Indonesians Can Now Apply for South African Visas Online

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - Indonesia and South Africa are bolstering their strategic partnership in the tourism sector. Both countries marked the enhanced cooperation through the signing of a tourism Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at the Ministry of Tourism, Jakarta, on Thursday, 5 February 2026. 

South Africa’s Minister of Tourism, Patricia de Lille, announced the reform of South Africa’s visa system as part of the cooperation. Indonesian citizens can now apply for a South African visa online through a digital platform, with a processing time of less than 24 hours.

“We are very happy to also announce that the South African Government has now reformed our visa system and that the Indonesian people are now able to apply for a visa online in the comfort of your home, on your phone, with a turnaround time of less than 24 hours,” Patricia said in her press statement.

She noted that the easier visa access is expected to boost tourist flows between the two countries. The South African government is also working with Indonesia to foster air connectivity, including exploring the possibility of direct flights.

“We are here together with the South African airlines, our own airlines in South Africa, to see how we can make it easier for people from Indonesia to come and visit our country,” she conveyed.

Meanwhile, Indonesia’s Minister of Tourism, Widiyanti Putri Wardhana, said the partnership also opens opportunities for cooperation in promoting flagship destinations and hidden gems, as well as gastronomy and fashion, as part of cultural diplomacy.

“We are also keen to explore cooperation in promoting lesser-known destinations, gastronomy, and fashion for tourism, as these areas can further strengthen people-to-people exchanges and deepen cultural connections between Indonesia and South Africa,” Widiyanti said.

In 2025, around 30,000 South African tourists visited Indonesia, while approximately 3,000 Indonesian tourists travelled to South Africa. Through this cooperation, South Africa aims to significantly increase the number of visitors from Indonesia.