[Update: 21 May 2021]
Dreaming of journeying to South Africa to experience its incredible nightlife, wine farms and game parks? Now you can make this dream possible with informed guidance on how to obtain your South African visa. Nigerian passport holders require a visitor visa to enter South Africa. You will need to apply at a VFS Global Centre branch in Abuja, Lagos or Port Harcourt. Always apply for your South African visitor visa at least four weeks before you travel to allow for ample processing time. Please check your eligibility before beginning the application process. Once you have your visa, all that’s left to do is pack your bags!
Please note this process is applicable to Nigerian passport holders.
Types of Visas
- Visitors Visa – The visitors’ visa is primarily used for visiting family or vacationing for a short period of time. It is valid for temporary stays of up to 90 days.
- Long Stay Visitor Visa – Best suited for foreign nationals to stay in South Africa for a period between 3 months and 3 years.
Processing Time
Processing a South African visa can take a minimum of six working days. The time may vary as each application has to undergo an individual assessment.
Collection
You can collect your visa at the respective VFS Global Centre. The visa application centre is open from Monday to Friday, except on public holidays and over weekends. Bring along the receipt which you received on the day you submitted your application. You will be notified via SMS when your application has been sent to the South African Embassy on the submission day. You can track your South African visa application online.
Visa Costs
| Visa Fee in Naira (Inclusive of VAT) | Service Fee in Naira (Inclusive of VAT) | |
| Short Term: Holiday Visa | ₦8,600 | ₦25,470 |
| Long Term: Business Visa | ₦30,600 | ₦25,470 |
Stay updated with the courier service fees on the VFS website.
The South African visa fee is subject to change without notice. It is based on the current exchange rate.
Applicants are to pay in cash at Bank Implant inside VFS Centre. Be sure to have a copy of the first page of your passport when paying the service and visa fee at the bank.
Visa Requirements
You will require the following documents for a visitor visa:
- A valid passport (validity of at least 30 days after the intended stay).
- Two identical passport size (45x45mm) photographs on white background showing your complete face.
- Application Form (BI84), fully completed in black ink only.
- Copy of passport data page as well as copies of existing visa and previously issued visas.
- Self-introduction letter with a physical address and phone number.
- Introduction/Recommendation letter from an employer, where applicable, signed with contact details.
- Verifiable hotel reservation/bookings – must be done directly with the hotels and not through third parties.
- Copy of international vaccination card (yellow fever card), fully completed by a health practitioner.
- Proof of financial status (six months recent bank statements) or financial support letter from employer with six months bank statements in a case where the employer is sponsoring the trip.
- Birth certificate for minors/children travelling with parents.
- Marriage certificate where applicable and if the intended stay will be for more than 90 days.
- Flight booking.
- Non-refundable visa fee of ₦8,600, excluding service fee.
- See the full checklist to ensure you have all the required documents.
Documents required for a business visa can be viewed on the VFS website.
Where to Apply
You can apply for your South African visa at VFS Global in Lagos, Abuja or Port Harcourt. All applicants must submit their applications in person at the application centres.
VFS Application Centre – Lagos
| Address: | Plot 110, Admiral Ayinla Way, Opposite Treasure Garden Estate
Third Roundabout, Lekki Phase I, Lagos |
| Contact: | +234 815 018 8800 |
| Opening Hours: | Monday to Friday: 08:00 – 15:00 |
VFS Application Centre – Abuja
| Address: | No. 38, Lobito Crescent, Wuse 2, Abuja |
| Contact: | +234 81 5018 8800 |
| Submission Timings: | Monday to Friday – 08:00 – 15:00 |
VFS Application Centre – Port Harcourt
| Address: | Vineyard Shopping Centre, 88 Woji Road, GRA, Port Harcourt |
| Contact: | +234 81 5018 8800 |
| Submission Times: | Monday to Friday: 08:00 – 15:00 |
How to Book an Appointment
Each application centre accepts a set amount of application entries per day.. It is advised to get to the application centre as early as 7 am in order to hand in your application in good time and avoid long queues.
To be sure you got everything you need, take advantage of the South African visa requirement checklist.
All information on this blog page was correct at the time of publishing and may change at any time without prior notice. Travelstart is not affiliated with immigration authorities or their application centres and will not be liable for loss or inconvenience arising from the use of this volatile information.
Travelstart does not provide advice or assist with processing visas. The content of this article is listed as recommended by research and the South African embassy. Kindly check the embassy’s website BEFORE applying for your visa.
