An Aerial View travel guide
Do you need to apply before you fly?
A growing number of African countries now ask you to apply for entry permission online before you travel, even without a visa. Miss it and you can be turned away at boarding.
We track what each scheme actually asks for, so you can sort it out before you book, not after.
Needs one
Seychelles
Compulsory for everyone
Needs nothing
Rwanda
Visa on arrival, no pre-travel step
🇿🇦 South Africa
Electronic Travel Authorisation
Electronic Travel Authorisation · since 2025-10
Rolling out in phases. As of the latest published update the ETA applies to nationals of Mainland China, India, Indonesia and Mexico, entering through OR Tambo, Cape Town or Lanseria. NO AFRICAN NATIONALITY IS CURRENTLY IN SCOPE. The stated plan is to extend it to all visa-required countries and to the busiest land ports, including Beitbridge, Lebombo, Kopfontein, Skilpadhek and Maseru Bridge. The 22 African countries with visa exemptions remain outside it, described in the gazette as 'initially' optional.
It's required for nationals of China, India, Indonesia and Mexico at three airports. Extension to all visa-required countries announced..
It's optional for nationals of visa-exempt countries, described in the gazette as 'initially' optional.
The fee is ZAR 500.
You can't get it on arrival. It has to be sorted before you fly.
Travellers who require an ETA or eVisa and arrive without one cannot obtain one on arrival and are denied entry.
Airlines check for it before you board, so travelling without it can mean not flying at all.
Good to know
UPDATE 8 SEPTEMBER 2026: The R500 fee is now confirmed in force, not merely proposed, per Government Gazette 55209 (17 August 2026). Re-verify interval relaxed from 7 to 30 days now that the core commencement question is resolved; the open question going forward is the announced rollout to all visa-required countries and additional land ports, and whether African nationalities enter scope. IMPORTANT SCOPE NOTE (unchanged): the ETA still does not apply to any African nationality. Coverage that framed the R500 as a charge on African travellers remains wrong. RE-CHECKED 13 SEPTEMBER 2026: no change. September news coverage still frames the wider rollout to more visa-required countries and land ports as an announced target, not yet executed; the live portal (eta.dha.gov.za) was in scheduled maintenance at check time and could not be inspected directly. No African nationality is newly in scope.
Sources
- Immigration Act 2002: Draft first amendment to fee regulationsSouth Africa, Department of Home Affairs
- Africa Visa Openness Report 2025African Development Bank / African Union Commission
- South Africa: Electronic Travel Authorization requirement updatesFragomen immigration alert
- Country scores and rankings, 2025African Development Bank / African Union Commission
- South Africa Introduces New Electronic Travel Authorization FeeErickson Immigration Group
- South Africa: ETA now costs 500 rand and opens to more travelersVisasNews
Still confirming: Whether the R500 also applies to work, business and permanent residence applications online; When African nationalities enter scope, and whether visa-exempt Africans become compulsory; The current ETA fee, which Fragomen reports is set on reciprocal visa fee arrangements and is not published; DISCREPANCY: some July 2026 reporting lists 32 African countries as visa-exempt for South Africa, including Nigeria, Ghana, Egypt and Ethiopia. Other reporting gives a much shorter ordinary-passport list. The longer list may relate to diplomatic and official passports. Resolve against the DHA schedule before using either.; Track the announced extension of the ETA to all visa-required countries and land ports, and re-check whether any African nationality enters scope
Checked 2026-09-13.
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Explore Aerial ViewRules change without much notice, and we recheck each one on its own schedule. Last updated 2026-09-13. This page is a starting point for planning, not legal or immigration advice, always confirm with the destination country before you travel.
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