South Africa’s Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber has announced that the country will introduce a fully digital Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) system for short‑term tourist visas by the end of September.
Initially, the ETA will cover visits of up to 90 days. It forms part of a broader government effort to digitise visa processing and strengthen border control.
The new system will be managed by the Border Management Authority. It will first go live at major international airports and later expand to include all visa categories.
Powered by artificial intelligence, the ETA promises quicker turnaround times and enhanced security. “The ETA will include world‑class cybersecurity systems and live monitoring by AI‑powered risk engines,” Schreiber said.
The full list of eligible nationalities will be published when the system launches. “It would be premature to discuss the finer details before the go‑live launch in September,” the minister added.
Officials recently demonstrated the ETA system for President Cyril Ramaphosa. The demonstration ran smoothly, and final tests are now under way ahead of the September rollout.
