What you need to enter Australia with a South African passport
South African citizens need an electronic visa for Australia, applied for online before the trip.
- e-Visa fee
- 250 AUD
- Minimum passport validity
- Valid (6 months recommended)
Why is this passport validity required? →
Last verified: 18 August 2026
Verified practical details
You'll need to apply for an e-visa before your trip. Here are the verified details:
Fee
250 AUD
Base charge for the Visitor visa (subclass 600), Tourist stream, applied for outside Australia. Applications are made online through an ImmiAccount. Home Affairs says concessions apply only in limited circumstances.
Required documents
- A valid passport. The Department strongly recommends at least 6 months of validity, though it does not set it as an absolute requirement
- Evidence that you intend to return to your home country or usual country of residence at the end of the visit
How much money you need to show
Australia sets no figure for the visitor visa: you must have, or have access to, enough money to support yourself during the stay and to leave the country. Personal bank statements for the last three months, pay slips, tax records, term deposits or credit card statements count as proof. If a relative or friend living in Australia is paying for your stay, their invitation letter with proof of their funds will do.
Source: Australian Department of Home Affairs, Visitor visa (subclass 600). Checked on 1 November 2026.
Health insurance
Not mandatory for this destination.
When travel insurance is mandatory → Travel insurance policies ↓More Australia rules
They don't depend on your passport, so they are on the Australia page:
Official portal: https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au. Destination data verified on 18 August 2026. Sources: immi.homeaffairs.gov.au (Department of Home Affairs: official ETA subclass 601 page, validity and stay conditions); malaysia.highcommission.gov.au (official .gov.au subdomain: confirms the AUD 20 service fee); abf.gov.au (Australian Border Force: alcohol/tobacco/general-goods allowances and the AUD 10,000 cash declaration threshold, figures as quoted verbatim by abf.gov.au itself) (checked 18/08/2026). Also immi.homeaffairs.gov.au: the ETA passport list, the eVisitor page (subclass 651, free) and the Visitor visa (subclass 600) charge, checked 10/10/2026.
Travel insurance for Australia
It isn't listed as mandatory for this entry, but without insurance, medical care during the trip can get expensive.
See IATI's international site →IATI sells its policies according to the country you live in. Where do you live?
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Things to see and do in Australia
Tours, skip-the-line tickets and day trips, most with free cancellation up to 24 hours before.
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This pair in context
In the other direction, citizens of Australia can enter South Africa visa-free. See the Australia → South Africa page.
All 5 passports from Southern Africa that VisaRadar tracks need a prior authorisation or a visa on arrival to enter Australia. Same result as South Africa: Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho and Namibia.
A passport from South Africa ranks 97 of 199 in the VisaRadar passport ranking and reaches 91 of 198 destinations without applying for a visa in advance.
Counts from the same requirements matrix behind this page's verdict, using the UN M49 subregions.
Frequently asked questions
Do South African citizens need a visa for Australia?
Yes, but it's processed online before you travel (e-visa), no consulate visit required.
What minimum passport validity is required?
A valid passport. The Department strongly recommends at least 6 months of validity, though it does not set it as an absolute requirement
What currency is used in Australia?
Australian Dollar (AUD).
How much money do South African passport holders need to enter Australia?
Australia sets no figure for the visitor visa: you must have, or have access to, enough money to support yourself during the stay and to leave the country. Personal bank statements for the last three months, pay slips, tax records, term deposits or credit card statements count as proof. If a relative or friend living in Australia is paying for your stay, their invitation letter with proof of their funds will do.
Related pages
See Australia requirements for other passports →
See entry requirements to South Africa for other passports →
Every visa-free country for South African passport holders →
Informational only. Always verify requirements with the official embassy or consulate before you travel.