Our personal experience with applying for a visit visa for South Africa
is quite simple for as long as the following requirements are met. I called up the embassy and emailed them for inquiries. Sometimes they reply, many times they don't. This post should answer most of your inquiries about a visit visa to South Africa for Philippine Passport holders.
One can apply for a visa directly at the embassy at least 90 days before departure. Personal appearance is not required. However, it is best that someone who is knowledgeable with the itinerary would submit it as the consular service agent asks a few questions.
I made my way to the Yuchengco Tower, RCBC Plaza. Do bring an ID, as the guards requires one to register before you can go up the embassy. Figure out which elevator to take that would stop on the 29th floor. Once you get to the 29th floor, there is a security guard manning the door of the embassy. There aren't too many applicants however, the only drawback is, they limit the number of applicants inside the embassy by the number of seats available. There aren't too many, let's say less than 10. Since I arrived around 10 in the morning, the seats were already occupied and I was asked to go down the lobby and wait down there after 5 more people on the waitlist. There is no guarantee that you will be entertained that day for as long as you're not seated inside by 12 noon. I went up and down for several tries to check if there is a vacant seat. A few minutes before 12 noon, I stood there by the door, I'm the next in line. I was trying to win the security guard to accommodate me, since I'm coming from out of town, I was hoping he'd soften and let me in. The clock strikes 12 and still he won't let me in so I just waited there, refused to leave and stood by the door, begging. With a sheer of good luck, the Honorary Consul arrived. She asked her staff what I was doing there, along with two other guys. She ordered her staff to bring out more chairs and let us in!!! With vindication and a sigh of relief, I was accommodated inside. Afterall, that cut-off time was not the embassy's policy but probably just between the guard and staff who do not wish to extend their working hours, what a shame. It took another hour before I was entertained. She had a few questions. Actually, it was our second attempt to submit the documents. The first time, they returned them because the bank certificate needs to be at least 200,000 pesos, the pictures have to be pasted on the application and we were asked to revise requirement #9, it has to be separate from #4.
Visitor Visa Requirements include:
1. A valid passport
2. Two passport size photographs
3. A fully complete Visa Application Form (BI-84) downloadable at www.dha.gov.za
or download from here http://south-africa.visahq.ph/South_Africa-Tourist-visa-application.pdf
4. Flight itinerary
5. Proof of accommodation (hotel booking/address of SA contact)
6. No visa fee for visit of less than 30 days while a visa fee of P2,525 for a visit exceeding 30 days.
7. Proof of sufficient fund (bank statement or bank certificate)
8. Employment Certificate. If self-employed, business details.
9. Statement and/or documentation confirming the purpose and duration of visit (this is a written letter addressed to the embassy, expressing the type of visa, intent to visit (which is tourism), purpose of visit (sights to see) and length of stay in South Africa)
10. If coming from or traveling through a yellow fever area prior to arrival to South Africa, a yellow fever vaccination certificate is required. If you are coming from the Philippines, this is not required.
FAQ:
1. How long is the validity of the visa? South African visa has a maximum validity of 90 days from the date of issue.
2. Is personal appearance required? No, you can send a representative to submit your application on your behalf.
3. How long is the processing? 5 working days. However the lady asked me if it would be fine if she is able to process it for 7 days instead.
4. Is a 35,000 bond required? It is not required for all applicants. We were not asked for a bond other the proof of financial capacity like a bank certificate of at least 200,000 pesos and maybe our passport with several foreign stamps also made a statement.
5. Can you apply any day? Application is accepted only between 9am to 12nn from Monday to Thursday.
6. Can you pick up any day? A claim stub will be given to you stating the earliest day available (5 working days) and pick up hours is only between 130pm to 330pm Monday to Thursday.
7. When is yellow fever certificate required? A yellow fever vaccination certificate is required for entry into South Africa when traveling from or in transit from Angola, Argentina, Benin, Bolivia, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Colombia, Guinea-Bissau, Congo, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ecuador, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, French Guyana, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guyana, Kenya, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, Suriname, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Uganda, United Republic of Tanzania, Venezuela, and Zambia. This also applies to those who have traveled to low risk countries such as Soa Tome and Principe, Somalia, Tanzania and Zambia or have transited through a yellow fever risk country.
Since we were traveling to Kenya then Zambia before entering South Africa, we were required to submit the yellow fever vaccination certificate issued by the Bureau of Quarantine.
