What are the visa requirements for volunteering in South Africa?

For Europeans or Americans coming to South Africa for less than three months, you can just come in on a holiday visa. However, for volunteers from other countries or those wishing to stay longer than three months, you will have to either (1) apply for a temporary residence permit, in form of a volunteer visa, or (2) obtain a three-month (maximum) extension of your holiday visa once you are here, for which there will be a charge by the Department of Home Affairs.

Please also check that there aren’t any specific visa requirements for the country of your origin.

To apply for a volunteer visa for South Africa, you can either contact the South African Embassy or your nearest South African consular office in your home country or check the requirements on the South African website of Home Affairs.

» Volunteer Visa Requirements for US Volunteers
» Volunteer Visa Requirements for UK Volunteers

Here are the requirements for a one-year volunteer visa for an American Citizen. Keep in mind that these requirements are subject to change, and please consult the proper embassy or consular office before beginning your application process:

• Money Order for $88 
• The BI-84 visa application which you can download here
• 2 passport photos 
• 4 medical forms:
  • a. routine physical
  • b. HIV/STD test
  • c. A copy of all immunizations 
  • d. X-Ray chest exam or tuberculosis skin test
• The passport
• A state police background check, which may take a few weeks to get. This can be obtained from your state police department.
• A letter from SAEP confirming your status as a volunteer which we will provide as soon as we have your date.
• Flight Itinerary (copy of ticket itself)
• A bank statement which shows sufficient funds to cover the visa timeframe. Past volunteers have been told that "sufficient funds" constitute anywhere between $200 - $800 per month.