PassportSouth Africa

Palau: do South Africans need a visa?

South Africans can get a visa on arrival in Palau. You can stay up to 30 days per visit, and you can apply to extend.

Visa on arrival. Palau issues a 30-day tourist visa on arrival to most nationalities; only citizens of Myanmar and Bangladesh need pre-approval. South Africans qualify.165

Before you travel

Purpose of visit

Tourism.1

Confirmed on an official government source

Passport validity

At least 6 months. The UK FCDO also asks for 2 blank pages.14

Confirmed on an official government source

How to apply

No advance visa. Submit the Palau Entry Form at palautravel.pw no more than 72 hours before departure, and show the QR code at check-in and on arrival. The tourist visa is then stamped on arrival. The Pristine Paradise Environmental Fee of USD 100 is included in international air tickets.123

Confirmed on an official government source

Where South Africans apply

Not applicable: visa issued on arrival. No Palau mission in South Africa was found. Bureau of Immigration: phone +680 488 2498 or 2678.12

Confirmed on an official government source

Travel insurance

Not published by official sources

Return or onward ticket

Proof of return arrangements is required.1

Confirmed on an official government source

Proof of funds

Proof of sufficient funds. Wikipedia gives USD 200 per week; not stated on the official page opened.65

Not yet confirmed by an official source

Accommodation or invitation

Not published by official sources

Vaccinations, including yellow fever on return to South Africa

Palau's own rule not checked. South Africa's rule: you need a yellow fever certificate to enter South Africa only if you arrive from or transited a yellow-fever-risk country. Palau is not a risk country, so a direct return needs none, but a routing through a risk country in Africa or South America would trigger it.9

Not yet confirmed by an official source

Arrival forms

Palau Entry Form at palautravel.pw within 72 hours before departure (no fee shown; you receive a QR code). On arrival you must sign the Palau Pledge, which is stamped in your passport.123

Confirmed on an official government source

Extending your stay and overstaying

Two extensions of USD 50 each, up to 90 days in total; contact the Bureau of Immigration before travel if you expect to extend. Overstay penalties not published.14

Confirmed on an official government source

Transit

Palau transit rules not found. Many routes go via Guam, Manila, Taipei or Seoul; check those rules separately. Hub rules: via Australia, South Africans may use Transit Without Visa (air arrival, onward flight to a third country within 8 hours, stay airside); otherwise an Australian Transit (771) or Visitor visa is needed. Via Auckland, South Africans need a New Zealand Transit Visa (from NZD 235, up to 24 hours airside) unless they already hold a NZ visa.78

Confirmed on an official government source

Travelling with children

Not published by official sources

Sources

Official

The destination's own government

  1. 1Palau Visitors Authority (government tourism authority) pristineparadisepalau.com
  2. 2Government of the Republic of Palau palaugov.pw
  3. 3Palau Entry Form portal (linked from palaugov.pw) palautravel.pw
  4. 7Australian Department of Home Affairs immi.homeaffairs.gov.au
  5. 8Immigration New Zealand immigration.govt.nz

Other government

Official advice from other governments

  1. 4UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office gov.uk
  2. 9Australian Government Smartraveller smartraveller.gov.au

Reference

Used to find official sources, never the final word

  1. 6Wikipedia en.wikipedia.org

Commercial

Visa agencies, law firms and travel companies

  1. 5The GSA (South African visa agency) thegsa.co.za

Last researched 5 October 2026. Rules change; confirm with the embassy before you book. Spotted something out of date? Report a change.