LIST: South Africans can travel visa-free to 101 countries in 2026
Visa-free travel still opens doors for South Africans in 2026, with access across Africa, Asia and the Americas.
South Africans continue to enjoy relatively broad international travel access, even as global mobility becomes more restricted In 2026, holders of a South African passport can enter 101 countries without needing to apply for a visa before departure. While this reflects a decline compared to the previous year, it still places South Africa in a solid mid-range position globally.
The latest figures show that South Africa has lost visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to five destinations over the past year. In 2025, South Africans could travel to 106 destinations without prior visa approval. The drop highlights how quickly visa policies can shift in response to diplomatic, security and administrative changes around the world.
These changes are reflected in the latest Henley Passport Index, which tracks the strength of passports worldwide and provides one of the most closely followed indicators of global travel freedom.
How is passport strength measured globally?
The Henley Passport Index is widely regarded as the most authoritative global ranking of passport strength. It assesses 199 passports against 227 travel destinations worldwide. The index measures how freely citizens can move across borders without needing to apply for a visa in advance.
Each destination is given a score of one if travellers do not need a visa before departure. This includes situations where travellers receive a visa on arrival, a visitor’s permit, or an electronic travel authorisation at the point of entry. If travellers must apply for a visa or receive government-approved clearance before travelling, the destination receives a score of zero.
A passport’s overall ranking is determined by adding up all destinations that score one. This approach provides a clear, numerical snapshot of how many places a passport holder can access with minimal administrative barriers.
What data supports the Henley Passport Index?
The index is built using exclusive data from the International Air Transport Authority, which manages the world’s largest database of travel information. This data is then rigorously verified by Henley and Partners’ research team.
Each passport is continuously checked against all possible destinations using official government sources and major news outlets. This ongoing process allows the rankings to reflect changes in visa policies throughout the year, rather than relying on a single annual snapshot.
Where does South Africa rank in 2026?
In the 2026 rankings, South Africa’s passport is placed 48th globally. This position places it between Qatar and Belize on the index. While this ranking confirms that South Africa sits comfortably in the middle of the global table, it also highlights the gap between South Africa and the world’s strongest passports
At the top of the index, Singapore once again holds first place, offering its citizens visa-free access to 192 destinations. This contrast underscores the uneven nature of global mobility and the advantages enjoyed by holders of top-ranked passports.
Which countries have South Africans lost access to?
The decline in South Africa’s score is the result of losing visa-free access to five countries since last year. These include Mauritania and Nigeria in Africa, Pakistan in Asia, Kosovo in Europe, and Palestine in the Middle East.
These changes demonstrate how access can be affected by regional policy shifts and diplomatic developments. Losing access to destinations across multiple regions also shows that restrictions are not limited to any single part of the world.
Where do South Africans still enjoy strong visa-free access?
Despite the recent decline, South Africans continue to enjoy relatively broad access across several regions. Africa remains a particularly accessible continent, with many countries allowing South Africans to enter without a visa. South America also offers strong visa-free options, supporting both leisure and business travel.
Parts of Asia remain open as well, with several destinations continuing to permit entry without the need for advance visa applications. This regional spread provides South Africans with a wide range of travel options, even as overall access has narrowed.
Which popular destinations remain visa-free?
Several well-known leisure destinations remain visa-free for South Africans. Mauritius continues to be a popular choice, offering straightforward entry and strong tourism ties. Thailand also remains accessible, maintaining its appeal for South African holidaymakers. Brazil is another major destination that still allows visa-free travel, supporting both tourism and cultural exchange.
Beyond leisure travel, several important global hubs remain open to South African passport holders. Singapore, Qatar and Saudi Arabia continue to allow entry without a visa, making them significant for business travel, transit and international connections.
Below are the countries South Africans travel to visa-free. The keys are:
† Visa on arrival
‡ eTA (electronic travel authorisation)
Africa
- Angola
- Benin
- Botswana
- Burundi
- Cape Verde Islands
- Comoro Islands
- Djibouti
- Ethiopia
- eSwatini
- Gabon
- Ghana
- Guinea-Bissau
- Kenya
- Lesotho
- Madagascar
- Malawi
- Mauritius
- Mozambique
- Namibia
- Reunion
- Rwanda
- Senegal
- Seychelles
- Sierra Leone
- Somalia
- Tanzania
- The Gambia
- Tunisia
- Zambia
- Zimbabwe
Americas
- Argentina
- Belize
- Bolivia†
- Brazil
- Chile
- Costa Rica
- Ecuador
- El Salvador
- Falkland Islands
- Guatemala
- Guyana
- Honduras
- Nicaragua
- Panama
- Paraguay
- Peru
- Uruguay
- Venezuela
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Asia
- Cambodia†
- Hong Kong (SAR China)
- Indonesia
- Kyrgyzstan†
- Laos†
- Macau (SAR China)
- Malaysia
- Maldives†
- Nepal†
- Philippines
- Singapore
- South Korea‡
- Sri Lanka†
- Tajikistan†
- Thailand
- Timor-Leste†
Caribbean
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Bahamas
- Barbados
- British Virgin Islands
- Cayman Islands
- Dominica
- Dominican Republic
- Grenada
- Haiti
- Jamaica
- Montserrat
- St. Helena
- St. Kitts and Nevis
- St. Lucia
- St. Vincent and the Grenadines
- Trinidad and Tobago
- Turks and Caicos
Europe
- Georgia
- Russian Federation
Middle East
- Armenia†
- Iran†
- Israel
- Jordan†
- Oman
- Qatar
- Saudi Arabia†
Oceania
- Cook Islands
- Fiji
- Kiribati
- Marshall Islands†
- Micronesia
- Niue
- Palau Islands†
- Samoa†
- Tuvalu†
- Vanuatu
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