South Africa Visa for Indians
Do Indians need a visa for South Africa? Yes. Indian passport holders apply through the VFS centre. We check your documents, fill the form and submit your documents to the VFS.
We prepare, check & guide your VFS application end to end.
Do Indians need a visa for South Africa? Yes. Indian passport holders apply through the VFS centre. We check your documents, fill the form and submit your documents to the VFS.
Most Indian travellers need a visitor visa, either for holidays (tourist) or for meetings and conferences (business). Both are applied for at VFS Global and decided by the South African High Commission, New Delhi, or the Consulate General, Mumbai.
| Visa | Who it's for | Key extra document |
|---|---|---|
| Tourist (holiday) | Sightseeing, safaris, holidays | Day-to-day itinerary; motivation letter if you want multiple entry |
| Family visit | Visiting relatives or friends in South Africa | Host's invitation letter, attested in South Africa |
| Business | Meetings, conferences, trade visits (no work) | Invitation from the South African company + letter from your Indian employer |
Number of entries and length of stay are decided by the embassy. Study, work and medical visas have separate rules; ask us.
Every applicant needs the core documents below. Then add the documents for your profile. VFS does not accept incomplete files, so the list is worth getting exactly right.
Self-employed or retired? WhatsApp us and we'll list the income proof to add for your case.
Source: VFS Global – South Africa visa information, India, checked [27 Sep 2026].
You share documents with us, we prepare and check the file, and you submit at your nearest VFS centre. Most of the work happens before you reach VFS.
A South Africa visa takes a minimum of 7 working days at most VFS centres, 5 working days in New Delhi, and 10–15 working days for conference visits in Mumbai. These are minimums; apply at least 3–4 weeks before travel.
| VFS centre | Minimum processing | Decided by |
|---|---|---|
| New Delhi | 5 working days | High Commission, New Delhi |
| Gurugram, Jaipur, Kolkata | 7 working days | |
| Mumbai, Pune, Ahmedabad, Goa, Bengaluru | 7 working days (conferences: 10–15) | Consulate General, Mumbai |
The Mumbai consulate covers Maharashtra, Goa, Gujarat, Telangana, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka. Times are indicative and can change at the mission's discretion.
Yes. Indian passport holders need a visa before travel. Tourist and business visas are applied for through VFS Global centres in India.
The South African government visa fee is nil (gratis) for Indian nationals. You pay the VFS fee: ₹2,040 in Mumbai and New Delhi, ₹2,301 at other centres, plus a ₹160 convenience fee. Our service charge is ₹2,360.
VFS asks for the last 3 months' bank statement showing at least R 3,000 or the equivalent in INR 50,000. It must be the original statement on bank letterhead, signed and stamped.
Form DHA-84 (Form 11). Fill it in black ink and block letters and sign it exactly as in your passport.
Two colour photos, 35 × 45 mm, white background, no border, face covering 70–80% of the photo, taken within the last month.
Only if you travel through or stay in a yellow fever country before arriving in South Africa.
You can ask for one by adding a motivation letter to your file; VFS won't accept a multiple-entry holiday application without it. Entries and length of stay are decided by the embassy.
Residents of Maharashtra, Goa, Gujarat, Telangana, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka apply under the Mumbai consulate (VFS Mumbai, Pune, Ahmedabad, Goa or Bengaluru). North and East India apply under the High Commission in New Delhi.
No. VFS fees are non-refundable and non-transferable.
Share your travel dates and city. Our visa team replies 10:30 AM – 6:30 PM, all days.