South Africa Visa for Indians

About South Africa Visa

South Africa is known for its diverse landscapes and rich cultural heritage. Once you get a South Africa visa from India, you can visit the country for a specified period for a valid travel purpose. You must choose the right visa type and submit an application with the required documents. Before you start the application process, here are some key facts about South Africa.

Features of South Africa Visa

Here are some key features of the South Africa visa application process.

• E-visa: Indians are eligible to apply for a South Africa visa from India electronically.
• Yellow Fever Certificate: You must submit proof of vaccination against yellow fever if you plan to pass through any country in the yellow fever belt, which includes countries in Africa and South America.
• Travel Medical Insurance for South Africa: You may need to show proof of a travel insurance cover valid in South Africa as proof of sufficient funds.

Documents Required to Apply for a South Africa Visa

Documentation is an important part of the South Africa visa application process. You must submit a completed set of documents to improve your chances of getting a visa. Here's a table describing the documents required for various visa types.

General South Africa Visa Requirements

• Passport valid for at least 30 days beyond intended stay. You must have one unused page in your passport.
• Completed Form BI-84.
• Payment of fee.
• Yellow fever vaccination certificate, if you plan to pass through any country in the yellow fever belt in South America or Africa during your journey.
• Proof of visit purpose and duration.
• Two passport photos (coloured) as per South Africa visa photo requirements.
• Return or onward air ticket.
• If travelling with minors: unabridged birth certificate, proof of guardianship, or consent from guardian.
• Proof of financial means (bank statements, salary advances, host undertakings, bursary, medical cover, or cash).

Medical Treatment Visa

• Letter from a medical practitioner or institution detailing the ailment, treatment necessity, and appointment details.
• Details of financial responsibility for medical and hospital costs.
• Proof of medical cover or financial means for treatment.
• If emergency treatment, report to the Department of Home Affairs for permit issuance if needed.

Entertainment Industry Work Visa

• Completed visa application with relevant documents.
• Payment of fee.
• Authorisation request for work on a visitor's visa from a South African embassy or mission.

Business Visa

• Proof of investment or capital contribution.
• Undertaking to employ at least 60% South African citizens/permanent residents.
• Registration with the South African Revenue Service, Unemployment Insurance Fund, Compensation Fund for Occupational Injuries, Companies and Intellectual Properties Commission, and relevant professional bodies.
• Police clearance certificates from all countries of residence since the age of 18.
• Recommendation letter from the Department of Trade and Industry.
• Medical and radiology reports.
• Additional documents for existing businesses: financial statements for the preceding year.

General Work Visa

• Vaccination certificate (if required).
• Proof of financial means (bank statements, cash, or travellers' cheques).
• Medical and radiology reports.
• Police clearance certificates from all countries of residence since the age of 18.
• Employer's written undertaking for deportation costs if necessary.
• Certificate from the Department of Labour.
• Proof of qualifications evaluated by SAQA.
• Employment contract.
• Employer's registration proof.
• Undertaking by the employer to report changes in employment status.
• Documentation for accompanying spouse/children.

Critical Skills Work Visa

• Vaccination certificate (if required)
• Proof of financial means (bank statements, cash, or travellers' cheques).
• Cash deposit equivalent to return ticket or employer's undertaking.
• Medical and radiology reports.
• Police clearance certificates from all countries of residence since the age of 18.
• Proof of registration application with a professional body recognised by SAQA.
• Proof of qualification evaluation by SAQA.
• Employment contract within 12 months of visa issuance

Intra-company Transfer Work Visa

• Vaccination certificate (if required).
• Proof of financial means (bank statements, cash, or travellers' cheques).
• Cash deposit equivalent to return ticket.
• Employment contract with foreign company.
• Letter from the foreign company confirming the transfer.
• Letter from South African company confirming transfer and employment details.
• Employer's undertakings regarding employment and visa conditions.
• Medical and radiology reports.
• Police clearance certificates from all countries of residence since the age of 18.
• Documentation for accompanying spouse/children.

Corporate Visa

• A statement justifying the need for foreign workers and the number of workers.
• Certificate from the Department of Labour.
• Proof of registration with relevant South African bodies.
• Undertaking to employ at least 60% South African citizens/permanent residents.
• Job descriptions and remuneration for foreign workers.
• Undertakings regarding passport validity and employment terms.
• Cash deposit or guarantee for foreign workers.

