Garden Route Safari

Where to apply for a visa

• At the nearest or most conveniently situated South African diplomatic or consular representative.
• Holders of official or diplomatic passports in countries where the RSA is not represented must forward their applications to the Director-General: Foreign Affairs, Private Bag X152, Pretoria, 0001, South Africa.
• Visas CANNOT be applied for at South African ports of entry.

What to submit

• Passports must accompany the applications when submitted at a South African diplomatic or consular representative.
• Two passport photographs
• Visa fee, if applicable (refer to list of countries subject to visa fees)
• Only bookings of air ticket
• If a business visa is applied for, a letter of invitation from the South African company to be visited must accompany the application, as well as a letter from the company which the applicant represents.

Persons in transit Persons applying for transit visas must submit proof that they will be admitted to their destinations and they must be in possession of onward / return tickets.

Duration and purpose of stay The period of residence in South Africa is not determined by the visa but by the temporary residence permit which is issued on arrival at the port of entry. Applicants must ensure that they request the full duration of their intended visit as extensions are subject to additional fees. Applicants must ensure that they apply for the correct visa / permit as the purpose of stay may not be changed once in the RSA.

Photographs

Photographs must comply to the following specifications:

• Length - 45mm
• Width - 35mm
• The background of the photograph shall be plain and free of shadows and shall not have a white lining
• Only the head and shoulders of the person concerned shall be included in the photograph and the head from the chin to the top of the hair shall not be smaller 22mm and not larger than 25mm
• The person concerned shall be photographed without any head-gear or veil, and any other additions to the face which tend to alter the natural likeness shall be removed. (The Director-General may exempt any person or any category of persons from any of these requirements.)
• Spectacles may be worn provided that the lenses do not make the eyes invisible. Spectacles with dark lenses may be worn if the eyes will appear distorted without them or if the person is blind
• The full-face of the person concerned shall be photographed directly from the front, and the head may not be bent or tuned sideways
• The face shall be a recognizable likeness of the person and the head, hair, eyebrows, eyes, nose and moustache or beard, if any, shall be sharply and clearly defined
• Neither the photograph nor the copies thereof may be defaced by holes, pencil or ink marks or in any other manner

The Director-General may reject the copies of the photographs if they do not, in his or her judgment, comply with the requirements mentioned above, or if he or she deem them unsuitable in other respects, in which case the person concerned shall provide two new copies at his or her own cost.

Identity document and passport photographs could be taken at regional or district offices equipped for this service, at a cost of R13-00 for a frame of four black and white photographs.

Information obtained from The Department of Home Affairs: http://home-affairs.pwv.gov.za/service_detail.asp?id=101