Inspiring New Ways
SOUTH AFRICA
South Africa is a diverse country known for its stunning landscapes, rich cultural heritage, and iconic wildlife, offering beautiful beaches, dramatic mountains, and world-renowned safaris.
Capital
Bloemfontein
Cape Town
Pretoria
Continent
Africa
Currency
South African Rand (ZAR)
Language
Sepedi, Sesotho, Setswana, siSwati, Tshivenda, Xitsonga, Afrikaans, English, isiNdebele, isiXhosa and isiZulu, SASL
Time-Zone
GST +2hrs
Flight Time
8-10hrs
Did you know… South Africa is home to the “Big Five”, and if you venture out onto safari whilst visiting, you may be lucky enough to see them all – lion, leopard, elephant, rhino, and buffalo!
THE ESSENTIAL INFORMATION
Let the journey begin.
Africa is the second largest and second most populous continent, covering approximately 20% of the Earth’s surface and situated primarily between the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. Made up of 54 recognised countries, Africa is renowned for its diverse cultures, rich history, and vast natural resources, including the Sahara Desert, the Nile River, and the Serengeti Plain.
The continent is cut almost equally in two by the Equator, meaning most of Africa lies within the tropical region, bounded on the north by the Tropic of Cancer and on the south by the Tropic of Capricorn.
South Africa has a diverse climate, ranging from Mediterranean along the southwestern coast to subtropical in the northeast. The country generally experiences mild winters and warm summers, with regional variations in rainfall, especially during the summer months.
The South African Rand (ZAR) was introduced in 1961 replacing the South African Pound, at a time when South Africa became a republic. Named after the Witwatersrand (White Waters Ridge) where much of the country’s gold was found, the Rand reflects South Africa’s wealth in precious metals and has banknotes featuring prominent figures like Nelson Mandela.
Parents should ensure that their child’s documents are eligible to travel to South Africa and match the criteria below.
If your child has multiple passports and plans to travel with one, whilst their UAE residency visa is linked to another, please make sure they carry both passports during their trip!
Please check all sample documents below, and relevant official checklists to ensure specific criteria are met.
Passport Validity (Minimum):
6 months after entry into South Africa
UAE Residency Validity (Minimum):
90 days after expected return to UAE
School/College NOC Required:
Yes
Parent/Guardian NOC Required:
Yes
eVisa
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Visa Type: Single/Multiple Entry
Visa Fee: Nationality Dependent
Validity: Nationality Dependent
There are 100+ nationalities who do not require a visa to enter South Africa. Please click here to learn if your child is a citizen of one of these countries.
If your child is not visa exempt, they will need to apply for either an eVisa or tourist visa to enter South Africa.
Visit the South African Department of Home Affairs website to complete the required eVisa application form.
We recommend submitting the application to the South African Department of Home Affairs approximately 4-8 weeks prior to travel.
Parent/Guardian to provide:
- Child’s passport (This must be the passport they will travel on)
- Photograph of child (<3 months old)
- Contact information (home address, telephone, email)
- Access to emails
- A credit/debit card to complete payment
Parent/Guardian to request from school:
- School no objection certificate – the NOC should include the child’s full name as per their passport, along with the details of the accompanying teacher(s).
Parent/Guardian to request from trip provider:
- Invitation letter
- Flight confirmation
- Proof of accommodation
Yes, it is mandatory that your child travels with a copy of their eVisa. In addition, we recommend that since your child is a minor travelling without you, they should also carry a parent/guardian NOC (sample below).
Tourist Visa
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Visa Type: Single/Multiple Entry
Visa Fee: AED 250
Validity: Nationality Dependent
There are 100+ nationalities who do not require a visa to enter South Africa. Please click here to learn if your child is a citizen of one of these countries.
If your child is not visa exempt, they will need to apply for either an eVisa or tourist visa to enter South Africa.
The South African Embassy outsource their consular services to VFS Global.
During the visa application process, including scheduling the mandatory appointment, you will therefore be required to liaise directly with VFS Global.
Please kindly note, that it is the South African Embassy that ultimately make the final decision as to whether or not to approve or deny any visa to South Africa.
All steps have been outlined below for your reference:
- Schedule the mandatory visa appointment
- Collect and collate all required paperwork
- Attend the visa appointment in-person
- On average, the visa process takes 6 working days
- Collect/receive passport with attached visa
- All set – we hope your child has a great trip!
The earliest you can apply is 1 month before departure.
Due to the demand for visa appointments, we would recommend that you schedule your child’s visa appointment as soon as the trip has been confirmed, but ensure it is within the one-month window.
Parent/Guardian to provide:
- South African visa application checklist
- South African visa application form (DHA-84: Form 11)
- 2 x studio-quality passport photograph (<6 months old)
- Photocopy of child’s passport
- Photocopy of child’s UAE residency visa
- Photocopy of child’s Emirates ID
- Photocopy of all child’s previous visas
- Photocopy of child’s birth certificate (English)
- Parental no objection certificate (NOC)
- Photocopy of parent/guardian(s) passport
- Photocopy of parent/guardian(s) UAE residency visa
- Salary certificate (From the child’s UAE sponsors employer)
- Trade licence (If child’s UAE sponsor is self-employed)
- Bank statements (Last 3 months, original, stamped by the bank, in the name of the child’s UAE sponsor). Foreign accounts will not be considered.
- Pay slips (Last 3 months, in the name of the child’s UAE sponsor)
- Divorce certificate (If applicable)
Parent/Guardian to request from school:
- School no objection certificate – the NOC should include the child’s full name as per their passport, along with the details and ID copy of the accompanying teacher(s).
Parent/Guardian to request from trip provider:
- Invitation letter
- Flight confirmation
- Proof of accommodation
- Full day-to-day itinerary
- Travel insurance
Unless extenuating circumstances, it is mandatory for both parent/guardian(s) to attend the biometric appointment with the travelling student. This requirement is of utmost importance.
On average, visa applications take 6 working days.
Yes, the South African Embassy/Consulate will keep your child’s passport whilst their application is being processed.
If you cannot secure an appointment with VFS Global, you will need to contact the Embassy directly to request an appointment. This is not guaranteed, but on occasion they will manually release an appointment for students travelling with their school.
Please note, VFS Global cannot simply facilitate an additional appointment, or ‘squeeze one more person in.’ All appointments are pre-approved and released by the relevant authority.
- South African Embassy, UAE Website
- +971 2 417 6400
- +971 4 397 5222
- [email protected]
- [email protected]
- Villa No 1-151, Al Niwayi Street, Al Mushrif, Abu Dhabi, UAE