Study Visa

• Proof of financial means (bank statements, cash, or travellers' cheques).
• Proof of medical cover.
• A cash deposit equivalent to return ticket.
• Medical and radiology reports.
• Unabridged birth certificate for minors.
• Details of guardians in South Africa and consent from parents/guardians.
• Letter of provisional acceptance from an educational institution.
• Annual proof of medical cover.
• Police clearance certificate for those 18 and older.
• Permission to work part-time (up to 20 hours per week)

Exchange Visa

• Undertakings by South African hosts.
• Proof of medical cover.
• Cash deposit or guarantee for a return ticket.
• Medical and radiology reports.
• Police clearance certificates from all countries of residence since the age of 18.
• Letter from the South African institution responsible for the program.
• Letter from a foreign institution confirming details of the student and program.
• Annual progress reports from the sponsoring body or educational institution.

Retired Persons' Visa

• Medical and radiology reports.
• Proof of minimum monthly payment and net worth.
• Police clearance certificates from all countries of residence since the age of 18.
• Documentation for accompanying spouse and dependent children.

Relative's Visa

• Cash deposit equivalent to return or onward ticket (not required for spouse/children of South African citizen/permanent resident).
• Proof of visit purpose and family relationship (birth certificate, marriage certificate, or proof of kinship).
• Police clearance certificates from all countries of residence since the age of 18.
• Medical and radiology reports for all accompanying family members (except for pregnant women and children under 12).
• Proof of South African citizenship/permanent residence of the relative.
• Proof of financial means for living expenses (except for the spouse and children of a South African citizen or permanent resident).

Medical Treatment Visa

• Letter from a medical practitioner or institution detailing treatment necessity and plans.
• Details of financial responsibility for medical costs.
• Proof of medical cover or financial means.
• Proof of sufficient financial means for treatment-related costs.
• Details of persons accompanying you.
• Return or onward air ticket.
• Possible cash deposit equivalent to air ticket value if requested by the department.
• Vaccination certificate (if required)

While buying travel insurance for South Africa is not absolutely necessary, it is an essential document to safeguard your journey and stay. It can, however, be required to prove you have sufficient funds to cover any medical and emergency expenses in South Africa.

South Africa Visa Types

You must understand the various South Africa visa types and select the most suitable one before submitting your application. This is an important step because the visa requirements and fees may be different for each visa type and duration.

Who Can Apply for a South Africa Visa?

Read the checklist below to understand who can apply for a South Africa visa from India.

• Indian citizens who want to visit South Africa for a valid travel purpose like tourism, family visits, education, work, transit, medical treatment, etc.
• Indian citizens who have a valid Indian passport with a validity of at least 30 days beyond the intended stay.
• Individuals who have sufficient funds to pay for their living expenses in South Africa during their visit.
• Individuals who have acquired vaccination certificates as per the rules.
• Individuals who can provide a document confirming the purpose and duration of their visit.

How to Apply for a South Africa Visa?

You can submit your South Africa visa application electronically or through VFS Global, the official visa application agency. Here's a step-wise guide on how to apply for South Africa visa electronically.

Step 1: Visit the official e-visa website for South Africa Visa Application Online

Step 2: Create your user profile by entering your personal information such as name, passport details, email, etc.

Step 3: Fill up the e-visa application form.

Step 4: Upload the scanned copies of the required documents along with your photos complying with the South Africa visa photo requirements.

Step 5: Transfer the visa fee electronically through Electronic Fund Transfer and upload the proof on the e-visa platform.

Here's how to apply for a South Africa visa through VFS Global.

Step 1: Visit the official page of VFS Global.

Step 2: You can download the visa application form from the website and print it. Then, fill out the paper form with your personal information.

Step 3: Submit your form along with the relevant documents at the visa application centre near you. There is no need to book an appointment in advance. You can visit the centre within their working hours and drop your application.

Step 4: Pay your visa fee at the application centre.

Step 5: Submit the visa application and wait for it to be processed. During the processing time, you can check your South Africa visa status through VFS Global.

South Africa Visa Fees

You have to pay South Africa visa fees along with your visa application. Here's a summary of the fees to be paid for different visa types.

*Visa fee subject to exchange rate fluctuations

How to Check South Africa Visa Status?

During the South Africa visa processing time, you can keep track of your application.

Here's a step-wise guide to checking your South Africa visa application status through the e-visa portal:

• Visit the official e-visa application portal
• Log in to the profile you created while submitting your visa application.
• The updates about your South Africa visa status will be mentioned on your dashboard.

If you applied through VFS Global, check your South Africa visa status through the following steps:

• Visit the official VFS Global website.
• Click on the 'Track Your Application' option.
• Enter your application number and last name, along with the security code.
• Submit the form to view your visa application status.