101 countries South Africans can travel to visa-free

You can travel to 101 countries around the world on a South African passport without needing to apply for a visa.

This is according to the latest Henley & Partners Passport Index, which shows that the South African passport is ranked 50th globally in terms of visa-free travel.

South Africa is currently positioned between Turkiye in 49th place with 112 destinations, and Belize in 51st place with 101 destinations.

Singapore’s passport is currently ranked the best in the world, as the South-East Asian city state’s travel document grants visa-free access to 192 countries.

This is followed by Japan, South Korea, and the United Arab Emirates, which are all tied for second place with 188 countries, and Sweden is third with 187 countries.

In contrast, the world’s lowest-value passport comes from Afghanistan, which only has visa-free access to 22 countries.

The Henley Passport Index is considered the most authoritative global ranking of passport strength, evaluating 199 passports against 227 travel destinations worldwide.

A destination is considered free access if the traveller does not need a visa beforehand, including a visa on arrival, a visitor’s permit, or an electronic travel authorization issued at entry.

If the traveller needs to apply for a visa or secure government approval before departure, then that destination does not count towards the passport’s total.

Passports are ranked according to the number of destinations they can access without a visa. According to the Henley Passport Index, these are the different visa requirements international travellers can run into:

• Visa required – A conventional visa is necessary for entry, with an application submitted in person
• Visa free – No visa is needed for entry
• Electronic Travel Authority (ETA) – A visa is not required, however, a digital ETA declaring entry into the country must be obtained before arrival
• Visa on Arrival (VOA) – A visa is necessary for entry, but it can be applied for and received at the airport upon arrival (no pre-departure approval needed)
• e-Visa – A visa is required, but an online application can be submitted. The visa is issued electronically. Pre-departure approval is needed.

Countries you can travel to without a visa on a South African passport

Popular spots like Mauritius and Thailand remain open to South Africa, making them an ideal option for holidaymakers.

However, Thailand reduced its 60-day visa-exemption period to 30 days earlier this year, citing concerns about poor behaviour and crime among foreign tourists.

Bali, a popular holiday spot in Indonesia, is also visa-free to South Africans. Hong Kong and Macao do not require a visa, though China does.

Business destinations such as Singapore and Qatar are also visa-free, but the United Kingdom and most of continental Europe require one, with the notable exceptions of Russia and Georgia.

Below is a list of the 101 countries you can travel to visa-free on a South African passport:

1. Angola
2. Antigua and Barbuda
3. Argentina
4. Armenia
5. Barbados
6. Belize
7. Benin
8. Bolivia
9. Botswana
10. Brazil
11. British Virgin Islands
12. Burundi
13. Cambodia
14. Cape Verde Islands
15. Cayman Islands
16. Chile
17. Comoro Islands
18. Cook Islands
19. Costa Rica
20. Djibouti
21. Dominica
22. Dominican Republic
23. Ecuador
24. Egypt
25. El Salvador
26. eSwatini
27. Ethiopia
28. Fiji
29. Gabon
30. Georgia
31. Ghana
32. Grenada
33. Guatemala
34. Guinea-Bissau
35. Guyana
36. Haiti
37. Honduras
38. Hong Kong
39. Indonesia
40. Iran
41. Israel
42. Jamaica
43. Jordan
44. Kenya
45. Kiribati
46. Kyrgyzstan
47. Laos
48. Lesotho
49. Macao
50. Madagascar
51. Malawi
52. Malaysia
53. Maldives
54. Marshall Islands
55. Mauritius
56. Micronesia
57. Montserrat
58. Mozambique
59. Namibia
60. Nepal
61. Nicaragua
62. Niue
63. Oman
64. Palau Islands
65. Palestinian Territory
66. Panama
67. Paraguay
68. Peru
69. Philippines
70. Qatar
71. Reunion
72. Russian Federation
73. Rwanda
74. Samoa
75. Saudi Arabia
76. Senegal
77. Seychelles
78. Sierra Leone
79. Singapore
80. South Korea
81. Sri Lanka
82. St. Helena
83. St. Kitts and Nevis
84. St. Lucia
85. St. Vincent and the Grenadines
86. Tajikistan
87. Tanzania
88. Thailand
89. The Bahamas
90. The Gambia
91. Timor-Leste
92. Togo
93. Trinidad and Tobago
94. Tunisia
95. Turks and Caicos Islands
96. Tuvalu
97. Uruguay
98. Vanuatu
99. Venezuela
100. Zambia
101. Zimbabwe