China passport → South Africa

Do Chinese citizens need a visa for South Africa?

Electronic travel authorisation (eTA)90 days

Chinese passport holders need an electronic travel authorisation (eTA) before travelling to South Africa for up to 90 days. It is a short online application, not a full visa.

Heads-up: some sources list this route as eVisa.

What this means for your trip

Apply only on the official government site; third-party sites charge extra.
Apply a few days before travel; most approvals are quick but some take longer.
The authorisation is linked to your passport. A new passport needs a new application.

Get trip-ready for South Africa

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South Africa at a glance

Capital: Pretoria, Bloemfontein, Cape Town
Currency: South African rand (ZAR)
Languages: Afrikaans, English, Southern Ndebele, Northern Sotho, Southern Sotho, Swazi, Tswana, Tsonga, Venda, Xhosa, Zulu
Calling code: +27
Region: Southern Africa

Read the South Africa travel guide →

Tourists taking in the view to Cape Town from the southern end of Robben Island

ZA29.0°S · 24.0°EPhoto: Daniel Case · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Table Mountain, safaris and the winelandsTable Mountain · Kruger National Park · Cape of Good Hope

South Africa for other passports

IndiaeTA90 days
United StatesVisa-free90 days
United KingdomVisa-free90 days
United Arab EmiratesVisa-free90 days
ChinaeTA90 days
SingaporeVisa-free90 days
PakistaneVisa
BangladeshVisa required
Sri LankaVisa required
NepalVisa required
NigeriaeVisa
PhilippineseVisa

Nearby in Southern Africa for Chinese passport holders

BotswanaeVisa
LesothoeVisa
NamibiaeVisa
EswatiniVisa required

Common questions

Do Chinese citizens need a visa for South Africa?

Chinese passport holders need an electronic travel authorisation (eTA) before travelling to South Africa for up to 90 days. It is a short online application, not a full visa.

How long can Chinese citizens stay in South Africa?

Up to 90 days under the current eta rule. Longer stays need a different visa.

Can Chinese citizens get a visa on arrival in South Africa?

Not under the standard rules.

How many countries can Chinese citizens visit without a visa?

84 destinations allow entry without a visa arranged in advance (visa-free, visa on arrival or eTA). The China passport ranks #50 of 93 (passports with equal scores share a rank).

Source: Wikipedia contributors (CC BY-SA 4.0). Updated weekly. Rules can change, so give the official site a quick look before you fly.