South African passport takes another knock in latest global ranking
· The South African
The South African passport has slipped further down the latest global passport rankings, falling from 79th in 2025 to 86th in 2026.
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This is according to latest data from Passport Reports, which revealed South Africa now has a Mobility Score of 108, down from 110 last year.
The score means South African passport holders have access to 108 destinations without needing a traditional visa before travelling, although the exact entry requirements vary between countries.
The ranking covers 199 countries.
Where does the South African passport rank?
South Africa’s 86th position puts it third among the 54 African passports measured by Passport Reports.
It ranks fourth among the 11 BRICS countries, 15th among 19 G20 countries, 26th among 56 Commonwealth countries and 38th among 132 G77 countries.
The country’s Mobility Score is made up of:
- 59 visa-free destinations
- 42 visa-on-arrival destinations
- 7 destinations requiring an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA)
Passport Reports says its rankings are based on the total number of destinations offering these forms of easier access.
Different passport indexes can produce different results because they use different methodologies and may classify entry requirements differently.
What does ‘visa-free’ actually mean?
The 108 destinations in South Africa’s Mobility Score don’t all offer completely visa-free travel.
A visa-free destination does not require a visa for entry.
A visa on arrival (VOA) means a visa is required, but it can be obtained after arriving at the destination rather than before departure.
An ETA means a traditional visa isn’t required, but travellers must obtain an electronic travel authorisation before arriving.
An e-Visa, meanwhile, still requires a visa application and approval before departure.
Travellers should therefore check the specific requirements for their destination before booking a trip, as some countries also have additional registration, arrival-card or pre-registration requirements.
South Africans can access 71.7% of Africa
Passport Reports records South Africa’s total access across Africa at 71.7% when visa-free, simplified-entry and ETA access are combined.
Some destinations have additional requirements despite not requiring a traditional visa.
For example, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand have arrival-card requirements, while Côte d’Ivoire requires pre-registration.
Seychelles has a tourist registration requirement, while travellers to Cape Verde can use the EASE system, which is an online electronic pre-registration platform for entering the country.
Maximum permitted stays also vary considerably.
Passport Reports lists stays of up to 360 days in Georgia, 180 days in destinations including Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados and Peru, and 90 days in many other countries.
Full list of destinations available without a traditional visa
The following destinations are listed by Passport Reports as offering South African passport holders visa-free entry, visa on arrival or ETA access.
Visa-free destinations RegionDestinationsAfricaAngola, Benin, Botswana, eSwatini, Gabon, Kenya, Lesotho, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Réunion, Tanzania, The Gambia, Tunisia, Zambia, ZimbabweAmericasArgentina, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, VenezuelaAsiaHong Kong SAR China, Macao SAR China, PhilippinesCaribbeanAntigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Dominica, Grenada, Haiti, Jamaica, Montserrat, St Helena, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and CaicosEuropeGeorgia, Russian FederationMiddle EastPalestineOceaniaCook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Micronesia, Niue, VanuatuVisa on arrival
A visa on arrival means travellers do not need to obtain a conventional visa before leaving South Africa, but a visa is issued when they arrive.
RegionDestinationsAfricaBurundi, Cape Verde Islands, Comoro Islands, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Guinea-Bissau, Madagascar, Mauritania, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra LeoneAsiaCambodia, Indonesia, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Maldives, Nepal, Tajikistan, Timor-LesteMiddle EastArmenia, Jordan, Oman, Qatar, Saudi ArabiaOceaniaMarshall Islands, Palau Islands, Samoa, Tuvalu ETA and other electronic requirementsAn ETA is not the same as a traditional visa. Travellers do not apply for a conventional visa, but must obtain electronic authorisation before travelling.
RegionDestinationRequirementAfricaGhanaETAAfricaSeychellesETAAsiaMalaysiaETA + arrival cardAsiaSingaporeETA + arrival cardAsiaSouth KoreaETAAsiaSri LankaETAAsiaThailandETA + arrival cardTravellers should check the latest entry requirements before booking, as these requirements can change.