The Republic of South Africa has officially added Ukraine to the list of countries whose citizens can obtain an electronic travel authorisation — the Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA). This was announced on 10 September 2026 by the press office of the Consular Service Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine in its official Facebook account, citing data from the Embassy of Ukraine in South Africa. The new measure significantly simplifies the border-crossing procedure for Ukrainian travellers, who no longer need to visit consular offices or visa centres in person.
What is an ETA and how does it work
The Electronic Travel Authorisation is a digital entry permit issued after an online application is registered and the required documents, including a photo of the applicant, are uploaded. According to the Consular Service Department of the Ukrainian MFA, processing of a submitted application should take no more than 24 hours. The issued electronic authorisation is valid for 180 days from the date of issue, allowing several trips to be planned within a single period without repeating the registration procedure.
Application procedure
The ETA can be obtained exclusively in remote form on the official website of the South African Department of Home Affairs (eta.dha.gov.za). The applicant must register an application and upload scans of the documents and a photo that meet the established requirements. The entire process is fully digitalised: from submission to receiving the result by email. The Ukrainian MFA emphasises that paperwork and queues at consulates are no longer required for Ukrainian citizens travelling to South Africa.
Entry restrictions and length of stay
As of 10 September 2026, entry into South Africa with a valid ETA is possible only through four international airports equipped with specialised systems for verifying electronic authorisations and passengers' biometric data. The maximum permitted length of stay on the territory of the Republic of South Africa is up to 90 days. At the current stage, the ETA can be issued for certain categories of travel, the list of which is specified on the official portal of the South African Department of Home Affairs.
MFA recommendations before travel
The Consular Service Department of the Ukrainian MFA draws citizens' attention to the need to check the current conditions for obtaining an ETA and the entry rules for South Africa immediately before planning a trip. Official requirements and the list of eligible airports may be adjusted, so reliance on outdated instructions from third-party sources is not recommended. The Embassy of Ukraine in South Africa remains the primary channel for obtaining timely clarifications on consular matters.
Context: visa-free regime and alternative destinations
The introduction of the ETA for Ukrainians in South Africa comes against the backdrop of a broader review of visa policy by a number of countries towards Ukrainian citizens. Previously, Ukrainian media had noted that the visa-free regime, which applies to a significant number of European and other states, does not extend to all destinations without exception — for seven countries, obtaining a paper visa remains mandatory. With the introduction of the ETA, South Africa moves into the category of countries where crossing the border has become significantly easier, though not entirely visa-free.
