South Africa has moved up one place on the Henley & Partners passport index for 2021, now ranking in 53rd position, which enables South African passport holders to access 101 destinations without obtaining a prior visa.
However, with South Africans suffering harsh travel restrictions ranging from all-out bans to lengthy quarantines, the small jump in ranking currently means little to Saffas, who face major travel restrictions in 117 countries and moderate restrictions in 101 countries according to SkyScanner’s new Covid-19 mapping tool.
The strict regulations are due to the 501Y.V2 variant of Covid-19 that was discovered in South Africa but has been found to be spreading in more than 48 other countries. Despite this, the strain has persistently been referred to as “the South African variant”, resulting in widespread restrictions against those travelling from South Africa.
Hopes are high that these restrictions will ease as South Africa’s vaccination programme picks up speed.
If and when countries reopen their borders to South Africans, travellers will not need to obtain visas prior to arrival for a range of sought-after destinations, including the Seychelles, Mauritius, the Maldives, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Ireland, Israel and a host of South American countries.
See Henley & Partners’ full list of countries allowing South African passport holders without obtaining a prior visa (* Indicates visa on arrival or Electronic Travel Authorisation).
For expert assistance on Covid-19 compliant travel, contact your nearest Sure Travel agency, or call 0861 47 48 49.
Cambodia*
Malaysia
Sri Lanka*
Hong Kong (SAR China)
Maldives*
Tajikistan*
Indonesia
Nepal*
Thailand
Kyrgyzstan*
Philippines
Timor-Leste*
Laos*
Singapore
Macao (SAR China)
South Korea
Ireland
Kosovo
Russian Federation
Cook Islands
Micronesia
Samoa*
Fiji
Niue
Tuvalu*
Marshall Islands*
Palau Islands*
Vanuatu
Antigua and Barbuda
Dominican Republic
St. Lucia
Bahamas
Grenada
St. Vincent and the Grenadines
Barbados
Haiti
Trinidad and Tobago
British Virgin Islands
Jamaica
Turks and Caicos
Cayman Islands
Montserrat
Dominica
St. Kitts and Nevis
Argentina
Ecuador
Nicaragua
Belize
El Salvador
Panama
Bolivia*
Falkland Islands
Paraguay
Brazil
Guatemala
Peru
Chile
Guyana
Uruguay
Costa Rica
Honduras
Venezuela
Armenia*
Israel
Palestinian Territories
Georgia
Jordan*
Qatar
Iran*
Oman
Angola
Lesotho
Seychelles*
Benin
Madagascar*
Sierra Leone*
Botswana
Malawi
Somalia*
Cape Verde Islands*
Mauritania*
St. Helena*
Comores Islands*
Mauritius
Swaziland (eSwatini)
Ethiopia*
Mozambique
Tanzania
Gabon
Namibia
Togo*
Gambia
Nigeria
Tunisia
Ghana*
Reunion
Uganda*
Guinea-Bissau*
Rwanda*
Zambia
Kenya
Senegal
Zimbabwe