PassportSouth Africa

Trip checklist: Papua New Guinea

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

Visa requirement

South Africans need to apply online for an e-visa before travel to Papua New Guinea.

Permitted stay

You can stay up to 60 days per visit.

Before you go

  • Purpose of visit

    The Visitor visa covers holidays, sport and similar short visits. Business, work and other purposes need a different visa class.

  • Passport validity

    At least 6 months beyond your arrival date.

  • How to apply

    Apply online at evisa.ica.gov.pg (the ICA portal, linked from ica.gov.pg). Nationalities not eligible online must submit the paper Application for Entry Permit form. You must show you are a genuine visitor who will leave at the end of your stay. Documents The GSA lists for South Africans: cover letter with purpose of visit and itinerary, return or onward ticket, proof of funds, passport bio page. Fees are charged in US dollars: tourist visa USD 50 plus migration service and online lodgement fees (The GSA; Wikipedia also gives USD 50, single entry, valid 6 months). Not confirmed on the ICA fee schedule. Processing time not published.

  • Where South Africans apply

    Online through the ICA eVisa portal. There is no Papua New Guinea mission in South Africa; The GSA says PNG's representation for South Africa is accredited from Canberra, Australia.

  • Return or onward ticket

    A return or onward ticket is part of the visa application (The GSA). ICA requires you to show you will leave at the end of your stay.

  • Proof of funds

    Proof of sufficient funds is required; The GSA gives K300 (PNG kina) per month. Not on the ICA visitor page.

  • Vaccinations, including yellow fever on return to South Africa

    Papua New Guinea requires a yellow fever certificate if you arrive from a country with yellow fever risk. 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. Papua New Guinea 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

    Since 1 October 2025 every traveller must complete the free PNG Digital Arrival Card at pngdac.ica.gov.pg before arrival. It is not a visa. Kiosks are available at Jacksons International Airport if you could not complete it online.

  • Extending your stay and overstaying

    Extensions must be applied for from inside PNG, well before the entry permit expires, using the Application to Extend Entry Permit form. There is no grace period, so an expired permit means immediate overstay. Overstay penalties not published.

  • Transit

    Papua New Guinea transit rules not found. 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

Research sources

  1. 1. Immigration & Citizenship Services Authority of Papua New Guinea (ICA) (Official, ica.gov.pg) https://ica.gov.pg/visa-information/visa-on-arrival
  2. 2. Immigration & Citizenship Services Authority of Papua New Guinea (ICA) (Official, ica.gov.pg) https://ica.gov.pg/visa/visit/visitor
  3. 3. Immigration & Citizenship Services Authority of Papua New Guinea (ICA) (Official, ica.gov.pg) https://ica.gov.pg/dac/png-digital-arrival-card
  4. 4. Immigration & Citizenship Services Authority of Papua New Guinea (ICA) (Official, ica.gov.pg) https://ica.gov.pg/visa-information/extension-of-entry-permits
  5. 5. 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
  6. 6. Immigration New Zealand (Official, immigration.govt.nz) https://www.immigration.govt.nz/new-zealand-visas/visas/visa/transit-visa
  7. 7. UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (Other government, gov.uk) https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/papua-new-guinea/entry-requirements
  8. 8. Australian Government Smartraveller (Other government, smartraveller.gov.au) https://www.smartraveller.gov.au/destinations/africa/south-africa
  9. 9. Wikipedia (Reference, en.wikipedia.org) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visa_policy_of_Papua_New_Guinea
  10. 10. The GSA (South African visa agency) (Commercial, thegsa.co.za) https://www.thegsa.co.za/visa-and-country-info/2623-papua-new-guinea-country-guide

From doineedavisa.co.za/papua-new-guinea. Always confirm with the embassy before you travel.