Visas

South African´s Visitors Visas

Duration and Purpose of Stay

Argentine citizens (Argentine passport holders) visiting the Republic of South Africa for ninety (90) days or less for tourism / business purposes do not need visas.

Nationals of other countries must check the list of visa exempt countries to see if they need to apply for visas. If the names of their countries are not listed, it means they need to apply for visas. There are also countries that are visa exempt if applicant is travelling to South Africa for a period of 30 days or less.

There are countries which are required to apply for visas but are exempt from visa fees, e.g. India, Colombia, Mexico, etc. Please refer to the list of countries that pay for visa and if your country is not listed it means you do not need to pay for visa.

(Note: If your visit would exceed ninety days or if you want to travel to South Africa to study or to work, you will need to apply for a temporary residence permit instead of a visitor’s visa. Requirements for temporary residences are not the same with visitor's visa).

Yellow fever certificate is required for argentine citizens as Argentina has been determined by the WHO (World Health Organization) to be a high risk country for yellow fever (*). (adjuntar documento de WHO: yellow fever policy brief)

Foreigners who wish to visit South Africa must have passports / travel documents valid for thirty (30) more days after the intended return date from South Africa.  The passport must contain at least two (2) unused (blank) pages labelled Visa when presented at the Embassy or Consulate; one page is for affixing the visa or permit at the Embassy/Consulate and the other page is for endorsement of entry/departure stamp by the South African Immigration Services. Note: Visa pages referred to above do not include pages reserved for Endorsements, Amendments

Requirements

Please note that Applicants are required to apply in person at the South African mission from Tuesday to Thursday from 9 to 12hs with appointment.

  • Form DHA-84 completed in black ink and duly signed. Failure to complete the form fully and in detail may cause the delay or refusal of the Visa. If space provided is not sufficient, information can be supplied in a separate sheet as long it is signed at the bottom; Passport or Travel Document which must be valid for travel to South Africa, valid for no less than 30 (thirty) days after the expiring of the intended stay and it must contain at least 2 (two) blank pages for endorsements;
  • International Certificate of Vaccination against Yellow Fever, if the journey starts or entails passing through the Yellow Fever Belt of Africa and South America (Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Venezuela, Panama, etc). The full list is available at the Embassy;
  • 2 (two) 4cm x 4cm passport photographs, white background and applicant facing the camera;
  • Proof of booking of airline ticket; return or onward ticket to the next destination’s country (NOT paid tickets);
  • Hotel Reservation;
  • Medical Insurance valid in South Africa;
  • Proof of sufficient financial means which shall be in a form of:
    • Bank statements of the last three months;
    • Salary devices of the last three months;
    • Cash available, including travellers' cheques;
    • Undertaking supported by bank statements or salary advices, by the host in the Republic accepting responsibility for the costs related to the maintenance and removal of the applicant, should this be necessary + certified copy of passport,
    • Scholarships or bursaries in the case of scholars and students respectively;
  • In respect of minor dependent children accompanying the applicant to or joining the applicant in the Republic, the following documentation shall be submitted:
    • Proof of guardianship or custody, in the case of a minor subject to guardianship or custody; or
    • Consent from the guardian, in the case of an unaccompanied minor;
  • In respect of unaccompanied minors (under 18 years old): consent letter from parents in English containing full names, ID numbers of parents, full name of child, passport number of minor and signatures of both parents (if applicable), birth certificate or proof of adoption/ guardianship translated by public translator and legalized or PARENTAL CONSENT AFFIDAVIT (signed at the Embassy);
  • The non-refundable application (administrative) fee. The application fee and cash deposit, if applicable, must be in pesos cash together with the applicable documentation mentioned above when submitting your application. The Embassy reserves the right to reject any application that does not satisfy its requirements.
  • Documentation confirming the purpose and duration of the visit; ie; a letter of invitation explaining the host’s relationship to the applicant written in English, including host´s name’s South African ID number , address and work details.
  • If invited by a company, the program or description of activities on letterhead may be provided. If visit is for a normal holiday, proof of booked hotel is required and or an invitation letter from a South African citizen/ Permanent Residence holder. Copy of their ID or passport or Permanent Residence certificate must also be attached.
  • Non-Argentine or Paraguayan passports must contain a valid long term or permanent residence permit in Argentina or Paraguay if they want to apply for the visas at the Embassy in Buenos Aires.

