Cape Town – Travellers from across Africa who require a visa to enter South Africa could soon face an additional R500 Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) processing fee if proposed regulations by the Department of Home Affairs are approved.
The draft regulations, published for public comment until 11 August 2026, form part of the government’s plan to modernise the country’s immigration system by introducing a digital ETA platform, The South African reported.
The online system is intended to replace much of the traditional paper-based visa application process, improve border security, reduce fraud and speed up visa processing.
The proposed R500 fee would apply mainly to travellers who are required to obtain travel authorisation through the ETA system. South Africa plans to roll out the platform in phases, meaning not all travellers will be affected immediately.
Those from countries that currently enjoy visa-free access are expected to continue using existing arrangements unless the final regulations state otherwise.
Long-term digital transformation
If implemented, the fee would increase the cost of travelling to South Africa for tourists, business travellers, students and people visiting family, particularly those who travel frequently.
The Department of Home Affairs says the ETA is a key part of its long-term digital transformation of immigration services, with the fee helping to fund the operation and maintenance of the new platform.
According to IOL, the ETA was introduced in October 2025 as part of the department’s digital transformation programme and has until now operated without charging application fees.
Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber said the system had been operating as a subsidised service, which could not continue indefinitely.
“The ETA has, so far, been operating as a fully subsidised service, which is unsustainable,” Schreiber said.
He explained that visa fees were initially waived because the platform did not have an integrated online payment system.
Significant improvements
“At the time of the implementation of the first phase of the ETA, visa fees for the onboarding countries were temporarily waived because the ETA platform did not yet include an integrated online payment capability,” he said.
Schreiber added that the department is now ready to introduce an online payment system and proposed that “a processing fee be set at R500 (Five Hundred Rand) per ETA application.”
According to the minister, the ETA will initially become compulsory for travellers from non-visa-exempt countries that are added to the platform, while remaining optional for travellers from visa-exempt countries.
He said the department expects strong uptake of the system because of “the significant improvements in efficiency and security it delivers.”
The minister also said the new digital platform is expected to reduce travel costs by eliminating the need for many applicants to use outsourced visa service providers. Under the proposed fee structure, travellers from non-visa-exempt countries would pay R925 per application, significantly lower than the current R1,975 cost.
The proposal is not yet law. Following the public consultation period, the minister may amend, approve or withdraw the draft regulations before deciding whether and when the new fee will take effect.
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Compiled by Betha Madhomu
