New R500 travel fee proposed for South Africa

The Department of Home Affairs (DHA) has gazetted new regulations to introduce a visa processing fee in South Africa.

The proposed regulations would introduce a R500 processing fee for the Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) platform, which was launched in October 2025.

DHA Minister Leon Schreiber explained that the ETA fees had previously been waived and that the R500 fee would make the platform cost-effective.

He also said it would help reduce overall visa costs for individuals who are forced to use outsourced service providers to travel.

The ETA platform has been available for almost a year now for nationals in participating countries. It is one of the services introduced as part of the DHA’s digital transformation programme.

The system allows travellers to apply for visas online, which can be processed seamlessly within 24 hours.

Schreiber said that, when the first phase of the ETA was launched, visa fees for onboarding countries were temporarily waived because the platform did not yet have an integrated online payment capability.

“Consequently, neither visa fees nor a dedicated ETA processing fee has been charged to date, despite the need to invest in operational maintenance of the system,” he said.

In the time since it was launched, the ETA has been operating as a fully subsidized service, which is unsustainable, according to the minister.

“The Department is now ready to roll out additional functionality, including an integrated online payment capability to collect application fees.”

The DHA is now proposing that a processing fee should be established, set at R500 per application.

In the next phase of the rollout, the ETA will become compulsory for travellers from non-visa-exempt countries included on the platform. Schreiber said that it would initially be optional for travellers from visa-exempt countries.

“However, notwithstanding the optional nature of the platform for visa-exempt travellers, the Department anticipates fast uptake of this new system from visa-exempt travellers, given the significant improvements in efficiency and security it delivers,” he said.

Fees to apply to visa-exempt travellers

The department said that visa-exempt travellers who voluntarily use the ETA for the convenience it offers will also be liable for the R500 processing fee.

The initial voluntary window is intended to encourage adoption while preserving existing visa-free travel privileges, the DHA said.

Travellers from visa-required countries who are visa-fee-exempt will be required to use the ETA platform and will also be liable for the R500 fee.

No visa fee will be imposed in this category, however, in line with existing policy provisions relating to visa fee exemptions. For these users, the benefit is faster and more efficient visa processing.

Meanwhile, travellers from visa-required countries that are not visa-fee-exempt will be required to use the ETA platform and will need to pay both the applicable visa fee and the R500 processing fee.

“This dual fee structure ensures alignment with current cost-recovery principles, while supporting the maintenance, sustainability and operational funding of the ETA solution,” Schreiber said.

Importantly, non-visa-exempt users can ultimately pay lower fees overall by using the new system.

These individuals will pay a total of R925 per application, rather than the R1,975 they are charged on the old system.

“In effect, the Department is insourcing this critical function and enhancing state capacity, at a price for prospective tourists that is less than half the price they currently pay,” the minister said.

Citizens can comment on the DHA’s proposed fee structure before the deadline on 11 August 2026.

The following tables show how the current fee structure compares to the new one:

Current Fee Structure

New Fee Structure