South African passport holders gain visa-free access to 101 destinations

According to the latest Henley Passport Index, South African passport holders can travel to 101 destinations without obtaining a visa in advance. The index, compiled by Henley & Partners, evaluates global mobility by measuring the number of countries citizens can enter without prior authorization.

South Africa’s ranking places it between Türkiye and Belize in terms of visa-free access. While many popular destinations in Europe and the United Kingdom still require advance visa applications, South Africans have visa-free or easy access to various countries across Africa, Asia, the Americas, the Caribbean, and the Pacific.

Regional destinations accessible without a traditional visa include Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Namibia, Mozambique, Mauritius, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Further abroad, travelers can visit locations such as Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Maldives, Singapore, the Philippines, and South Korea, as well as several nations in South America and the Caribbean.