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a south african film production company applied for visas for Nigerian actors to work in South Africa on a commercial from 8th to 10th April 2015. they were told that 5 working days were needed. they intended submitting all necessary forms and docs on 26th March but were told that the embassy was closed until 1st April. in the end the visas could not be issued until well after 8th April. can you let me know what a reasonable period to expect granting of the visas would be and confirm for me that the embassy was closed from 26th March to 1st April. many thanks.
How long will it take the visa to be ready if I apply this week
Thanks for a job well done on this platform. Pls Kemi,my daughter and I was denied a relative visa saying wrong application. Can we apply for a visiting visa immediately or we ll have to wait for some time.thanks
Please I need a layman simple steps in applying for south Africa tourist visa and visa fee
Hi Oyewumi,thanks for contacting us. I’m afraid we do not specialise with visa related queries. For this, you will need to contact the Embassy direct or official visa handling agency. They will be able to advise on the cost, correct procedures to follow and what documentation will be required. ~ Aminat
i we like to visit south african
i wil like to go for tourism in south african
I wish to go for tourism in South Africa as a Nigerian. What are the documents I need to submit to the embassy. Thanks
Hi Adedayo, thanks for your comment. We do not specialise in visa of any kind. I would suggest you contact the Embassy direct and they should be able to assist or point you in the correct direction.
Best of luck.
Aminat
i am a citizen of nigerian and i will like to travel to south african just for a tourism and how would i apply for the tourism visa in nigerian
How much can i do south african visa
Please leave your comment…I would like to know how much is the air ticket to South Africa.
Please leave your comment…i apply 4 three month den give me three month 7 days i used seven day but i steel have a month b4 my visa expire can i used it again b4 he expire.
Good day, I heard it takes longer to process a visiting visa application in abuja say 2months or more than compared to two weeks or less in lagos. Kindly help confirm or vindicate this assertion.
Confirmed! I had to personally postpone applying for the visa in abuja because I was told the same thing when i called the VFS Global office in Wuse 2. I’d rather wait for a few weeks to apply in Lagos than have my visa delayed for close to three months.
Please leave your comment…I love south african.it is o country dt is alway in my mind.but I dnt knw what to do because am poor I don’t have money for visa.but I pray dat God wil help me.Amen.@my number @+2348176012124 OR +2348166428704
Hi there,
I am a South African citizen married to a Nigerian national. I need to write a letter of invitation for my mother-in-law to come and visit for up to 3 months to help with our baby due in August 2015. Please advise what should be included in the invitation letter that I need to send to her for her application.
Kind regards,
Lorraine
hello madam ,lorraine…..
I’m a South African Citizens, have a Nageria friend I will like to invite him for a Wedding in September first week its vasable for him to start and apply for a Visit Visa now in June or still early for it.
Hi Sibongile, Your friend can start his application in July or August.
I’ve been denied before for the VISA to south Africa last year August but I want to apply now.
though I’ve another country visa on my passport now.I hope I’ll not be denied again.
i have applied for south africa visa in feb 19 and my mine application was rejected bicos of xenophobic,pls which time can i applied again.
Wanna knw how to apply 4 s.a visa if I av no 1 dere, bt jst wanna change environment.
The requirements I need to know pls
please how much will it cost me to apply for visa and south africa ticket pls
Is yellow card required for children below 10 years
Please leave your comment…hw much South African visa and ticket will cost me
Hello I am Nigerian i got Admission now in one of the school in south Africa how to apply for south Africa visa pls.
Hi i got admission in one of the school in south Africa what are the visa requirements.
Please how many working days d visa will be processing
How do I apply for south Africa visa how much is it and how many month will I be giving.
Pls, can admission letter be used instead of study permit cos I was asked to add study permit of my friend who is going to squart me but its expiring this month and an extension for study permit has not been given to her. Don’t know what to do and I intend resuming 1st week, next month. Pls, I need your prompt response. (Am applying for a Study VISA)
for first timer who wants to visit sa how many months visa will they give
I intend to pursue a master program in a south african university in January 2016 please what are the required documents for applying for study permit
i was denied visit to SA on twice,i need to visit SA for this Dec
Hi am Abdullahi idris i submit application for south Africa visa on 7 August, 2015 in lekki lagos state visa application centre why delaying because is more than five working days now
for the first time of travel to S.A how many month will be given for a visit
Hi Peter, Thanks for your comment. It really depends on your purpose of visiting. You can be given at least 3 months.
please how much is flight ticket to southafrica and I want to apply for visiting visa to southafrica,I want to know how much is ther cost and the details how to apply for visiting visa.thanks
what is verifiable hotel booking. i made an hotel booking, and they sent me an email about my reservation, but the money has not been deducted from my account. is this the email that i will print as reservation booking to accompany my other document. although the hotel has my account details in the form i filled online. must i pay and get a receipt before i apply or does that email make do for a verifiable reservation. they gave me a code for my name anyway.
