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South Africa is located in southernmost Africa that offers all the experiences to please. From wildlife safaris, cosmopolitan cities to desert landscapes, South Africa is magical. Whether it is an adventure trip, a family vacation or an outing to encounter wildlife this is the destination to choose. We present all you need to know about the reasons to visit and the South African visas and the formalities. Bordered by Botswana, Zimbabwe and Eswatini, pack your bags and let’s travel again.
Why Visit South Africa?
Wildlife Safari Moments
A safari in South Africa is a lifetime experience. Go out on an evening game drive, stop for sundowners and dine under the stars in a traditional boma. Succumb to the wonders of wildlife from an open vehicle or a bush walk or from the comforts of a private deck. The safari packages promise timeless Big Five moments. Kruger National Park, Timbavati Game Reserve and more allow animals free-range. Colonial style game lodges, bush lodges, luxury tented safari camps among others will suit your dreams of a South African safari lodge holiday.
Ultimate Road Trip
The Garden Route is a fabulous 300 km stretch of coastline. It is a self-drive route in the Eastern and Western Cape Provinces of South Africa. The beautiful drive has mountainous views of the Outeniqua and Tsitsikamma Mountains. Start your drive in Mossel Bay in the west to Storms River in the east. Stop at the Winelands or Hermanus and explore beautiful beaches, coves and lagoons en route. Get a chance to see Southern Right Whales, dolphins and great white sharks offshore.
Natural Wonder of the World
Victoria Falls is a waterfall on the Zambezi River in South Africa. It is one of the natural wonders of the world located at the border of Zimbabwe and Zambia. At a height of 108 m, it is also called “The Smoke that Thunders”. Visit one of the world’s largest waterfalls on earth. The Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park and the Victoria Falls National Park have animals that roam around. The area is filled with Mopane woodland savannah, scrublands and more.
Golden Beach Scenes
Spend time soaking up the sunshine and beach views at some of the best beaches in South Africa. Camps Bay has a trendy beach with a postcard picture image of Cape Town. Santos Beach has a little tram on the beach and a wonderful stretch of sand across the bay. Laze on the soft sand of Nahoon Beach, swim or surf the warm waters or take a stroll on the boardwalk. This and many more beach experiences await you for an amazing sunset and cool sea breeze on your brow.
Outstanding Vineyards
Drive out of Cape Town to be among the world’s outstanding vineyards. Sip into a glass of Pinotage, the dark red wine which is South Africa’s signature variety. The country is known for producing wine for over 350 years. What is unimaginable is that South African wine has a history that dates back to 1659. The Stellenbosch Wine Route is popular and offers multilingual Wineland tours in a 4 x 4. See some vantage points and experience wine tasting moments.
South African Visa Types
Visa-free Entry
The South African visa policy is decided by the country’s government. Visitors must obtain a visa from one of the South African diplomatic missions unless they belong to one of the visa-exempt countries. They are given a “Port of Entry Visa” and are allowed entry for 90 days or 30 days. The citizens of the below-listed countries who hold a valid passport are allowed visa-free entry for 90 days.
- Andorra
- Argentina
- Australia
- Austria
- Belgium
- Botswana
- Brazil
- Canada
- Chile
- Czech Republic
- Denmark
- Ecuador
- Finland
- France
- Germany
- Greece
- Iceland
- Ireland
- Israel
- Italy
- Jamaica
- Japan
- Liechtenstein
- Luxembourg
- Madagascar
- Malta
- Monaco
- Namibia
- Netherlands
- New Zealand
- Norway
- Panama
- Paraguay
- Portugal
- Qatar
- Russia
- Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
- San Marino
- Sao Tome and Principe
- Saudi Arabia
- Seychelles
- Singapore
- Spain
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- Tanzania
- Trinidad and Tobago
- Tunisia
- UAE
- UK
- USA
- Uruguay
- Venezuela
- Zambia
- Zimbabwe
Visitors from the following countries who hold a valid passport are not required to obtain a South African visa for up to 30 days,
- Angola
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Bahamas
- Barbados
- Belize
- Benin
- Bolivia
- Cape Verde
- Costa Rica
- Cyprus
- Eswatini
- Gabon
- Guyana
- Hong Kong
- Hungary
- Jordan
- Lesotho
- Macau
- Malawi
- Malaysia
- Maldives
- Mauritius
- Mozambique
- Peru
- Poland
- South Korea
- Thailand
- Turkey
e Visa System
The eVisa system is being implemented by the South African government after the pilot schemes conclude. The new system was piloted for Kenyan citizens from 1 November 2019 and for Indian citizens from 1 April 2020.
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South African Visas Application Requirements
- Travellers must hold a passport with a validity of six months after the intended date of travel.
- The passport must have at least two blank pages.
- A yellow fever certificate.
- A valid credit card or debit card for visa fees payment online.
How To Apply For South African Visas From The UAE?
- Obtain a visa application form and fill the details in black ink only.
- Passport and Residence visa are needed to apply. Both the documents must be valid for a minimum of six months.
- One copy of relevant pages of the original valid passport.
- Two passport size photographs with a white background not older than six months.
- A vaccination certificate, if required.
- A yellow fever certificate if the applicant is from or going through a yellow fever endemic zone.
- Proof of financial and attested copy of bank statement for three months.
- A sponsor applicant or no objection certificate from a company.
- Invitation letter from the South African host.
- Proof of Travel Insurance.
- Return and onwards flight booking travel tickets and hotel bookings.
- Payment of visa application fees which is non-refundable.
The visitor must be present during the application for biometric procedures. After the interview and acceptance of the visa application, visa processing for tourist visas takes about 5 to 10 working days.
All applications must be submitted through the VFS office located at WAFI Mall.
Click on the link for the South African Consulate General in Dubai for further assistance.
Address: New Sharaf Building – 3rd Floor – D79 – Dubai – United Arab Emirates
Phone contact: +971 4 397 5222
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