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Guide to South Africa visa for Indians

A land beaming with an enormous range of opportunities, South Africa is a very attractive country for Indians to visit. For tourism and work purposes, you will find an incredibly fabulous galore of fascinating places to explore. There is a huge influx of Indian citizens to South Africa. To travel to South Africa, it is essential to obtain a South African visa for Indians. Several different types of visas are offered by the South African government to Indians in accordance with the purpose of visit. 

Guide to South African visa for Indians:

  1. South Africa visa requirements
  2. Types of South Africa visa
  3. South Africa visa Fees
  4. South Africa visa tracking

Must read: 10 Amazing Countries That Offer Visa On Arrival For Indians

South African Visa Requirements

One of the most important South African visa requirements is that you will have to visit the nearest visa application centre. The South African government insists that you go through the visa process in person and not through online modes. 

Those looking for a South African visa for Indians, the following are the visa application centres –  

1. The South African High Commission – The Commission is situated in New Delhi. 

  • Address – B-18, Vasant Marg, Vasant Vihar, New Delhi – 110 057
  • Contact numbers – (11) 2614 9411 to 9420 / 2614 4504 (visa section) 
  • Fax number – 011 2614 3605 

2. The Consulate of South Africa – The Consulate is situated in Mumbai 

  • Address – Gandhi Mansion 20-Altamount Road, Cumballa Hill, Mumbai – 400 026 
  • Contact number – (22) 2389 3725
  • Fax number – (22) 2389 3730   

You must ensure that you carry all the required documents to the Commission or Consulate.

Know: How to write a convincing Invitation letter for visa

Types of South Africa Visa for Indians

  • South African tourist visa – If an Indian intends to travel to South Africa for tourism purposes, he or she must obtain the South African tourist visa. This visa takes about 12 working days to process. 
  • South African business visa – If an Indian intends to travel to South Africa for business purposes, he or she must obtain the South African business visa. This visa takes about 12 days to process. 
  • South African work visa – If an Indian intends to travel to South Africa for work purposes, he or she must obtain the South African work visa. This visa is also known as an employment visa.

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1. South African tourist visa

  • A valid Indian passport that does not expire for a minimum period of 3 months after the expiry date of the visa. If you have an old passport that was issued not more than 10 years ago, it needs to be submitted as well. A photocopy of the first and last pages of your current passport needs to be provided to the Embassy or Consulate. Note that at least two pages of your current passport must be blank. 
  • The filled-out South African visa application form must be submitted along with your passport. Ensure that the visa application forms are filled with a black pen and only with capital letters.
  • You must submit two photographs with a matt finish and dimensions 35×44 mm. They should have a white background. Ensure that these photos have not been submitted to any visa application before and must not be more than 6 months old. 
  • Proof of accommodation that states where you will be staying in South Africa. The document must contain the following details – 
    • Name of the applicant 
    • Passport number of the applicant 
    • Period of stay in South Africa
    • Contact details of the place of stay

Know in-depth: Proof of Accommodation for Visa: Explained

  • Air tickets 
  • The bank statement of the applicant from the previous 6 months that is signed by the concerned bank
  • Applicant’s income tax returns from the past 3 years
  • A marriage certificate needs to be provided – if the applicant’s passport was issued before marriage
  • A cover letter addressed to the Visa officer, Consulate General of South Africa, Mumbai 
  • If the applicant is a student, then a student ID or a bonafide certificate is required 
  • If the applicant is retired, then he or she needs to provide pension order or another form of retirement proof
  • Other monetary investments such as shares, bonds, PF 
  • If the visa candidate is employed, he or she needs to provide the payslips from the previous 3 months and the employment contract 
  • A No Objection Certificate (NOC) from your employer/school/ college that includes your passport number, name, and period of stay in South Africa 
  • If the applicant is self-employed, then he/she needs to provide the registration letter of the company in addition to two letterheads 
  • If a person is traveling to South Africa in order to meet a family member or friend, the following documents are required –
  1. Passport and visa copies of the applicant that is attested by local authorities 
  2. A proof of address that is attested by local authorities 
  3. Salary slip and bank statement from the previous 6 months attested by local authorities

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2. South African business visa 

