South Africa Introduces ETA Fee Five Days After Digital Platform Launch
- South Africa's Department of Home Affairs introduced a R500 processing fee for its Electronic Travel Authorisation system on August 17, 2026
- The ETA launched on August 12 when President Ramaphosa unveiled the digital platform at OR Tambo International Airport
- Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber said fees were initially waived because the platform lacked an integrated online payment system
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South Africa has introduced a R500 (roughly $31) processing fee for its Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) system, only five days after President Cyril Ramaphosa officially launched the platform at OR Tambo International Airport on August 12, 2026.
The Department of Home Affairs formalised the charge through amendments to South Africa's visa regulations, gazetted on August 17.
Source: Getty Images
The ETA had been running in pilot form since October 2025 for nationals of selected countries, offering digital applications with decisions delivered within 24 hours, Business Insider reports.
Why the Fee Was Not Charged From the Start
Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber said the department waived fees during the pilot phase because the platform did not yet have an integrated online payment system. Now that online payments are functional, the R500 charge applies to each ETA application submitted.
Schreiber also pointed out that the new fee structure actually lowers the overall cost of travelling to South Africa compared to the old visa system.
Previously, applicants paid a R425 visa fee plus a R1,550 charge collected by outsourced visa-processing companies, bringing the total to R1,975. Under the ETA arrangement, the R1,550 outsourced fee is replaced by the R500 processing charge, while the R425 visa fee stays in place, bringing the combined cost to R925. That represents a saving of R1,050 per application.
ETA to Become Mandatory for Visa-Required Travellers
The department intends to make the ETA compulsory for travellers from countries that currently require a visa to enter South Africa. For visitors from visa-exempt nations, the system will remain optional at first, though Schreiber said the department expects voluntary uptake because of the platform's faster processing times and security features.
Ramaphosa has said the government plans to extend the ETA to additional countries and eventually bring other immigration services, including work and study visas, into the digital system. The broader push is part of the Home Affairs department's digital transformation programme, which aims to cut paperwork and speed up immigration processing across the board.
For now, the R500 fee applies to ETA applications from participating countries, with further country inclusions and service expansions expected to be announced as the platform grows beyond its initial pilot phase.
South Africans storm Ghanaian immigrants' locations
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that tensions are rising in South Africa following the circulation of videos showing citizens harassing African migrants.
The footage has sparked fresh fears of xenophobic violence across the region.
Source: Legit.ng