For more information, the embassy of the Republic of South Africa in the Philippines can be reached at:
EMBASSY OF THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA
29/F Yuchengco Tower, RCBC Plaza
6819 Ayala Avenue, Makati City, Philippines
Tel No. (+632) 8899383
Fax No. (+632) 8899379
custodiol@foreign.gov.za
www.dha.gov.za
www.dfa.gov.za/
One can apply for a visa directly at the embassy at least 90 days before departure. Personal appearance is not required. However, it is best that someone who is knowledgeable with the itinerary would submit it as the consular service agent asks a few questions.
I made my way to the Yuchengco Tower, RCBC Plaza. Do bring an ID, as the guards requires one to register before you can go up the embassy. Figure out which elevator to take that would stop on the 29th floor. Once you get to the 29th floor, there is a security guard manning the door of the embassy. There aren't too many applicants however, the only drawback is, they limit the number of applicants inside the embassy by the number of seats available. There aren't too many, let's say less than 10. Since I arrived around 10 in the morning, the seats were already occupied and I was asked to go down the lobby and wait down there after 5 more people on the waitlist. There is no guarantee that you will be entertained that day for as long as you're not seated inside by 12 noon. I went up and down for several tries to check if there is a vacant seat. A few minutes before 12 noon, I stood there by the door, I'm the next in line. I was trying to win the security guard to accommodate me, since I'm coming from out of town, I was hoping he'd soften and let me in. The clock strikes 12 and still he won't let me in so I just waited there, refused to leave and stood by the door, begging. With a sheer of good luck, the Honorary Consul arrived. She asked her staff what I was doing there, along with two other guys. She ordered her staff to bring out more chairs and let us in!!! With vindication and a sigh of relief, I was accommodated inside. Afterall, that cut-off time was not the embassy's policy but probably just between the guard and staff who do not wish to extend their working hours, what a shame. It took another hour before I was entertained. She had a few questions. Actually, it was our second attempt to submit the documents. The first time, they returned them because the bank certificate needs to be at least 200,000 pesos, the pictures have to be pasted on the application and we were asked to revise requirement #9, it has to be separate from #4.
Visitor Visa Requirements include:
1. A valid passport
2. Two passport size photographs
3. A fully complete Visa Application Form (BI-84) downloadable at www.dha.gov.za
or download from here http://south-africa.visahq.ph/South_Africa-Tourist-visa-application.pdf
4. Flight itinerary
5. Proof of accommodation (hotel booking/address of SA contact)
6. No visa fee for visit of less than 30 days while a visa fee of P2,525 for a visit exceeding 30 days.
7. Proof of sufficient fund (bank statement or bank certificate)
8. Employment Certificate. If self-employed, business details.
9. Statement and/or documentation confirming the purpose and duration of visit (this is a written letter addressed to the embassy, expressing the type of visa, intent to visit (which is tourism), purpose of visit (sights to see) and length of stay in South Africa)
10. If coming from or traveling through a yellow fever area prior to arrival to South Africa, a yellow fever vaccination certificate is required. If you are coming from the Philippines, this is not required.
FAQ:
1. How long is the validity of the visa? South African visa has a maximum validity of 90 days from the date of issue.
2. Is personal appearance required? No, you can send a representative to submit your application on your behalf.
3. How long is the processing? 5 working days. However the lady asked me if it would be fine if she is able to process it for 7 days instead.
4. Is a 35,000 bond required? It is not required for all applicants. We were not asked for a bond other the proof of financial capacity like a bank certificate of at least 200,000 pesos and maybe our passport with several foreign stamps also made a statement.
5. Can you apply any day? Application is accepted only between 9am to 12nn from Monday to Thursday.
6. Can you pick up any day? A claim stub will be given to you stating the earliest day available (5 working days) and pick up hours is only between 130pm to 330pm Monday to Thursday.
7. When is yellow fever certificate required? A yellow fever vaccination certificate is required for entry into South Africa when traveling from or in transit from Angola, Argentina, Benin, Bolivia, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Colombia, Guinea-Bissau, Congo, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ecuador, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, French Guyana, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guyana, Kenya, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, Suriname, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Uganda, United Republic of Tanzania, Venezuela, and Zambia. This also applies to those who have traveled to low risk countries such as Soa Tome and Principe, Somalia, Tanzania and Zambia or have transited through a yellow fever risk country.
Since we were traveling to Kenya then Zambia before entering South Africa, we were required to submit the yellow fever vaccination certificate issued by the Bureau of Quarantine.
For more information, the embassy of the Republic of South Africa in the Philippines can be reached at:
EMBASSY OF THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA
29/F Yuchengco Tower, RCBC Plaza
6819 Ayala Avenue, Makati City, Philippines
Tel No. (+632) 8899383
Fax No. (+632) 8899379
custodiol@foreign.gov.za
www.dha.gov.za
www.dfa.gov.za/
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