Going abroad can be very expensive but South Africans can go to a lot of countries without a visa, which makes the trip much easier and cheaper. The government is working to make travel easier for South Africans by making it easier for them to get important papers like IDs and passports. The Department of Home Affairs DHA and some of South Africa’s biggest banks are working together to make these services available in bank branches all over the country. This will make it easier for people to get important documents by letting them apply for smart IDs and passports right at bank branches instead of having to go to Home Affairs offices that are understaffed and not very helpful.
Right now, only 30 bank branches in South Africa can renew passports and smart IDs right now. Less than 10% of the smart IDs issued so far this financial year have been processed through banks.
The DHA wants to make these services available to more people, with the goal of making them available at 1,000 bank branches across South Africa in the next few years.
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Some of the biggest banks in the country, like Capitec, FNB, Standard Bank, Absa, Nedbank, African Bank, and Tyme Bank, have joined the expanded partnership program.
Capitec showed off its in-branch smart ID self-service terminal (SST) on Monday, March 19. It is now available at seven of its branches.
Countries for visa-free travel
Capitec is the first bank to not rely on stationed Home Affairs officials in its branches anymore.
The bank has created its own digital integration, based on Amazon Web Services, that links dedicated in-branch SSTs directly to DHA systems. This lets Capitec quickly grow the service.
Customers can use Capitec’s smart ID services by going to a branch with an SST and applying at the terminal by scanning their fingerprints and face. No appointments are needed.
Capitec uses its own biometric technology system, which means that applications can be filled out without any paperwork required.
The application fee is R150 which includes the standard DHA fee of R140 and a Capitec service fee of R10 to cover logistics. The bank said that filling out the application should only take five minutes total.
Customers can check on the status of their application in the Capitec banking app once they have filled it out. When they are notified, they can go back to the branch where they applied to pick up their smart ID.
The goal is to eventually add passport issuance to these smart ID services. This will make it easier for South Africans to apply for both passports and smart IDs through their banks.
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Countries where you can travel without a visa
Getting a passport may be easier now than it was a few years ago, but South Africans may still have trouble visiting some countries.
Nedbank said that many countries need more than just a passport. A lot of the time, South African travelers also need a visa.
The bank said, “But you might be surprised at how many countries around the world don’t require South Africans to get a visa ahead of time at an embassy or consulate.”
Nedbank found 74 places outside of South Africa that South Africans can go to with just their passport. They also found 48 places that offer e-visas.
“Most of these countries let you stay for 90 days or more.” The bank said, “However, some of them limit tourist visits to 30 days, while a few have no limits on how long you can stay.”
The bank also said that countries can change their rules at any time, so it’s important for people who want to travel to double-check the rules before making any plans.
The official tourist website for the country where the visit is planned is the best place to find this information.
Here are the countries that don’t require South Africans to get a visa or that give visas when they arrive.
| Region of the country | Stay limit |
|---|---|
| 30 days in Angola, Africa | 30 days in Angola |
| Antigua and Barbuda | 180 days for the Americas and the Caribbean |
| Argentina | 90 days in the Americas and the Caribbean |
| Bahamas, Americas, and the Caribbean | 90 days |
| Barbados | 180 days in the Americas and the Caribbean |
| Belize in the Americas and the Caribbean; Benin in Africa | 90 days |
| Botswana, Africa | 90 days |
| Brazil | 90 days for the Americas and the Caribbean |
| Burundi | 30-day visa on arrival in Africa |
| Chile | 90 days for the Americas and Caribbean |
| Costa Rica | 90 days in the Americas and Caribbean |
| Dominica | 180 days in the Americas and Caribbean |
| Ecuador, in the Americas and Caribbean | 90 days |
| the Dominican Republic, in the Americas and Caribbean | 90 days |
| El Salvador | The Americas and the Caribbean have 90 days. |
| 30 days in Eswatini, Africa | Americas and Caribbean |
| Fiji Pacific | 120 days |
| 30 days in Gabon, Africa | Gabon, Africa |
| Gambia, Africa | 90 days |
| Georgia, Europe | 360 days |
| Ghana, Africa | 90 days |
| Grenada, the Americas, and the Caribbean | 90 days |
| Guatemala | 90 days for the Americas and the Caribbean |
| Guinea-Bissau is in Africa | Visa on arrival for 90 days |
| Guyana, the Americas, and the Caribbean | 30 days |
| Haiti | 90 days for the Americas and the Caribbean |
| Honduras, the Americas, and the Caribbean | 90 days |
| 30 days in Hong Kong, Asia | 30 days in Angola |
| Israel Asia | 90 days |
| Jamaica in the Americas and the Caribbean and Kiribati in the Pacific | 90 days |
| Kosovo, Europe | 90 days |
| Lesotho, Africa—Macau, Asia | 90 days |
| Malawi, Africa | 90 days |
| Malaysia, Asia | 90 days |
| Maldives, Asia | You can get a visa when you arrive for 30 days. |
| 30-day visa on arrival for the Marshall Islands in the Pacific | arrive for 30 days. |
| Mauritania is in Africa | Visa when you get there |
| 90 days in Mauritius, Africa | 30 days in Angola |
| 30 days in Micronesia, Pacific | 180 days in the Americas and the Caribbean |
| Mozambique, Africa—Namibia, Africa | 90 days |
| Nicaragua in the Americas and the Caribbean | for 90 days |
| Palau Pacific | 30-day visa on arrival |
| Palestinian territories in Asia, Panama in the Americas and Caribbean | 90 days in the Americas and Caribbean |
| Paraguay, the Americas, and the Caribbean | for 90 days |
| Peru | 180 days in the Americas and the Caribbean |
| 30 days in the Philippines, Asia | Visa when you get there |
| Qatar | 30-day visa on arrival in Asia |
| Russia to Europe | 90 days |
| Rwanda, Africa | 30 days |
| Samoa Pacific | 30-day visa on arrival |
| Senegal in Africa | Visa on arrival for 30 days |
| Seychelles, Africa | 90-day visa on arrival |
| 30 days in Singapore, Asia | |
| Somalia, Africa | 30-day visa on arrival |
| St. Kitts and Nevis, in the Americas and the Caribbean | for 90 days |
| St. Lucia, in the Americas and the Caribbean | is 42 days away. |
| Americas and Caribbean: St. Vincent and the Grenadines | 90 days |
| Tanzania, Africa | 90 days |
| 30 days in Thailand, Asia | arrive for 30 days. |
| Timor-Leste in Asia | has a 90-day visa on arrival. |
| Trinidad and TobagoAmericas and the Caribbean | 90 days |
| Tunisia, Africa | 90 days |
| Tuvalu Pacific | 30-day visa on arrival |
| Uruguay | 90 days in the Americas and Caribbean |
| Vanuatu | 30 days in the Pacific |
| Venezuela, the Americas, and the Caribbean | 90 days |
| Zambia, Africa | 90 days |
| 90 days in Zimbabwe, Africa | visa on arrival |
Source Nedbank information; the information is correct as of March 19, 2026.
