Visa-free travel: South Africans add one more country to its list

Visa-free to Gabon

In an effort to grow its tourism sector, as well as gain more funding for airports, hospitality sectors and roads, the Central African country of Gabon has decided to allow visa-free entry for 24 countries, including South Africa.

As reported by Getaway, this new decision was implemented to make Gabon more traveller-friendly and accessible to foreigners. 

In addition to South Africa, 23 other countries now qualify to travel to Gabon visa-free. These are:

• Argentina
• Australia
• Brazil
• Cameroon
• Canada
• Central African Republic
• Chad
• China
• Republic of Congo
• Equatorial Guinea
• France
• Germany
• India
• Indonesia
• Italy
• Japan
• Republic of Korea
• Mexico
• Russia
• Saudi Arabia
• Turkey
• The United Kingdom
• The United States and the European Union.

AFRICAN COUNTRIES FOR VISA-FREE TRAVEL: WHERE CAN SOUTH AFRICANS VISIT?

The updated Henley & Partners Passport Index for 2024 outlines 107 countries that SA passport holders can travel to without needing a visa.

THE 107 COUNTRIES THAT SOUTH AFRICAN PASSPORT HOLDERS CAN VISIT VISA-FREE PER REGION ARE AS FOLLOWS:

Africa – with 35 countries

Americas – with 18 countries

Asia – with 17 countries

Caribbean – with 16 countries

Europe – with 3 countries (after Ireland recently announced South Africans are to apply for visas to visit)

Middle East – with 8 countries

Oceania – with 10 countries

Of those 107 countries that a South African passport holder can travel to visa-free, 35 nations are in Africa.

They 35 countries are: Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burundi *, Cape Verde Islands *, Djibouti *, Egypt *, eSwatini, Ethiopia *, Comoro Islands *, Gabon, Ghana *, Guinea-Bissau *, Kenya, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritania *, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria *, Reunion, Rwanda, Senegal, Seychelles *, Sierra Leone *, Somalia *, St. Helena *, Tanzania, The Gambia, Togo *, Tunisia, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

* indicates travellers require a visa on arrival, ** indicates travellers require an electronic travel authority (ETA)