South Africa rolls out fully digital ETA system for visa application: Here's what changes for Indians

 

South Africa has quietly moved its long-promised Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) system from plan to reality, and Indian travellers are already managing to secure approvals in minutes.

The pilot, officially meant for G20 delegates from China, India, Indonesia and Mexico ahead of the Johannesburg G20 Summit in November 2025, appears to be functioning more broadly in practice. Early users report that the portal is live, the process is fully digital, and approvals are being issued with one-year, multiple-entry validity.

Here’s what the new ETA system is, how it works, and what it could mean for Indian travellers once it is formally rolled out.

What is South Africa’s ETA and who is it for?

Last September, South Africa confirmed the upcoming launch of a new Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) system designed to simplify entry procedures for certain categories of travellers. Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber said the system would be rolled out gradually, starting with a pilot phase for G20 delegates from China, India, Indonesia and Mexico.

According to the official portal, the ETA is, “an Electronic Travel Authorisation linked to the traveler's passport, allowing nationals from certain visa-required countries to visit South Africa for short tourist or visitor stays without a traditional visa.”

Visa-exempt travellers will also be able to apply for an ETA to streamline border procedures, with the Department of Home Affairs noting that it is exploring “the most seamless and appropriate way to also obtain biometrics from visa-exempt travellers.”

The ETA does not permit employment in South Africa and “is not intended for extended or repeated stays for other purposes”.

What does the live portal actually allow right now?

As of now, applications are possible for travellers arriving by air through one of three major international airports:

• Johannesburg–OR Tambo

• Cape Town

• Lanseria

According to a post by an X user @outofofficedaku, “The best part is that 85% of applications could be processed automatically ‘using AI-powered risk assessment,’ with a target processing time of under 24 hours.”

In practice, they report an even faster outcome, “Got mine processed in 20 mins, so the process is actually automated.”

How does the ETA application process work?

The official portal describes a fully digital workflow. Travellers must first create a personal profile with:

• passport number and issuing country

• point of entry in South Africa

• email address and mobile number

• a chosen password

Once verified, they complete the ETA application form with personal details, travel information, a scanned passport and a recent photo or selfie, followed by online payment of the processing fees (the pilot user notes that “the visa is totally FREE” at this stage).

@outofofficedaku breaks down the steps they followed:

“Register by adding in the basic details link email + mobile + passport no + post of entry etc. Click activation email Apply for ETA Visa Scan unique QR Code Click selfie on phone Click photo of passport All details of the passport are auto populated. Continue the process on web browser (Don't close the browser from which you scan the QR Code)… Add more details which are asked Submit form. TAT shown is 24 hrs.”

Is this only for G20 delegates or for tourists too?

Officially, the pilot is framed as a G20-linked rollout. The registration page also carries a caveat, as flagged in the post, “Alert: One of the requirements on the registration page states this visa is only for those planning to attend G20 meetings. Please do your due diligence.”

However, in the actual form, “they do allow vacation/holiday and not just G20 so I suppose the visa maybe live for all Indian passport holders but just not officially announced.”

Validity, duration and entry rules

Based on the ETA issued to this early applicant:

• It is a multiple entry visa valid for 1 year

• It allows a maximum stay of 90 days, extendable by another 90 days

• The validity appears to start from the approval date, not the intended entry date:

“I purposefully applied stating the date of entry as 01.12.2025 but still issued me a visa starting 20.11.2025. Maybe for the G20 Sumit the dates are hard coded or it's given from the date of application, as anyways, the visa is valid for 1 year.”

The portal itself specifies that only holders of an ordinary passport valid for at least six months may apply, and that current eligibility is limited to arrivals via Johannesburg–OR Tambo, Cape Town or Lanseria, with other entry points to be phased in later.

Advertisement

What happens next – and what should Indian travellers watch for?

According to Minister Schreiber’s earlier roadmap, the ETA will:

• run as a pilot for G20 delegates from four countries (including India)

• open to the general public from these countries by 2026

• expand to more nationalities later

The early activation of the portal, ahead of the November 2025 G20 Summit, suggests the system is already technically ready and being tested in live conditions.