South Africa’s electronic travel authorisation (ETA) portal (eta.dha.gov.za) has gone live as part of the first phase of its eventual rollout to all visa-requiring countries.
The ETA platform has opened for G20 delegates from China, India, Indonesia and Mexico entering via OR Tambo and Cape Town international airports. If the system proves stable, access will be expanded to all travellers from the same four countries and then to all visa-requiring markets globally from 2026 onwards.
In the FAQs section of the website, the Department of Home Affairs states that 85% of applications are processed automatically using “AI-powered risk assessment”. The system aims to process all applications within 24 hours for eligible categories with notifications sent automatically upon approval or rejection.
The system features biometric enrolment and verification, real-time validation of ETA status that is shared with airlines and border control, end-to-end data encryption and compliance with Protection of Personal Information Act laws.
The infographic below illustrates how the application process works.
Additionally, the Department of Home Affairs says it is exploring the “most seamless and appropriate way to also obtain biometrics from visa-exempt travellers”.
