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COVID-19|SA Confirms 60 International Countries Banned Under Level 1 Travel Restrictions

Last updated on Juni 24, 2021 Unkategorisiert

The international travel ban list has officially been released by South Africa. Under level 1 lockdown rules, international travel will commence from October 1st 2020. However, citizens from particular countries will still not be allowed to enter the country.

The Department of Home Affairs is also resuming services for applications for identity cards or documents and for all types of passports.

Visa services, including submission of applications through VFS Global, will also resume in the following categories:

  • Visitor’s visas;
  • study visa;
  • treaty visa;
  • business visa;
  • crew visa;
  • medical treatment visa;
  • relative’s visa;
  • general work visa;
  • critical skills work visa;
  • intra-company transfer work visa;
  • retired person visa;
  • corporate visa;
  • exchange visa;
  • waiver of prescribed requirement, as contemplated in section 31(2)(c); and
  • appeals or reviews contemplated in section 8 of the Immigration Act.

Although there are still requirements for social distancing, mask-wearing, and crowd controls in place at Level 1, it is still the most relaxed version of lockdown available for South Africa. The travel list itself will be ‘reviewed regularly’.

Border controls will also remain airtight for the foreseeable future, with all persons passing through South Africa are required to prove they are COVID-negative. Temperature checks will also be made mandatory for all travelers.

South Africa has split all countries into three categories: High-risk, Medium-risk, and Low-risk. People from any High-risk countries will not be able to travel to South Africa for leisure purposes. Business workers, investors, and high-skilled professionals (including diplomats) from these nations are permitted, however.

The countries we cannot open our doors to – nor can we allow our citizens to visit – include the following:

  1. Albania ​​​
  2. Argentina
  3. Armenia
  4. Austria
  5. Bahrain
  6. Belgium
  7. Bolivia
  8. Bosnia and Herzegovina
  9. Brazil ​​​ ​​​​
  10. Chile
  11. ​​​Columbia
  12. Costa Rica
  13. Croatia 
  14. Czech Republic
  15. Denmark
  16. Ecuador
  17. France​​​
  18. Georgia ​
  19. Greece
  20. Guatemala ​
  21. Guyana​​​
  22. Honduras
  23. Hungary
  24. Iceland
  25. India
  26. Iran
  27. ​​​Iraq
  28. Ireland
  29. Israel
  30. Jamaica
  31. Jordan
  32. Kuwait
  33. Lebanon
  34. Luxemburg ​​
  35. Maldives
  36. Malta
  37. Mexico
  38. Moldova
  39. Montenegro ​​​
  40. Nepal ​​
  41. Netherlands 
  42. North Macedonia
  43. Oman
  44. Palestine
  45. Panama
  46. Paraguay
  47. Peru ​​​
  48. Portugal
  49. Puerto Rico
  50. Qatar
  51. Romania
  52. Russia
  53. Slovakia
  54. Suriname
  55. Switzerland
  56. Ukraine
  57. ​​​United Emirates
  58. United Kingdom              ​
  59. USA
  60. Venezuela

If you have any inquiries, please email us at info@blackpen.co.za to speak to one of our immigration lawyers.

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