SOUTH AFRICA VISA: APPLICATION FOR SOUTH AFRICA VISA

 FOR PROSPECTIVE APPLICANTS

the South Africa Logo

If you wish to apply for a temporary visa to South Africa, kindly read the information on this site carefully. If you follow the guidelines listed on this site, you will be able to submit your documents accurately. This will reduce the chances of your application being rejected due to inadequate or faulty submission of documents.

VISA APPLYING PROCESS

Applicants are requested to read the following steps carefully before submitting their application at the South Africa visa application centres.

please click on read more below for continuation.

Step 1 :            Applicants are required to submit their applications personally at the

                        VFS South Africa Visa Application centres

Step 2 :            Make a clear copy of all the original documents, previous UK, US,

                        Canada, Japan and Schengen visas and three clear copies of passport data page.

Step 3 :            Complete the visa application form. You can download the application form

                        from our website.

Step 4 :            Pay your visa application fee and services fee at the bank teller counter at the

                        Visa Application Centre

Step 5 :            Along with your application form and documents mentioned on this site you can

                        also visit the Embassy between 08.00 AM to 03.00  PM (Monday - Friday,

                        except the holidays observed by the South Africa Embassy  and Federal

                        Government of Nigeria)

REQUIRED DOCUMENTS FOR ALL VISA CATEGORIES

To ensure your application is processed without any delay please include the following:

Complete and Signed Visa Application Form in Black ink only.

• 3 Clear copies of your current passport data pages
• Supporting documentation as per the relevant checklist
• Receipt of Visa Application Fee and VFS service charges as applicable (To be collected at the bank implant in the visa application centre)

Applicants are requested to read the requisite documents carefully that needs to be submitted together with your visa application. Please make sure that you have all the documents indicated in the list, since decision could be delayed and deferred if one or several documents are missing.

VISA APPLICATION PROCESSING TIME

Applicants who have submitted there application at the Visa application centres, can collect the passport from the application centre after 6 working days from the date of submission.

The collection timing is 11.00 - 15.00 (Monday-Friday except holidays).

Applicants’ need to bring their receipt that was issued to them at the time of submission of visa application

Please Note: If processed passport not collected within 30 working days from South Africa Application Centre, it would be sent back to High Commission for transmitting to the relevant issuing authority, ( Nigeria Immigration Services, NIS).

SHORT TERM VISA

In South Africa, visas for tourism and for visiting family and friends are issued for a maximum of three months. Short term visit visas do not allow the applicant to switch into a longer term South African immigration service and although short term study is permitted, an applicant may not study for longer than the grant of their visa. Where students wish to continue studying in South African for longer than three months a study visa application must be submitted. Unlike a visit visa, a student visa allows the candidate to engage in limited employment, however in both cases permits are issued for temporary residence and candidates must return to their country of residency upon expiry.

BUSINESS VISA

A Business Visa visa is required if during any portion of the visit applicant intends to conduct business or commercial activities. E.g.; Meetings, Conference, Training Visas, Trade Fairs, etc; Such visas can only be issued to travelers not being paid for work by an entity within South Africa. If the applicant intends to undertake paid work in South Africa he/she will need to obtain a work

Documents required to apply for a South Africa visa

• A passport or travel document valid for no less than 30 days after the expiry of your intended visit
• Your passport must have at least one unused page for entry / departure endorsements
• A completed Form BI-84 (application for a visa)
• Payment of the prescribed fee
• A yellow-fever vaccination certificate (if required)
• Statement and/or documentation confirming the purpose and duration of your visit
• Two colour passport photographs
• A return or onward ticket if you are travelling by air
• If you have children (minors) travelling with you or joining in South Africa, you will need to provide the following additional documents
• Proof of guardianship or custody or
• Consent from the guardian in the case of an unaccompanied minor
• Proof of financial means to pay for your living expenses while in South Africa in the form of:
• Bank statements for 6 months (Please note that all applicants must only submit an original bank statement with an official stamp and a signature by the bank official. Further all Bank statements that read as BANK PHB will not be accepted by the South African High Commission. All other Bank statements including Keystone Bank would be accepted.)
• Salary advances
• Undertakings by the host(s) in South Africa
• Bursary
• Medical cover or
• Cash available (including credit cards and travellers’ cheques)

Requirements for entering South Africa

You will need the following if you wish to visit South Africa:

• A valid and acceptable passport or travel document for your intended stay
• At least one blank page in your passport for endorsements
• A valid visa, if required
• Sufficient funds to pay for your day-to-day expenses during your stay
• A return or onward ticket
• Yellow fever certificates if your journey starts or entails passing through the yellow fever belt of Africa or South America.

