VISA Requirements

Every traveler entering South Africa is required to show a passport valid for at least 6 months and the passport must also contain at least one unused page for endorsements.

A visa is required for entry into South Africa for most people but no visa is required for nationals of many countries. For a detailed list, please visit this link.

Those who are not nationals of exempted countries need to apply for tourist VISA in advance which costs ZAR 425.00 (approx. US$ 40.00).

Medical Requirements

No inoculations are necessary, unless you’re from (or traveling via) a country where yellow fever is endemic, in which case you’ll need a vaccination certificate to enter. But the only real medical risk, depending on where you travel, is malaria. Parts of northern KwaZulu-Natal, Kruger National Park and surrounding reserves, Zimbabwe, and Botswana are all high-risk malaria zones, though some become low-risk areas in the dry winter months.

No drug therapy is 100% effective, but some of them can go a long way to preventing malaria. Currently the drug Malarone (a combination of atovaquone and proguanil) is the drug of choice when travelling to areas and regions where chloroquine-resistant malaria exists. The antibiotic doxycycline can also be used in areas of chloroquine resistance. Chloroquine is generally very safe and has few side effects, but is not effective anymore in regions where the malarial parasites have become resistant to chloroquine. Mefloquine is considered to be the best alternative to chloroquine, but should not be taken by people who have known psychiatric disorders or epilepsy. These are the most common drugs in the fight against malaria, but it is wise to consult your doctor before making any decisions on which medication you want to take.