South Africa Proposes New ETA and Online Immigration Processing Fees

• South Africa proposed new immigration fee regulations that would introduce a ZAR 500 Electronic Travel Authorisation processing fee and additional fees for online visa and permit applications.  

ETA and Online Immigration Processing Fees 

South Africa’s Department of Home Affairs has published draft amendments to the Regulations on Fees under the Immigration Act for public comment.  

The proposed changes would introduce a new fee structure to support the continued rollout of the Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) platform and the government’s broader immigration digitization efforts. 

New ETA Processing Fee Proposed 

The draft regulations would introduce a ZAR 500 electronic processing fee for ETA applications submitted and processed online. 

According to the Department of Home Affairs, the ETA platform has operated without charging a processing fee since its launch because online payment functionality was not available at the time. The government stated that continuing to operate the platform as a fully subsidized service is not sustainable. 

Voluntary ETA Option for Visa-Exempt Travelers

Under the proposal, travelers from visa-exempt countries would be able to voluntarily use the ETA platform and pay a ZAR 500 processing fee to streamline the digital application process. 

Visa-free travel arrangements would remain unchanged. 

Additional Fee for Online Visa and Permit Applications 

The draft amendments would retain existing visa and permit application fees while introducing a new ZAR 500 electronic processing fee for applications submitted and processed online. 

Under the proposal: 

• Existing visa fees would remain unchanged. 
• Online visa and permit applications will incur an additional ZAR 500 processing fee. 
• The fee would apply across multiple visa and permit categories processed digitally. 

Expected Impact 

The Department of Home Affairs stated that the new fee framework is intended to support expansion of the ETA platform while reducing reliance on outsourced visa processing services. 

Officials estimate that applicants who currently pay approximately ZAR 1,975 under the existing outsourced model could pay approximately ZAR 925 under the ETA-based process. 

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