While the information on this website is updated on a regular basis, no warranty is made that the information is comprehensive and correct. EntryAdvise.com expressly disclaims all liability for any damages resulting from the reliance on any information included within this website.
What is the COVID situation in South Africa?
Data source: Our World In Data / Data updated on December 3, 2021
- COVID-19 Frequently asked questions (Government of South Africa)
- Regulations and Guidelines - Coronavirus COVID-19 (Government of South Africa)
- Coronavirus COVID-19 International Travel (Government of South Africa)
Data last reviewed on: 20 October 2021
Basic facts about South Africa
South Africa is a very large country located in Southern Africa. The capital of South Africa is Pretoria and the most spoken language is Afrikaans. The national currency in South Africa is South African rand (ZAR).
What taxi apps are available in South Africa?
If you are not a local, you may have difficulty making the best use of public transportation. Using a taxi app such as Uber or Bolt is unquestionably a better method to go about cities without getting into too much touch with strangers. There may be also other local taxi apps available in South Africa.
Uber is available in 30 cities of South Africa. Bolt is available in 23 cities of South Africa.
See the full list of cities where Uber operate. See the full list of cities where Bolt operate.
Practical information
Check with your bank to determine if there are any costs for international transactions. When you use a foreign ATM, your home bank will typically charge you a fee. While some banks don't charge a fee, some charge a fixed fees for every withdrawal or provide a limited amount of free withdrawals.
When you spend money abroad with your card, you're unlikely to get the interbank exchange rate. This implies that each time you spend in a foreign currency, you may be paying a significant fee. Varying service providers may charge different markups, but they should not exceed 3% of the transaction value on average.
To reduce the transaction costs, you may choose to consider one of the travel cards offered by the following mobile banks: Wise.com, Revolut, N26 or Monose
Do people speak English in South Africa?
There are 10 common languages spoken in South Africa: Afrikaans, English, South Ndebele, Southern Sotho, Swati, Tswana, Tsonga, Venda, Xhosa and Zulu. Although English isn't the official language, the majority of people in South Africa are good English speakers. You will not have any difficulty to find an English speaker to talk to or help you out if you are in South Africa. Almost everyone who works in the service/tourist sector in the bigger towns and attractions will be able to communicate well in English in their field.
EF EPI's 2020 rankings placed South Africa 12th among 100 nations out of non-native English-speaking countries.
What socket types are used in South Africa?
There are 4 common plug types used in South Africa:
Type C 230 V, 50 Hz Type D 230 V, 50 Hz Type M 230 V, 50 Hz Type N 230 V, 50 Hz
The sockets' shapes and voltage differ from country to country and a travel plug adapter may be required. Portable devices, such as phones, notebooks or tablets, usually handle the entire range of voltages used across the world (110-240V).
What countries need visa to enter South Africa?
Currently, citizens of 76 countries can enter South Africa without obtaining a visa. This figure includes nationals who can acquire a visa on arrival.
What are visa requirements to enter South Africa?
Use the list below to check visa requirements for your country to enter South Africa.
- Algeria Visa required
- Angola Visa free (30 days)
- Benin Visa free (30 days)
- Botswana Visa free (90 days)
- Burkina Faso Visa required
- Burundi Visa required
- Côte d'Ivoire Visa required
- Cabo Verde Visa free (30 days)
- Cameroon Visa required
- Central African Republic Visa required
- Chad Visa required
- Comoros Visa required
- Democratic Republic of the Congo Visa required
- Republic of the Congo Visa required
- Djibouti Visa required
- Egypt Visa required
- Equatorial Guinea Visa required
- Eritrea Visa required
- Eswatini Visa free (30 days)
- Ethiopia Visa required
- Gabon Visa free (30 days)
- Gambia Visa required
- Ghana Visa required
- Guinea-Bissau Visa required
- Guinea Visa required
- Kenya Visa required
- Lesotho Visa free (30 days)
- Liberia Visa required
- Libya Visa required
- Madagascar Visa free (90 days)
- Malawi Visa free (30 days)
- Mali Visa required
- Mauritania Visa required
- Mauritius Visa free (30 days)
- Morocco Visa required
- Mozambique Visa free (30 days)
- Namibia Visa free (90 days)
- Niger Visa required
- Nigeria Visa required
- Rwanda Visa required
- Sao Tome and Principe Visa free (90 days)
- Senegal Visa required
- Seychelles Visa free (30 days)
- Sierra Leone Visa required
- Somalia Visa required
- South Sudan Visa required
