🇩🇴 Dominican Republic (90 days)
- 🇪🇨 Ecuador (90 days)
- 🇸🇻 El Salvador (90 days)
- 🇬🇩 Grenada (3 months)
- 🇬🇹 Guatemala (90 days)
- 🇬🇾 Guyana (3 months)
- 🇭🇹 Haiti (3 months)
- 🇭🇳 Honduras (90 days)
- 🇯🇲 Jamaica (N/A)
- 🇳🇮 Nicaragua (90 days)
- 🇵🇦 Panama (90 days)
- 🇵🇾 Paraguay (90 days)
- 🇵🇪 Peru (90 days)
- 🇰🇳 Saint Kitts and Nevis (3 months)
- 🇱🇨 Saint Lucia (6 weeks)
- 🇻🇨 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (3 month)
- 🇹🇹 Trinidad and Tobago (90 days)
- 🇺🇾 Uruguay (90 days)
- 🇻🇪 Venezuela (90 days)
- 🇻🇬 British Virgin Islands (30 days, extensions possible)
- 🇰🇾 Cayman Islands (6 months)
- 🇫🇰 Falkland Islands (N/A)
- 🇲🇸 Montserrat (6 months)
- 🇹🇨 Turks and Caicos Islands (90 days)
- 🇻🇪 Venezuela (All visitors are fingerprinted.)
Oceania
- 🇫🇯 Fiji (4 months)
- 🇰🇮 Kiribati (90 days)
- 🇫🇲 Micronesia (30 days)
- 🇻🇺 Vanuatu (30 days)
- 🇨🇰 Cook Islands (31 days)
- 🇳🇺 Niue (30 days)
- 🇵🇳 Pitcairn Islands (14 days visa free and landing fee US$35 or tax of US$5 if not going ashore.)
Asia
- 🇬🇪 Georgia (1 year)
- 🇮🇱 Israel (90 days)
- 🇲🇾 Malaysia (90 days)
- 🇴🇲 Oman (14 days)
- 🇵🇭 Philippines (30 days)
- 🇶🇦 Qatar (30 days)
- 🇸🇬 Singapore (30 days)
- 🇹🇭 Thailand (60 days)
- 🇵🇸 Palestine (Arrival by sea to Gaza Strip not allowed.)
- 🇭🇰 Hong Kong (30 days. Landing slip with stay conditions issued upon arrival in place of entry stamp. This is not a permit, however it is used to classify South African citizens as being visa exempted.)
- 🇲🇴 Macau (30 days)
- 🇮🇷 Iran (Visitors to Kish Island do not require a visa.)
- 🇲🇾 Malaysia (These states have their own immigration authorities and passport is required to travel to them, however the same visa applies.)
- 🇻🇳 Vietnam (30 days)
Europe
- 🇷🇺 Russia (90 days)
- 🇽🇰 Kosovo (90 days)
- 🇧🇾 Belarus (3 days; must first obtain an electronic pass)
- 🇳🇴 Norway (Unlimited Stay. Transit Visa not required when transiting Oslo, Norway to get to Svalbard Airport, Longyear, Svalbard.)
This data has been sourced from Wikipedia and was last updated on 7/1/2025.