South Africa: SA Rolls Out Electronic Travel Authorisation

Tourism Minister Patricia de Lille says South Africa has embarked on one of the most important reforms in the tourism and immigration ecosystem — the rollout of the Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA).

“This is not just a digital upgrade; it is a fundamental shift in how we welcome visitors, how we compete globally and how we grow our tourism economy,” De Lille said on Wednesday.

Speaking at the Electronic Travel Authorisation Workshop at Africa’s Travel Indaba, underway at the Inkosi Albert Luthuli Convention Centre in Durban, De Lille said the ETA is already demonstrating its impact.

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Africa’s Travel Indaba, which started on Tuesday, ends today.

“Since going live, we have seen a strong uptake, fast processing times and a 94% approval rate for completed applications,” De Lille said.

Travelers are being processed at airports in under 60 seconds through dedicated ETA lanes.

“With renewals, family profiles, and expanded country coverage now rolling out, the system is becoming even more powerful and user-friendly. We designed this session to empower you to understand exactly how the ETA works; how to use it and how to integrate it into your businesses.

“The easier it is to travel to South Africa, the more travelers will come. And the more travelers come, the more your businesses grow, the more jobs we create, and the more communities benefit,” the minister said.

De Lille said the more people understand how to use ETA, they can confidently promote South Africa as a destination where entry is seamless, predictable and modern.

Held under the theme “Unlimited Africa: Growing Africa’s Tourism Economy”, this year’s opening ceremony brought together African tourism ministers, international buyers, exhibitors, airlines, investors and tourism stakeholders from across the continent and beyond.

An Electronic Travel Authorisation is a digital authorisation that allows prospective travelers from eligible visa required countries to travel to South Africa for tourism or visitors purposes, without the need for a traditional visitor’s visa.

Visa-exempt travelers can also apply for an ETA that will facilitate more efficient processing at the border, enhancing the overall travel experience.

The ETA is linked to an individual’s passport and allows eligible holders to travel multiple times within the duration of the validity of the ETA. ETAs are not designed to allow repeated extended stays in South Africa for other purposes. Work in South Africa is also not permitted on an ETA.