South African passport holders can journey to 101 international locations with no visa, in accordance with the 2026 Henley & Companions Passport Index, which ranks international passports based mostly on their visa-free entry.
The index assesses 199 passports and 227 journey locations, scoring every passport on the variety of international locations its holders can enter with out acquiring a visa prematurely.
South Africa’s International Rating
South Africa positioned 96th out of 199 international locations, with a visa-free rating of 101. This places the South African passport behind Qatar, which scored 111, and simply forward of Belize, which recorded a rating of 99.
The rating means South Africans can journey visa-free to 101 locations worldwide, whereas visas or prior approvals are required for the remaining international locations.
Most Highly effective Passports
The index reveals that Asian and European passports proceed to dominate international journey entry.
Singapore ranked because the world’s strongest passport, with visa-free entry to 192 locations
Japan and South Korea adopted intently, every with entry to 188 locations
Denmark, Luxembourg, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland shared fourth place, every with a rating of 186
On the backside of the index, Afghanistan ranked final, with passport holders capable of entry solely 24 locations visa-free.
Journey Energy Indicator
The Passport Index is broadly used as a measure of world mobility, reflecting diplomatic relations, safety concerns and worldwide agreements. Rankings can shift yearly based mostly on modifications in visa insurance policies and geopolitical developments.
For South Africans, the 2026 rating highlights reasonable international entry, with alternatives for visa-free journey, but in addition vital limitations in comparison with the world’s strongest passports.
Three visa classes
These 101 locations fall into three foremost classes, every providing completely different visa ranges of comfort:
Visa-Free Entry: The golden ticket for travellers. Merely present your South African passport at immigration and also you’re in. No purposes, no ready durations, no additional charges.
Visa on Arrival: Practically as handy, these locations assist you to acquire your visa on the airport or port of entry. Whereas there could also be a charge concerned, it eliminates the necessity for advance planning and embassy visits.
Digital Journey Authorisation (ETA) Required: A center floor that requires on-line registration earlier than journey, however with out the complexity of a full visa utility. Consider it as a digital screening course of that usually takes minutes to finish.
Of these 101 international locations that South Africans can go to, 30 are in Africa.
They’re: Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burundi, Cape Verde Islands, Comoro Islands, Djibouti, Egypt, eSwatini, Ethiopia, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Reunion, Rwanda, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, The Gambia, Tunisia, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
All the above-mentioned international locations supply visa-free entry. other than Burundi, Cape Verde Islands, Comoro Islands, Djibouti, Egypt, Ethiopia, Guinea-Bissau, Madagascar and Sierra Leone which all require a visa on arrival, whereas Seychelles has an ETA requirement.
International locations SA passport holders can go to visa-free per area:
Africa – 30
Americas – 18
Asia – 16
Caribbean – 17
Europe – 2
Center East – 8
Oceania – 10
The 101 international locations SA passport holders can go to visa-free:
* visa on arrival, ** digital journey authority (ETA)
