PassportSouth Africa

United States: do South Africans need a visa?

South Africans need to apply for a visa before travel to the United States. You can stay up to 180 days per visit, and you can apply to extend.

Visa required (B-1/B-2 visitor visa). South Africa is not in the Visa Waiver Program, so ESTA is not available.12

Before you travel

Purpose of visit

B-2 tourism, visiting family, medical treatment; B-1 business meetings, conferences, contract negotiation. No work or study.12

Confirmed on an official government source

Passport validity

South Africa is on CBP's 'Six-Month Club' exemption list: passport need only be valid for the intended period of stay (no extra six months).11

Not yet confirmed by an official source

How to apply

Complete DS-160 online (ceac.state.gov), pay the USD 185 MRV fee and book an interview through the official scheduling site ais.usvisa-info.com/en-za, attend interview. South Africans receive B-1/B-2 visas valid 120 months, multiple entry, with no reciprocity issuance fee. Fee receipts valid 365 days. A USD 250 'visa integrity fee' (H.R. 1, July 2025) is collected at issuance at some posts but is not on the State Department fee schedule; confirm with the post. South Africa is NOT on the visa bond list and NOT under Proclamation 10998 entry restrictions.1234567

Confirmed on an official government source

Where South Africans apply

Applicants must apply in their country of nationality or residence (rule effective 15 July 2026). From 1 August 2026 routine visa processing for South Africa is at the regional hubs: US Consulate General Johannesburg (1 Sandton Drive, Sandhurst) and US Consulate General Cape Town. Durban offers only American Citizen Services and limited NIV services; KZN residents must go to Johannesburg or Cape Town. The Embassy in Pretoria does not process routine visitor visas. Published next-available B1/B2 waits (State Dept, retrieved 2026-10-05): Johannesburg about 1 month, Cape Town about 1.5 months; these are estimates only.3589

Confirmed on an official government source

Travel insurance

Not published by official sources

Return or onward ticket

Not published by official sources

Proof of funds

Not published by official sources

Accommodation or invitation

Not published by official sources

Vaccinations, including yellow fever on return to South Africa

Not published by official sources

Arrival forms

Not published by official sources

Extending your stay and overstaying

Extensions via USCIS (Form I-539) before the I-94 date. Overstaying puts the visitor out of status and the visa is automatically voided; future visa ineligibility may follow (statutory 3-year/10-year unlawful-presence bars apply for 180+ days / 1+ year).12

Confirmed on an official government source

Transit

Not published by official sources

Travelling with children

Not published by official sources

What changed

2 October 2026Visa bond list updated to about 51 countries (bonds USD 5,000-20,000 set at interview); South Africa not listed, though neighbours Botswana, Namibia, Lesotho, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Zambia, Mauritius and Seychelles are.
18 September 2026Expanded screening and vetting: applicants in many visa categories must set social media accounts to public.
1 August 2026Routine visa processing consolidated to regional hubs; Durban reduced to ACS and limited NIV services. South Africans apply in Johannesburg or Cape Town.
15 July 2026NIV applicants must apply in their country of nationality or residence; fees for out-of-district applications are not refunded.
1 January 2026Proclamation 10998 restricts entry for 39 countries; South Africa not included.
7 August 2025In-person interviews made mandatory for 54 nationalities; South Africa is not on that list.
4 July 2025USD 250 Visa Integrity Fee enacted in H.R. 1; collection at issuance is uneven across posts and the refund mechanism has not launched. Not shown on the State Department fee schedule as of 2026-10-05.

Sources

Official

The destination's own government

  1. 1US Department of State travel.state.gov
  2. 2US Department of State (reciprocity, South Africa) travel.state.gov
  3. 3US Department of State travel.state.gov
  4. 4US Department of State official appointment service (South Africa) ais.usvisa-info.com
  5. 5US Department of State travel.state.gov
  6. 8US Embassy & Consulates in South Africa za.usembassy.gov
  7. 9US Department of State travel.state.gov
  8. 12US Department of State travel.state.gov

Commercial

Visa agencies, law firms and travel companies

  1. 6Ellis (commercial) ellis.com
  2. 11Immiva (commercial) immiva.com

News and guides

Leads we check, never the answer

  1. 7Boston University ISSO bu.edu

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