South Africa introduces R500 Electronic Travel Authorisation fee

South Africa’s Department of Home Affairs has proposed a R500 processing charge for its Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) system. The fee, previously waived, will be added to existing visa charges. Travelers from visa‑required countries will pay the R425 visa fee plus the R500 ETA fee, reducing the total cost from R1,975 to R925. Visa‑fee‑exempt applicants will pay only the R500 fee, a drop from the current R1,550 service charge. The draft regulations are open for comment until 11 August 2026, giving airlines, hotels, tourism operators and business groups a chance to respond.

A Chinese travel‑industry representative highlighted that the fee is acceptable if it ensures platform stability, but urged the inclusion of family applications for minors. They argue that allowing parents to submit visas for children through the ETA would boost Chinese tourism to South Africa more than the fee itself.

The proposal aims to shift from outsourced service providers to an insourced, financially sustainable ETA model while lowering overall visa costs for many travelers.