Sri Lanka has announced an extension of its visa-free entry initiative for visitors from 7 countries until April 30, 2024. Citizens of India, China, Russia, Malaysia, Japan, Indonesia, and Thailand were first approved for visa-free entry by the Cabinet of Ministers in October 2023. The program was initially due to last until March 31. However,
Visa Requirements for South African Citizens
Visa requirements for South African nationals are administrative entry restrictions placed on nationals of South Africa by the authorities of other states around the world.
The Henley Passport Index currently ranks the South African passport 53rd in terms of travel freedom among the countries of the world. South Africans are currently able to travel to around 100 different territories visa-free or with a visa on arrival.
Visa requirements for South African passport holders depend on the country of destination, the period of time the traveler wishes to spend in the chosen territory, and the purpose of the trip.
It may be necessary to obtain either an embassy visa, an electronic travel visa authorization, or a visa on arrival to travel to a foreign country from South Africa. However, a visa may not be required, and some countries may not have a visa available for South African citizens.
It is not necessary to obtain authorization to travel to a number of visa-exempt countries for South Africans for short stays (between 30 and 180 days depending on the destination). However, some of these same countries may require travelers from South Africa to pre-register for an electronic travel authorization before arriving in the territory.
Citizens of South Africa who wish to visit a territory other than a visa not required country need to obtain a visa to do so. This may be either an electronic visa through an online application, an embassy visa from a diplomatic office of their destination, or a visa on arrival from a border entry point.
