South Africa switched on its Electronic Travel Authorisation on 12 August 2026, unveiled by President Cyril Ramaphosa at OR Tambo International Airport Fact. The headline is real — but for most visa-free travelers, nothing changes yet.
Four nationalities, four airports — not everyone
The ETA is currently mandatory for ordinary passport holders from mainland China, India, Indonesia and Mexico Fact. It operates at four international airports — OR Tambo, Cape Town, King Shaka and Lanseria — with land and sea ports to follow Fact. OR Tambo was the launch venue, not the only covered airport. The system piloted from October 2025 during South Africa's G20 presidency and had already processed 216,204 applications by launch day Fact.
Visa-free nationals: voluntary for now
For visa-exempt nationalities the ETA is optional at this stage — you may choose to obtain one, but entry rules are otherwise unchanged Fact. Korean passport holders get 30 days visa-free and are not required to apply Fact. Home Affairs has signalled a phased move toward making it mandatory more broadly, and several outlets report a wider rollout in September, though the minister's launch speech gave no fixed date Estimate.
The ZAR 500 fee is not confirmed yet
A ZAR 500 (about US$30) electronic processing fee was published as a draft amendment by the Department of Home Affairs Fact. Public comment closed on 11 August 2026, and the fee would take effect on 17 August if adopted Fact. As of writing, adoption has not been confirmed Fact.
What actually stops travelers at the border
For visa-free visitors the practical risk is the passport, not the ETA. South Africa requires at least two unused visa pages, and passport validity of at least 30 days beyond your departure date Fact. Korea's embassy in Pretoria has warned that Korean visitors were refused entry at OR Tambo in a run of cases simply for having no blank visa pages Fact. A yellow fever certificate is required if you arrive from — or transited 12+ hours through — a risk area, and travelers under 18 entering alone need additional documents Fact.
Sources
South African Government — Minister Schreiber's ETA launch speech ›
The Presidency — official launch announcement ›