S A H C :: Home Affairs: Who needs a Visa ::

Visas
	Who needs a Visa?
	Visitor's Visa.
	Transit Visa.
	Volunteer Visa.
	Research Visa.
	Visa Requirements UK Citizens.
	Application for a Visa by Spouse or Dependant Child.

Various Permits
	Work Permit.
	General Work Permit.
	Exceptional Skills Work Permit.
	Intra - Company Transfer Work Permit.
	Corporate Permit.
	Study Permit.
	Business Permit.
	Medical Treatment Permit.
	Retired Person's Permit.
	Treaty Permit.
	Relative Permit.

Residence Permit
	Residence Permit.
	Temporary Residence Permit.

Exchange Permits
	In respect of an organ of state in conjunction with a foreign learning institution on an organ of a foreign state organizing or administering the exchange program.
	Exchange permit (in respect of gap students & students having to undergo experiential training to meet course requirement)

Foreign Citizens

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Contact Details

Our Physical address is:

15 Whitehall, London,SW1A 2DD.
Click here for directions, bus and tube routes.

Our full postal address is:

South African High Commission,
Home Affairs, Consular Section,
15 Whitehall, London, SW1A 2DD.

Telephone No:
020 7925 8900
020 7925 8901
020 7925 8910

Fax No:
020 79258930
020 79258931
020 79258932

Who needs a Visa?

APPOINTMENT LINE NUMBERS

South African Citizens

Appointment line for Passports (Child passports applications MUST be made by post ONLY), Birth Registrations, Retention of RSA Citizenship and Exemption from Loss of RSA Citizenship is 09065 540 799.
(South African citizens who want to apply by POST are free to come to the office Monday to Friday between 3 PM & 4 PM to be assisted with the taking of fingerprints)

Foreign Citizens

Appointment line for visas & temporary residence permits is 09065 540 798.

:: Calls cost £1 / min from BT Landlines. Other networks may vary ::

PLEASE NOTE: Administrative Fines & Security Deposits are still by post only.

Passport / Travel document holders who are exempt from visas for South Africa.

Subject to changewithout notice.

The citizen who is a holder of a national passport (diplomatic, official and ordinary) / travel document of the foreign countries / territories / international organisations listed below are not required to hold a visa when reporting to an immigration officer for an examination at a South African port of entry, subject to the terms and conditions set out in this list, including inter alia the intended period of stay in the Republic.

The holder of a national South African passport, travel document and document for travel purposes.

The citizen who is a holder of a national passport (diplomatic, official or ordinary) / travel document of the following countries / territories / international organisations is not required to hold a visa in respect of purposes for which a visitor’s permit may be issued or by virtue of being a person contemplated in section 31(3)(b) [diplomatic & official visit] for an intended stay of 90 days or less and when in transit:

African Union / Unity Laissez Passer Andorra Argentina Australia Austria Belgium Botswana Brazil Canada Chile Czech Republic Denmark Ecuador Finland	France Germany Greece Iceland Israel Italy Jamaica Japan Liechtenstein Luxemburg Malta Monaco Netherlands	New Zealand Norway Paraguay PortugAL San Marino Singapore Spain St Vincent & the Grenadines Sweden Switzerland Uruguay Venezuela United States of America
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, British Islands Bailiwick of Guernsey and Jersey, Isle of Man and Virgin Islands and Republic of Ireland.
Note that a national of the following countries do require a visa: British Overseas Territories, including Anguilla, Bermuda, British Antarctic Territory, British Indian Ocean Territory, Cayman Islands, Falkland Islands, Gibraltar, Montserrat, Pitcairn, Henderson, St Helena, Ducie and Oeno Islands, the Sovereign Base Area of Akrotiri and Dhekelia and the Turks and Caicos Island.

The citizen who is a holder of a national passport (diplomatic, official and ordinary) / travel document of the following countries / territories / international organisations is not required to hold a visa in respect of purposes for which a visitor’s permit may be issued or by virtue of being a person contemplated in section 31(3)(b) [diplomatic & official visit] for an intended stay of 30 days or less and when in transit:

Antigua and Barbuda Barbados Belize Benin Bolivia Cape Verde Costa Rica Cyprus Gabon Guyana	Hungary Jordan Lesotho Malaysia Malawi Maldives Mauritius Mozambique Namibia	Peru Poland Seychelles Slovak Republic South Korea Swaziland Thailand Turkey Zambia
Hong Kong [only with regard to holders of Hong Kong British National Overseas passports and Hong Kong Special Administrative Region passports]
Macau [only with regard to holders of Macau Special Administrative Region passports (MSAR)]
Zimbabwe [only in respect of government officials, including police on cross border investigations]

Agreements have also been concluded with the following countries for holders of diplomatic and official passport holders.

Citizens who are holders of diplomatic and official passports of the following countries do not require visas in respect of purposes for which a visitor’s permit may be issued or by virtue of being a person contemplated in section 31(3)(b) [diplomatic & official visit] for the period indicated and transit:

Albania (120 days)
Algeria (30 days)
Angola (90 days)
Bulgaria (90 days)
Cyprus (90 days)
Comoros (90 days)
Croatia (90 days)
Egypt (30 days)
Hungary (120 days)
Ivory Coast (30 days)
Kenya (30 days)
Madagascar (30 days)

Mexico (90 days)
Morocco (30 days)
Mozambique (90 days)
Paraguay (120 days)
Poland (90 days)
Romania (90 days)
Rwanda (30 Days)
Slovakia (90 days)
Slovenia (120 days)
Thailand (90 days)
Tunisia (90 days)

Notwithstanding this Schedule, a foreigner whose visa exemption has been withdrawn shall comply with the visa requirements until notified by the Department that his or her visa exemption has been re-instated by the Department on petition or of its own accord
Visas are not required by passport holders of Lesotho, Swaziland, Botswana, Namibia, Zambia and Malawi who are entering the Republic as commercial heavy-duty vehicle drivers provide their visits do not exceed 15 days and on condition that they can produce a letter confirming their employment with a transport company on entry.
Staff members of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) who travel on SADC laissez-passers are exempt from visa requirements for bona fide official business visits up to 90 days and transit.
Holders of United Nations (UN) laissez-passers are exempt from visa requirements when visiting the Republic for periods not exceeding 90 days for purposes for which a visitor’s permit may be issued, and for official business purposes and transits and when accredited for placement at a UN mission in the Republic for the duration of their accreditation. Volunteers attached to UN agencies and travelling on ordinary passports are exempt from visa requirements, provided they are in possession of the relevant letters or identification documents to identify themselves at ports of entry as personnel of an UN agency.