Do South African citizens need a visa for Israel?

South African citizens need an ETA (electronic travel authorisation) before travelling to Israel. (ETA required.) Verified 28 Jun 2026 against the official source.

How much does the Israel entry cost for South African citizens?

The official fee is 25 ILS. This page tracks the official government fee only, not agent markup.

Visa requirement

Israel visa for South African citizens

Official-source answer with stay limit, cost, required documents and last verification date.

South African passport Israel ETA required

Verified answer

South African citizens need an ETA (electronic travel authorisation) before travelling to Israel.

Last verified: 28 Jun 2026 (2 days ago)

What this means: An ETA is an electronic travel authorisation you apply for online before you fly — it is not a visa, but you cannot board without it.

Confidence: High Verified against the official source.

Max stay: 90 days
Official cost: 25 ILS
Before departure: Apply online before you fly
Official route: Open source (opens in a new tab)

Before you travel

1 Entry step Apply online before you fly Official route (opens in a new tab)
2 Stay limit 90 days
3 Official fee 25 ILS
4 Passport validity passport valid for at least 6 months after arrival; 1 blank page; Use a conservative 6-month passport-validity buffer unless the destination authority states a more specific rule for the traveller's nationality. Validity source (opens in a new tab)
5 Transit airside transit: conditional; landside transit: required; Airside transit requirements depend on the exact itinerary and airline checks. Entering Israel or clearing border control requires meeting the normal ETA-IL rule for visa-exempt passport holders. Transit source (opens in a new tab)
6 Freshness Checked 28 Jun 2026; confidence: high

Shareable verdict: South African citizens need an ETA (electronic travel authorisation) before travelling to Israel. Checked 28 Jun 2026.

Open SVG card

Cost note

ETA-IL fee is 25 NIS/ILS. Approval is generally valid for up to 2 years or until the passport expires, whichever comes first.

Passport and transit notes

Passport validity: passport valid for at least 6 months after arrival; 1 blank page; Use a conservative 6-month passport-validity buffer unless the destination authority states a more specific rule for the traveller's nationality.; Validity source (opens in a new tab) Validity guide
Transit: airside transit: conditional; landside transit: required; Airside transit requirements depend on the exact itinerary and airline checks. Entering Israel or clearing border control requires meeting the normal ETA-IL rule for visa-exempt passport holders.; Transit source (opens in a new tab) Transit guide

What you need

South African passport
Approved ETA-IL before travel
Proof of onward or return travel if requested
Proof of accommodation or sufficient funds if requested

Why this verdict

South African citizens are marked as not needing a visitor visa in the Israel Entry / Population and Immigration Authority country list, but ETA-IL is mandatory for visa-exempt visitors. This destination-wave matrix record is intentionally conservative: special residence permits, diplomatic/service passports, work, study, overland border routes and airline transit checks can change the answer. Reconfirm on the official source before booking.

What this page checks

This corridor page is built from the structured record for South African citizens travelling to Israel. It separates the verdict from stay, fee, document, passport-validity and transit fields so the answer is easier to audit.

Entry status: ETA required
Stay signal: 90 days
Official fee: 25 ILS
Document checklist: 4 items stored
Passport validity: Structured note stored
Transit: Structured note stored
Conditional rules: No structured exception stored
Freshness: Checked 28 Jun 2026

Frequently asked questions

Do South African citizens need a visa for Israel?: South African citizens need an ETA (electronic travel authorisation) before travelling to Israel. (ETA required.) Verified 28 Jun 2026 against the official source.
How long can South African passport holders stay in Israel?: Up to 90 days.
How much does the Israel entry cost for South African citizens?: The official fee is 25 ILS. This page tracks the official government fee only, not agent markup.

Related countries

Israel visa for other passports

Related guides

All South African visa requirements

Disclaimer. Visa and entry requirements change frequently and without notice and may depend on your specific circumstances (nationality, passport type, purpose and length of stay, residence in other countries, onward route and current diplomatic situation). The information here is for general guidance only, may be out of date, and is not legal, immigration, or travel advice. All cost, duration, and popularity figures are estimates. Always confirm the exact, current requirements with the official source for the destination country — its embassy, consulate, immigration service, or official e-visa portal (linked where available) — and with your airline before booking or travelling. We do not guarantee accuracy or completeness and accept no liability for any loss, denied boarding, refused entry, or other consequences. Last-verified dates are shown for each record; a record without a recent verification date should be treated as unconfirmed.