Visitor Visa South Africa

There are various countries which are allowed enter South Africa without needing to apply for a visitor visa first. However, if you do not qualify to enter without a tourist visa, you can make an application in your country of citizenship or residency. To know whether you must apply for a visa, you can visit the Department of Home Affairs website, which is updated often (http://www.dha.gov.za/index.php/immigration-services/exempt-countries).

A typical visitor’s visa is known as a tourist visa. It may allow a person to stay for up to 90 days, but in some circumstances may be extended for an additional 90 days. This is the best type of visa for a vacation or visiting family or friends. It is not meant to be a visa for business trips and for such a visit to South Africa, you should consider a short-term work visa.

There are other types of visas which fall under a visitor’s visa category and can allow a person to stay for up to three years if certain requirements are completed. These visas are renewable for up to an additional 3 years if the general and special requirements can still be complied with.

Long stay visitor visa South Africa                                                             

An international tourist on a long-stay visa can stay in South Africa for up to three years, but no longer. There are numerous visa subcategories that make up long-stay visitor visas. A potential applicant may be eligible for a long stay visa if:

• You are an accompanying spouse or life partner to a foreign national who holds or qualifies for a valid work visa, study visa, business visa, retirement visa, relative’s visa, treaty visa or crew visa
• Your accompanying child/children would also qualify on the above grounds
• You are taking part in an academic sabbatical supported by your educational institution
• Involved in films and advertisements produced in South Africa, including, but not restricted to, an actor, cameraman, hairstylist, make-up artist or sound and lighting crew
• You are a journalistin the employ of a foreign news agency
• Conducting research at an institution
• You are a tour leader or host of such tour
• You, as parents, are both foreign nationals on temporary residency visas and have had a child that was born in South Africa