Up to 90 days per visit. The exact number of days is at the immigration officer's discretion, so check the date written on your entry stamp.

Home/from/ca/to/za

🇨🇦CANADA

🇿🇦SOUTH AFRICACA-ZA

Do Canada passport holders need a visa to visit South Africa?

Q: Do Canadians need the new South African ETA or an eVisa?

No. The 2025 ETA pilot applies only to ordinary passport holders from Mainland China, India, Indonesia and Mexico. Canadians require neither an ETA nor an eVisa.

Q: Do I need a return ticket or proof of funds?

Yes, carry a return or onward ticket and evidence of sufficient funds. Without an onward ticket you may be asked to leave a refundable deposit.

Q: Can I extend my stay beyond 90 days?

Yes, you can apply to the Department of Home Affairs before your stamp expires; an extension fee (about ZAR 425) applies and approval is not guaranteed.

No visa required. Canadian ordinary passport holders may enter South Africa visa-free for tourism for up to 90 days. Canadian citizens holding an ordinary passport do not need a visa to visit South Africa for tourism or business. Canada is on South Africa's visa-exemption list, and an immigration officer issues a free visitor's stamp on arrival authorizing a stay of up to 90 days (the exact number of days granted is at the officer's discretion and may be less than 90). South Africa launched an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) pilot in late 2025, but it currently applies only to ordinary passport holders from Mainland China, India, Indonesia and Mexico — Canadians are NOT included and need no ETA or eVisa. Your passport must be valid for at least 30 days beyond your intended departure and contain at least 2 blank visa pages, or you can be refused entry. You should carry a return or onward ticket and evidence of sufficient funds. Overstaying can trigger a multi-year re-entry ban, so confirm the number of days written on your entry stamp matches your plans.

VISA-FREETOURISMMULTIPLE ENTRYLast verified 2026-05-30

For guidance only — visa rules change with little notice. Always confirm directly with the destination's embassy or foreign ministry before booking non-refundable travel. Information here applies to ordinary (non-diplomatic) passports unless noted.

Canada (PR)Living in Canada as a permanent resident? See PR-specific guidance→

/01 — The numbers

Key facts

Last verified 2026-05-30

Visa type

Visa-free (visitor's stamp on arrival)

Maximum stay

Up to 90 days

per entry

Entries

Multiple (each entry re-assessed by officer)

from issue date

Visa fee

ZAR 0 (free)

consular fee only

Processing time

On arrival (no advance application)

standard track

Validity

Per-entry stay granted at the port of entry

from issue date

/02 — The process

How to apply

/01

Confirm your eligibility

Hold a valid Canadian ordinary passport. Canada is on South Africa's visa-exemption list, so no visa, eVisa or ETA is required for a tourist stay of up to 90 days.

· Ordinary passport· No application needed

/02

Check passport validity and blank pages

Ensure your passport is valid for at least 30 days beyond your planned departure from South Africa and has at least 2 completely blank visa pages. Insufficient pages or validity leads to refused entry.

· 30 days beyond departure· 2 blank pages

/03

Prepare onward/return travel and funds

Carry proof of a return or onward ticket and evidence of sufficient funds for your stay. Without an onward ticket you may be asked to deposit a refundable fare amount.

· Return/onward ticket· Proof of funds

/04

Check health requirements

A yellow fever certificate is required only if arriving from or transiting a country with risk of yellow fever transmission. Coming directly from Canada, it is not required.

· Yellow fever only if applicable

/05

Receive your visitor's stamp on arrival

At immigration, present your passport and travel documents. The officer stamps your passport and writes the number of days granted (up to 90). Verify the date matches your plans before leaving the counter.

· Confirm days granted· Free of charge

/06

Respect the authorized stay

Do not overstay. Overstaying can result in being declared undesirable with a re-entry ban of up to 5 years. To extend, apply to the Department of Home Affairs before your stamp expires.

· No overstay· Extend via Home Affairs

/03 — The paperwork

Required materials

8 items

Personalized checklist

0 / 8 complete

Canadian ordinary passport valid 30+ days beyond departure

required

At least 2 blank visa pages in passport

required

Return or onward air ticket

required

Proof of sufficient funds for the stay

required

Proof of accommodation / itinerary

recommended

Yellow fever certificate (only if arriving from a risk country)

conditional

Travel/medical insurance

recommended

Contact details and address in South Africa

recommended

Track your progress · save & email a copy

/04 — The cost

Fee breakdown

All-in estimate

Line itemAmountSource

Visitor's visa-free entry stampZAR 0Issued free at the port of entry

eVisa / ETAZAR 0Not applicable to Canadians; Canada is not in the ETA pilot

Stay extension (if applied for)ZAR 425Optional Home Affairs application to extend beyond granted period

Total estimateZAR 0 — ZAR 0incl. all

/05 — The wait

Processing time

Visa-free entry on arrival

Immediate at the border

No advance application; immigration officer stamps the passport with up to 90 days.

Stay extension via Department of Home Affairs

Several weeks

Only if you need to remain beyond the days granted; apply before the stamp expires.

/06 — The risks

Common refusal reasons

by frequency

/01

Visa-exemption agreement

Canada is on South Africa's visa-exemption list, granting ordinary passport holders visa-free tourist entry for up to 90 days.

High

/02

Not in the ETA pilot

South Africa's 2025 ETA pilot covers only Mainland China, India, Indonesia and Mexico — Canadians need no ETA or eVisa.

High

/03

Insufficient passport validity or pages

A passport with under 30 days residual validity or fewer than 2 blank pages results in refused entry despite visa-exemption.

Medium

/04

No onward ticket or funds

Travelers without a return/onward ticket or proof of funds may be questioned or asked to leave a refundable deposit.

Medium

/05

Overstay penalties

Staying beyond the days written on the entry stamp can lead to a re-entry ban of up to 5 years.

Low

/07 — On arrival

After you land

/01

Immigration

Keep your passport, visa or exemption proof, return ticket, and accommodation details ready for border inspection.

/02

Customs

Review the destination's customs rules before travel and declare restricted goods or large cash amounts when required.

/03

Connectivity

Check whether airport SIMs, eSIMs, or roaming are the best option for your route before arrival.

/08 — The history

Policy changelog

since 2024

2026-05-30

Canada to South Africa route verified

Confirmed via the Government of Canada travel advisory and South African visa-policy sources that Canadian ordinary passport holders remain visa-free for up to 90 days. Verified that South Africa's 2025 ETA pilot covers only China, India, Indonesia and Mexico and does not apply to Canadians.

/09 — The questions