Hi Funmi, It is preferable you book directly with a hotel so that your reservation can be verified.
Oluwakemi Ojo… I don’t envy you at all. Nigerians just like asking stupid questions and the simple reason is we fail to read. How much is visa? The same thing that was said in the write up,how much is ticket….Lmao. Google is your friend people….
Thanks Dammy 🙂
Please I have a girlfriend in south africa and she’s kinda trying inviting me to her place to be staying with her same time working, please I just wanna ask what type of visa do I suppose to apply for and how much is it gonna cost me? 2. Is it preferable for her to do the processing over there for me?
Pls for d reference letter,i am a student not yet working. What reference letter can i use
How will someone apply for a work permit visa to S.A ?
Am here in south africa can i help my friend apply for visa here in south africa while he is in nigeria?
My husband to be is a nigerian and im south African he came to sa with visitor visa and he extend it while he was here so now he want to come back here so i want to know what to do next cos they dont understand that visa he did the renewal
am here n south African i want someone to visit me here from Nigerian what should i do
U need send him or her a letter of invitation and a utility bill and also the copy of ur I d over to him,
Thanks to the south African
Embassy for granting 3 times
Visitor visa,now I ve my family
Over in Alexandra Jo’burg,
Looking forward to be back again
Pls I will be travelling to New Zealand but I have to use South African Airways that will fly to south Africa and Then switch plane to Indonesian Airways before continuing my joining, I need your advice on (1) do I need south african visa (2) if yes, what type of visa. Thank you
@ kemites good job, i always follow ur post and its interesting.. keep it up..
just wanna know if south African are still asking Nigerians to pay repartration deposits, cos i applied 2013 then. pls this is my mail saheedibraheem3@gmail.com
looking forward to your reply ASAP. thanks.
if dey are inviting me from south Africa, what are the necessary things to do………….. pls I need ur reply bcos its very urgent
Please leave your comment…if somebod is inviting u in south africa what are the necessary thing required for one to do
I want to travel to SA I don’t know how to start,I will like to be a student there and when am up the way I want I will be a hip pop rapper I love southarfrica songs emtee,,cassper,nasty c,da less,anatii
How will I get a permanent visa.I want to up a business in south Africa and my relation is there
Hi there, thanks for contacting us. I’m afraid we do not specialise with visa related queries. For this, you will need to contact the Embassy direct or official visa handling agency. They will be able to advise on the cost, correct procedures to follow and what documentation will be required. ~ Aminat
I intend to pay a visit to my son who married to south African lady ,and to rejoice on occasion of the new baby.
Having gone through the visiting visa requirement,, I write to make inquiry if I need a letter of introduction from my son ,as well as proof of financial status??
I am enthused on hearing from you.
Thanks
Mrs Grace Oluwatobi
07063139090
Hi there, thanks for contacting us. I’m afraid we do not specialise with visa related queries. For this, you will need to contact the Embassy direct or official visa handling agency. They will be able to advise on the cost, correct procedures to follow and what documentation will be required. ~ Aminat
Hi, I submitted my visa application at VFS lagos on November 2016. The same day i received alert that is on process. Is getting a month now but still on assessment. please, what could be the problem for the delay.
Hi there, thanks for contacting us. I’m afraid we do not specialise with visa related queries. For this, you will need to contact the Embassy direct or official visa handling agency. They will be able to advise on the cost, correct procedures to follow and what documentation will be required. ~ Aminat
Hello
Please what if I don’t have any visa onbmy passport just want to take my family for a holiday trip in south Africa. Thank you
Kindly send me your contact! I want to travel with your company.
Please I want to know if I can apply for SA visa application for 6 month or 1 year I just want to know if it possible, but some told me that It good i apply for 3 month visa application, and my aunt told me to apply for 6 month or 1 year. Please I need urgent response
Hi there, thanks for contacting us. I’m afraid we do not specialise with visa related queries. For this, you will need to contact the Embassy direct or official visa handling agency. They will be able to advise on the cost, correct procedures to follow and what documentation will be required. ~ Aminat
I wish to travel to South Africa in two months time,I have an invitation letter from a friend there,how do I apply for Visa,do I write it personally or is there a form i need to download online?
Thanks.
Hi there, thanks for contacting us. I’m afraid we do not specialise with visa related queries. For this, you will need to contact the Embassy direct or official visa handling agency. They will be able to advise on the cost, correct procedures to follow and what documentation will be required. ~ Aminat