South Africa – The South African passport has weakened in a new global mobility ranking, falling to 86th out of 199 passports, down from 79th in 2025.
The latest Passport Reports data gives South Africa a Mobility Score of 108, compared with 110 last year. The score represents the number of destinations South African passport holders can access without obtaining a conventional visa before travelling.
The 108 destinations comprise 59 visa-free destinations, 42 offering visas on arrival or other simplified entry arrangements, and seven requiring an electronic travel authorisation (ETA). A further 90 destinations require a visa or prior approval.
Passport Reports explains that its ranking is based on its Mobility Score, which combines visa-free access, visa-on-arrival arrangements and ETAs. It also cautions that rankings can differ between passport indexes because they use different methodologies and classifications.
The latest figures place South Africa third in Africa and fourth among the 11 BRICS countries. The country also ranks 15th among G20 countries, according to Passport Reports.
The passport provides access to “108 destinations without obtaining a conventional visa in advance”, while 90 destinations require a visa or prior approval.
More restrictive
The decline comes despite South Africans retaining relatively strong access to destinations in Africa, South America and the Caribbean. Popular destinations such as Botswana, Namibia, Mauritius, Mozambique, Brazil, Argentina, Thailand and Zimbabwe remain accessible under various simplified-entry arrangements.
However, Europe remains considerably more restrictive. IOL reported that only Russia is classified as visa-free for South African passport holders, while most European destinations, including the UK and Schengen countries, require a visa or prior approval.
The latest ranking should not be confused with the Henley Passport Index, which uses a different methodology. Henley’s 2026 ranking currently places South Africa 50th globally with access to 101 destinations, illustrating why different passport indexes can produce substantially different rankings.
Earlier in 2026, Time Out South Africa reported that South Africa had lost access to five destinations under the Henley methodology — Pakistan, Mauritania, Nigeria, Somalia and Kosovo — although it retained 48th position at the time.
Overall, the latest Passport Reports data points to a gradual weakening in South Africa’s international travel mobility, although the passport remains among Africa’s stronger travel documents.
Follow African Insider on Facebook, X and Instagram
Picture: Copilot
For more African news, visit Africaninsider.com
Compiled by Betha Madhomu