  • A valid Indian passport that does not expire for a minimum period of 3 months after the expiry date of the visa. If you have an old passport that was issued not more than 10 years ago, it needs to be submitted as well. A photocopy of the first and last pages of your current passport needs to be provided to the Embassy or Consulate. Please note that at least two pages of your current passport must be blank. 
  • The filled-out South African visa application form must be submitted along with your passport. Ensure that the visa application forms are filled with a black pen and only with capital letters.
  • You must submit two photographs of the applicant with matt finish and dimensions 35×44 mm, white background. Ensure that these photos have not been submitted to any visa application before and must not be more than 6 months old. 
  • A proof of accommodation that states where you will be staying in South Africa. The document must contain the following details – 
    • Name of the applicant 
    • Passport number of the applicant 
    • Period of stay in South Africa
    • Contact details of the place of stay

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  • Air tickets 
  • The bank statement of the applicant from the previous 6 months that is signed by the concerned bank
  • The applicant’s income tax returns from the past 3 years
  • If the applicant’s passport was issued before marriage, then a marriage certificate needs to be provided 
  • A cover letter addressed to the Visa officer, Consulate General of South Africa, Mumbai 
  • An invitation letter from the company that is inviting the applicant to work in South Africa. The following details must be mentioned in the letter – 
    • Name of the visa candidate 
    • Passport number of the candidate 
    • Address and contact details of the host company in South Africa 
    • Signature of the authorized person on the letter with name and designation 
  • If the visa application form is being submitted in the Ahmedabad, Mumbai, Goa, Pune, and Bangalore visa application centres, the invitation letter needs to be on the letterhead and ensure that it is authenticated with a company seal. For the same visa application centres, the visa applications must be authenticated or attested by the Commissioner of Oaths or the South African police.
  • The applicant is required to provide the payslips from the previous 3 months and the employment contract. 
  • If you are self-employed, you will have to provide the registration letter of the company along with two letterheads.

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3. South African work visa

  • The passport of the applicant must not expire for at least 30 days after he or she has left South Africa on the expiration of the visa. The applicant will have to provide photocopies of the first and last page of the passport. 
  • If the applicant has traveled to South Africa earlier, he or she will have to also provide the visa approved prior to that visit as well. 
  • A filled out Visa Form-8 must be submitted along with the passport of the applicant. Ensure that the form is filled with a black ink pen and capital letters.
  • The applicant will also have to fill out a ‘power of attorney’ form and paste a revenue stamp on it.
  • The applicant will have to submit two photographs with matt finish and dimensions 35x44mm. They must not be older than a month. The background should be white in color and the photographs should show 70-80% of the face size. 
  • If the applicant’s invitation letter requests for multiple entries into South Africa, the applicant will be required to explain the reason for this request in another letter. 
  • If the applicant makes any changes on the visa application form, the applicant will have to sign next to the changes made. This is mandatory as proof that the changes to the form have been made by the applicant itself. Note that the form will be rejected without these signatures.
  • The cover letter with the signature of the applicant. 
  • Adequate bank balance that is equivalent to or greater than INR 60000 and INR 20000 for those applying to the visa centres in Delhi and Mumbai respectively.

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  • The company that will be hosting the applicant in South Africa will have to provide a documents that explains why a foreign professional is required for the specific position. 
  • The company that will be hosting the applicant in South Africa will also be required to provide a document that proves that a search for the right candidate for the specific position was actually conducted.
  • The applicant might also have to submit a repatriation draft of INR 40000 in the name of the South African High Commission. This amount can be collected by the applicant within 2 months of his or her return to India. 
  • The applicant will also be required to submit a bank draft of INR 11402 in the name of the South African High Commission. 
  • A yellow fever clearance certificate 
  • A certificate of clearance from the police department that is to be obtained from the MEA
  • Marriage certificate, if applicable 
  • In case of widows/widowers, a death certificate of the spouse needs to be provided
  • Qualification certificates 
  • A certificate with the approval of the department of labour.

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The applicant will be required to visit the VFS application centre in New Delhi in order to apply for a long-term South African work visa.        

South African Visa Fees 

The South African visa fees differ in accordance with the purpose of your visit. 

The fee for a tourist visa – INR 2040 

The fee for a business visa – INR 2040 

The fee for a work visa – INR 9080 (of this, INR 1375 are VFS charges)

Know: Self Introduction letter for Visa: All you need to know

South African Visa Tracking 

The applicant can also use the South African visa tracking services in order to know the status of the visa. This process can be done online through the following this link.

Once you click on the link, type your date of birth and reference number to know your visa application status. 

Although the procedure to apply for a South African visa for Indians can seem exhaustive, this guide will help you with the most important part – documentation. Once your documents and finances are organized, all you have to do is visit a visa application centre and apply for a visa!

Once your application is approved, you are all set to explore South Africa!

Further read: Guide To Switzerland Visa For Indians

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