The South African Department of Home Affairs has proposed establishing an electronic processing fee of R500 for travelers using the South African Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) system.
This proposal was presented in a draft notice published in Government Gazette No. 55072 last month. The ETA system was launched in October 2025 and allows travelers to apply for travel permission and visas online as part of the Department of Home Affairs' digital transformation program.
Minister of Home Affairs Leon Schreiber noted that the ETA functioned as a fully subsidized service because the platform initially lacked an integrated online payment system. In the first phase, visa fees for countries were temporarily waived, and no special ETA processing fee was charged.
Schreiber stated that the department is now ready to implement integrated online payments to collect registration fees. He said: 'It is proposed to set a processing fee of R500 for each ETA application.'
In the next phase, the ETA system will become mandatory for travelers from countries without visa exemptions included in the platform. For travelers from countries with visa exemptions, it will remain optional for now. The department expects travelers from visa-exempt countries to start using the platform due to improved efficiency and security.
For travelers from countries without visa exemptions, the proposed fee structure will result in a total application cost of R925, which is lower than the current cost of R1975. The department also emphasized that the online system will reduce costs for travelers who currently use external visa service providers. The ETA will allow applications to be submitted online, eliminating the need to visit South African missions or VFS application centers.