South Africa adds R500 processing fee to ETA system; here’s what travellers will pay

South Africa has introduced a R500 electronic processing fee for visa and permit applications submitted and processed online, as the country expands its new Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) system.

The Department of Home Affairs formally introduced the charge through amendments to its fee regulations published in the Government Gazette on August 17. The move follows a proposal issued by the department in July to introduce the fee as online payment capabilities were added to the system.

The ETA was officially launched by President Cyril Ramaphosa on August 12 after operating on a limited basis during its pilot phase. The government is positioning the platform as the foundation of a wider shift towards digital immigration processing.

What does the R500 fee cover?

The R500 is an electronic processing fee. Home Affairs said the ETA had initially operated as a fully subsidised service because the platform did not have an integrated online payment facility.

The department said continuing to provide the service without a processing charge was not sustainable as it expanded the system and invested in its operation and maintenance. The addition of online payment capability allowed it to start collecting application fees.

For travellers from visa-required countries who are not exempt from visa fees, the R500 processing charge is separate from the existing R425 visa fee.

This means such travellers will pay R925 in total — R500 for electronic processing and R425 as the visa fee.

Travellers could still pay less than before

Despite the new R500 charge, Home Affairs says the digital system will significantly reduce the overall cost for travellers who previously had to use an outsourced visa-processing service.

Under the previous system, travellers in this category paid R1,550 to the outsourced service provider and a R425 visa fee, taking their total cost to R1,975.

Under the new system, the R1,550 outsourced charge is replaced by the R500 electronic processing fee. With the R425 visa fee included, the total falls to R925.

That represents a saving of R1,050 per application, according to the department.

Visa-required travellers who are exempt from paying the visa fee will only pay the R500 electronic processing charge.

Visa-exempt travellers will not face a visa fee. However, those who voluntarily choose to use the ETA will have to pay the R500 processing fee.

Who will have to use the ETA?

Home Affairs plans to make the ETA compulsory for travellers from visa-required countries as those countries are added to the platform.

For travellers who can already enter South Africa without a visa, use of the ETA will initially be optional. The department expects some visa-exempt travellers to use the platform voluntarily because it can provide a more streamlined arrival process.

The government's official ETA portal says the authorisation is linked to a traveller's passport and is designed for eligible travellers visiting South Africa for tourism or visitor purposes. It does not permit a traveller to work in the country.

South Africa plans to expand digital immigration system

The government intends to expand the ETA beyond tourism and short visits.

At the official launch, Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber said the aim was to develop the platform into a central point for South Africa's digital immigration system. The government plans to bring more complex categories, including study, spousal and work visas, onto the platform.

The ETA is also being expanded geographically. Home Affairs said countries would be systematically added to the platform as the system is rolled out further.

The government sees the digital system as a way to reduce reliance on manual and outsourced processing while making immigration services faster and strengthening border controls.