- Sudan Visa required
- Tanzania Visa free (90 days)
- Togo Visa required
- Tunisia Visa free (90 days)
- Uganda Visa required
- Zambia Visa free (90 days)
- Zimbabwe Visa free (90 days)
- Afghanistan Visa required
- Armenia Visa required
- Azerbaijan Visa required
- Bahrain Visa required
- Bangladesh Visa required
- Bhutan Visa required
- Brunei Darussalam Visa required
- Cambodia Visa required
- China Visa required
- Georgia Visa required
- Hong Kong Visa required
- India Visa required
- Indonesia Visa required
- Iran Visa required
- Iraq Visa required
- Israel Visa free (90 days)
- Japan Visa free (90 days)
- Jordan Visa free (30 days)
- Kazakhstan Visa required
- North Korea Visa required
- South Korea Visa free (30 days)
- Kuwait Visa required
- Kyrgyzstan Visa required
- Laos Visa required
- Lebanon Visa required
- Macao Visa free (30 days)
- Malaysia Visa free (30 days)
- Maldives Visa free (30 days)
- Mongolia Visa required
- Myanmar Visa required
- Nepal Visa required
- Oman Visa required
- Pakistan Visa required
- State of Palestine Visa required
- Philippines Visa required
- Qatar Visa free (90 days)
- Saudi Arabia Visa free (90 days)
- Singapore Visa required
- Sri Lanka Visa required
- Syria Visa required
- Taiwan Visa required
- Tajikistan Visa required
- Thailand Visa free (30 days)
- Timor-Leste Visa required
- Turkey Visa free (30 days)
- Turkmenistan Visa required
- United Arab Emirates Visa free (90 days)
- Uzbekistan Visa required
- Viet Nam Visa required
- Yemen Visa required
- Antigua and Barbuda Visa free (30 days)
- Bahamas Visa free (30 days)
- Barbados Visa free (30 days)
- Cuba Visa required
- Dominica Visa required
- Dominican Republic Visa required
- Grenada Visa required
- Haiti Visa required
- Jamaica Visa free (90 days)
- Saint Kitts and Nevis Visa required
- Saint Lucia Visa required
- Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Visa free (90 days)
- Trinidad and Tobago Visa free (90 days)
- Belize Visa free (30 days)
- Costa Rica Visa free (30 days)
- El Salvador Visa required
- Guatemala Visa required
- Honduras Visa required
- Nicaragua Visa required
- Panama Visa free (90 days)
- Albania Visa required
- Andorra Visa free (90 days)
- Austria Visa free (90 days)
- Belarus Visa required
- Belgium Visa free (90 days)
- Bosnia and Herzegovina Visa required
- Bulgaria Visa required
- Croatia Visa required
- Cyprus Visa free (30 days)
- Czech Republic Visa free (90 days)
- Denmark Visa free (90 days)
- Estonia Visa required
- Finland Visa free (90 days)
- France Visa free (90 days)
- Germany Visa required
- Greece Visa free (90 days)
- Hungary Visa free (30 days)
- Iceland Visa free (90 days)
- Ireland Visa free (90 days)
- Italy Visa required
- Latvia Visa required
- Liechtenstein Visa free (90 days)
- Lithuania Visa required
- Luxembourg Visa free (90 days)
- Malta Visa free (90 days)
- Moldova Visa required
- Monaco Visa free (90 days)
- Montenegro Visa required
- Netherlands Visa free (90 days)
- North Macedonia Visa required
- Norway Visa free (90 days)
- Poland Visa free (30 days)
- Portugal Visa required
- Romania Visa required
- Russian Federation Visa free (90 days)
- San Marino Visa free (90 days)
- Serbia Visa required
- Slovakia Visa required
- Slovenia Visa required
- Spain Visa required
- Sweden Visa free (90 days)
- Switzerland Visa free (90 days)
- Ukraine Visa required
- United Kingdom Visa free (90 days)
- Canada Visa free (90 days)
- Mexico Visa required
- United States of America Visa required
- Australia Visa free (90 days)
- Fiji Visa required
- Kiribati Visa required
- Marshall Islands Visa required
- Micronesia Visa required
- Nauru Visa required
- New Zealand Visa free (90 days)
- Palau Visa required
- Papua New Guinea Visa required
- Samoa Visa required
- Solomon Islands Visa required
- Tonga Visa required
- Tuvalu Visa required
- Vanuatu Visa required
- Argentina Visa free (90 days)
- Bolivia Visa free (30 days)
- Brazil Visa free (90 days)
- Chile Visa free (90 days)
- Colombia Visa required
- Ecuador Visa free (90 days)
- Guyana Visa free (30 days)
- Paraguay Visa free (90 days)
- Peru Visa free (30 days)
- Suriname Visa required
- Uruguay Visa free (90 days)
- Venezuela Visa free (90 days)
- Apply for a visa (Government of South Africa)
- Passport Index
Data last reviewed on: 20 October 2021
Is it safe in South Africa?
The U.S. State Department uses a four-level travel advisory system. The levels show how safe it is to travel throughout the world. The countries with the lowest level (1) are considered safe for visitors, while those with the greatest level (4) should be avoided, at least temporarily.
On November 27, 2021, the risk level for South Africa was changed to Level 4: Do Not Travel.
Emergency phones in South Africa
- South Africa Travel Advisory (United States: Department of State)
- Travel Advice for South Africa (United Kingdom: The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office)