South Africa Visa From Dubai – How To Guide

If you have been wondering how to get a South African visa from Dubai as well as other necessary details you should know, this article will be quite helpful.

There are different things you should know if you want to travel to South Africa. As you will get to see, there are different types of South African visas you can apply for from Dubai, depending on why you are going to the country.

Let’s explore how to get your visa with great ease.

How To Apply For A South African Visa From Dubai

You can submit your application at the South African Embassy in Abu Dhabi. Here is the address of their Physical Address: 

Villa No 1 – 151 (Close to Mushrif Mall)

Cnr Jabal A Marfa  & Al Niwayi Streets

Al Mushrif Area

Abu Dhabi

You can send them an e-mail via: abudhabi.dha@dirco.gov.za, or call the office through + 971 (2) 447 34 46

Kindly note that irrespective of the manner of visit you are entering South Africa, you must provide sufficient documentation that confirms the nature of your visit as well as the duration of the visit. Also, a cash deposit may be requested from applicants trying to obtain a South African visa.

South Africa Visa Requirements For Dubai Citizens

There are different types of South African visas you can get from Dubai. Here are the most common ones, as well as their requirements:

VISITORS VISAS

This type of Visa can be obtained if you desired traveling to the country for holiday (tourism), or for business functions. This is the visa you apply for if you want to visit family and friends in South Africa, or you want to study a course that won’t go beyond three months in the country. 

Here are the requirements for this South Africa Visitors Visa:

1. A dully completed Visa applications form BI-84, filled with black ink.
2. Your Passport has to be valid for no less than 30 days after the expiry of the intended visit to the country. 
3. Your passport should have at least two blank visa pages. This is necessary to ensure there is a page you can get an endorsement stamp, as well as for your entry and exit. You are to submit your original passport as well as one copy of all relevant pages too. It should be noted that your passport cannot be retrieved till your visa application has been processed.
4. 2 copies of passport size photographs recently taken. The size should be 35x45mm 
5. You will be expected to submit your vaccination certificate if required. Also, if you are traveling from a yellow fever endemic zone, a yellow fever certificate is expected. But then, if you are coming to South Africa from Dubai and you haven’t been recently in a yellow fever zone, then you won’t be forced to fulfill any additional health requirement.
6. You are to submit proof of financial means to ensure you are capable of taking care of yourself in South Africa. This can be in the form of your latest 3 months’ bank statements, proof of bursaries, travellers’ cheques to take care of your living expenses during your time in South Africa, etc.
7. If you are travelling by air, you have to be in possession of a provisional return or onward flight booking. It is important to add that applicants are advised to ensure they haven’t put in place fixed travel arrangements prior to the issuing of the visa.
8. If a child below age 18 is concerned, then proof of guardianship and custody is required to be submitted too. Even if the child won’t be accompanied to South Africa, they still must be with proof that shows the consent of their guardian.
9. You are to submit appropriate documentation stating your purpose of visit, as well as your duration in the country. For family visits, it is expected to get an invitation letter from your South African host too.
10. If you are traveling to South Africa for business purposes such as seminars, training, negotiations, workshops, and so, you are to submit letters from both the United Arab Emirates as well as the South African host company/organization. It is necessary to add that there should be letters that confirm the nature and duration of the visit.
11. Applicants are expected to have made provisional hotel booking, or travel itinerary, which should be presented.

TRANSIT VISA

This sort of visa is required from all none visa-exempt nationals who are transiting through the country to a neighboring country such as Swaziland, Botswana, Lesotho, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, and Namibia. Also, this concerns those returning from a neighboring country through South Africa. 

Here are the requirements for South Africa Transit Visa:

1. A dully completed Visa applications form BI-84, to be filled with black ink.
2. Your Passport as an applicant should be valid for no less than 30 days after the expiry of intended visit in South Africa.
3. Your passport should have at least two blank visa pages. One will be utilized for endorsing your visa, while the other one for entry stamps. You will also be required to submit your original passport as well as one copy of the information page.
4. You should also submit 2 recently taken passport size photographs of yourself. The ideal size is 35x45mm.
5. If you are coming from a yellow fever endemic zone, or you have recently passed through one in recent times, you are to submit a yellow fever certificate.
6. Applicants applying for transit visas are to also submit a copy of the visa/permit of the country of the end destination.  
7. If you are travelling by air, you are to have a provisional return or onward flight booking. 
8. If a child under age 18 is travelling with you or joining in South Africa, then proof of guardianship and custody is required to be submitted too. If the child will be unaccompanied, then consent from the guardian is required.

Kindly note that your visa shall upon admission be regarded to be a permit for the purpose of your reason for being in South Africa, and you should also know as well that the duration of validity of the permit will be calculated from the date of admission. Also, the period for which a permit will be valid shall be highlighted under the heading” conditions” on your visa label.

It should be noted that your passport cannot be retrieved until the visa application has been processed. Also, applicants are to be informed that they won’t be allowed to go out of any South African airport with just a transit visa.

You should also know that the processing period for this visa application is four working days. But for foreign nationals with long-term residence in the neighboring countries who transit South Africa to return to their base, they are not expected to get a transit visa (but they must submit proofs that they are genuine).

Do UAE Residents Need Visa For South Africa

Yes, UAE residents are to get a visa to enter South Africa. It should also be noted that only applicants with valid UAE residency permits can apply via the South African Embassy & Consulate-General in the United Arab Emirates.

If you are going into the country for tourist/family visits, you are to lodge your visa application in person. But for business-related visits, you are to apply via a delegated company Public Relations Officer.

It should be emphasized that you can’t apply for a visa at a South African port of entry such as an airport. Also, anyone allowed entry into the country on the wings of misrepresentation or false information on the application form shall be guilty of an offense. Such a person can also be liable on conviction to a fine or to even imprisonment.

Can I Fly From UAE To South Africa?

Yes, you can always fly from the United Arab Emirates to South Africa almost every week, as there are usually airlines flying to the country.

Which Airlines Are Flying From Dubai To South Africa?

There are several airlines flying from Dubai to South Africa. Nevertheless, it was observed that Emirates frequently flies to Durban (South Africa) from Dubai.

How Long Does It Take to Get A South African Visa In Dubai?

The processing time for visa applications is usually four working days. Hence, with all things being equal, you should get your South African visa in a matter of days. 

Related:

• South Africa Visa from USA
• South Africa Visa From UK
• South Africa Passport Visa Free Countries List

In Conclusion

It is necessary to know that you are to apply for the correct visa/permit from Dubai before making attempts to travel to South Africa. This is important to note because any change in the purpose of stay may be rejected in South Africa if the reason for the original entry was not correctly highlighted. Also, if you are going with a visitor’s permit, you may not conduct work in South Africa, and you may not also establish or operate a business in the country.