CheapFlightsAfrica.

Visa quick-reference · 12 destinations

Visa fees for African travellers — sourced, dated, no fluff.

South African (ZA) passport — reference. Most rules apply broadly across SADC/ECOWAS passports unless noted.. Last verified 2026-05-18; next quarterly review due 2026-08-18. Visa rules change frequently — use this as a starting reference only and verify with the destination's embassy or official immigration portal before booking. See our methodology for how we source and re-verify this data.

Destination Hub Visa type Fee Max stay Source
United Arab Emirates DXB Visa-on-arrival (most African passports) or pre-arranged e-visa AED 100 (~$27 USD) for 30-day on-arrival; AED 250 (~$68) for 60-day e-visa 30–60 days depending on visa class official ↗
Saudi Arabia (Umrah) JED Umrah e-visa via Nusuk platform SAR 535 (~$143 USD) including VAT and mandatory medical insurance 90 days inside KSA for Umrah; expires automatically after Hajj cap-date for Hajj-season travel official ↗
Saudi Arabia (tourist) JED e-Visa via visa.visitsaudi.com (select African passports eligible) SAR 480 (~$128 USD) Multi-entry up to 90 days per visit, valid 1 year official ↗
United Kingdom LHR Standard Visitor visa required for most African passports £127 for 6-month single visit; £480 for 2-year multi-entry 6 months per visit official ↗
Schengen Area (Germany / France / Netherlands etc.) FRA Schengen short-stay (Type C) for most African passports €90 short-stay (Type C) 90 days within any 180-day rolling window official ↗
United States JFK B1/B2 visitor visa for most African passports $185 USD non-refundable application fee Granted at port of entry, typically 6 months official ↗
Kenya NBO eTA (electronic Travel Authorisation) — replaced visa-on-arrival in January 2024 $30 USD Up to 90 days as decided at port of entry official ↗
Turkey IST e-Visa for most African passports $50 USD (varies by nationality) 30 days per visit, multi-entry valid 180 days official ↗
India BOM e-Tourist Visa (eTV) for most African passports $25 USD (30-day), $40 USD (1-year) 30 days to 1 year depending on category official ↗
Brazil GRU Visa-free for SADC (South Africa, Botswana, Namibia) and Nigeria up to 90 days Free for visa-exempt 90 days within any 180-day rolling window official ↗
Australia SYD Visitor visa (subclass 600) for most African passports AUD 195 (~$130 USD) for 3-month tourist stream 3, 6, or 12 months depending on grant official ↗
Qatar DOH Visa-free entry for South African, Botswanan and Namibian passports (30 days); e-visa for other African passports Free (visa-exempt) or QAR 100 (~$27 USD) for e-visa 30 days (visa-exempt), extendable once for 30 more official ↗

Notes on individual destinations

  • United Arab Emirates — Free 96-hour Dubai transit visa available if booked via Emirates / flydubai connecting flight.
  • Saudi Arabia (Umrah) — Hajj visa is a separate process via the national Hajj commission (NAHCON, SAHUC, KAHCON, GHC) — NOT a tourist e-visa.
  • Saudi Arabia (tourist) — Eligibility list updated quarterly — check before assuming.
  • United Kingdom — Biometrics required at a VFS Global centre in your country of residence. Allow 3+ weeks processing.
  • Schengen Area (Germany / France / Netherlands etc.) — Apply at the consulate of the primary destination country. Use our Schengen 90/180 calculator on /tools/.
  • United States — In-person interview required at US embassy in your country. ESTA does not apply to most African passports.
  • Kenya — EAC nationals (Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, South Sudan, DRC) enter free. Apply at least 3 days before travel.
  • Turkey — Processing typically within 24 hours. Print a copy of the e-visa for boarding.
  • India — Photo + passport scan required. Allow 3–5 days processing.
  • Brazil — Yellow-fever vaccination certificate required for travellers arriving from yellow-fever endemic African countries.
  • Australia — Biometrics required at a VFS Global centre. Allow 3–6 weeks processing.
  • Qatar — Free 96-hour transit visa available via Qatar Airways if connecting through Doha.

How we maintain this list

We re-verify every entry on a quarterly cadence by visiting the destination country's official immigration portal (linked in the "Source" column above). Material changes get a dated correction note appended; if a destination's visa policy is mid-revision we mark the entry as "under review" and pause the recommendation.

This page does NOT cover diplomatic, official, service, or refugee passports — only standard tourist passports for the listed origin countries. For Hajj and Umrah pilgrim charters, the visa is administered by the national Hajj commission (NAHCON, SAHUC, KAHCON, GHC) and follows a different timeline.

For our full data sourcing and editorial standards, see methodology and about.