The South African government is planning to simplify the visa application process, especially for Indian tourists.
In this regard, the Minister of Tourism, Patricia de Lille, announced plans to speed up visa clearance and introduce an E-Visa system, VisaGuide.World reports.
Indian & Chinese Tourists May Enjoy the 90-Day Visa Waiver
In addition to the E-Visa system, the Ministry of Tourism is proposing a 90-day visa waiver for visitors from India and China. The president is currently considering this proposal.
If approved, Indian tourists will enjoy the same benefits as their counterparts from Russia and Brazil, who already get a 90-day visa waiver every calendar year. Additionally, Indian tourists may soon be able to extend their visas while in South Africa.
Currently, Chinese and Indian nationals require a visa to enter South Africa. Visas can be obtained through a South African embassy or consulate or online through the Department of Home Affairs website. The online visa system is available in about 34 countries but has been criticized as unreliable.
16,000 Indian Tourists Have Been Registered in South Africa in First 3 Months of 2024
As revealed by South Africa’s Minister of Tourism, in total, 16,000 Indians visited South Africa in the first three months of this year. Tourism South Africa has set an ambitious target of attracting 100,000 Indian tourists by 2024.
In addition, last year, South Africa recorded over 79,000 Indian travelers, which is 82 percent of pre-COVID levels. In 2019, 95,000 Indian visitors traveled to South Africa.
The target to welcome 100,000 Indian tourists this year will be to promote travel from second-tier cities in India, said the head of the Middle East, India, and Southeast Asia hub, Neliswa Nkani.
UK, US & Germany Are Top 3 Source Markets of Non-African Visitors to South Africa
Traditionally, the United Kingdom, the United States and Germany have been the largest sources of non-African visitors to South Africa. However, there has been a marked increase in arrivals from India and China. The easing of visa regulations is expected to increase these numbers further.
Minister de Lille noted that while progress is being made, the visa issue involves many government departments and ministries, meaning changes may take some time.
In 2023, De Lille was tasked with attracting at least ten million visitors a year by March of that year, the same as before the global pandemic hit, and aims for 15 million by 2030. This is less than the previous target of 21 million, a revision necessitated by changing global travel patterns.
At that time, she also discussed a meeting with Motsoaledi ahead of a visit to Beijing to talk about whether visas can be waived for Chinese and Indian visitors for limited-duration stays.