Checklist for South Africa Tourist Visa for UAE Residents

Many find it surprising that the United Arab Emirates’ main population is made of expats. Expats are residents who live and work in the UAE. Residents in the UAE enjoy several facilities. One is the right to apply for a visa to a foreign country from the UAE. Legal UAE residents wanting to visit South Africa as a tourist can do it from the UAE without returning to their homeland. You can apply for the same through the South African consulate/embassy/visa center in the UAE itself. But you must have all the correct documents to ensure you get the South African tourist visa without any issues. Hence, we have created a checklist of the South Africa tourist visa requirements.

Documents Required for South Africa Tourist Visa

Supporting documents are crucial for the visa application process. The proper documents submitted at the right time are important to get your South Africa visa on time. Here is a checklist of the South Africa tourist documents requirements so that you do not forget to submit even one of them.

Passport: Your original passport is needed while applying for a tourist visa to South Africa. It should have a validity of at least one year at the time of applying for the visa. It should have at least a month’s validity from the date you are planning to exit South Africa. There should also be two blank pages for visa stamping. Ensure that your passport is in good condition. Torn or damaged passports will be rejected. If you have visited South Africa in the past, you must submit copies of your previous visa entry and exit stamps.

Application Form: You need to complete and submit Form 8 while applying for a South Africa visa. The form should be filled in completely. There should be no blank spaces. If something is not related to you, it must be filled as ‘Not Applicable’. All the details like name, contact details, intended date of departure, intended date of arrival, duration, etc., should be included. All the details should be mentioned truthfully. There should be no spelling mistakes, too.

UAE Residence Visa: As you are applying for a South Africa visa application from the UAE, submitting proof that you are a legal resident of the UAE is a must. It would be best if you took photocopies of the residence visa. The residence visa must have been issued a minimum of six months before the date of submitting the South Africa visa application.

Photos: You must submit a recent photograph with your application form. The photo should be 4.5 cm x 3.5 cm in size. 80% of the photo should be your face. The photo should be clear with a high resolution. It should be a colored photo with a white background. No digital corrections or photoshop should be done on the photo. The photo should be printed professionally on high-quality paper. Not submitting the correct type of photo is one of the common reasons for visa rejection. So, make sure you follow all the photo rules.

Letter/Affidavit: A letter or affidavit should state the reason for your trip. It should also mention the dates of your trip. It would help to note the dates of entering and exiting the country. The dates should match your flight itinerary.

Financial Proof: To prove that you can support yourself financially, you must submit your bank statements for the last three months. The bank statements should be from a UAE bank. The statements should have the original stamp of the bank to be considered authentic. Your bank account must have enough balance to cover all your expenses in South Africa. If a parent or spouse is sponsoring your trip, the sponsor's bank statements along with a letter undertaking full financial responsibility should be included. You should also have a copy of the parent or spouse’s valid passport and UAE residence visa.

Accommodation Proof: Hotel booking, contract of rent/lease, or contract of property ownership are proof of accommodation. If you are staying with a host, an invitation letter is necessary. The letter should have the contact details and address of the host. If your host is a South African citizen, you must submit copies of his/her South African passport and ID book. If he/she is a permanent resident, the person’s passport and permanent residence visa or certificate (copies) are needed.

Flight Tickets: You must submit copies of your flight tickets to South Africa. The tickets can either be provisional or confirmed. One-way tickets are acceptable too. If you are traveling within the country, you should have proof of domestic flight tickets.

Medical Insurance: You should have medical insurance recognized in South Africa. Proof of the same must be attached to your visa application form. Travel insurance is not enough, and neither is the proof that you have applied for the same. The proof should be of the medical insurance itself.

Police Clearance Certificate: People above 18 will need a police clearance certificate. This certificate is issued by the UAE Police. The issue date should not be beyond six months from the date of application.

Yellow Fever Vaccination Certificate: A yellow fever vaccination certificate is a must for those who have traveled to a country that falls under the yellow fever zone. This is necessary even if you are transiting to South Africa through a country under the yellow fever zone. If you are a national of a country that falls under the yellow fever zone, submitting a yellow fever vaccination certificate is a must. This stands even if you have not visited your home country in the previous year.

This is a complete checklist of the documents you must submit while applying for a South Africa tourist visa. However, minors and dependent spouses may have to offer some additional documents. Be ready to supply other documents if asked for. This will ensure a smooth process for a South Africa visa from Dubai.