Trip checklist: Palau

For South African passport holders. Last checked 5 October 2026.

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Visa requirement

South Africans can get a visa on arrival in Palau.

Permitted stay

You can stay up to 30 days per visit, and you can apply to extend.

Before you go

• Purpose of visit

  Tourism.

• Passport validity

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

• 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.

• 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.

• Return or onward ticket

  Proof of return arrangements is required.

• Proof of funds

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

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

• Confirm with the embassy

  Rules change. Check the official source before you book.

Where to apply

• Palau Visitors Authority (government tourism authority) https://pristineparadisepalau.com/visa-and-passport-requirements/
• Government of the Republic of Palau https://www.palaugov.pw/
• Palau Entry Form portal (linked from palaugov.pw) https://palautravel.pw/

Research sources

1. 1. Palau Visitors Authority (government tourism authority) (Official, pristineparadisepalau.com) https://pristineparadisepalau.com/visa-and-passport-requirements/
2. 2. Government of the Republic of Palau (Official, palaugov.pw) https://www.palaugov.pw/
3. 3. Palau Entry Form portal (linked from palaugov.pw) (Official, palautravel.pw) https://palautravel.pw/
4. 4. Australian Department of Home Affairs (Official, immi.homeaffairs.gov.au) https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa-listing/transit-771/travellers-eligible-to-transit-without-visa
5. 5. Immigration New Zealand (Official, immigration.govt.nz) https://www.immigration.govt.nz/new-zealand-visas/visas/visa/transit-visa
6. 6. UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (Other government, gov.uk) https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/palau/entry-requirements
7. 7. Australian Government Smartraveller (Other government, smartraveller.gov.au) https://www.smartraveller.gov.au/destinations/africa/south-africa
8. 8. Wikipedia (Reference, en.wikipedia.org) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visa_policy_of_Palau
9. 9. The GSA (South African visa agency) (Commercial, thegsa.co.za) https://www.thegsa.co.za/visa-and-country-info/2624-palau-country-guide

From doineedavisa.co.za/palau. Always confirm with the embassy before you travel.