Transit visas

Transit Visas will be required from countries that must file for Tourist Visas to enter South Africa, provided transit is to neighbouring countries: Botswana, Lesotho, Swaziland, Mozambique, Namibia and Zimbabwe.

This means that a holder of a Chinese, Nigerian or Indian passport that enters South Africa in transit to Lesotho will need to process a Transit Visa, but if the final destination is China, Nigeria or India (none a neighbouring country to South Africa), said Visa will not be required.

A Transit Visa will be also required if the stay in South Africa (in transit to other neighbouring country) does not exceed 72hs.

Requirements

  • Form DHA-84 completed in black ink and duly signed;
  • Passport or Travel Document which must be valid for travel to South Africa, valid for no less than 30 (thirty) days after the expiring of the intended stay and it must contain at least 2 (two) blank pages for endorsements;
  • International Certificate of Vaccination against Yellow Fever, if the journey starts or entails passing through the Yellow Fever Belt of Africa and South America (Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Venezuela, Panama, etc). The full list is available at the Embassy;
  • 2 (two) 4cm x 4cm passport photographs, white background and applicant facing the camera;
  • Proof of booking of airline ticket; return or onward ticket to the next destination’s country (NOT paid tickets);
  • Proof of sufficient financial means, which shall be in the form of:
    • a) Bank statements
    • b) Cash available, including travellers' cheques;
    • >c) Undertaking supported by, where necessary, bank statements or salary advices, by the host in the Republic accepting responsibility for the costs related to the maintenance and removal of the applicant, should this be necessary;
    • d) Scholarships or bursaries in the case of learners and students respectively;
  • Application fee (if required)
  • Non-Argentine or Paraguayan passports must contain a valid long term or permanent residence permit in Argentina or Paraguay if they want to apply for the visas at the Embassy in Buenos Aires.
  • The duration of processing of the Transit Visa is 5 days. The Embassy reserves the right to reject any application that does not satisfy its requirements. Should you have any further enquiries, please contact our office at your convenience.

PENALTY FOR OVERSTAY

Overstay Fines

IMMIGRATION ACT, 2002 (ACT NO 13 OF 2002)

Immigrations Regulations 2014

Undesirable persons

27. (1) For the purposes of sub regulation (2), a time is calculated as a 24 -hour day as a period of overstay.

(2) The Director- General may declare a foreigner who falls within the category listed in Section 30

(1) of the Act as undesirable on form 19 illustrated in Annexure A.

(3) A person who overstayed after the expiry of his or her visa, as contemplated in Section 30

(1) (h) of the Act, may be-

a.  In the case of a person who overstayed for up to 30 days, declared undesirable for a period of two years.

b. In the case of a person who overstayed for longer than 30 days up to 90 days, declared undesirable for a period of three years; and

c.  In the case of a person who overstayed for more than 90 days, declared undesirable for a period of ten years.

Persons who are declared undesirable persons in terms of Section 30 (1) (h) read with 50 (1) of the Immigration Act, No 13 of 2002 as amended (No 13 of 2011) must submit a written representation as indicated below and the following documents must be submitted:

  • Written representation
  • A copy of the declaration of undesirability (form 19) that was issued at the Port of entry;
  • Copy of the relevant pages of the passport, including bio page;
  • Acknowledgment of receipt (in cases where applicants have applied for a permit and the status is still pending);
  • If the applicant overstayed due to medical reasons, a medical certificate must be submitted;

The appeal must be e-mailed to: overstayappeals@dha.gov.za This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. Therefore JavaScript should be installed.

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