To print the checklist of documents required please click here

PHOTO SPECIFICATIONS

Applicants are requested to submit their Application form with the new photo format, as explained below.

Sample Photograph: Below specs to be maintained at 45mm x 45mm

Specifications

The successful delivery of some of the department's services relies not only on our efforts. You have the responsibility of providing the Department with the correct documentation. Please find details below for all supporting documentation that the department requires:

Photographs

Photographs submitted for identity documents and passports must comply to the following specifications:

• Length - 45mm
• Width - 45mm
• The background of the photograph shall be plain and free of shadows and shall not have a white lining
• Only the head and shoulders of the person concerned shall be included in the photograph and the head from the chin to the top of the hair shall not be smaller 22mm and not larger than 25mm
• The person concerned shall be photographed without any head-gear or veil, and any other additions to the face which tend to alter the natural likeness shall be removed. (The Director-General may exempt any person or any category of persons from any of these requirements.)
• Spectacles may be worn provided that the lenses do not make the eyes invisible. Spectacles with dark lenses may be worn if the eyes will appear distorted without them or if the person is blind
• The full-face of the person concerned shall be photographed directly from the front, and the head may not be bent or turned sideways
• The face shall be a recognizable likeness of the person and the head, hair, eyebrows, eyes, nose and moustache or beard, if any, shall be sharply and clearly defined
• Neither the photograph nor the copies thereof may be defaced by holes, pencil or ink marks or in any other manner

VISA PROCESSING TIME

Applicants who have submitted their application at the Visa application centres can collect the passport from the application centre after 6 working days from the date of submission. The collection timing is 11.00 AM- 3.00 PM (Monday-Friday except holidays).

Applicants’ need to bring their receipt that was issued to them at the time of submission of visa application.

VISA FEES

The fee mentioned is per applicant

Please Note:

• The visa fee in Naira is as per current exchange rate. It is subject to change without notice.
• There is a service charge of 9000 (Naira inclusive of VAT)  levied per application over and above the visa fees.
• Visa Fee and service charge to be paid at Bank Implant inside VFS centre. Kindly carry the 1st page Passport photocopy while paying the service fee and the visa fee at the bank
• There is no exemption for VFS Service charge.
• The above fee is non-refundable and non transferable

VISA APPLICATION FORM

You must submit an application for a visa (Form BI-84) with the relevant documentation as listed on the application form, the same can also be accessed by clicking here and pay the prescribed fee.

STUDY VISA

Documents required to apply for a Study Visa to South Africa

• A passport or travel document valid for no less than 30 days after the expiry of your intended visit
• Your passport must have at least one unused page for entry / departure endorsements
• A completed Form BI-84 (application for a visa)
• Payment of the prescribed fee
• A yellow-fever vaccination certificate (if required)
• Statement and/or documentation confirming the purpose and duration of your visit
• Two colour passport photographs
• A return or onward ticket if you are travelling by air
• If you have children (minors) travelling with you or joining in South Africa, you will need to provide the following additional documents
1. Proof of guardianship or custody or
2. Consent from the guardian in the case of an unaccompanied minor
3. Proof of financial means to pay for your living expenses while in South Africa in the form of:

·         Bank statements for 6 months (Please note that all applicants must only submit an original bank statement with an official stamp and a signature by the bank official. Furthermore, all Bank statements that read as BANK PHB will not be accepted by the South African High Commission. All other Bank statements including Keystone Bank would be accepted.)

·         Salary advances

·         Undertakings by the host(s) in South Africa

·         Bursary

·         Medical cover or

·         Cash available (including credit cards and travellers’ cheques)

Requirements for entering South Africa

You will need the following if you wish to visit South Africa:  

• A valid and acceptable passport or travel document for your intended stay
• At least one blank page in your passport for endorsements
• A valid visa, if required
• Sufficient funds to pay for your day-to-day expenses during your stay
• A return or onward ticket
• Yellow fever certificates if your journey starts or entails passing through the yellow fever belt of Africa or South America.