Visa requirement
South Africa visa for South Korean citizens
Official-source answer with stay limit, cost, required documents and last verification date.
Do South Korean citizens need a visa for South Africa?
Checked answer — confirm before travel
South Korean citizens do not need a visa for South Africa for up to 30 days.
Last verified:
Confidence: Medium Likely current — confirm details with the official source.
This answer is for ordinary South Korean passport holders travelling as citizens of that passport. Residence permits, long-stay visas or living in another country can change which embassy or rule applies.
Visa types at a glance
| Visa type | Availability | Stay |
|---|---|---|
| Tourist visa-free? | Yes | Up to 30 days. |
| eVisa? | No | No eVisa route is stored for this corridor. |
| Visa on arrival? | No | No visa-on-arrival route is stored for this corridor. |
- 30 days
- Varies — see notes
- Nothing required before departure
Before you travel
- 1 Entry step Nothing required before departure Official route (opens in a new tab)
- 2 Stay limit 30 days
- 3 Official fee Varies — see notes
- 4 Passport validity 1-month validity after departure; 2 blank pages. Full note below. See full note
- 5 Transit airside: not required; landside: not required. Full note below. See full note
- 6 Freshness Checked 23 Jul 2026; confidence: medium
Shareable verdict: South Korean citizens do not need a visa for South Africa for up to 30 days. Checked 23 Jul 2026.
Open SVG cardCost note
No visa fee applies to the ordinary 30-day exemption. South Korea is marked with an asterisk in the official schedule, so a longer intended visit may attract a visa fee and requires advance confirmation.
Passport and transit notes
- Passport validity
- passport valid for at least 1 month after departure; 2 blank pages; The passport must be machine-readable, valid for at least 30 days after the intended departure from South Africa and have at least two unused pages for endorsements.
- Validity source (opens in a new tab) Validity guide
- Transit
- airside transit: not required; landside transit: not required; No transit visa is required when remaining in the designated transit area at OR Tambo, Cape Town, King Shaka or Lanseria International Airport. Leaving transit or using another port invokes the ordinary entry rule for this passport.
- Transit source (opens in a new tab) Transit guide
What you need
- South Korean ordinary machine-readable passport
- Return or onward ticket
- Proof of accommodation and sufficient funds if requested
- Yellow-fever certificate if the itinerary triggers the official health rule
Why this verdict
South Korean ordinary passports remain in South Africa's current visa-exemption schedule for 30 days. The exemption covers ordinary short visits only and does not itself authorise work. From 1 July 2026, the separate SARS online traveller declaration applies to travellers unless an official exception applies.
Conditional rules
- International transit remains inside the designated transit area at OR Tambo, Cape Town, King Shaka or Lanseria International Airport Visa-free
South Africa's current DHA guidance waives the transit visa at these four airports, although biometric processing applies. Deportees and the separately listed Pakistan/Bangladesh cases are outside this corridor rule.
- Intended visit exceeds 30 days Visa required
The current ordinary-passport exemption is 30 days. Confirm and obtain the appropriate visa before a longer visit.
- Trip involves employment, ordinary paid work or another activity outside visitor status Visa required
Use the South African visa or Section 11(2) authorisation matching the actual activity; a tourist ETA or visa exemption does not grant general work rights.
Frequently asked questions
Do South Korean citizens need a visa for South Africa?
South Korean citizens do not need a visa for South Africa for up to 30 days. (Visa-free.) Verified 23 Jul 2026 against the official source.
How long can South Korean passport holders stay in South Africa?
Up to 30 days.
How much does entry to South Africa cost for South Korean citizens?
The official fee varies — see the official source. This page tracks the official government fee only, not agent markup.