South Africa to Mauritania visa requirements

South African ordinary passport holders need an e-Visa for Mauritania. Since 5 January 2025, visa-on-arrival has been abolished and all visa-required travelers must obtain an e-Visa online (anrpts.gov.mr) before boarding. The 30-day tourist e-Visa costs about USD 60 / EUR 55, paid in exact cash on arrival. A South African (ZA) ordinary passport holder cannot enter Mauritania visa-free and is not eligible for the old visa-on-arrival, which Mauritania discontinued on 5 January 2025. The country now runs a mandatory electronic visa (e-Visa) system through the National Agency for the Population Register and Secure Titles (ANRPTS) at anrpts.gov.mr. Travelers complete an online application, upload a passport (valid at least 6 months with a blank page) and a digital photo, and receive an approval with a QR code that must be printed and shown at the border. The standard tourist e-Visa allows a 30-day stay; longer durations (60/90 days and more) and single, double or multiple-entry options exist. The fee for a 30-day visa is approximately USD 60 (about EUR 55) and is paid on arrival in exact cash (USD or EUR only, no change given). A yellow fever vaccination certificate is recommended/required for entry. Only citizens of certain West/North African states (such as Senegal, Mali, Niger, Algeria, The Gambia) are visa-exempt; South Africa is not among them, so the e-Visa is mandatory. Mauritania is not in the Schengen area, so Schengen 90/180 and ETIAS rules do not apply.