Botswanan visa for South African citizens
A visa is NOT required for South African passport holders visiting Botswana for a short-term stay: 90 days.
Visa requirements:
| Visa type | Purposes | Visa requirements | Allowed stay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tourist visa | For South African citizens to enter Botswana for a short-term tourism purpose. | Not required | 90 days |
| Evisa | Botswana e-visa for South African citizens | Not Available | |
| Visa on arrival | Botswana visa on arrival for South African citizens | Not Available | |
Botswana tourist visa requirements:
- Holding South African passport that is valid for six months beyond the period of the intended stay in Botswana.
- Proof of onward travel (departure) from Botswana.
If you are looking for Botswana visa information, such as available types of visas, or how to apply from South Africa, we recommend you visit or contact the embassy or consulate of Botswana nearest your place of residence.
- Pretoria: The High Commission of Botswana in Pretoria, South Africa (Working hours: Open now. Close in 8 hours 4 minutes)
- Cape Town: The Consulate General of Botswana in Cape Town, South Africa (Working hours: Open now. Close in 8 hours 4 minutes)
- Johannesburg: The Consulate General of Botswana in Johannesburg, South Africa (Working hours: Open now. Close in 8 hours 4 minutes)
Botswana visa applications & requirements (For reference purposes only, please visit the nearest Botswana diplomatic mission offices to South Africa for guidance)
Tourism Statistics Chart
The line chart shows the number of visitors from South Africa traveling to Botswana from 2008 to 2018.
| Year | Number of visitors (South Africa) estimated | Change (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 712,933 | N/A |
| 2009 | 705,507 | -1.04% |
| 2010 | 712,933 | 1.05% |
| 2011 | 757,491 | 6.25% |
| 2012 | 750,065 | -0.98% |
| 2013 | 742,639 | -0.99% |
| 2014 | 600,387 | -19.15% |
| 2015 | 808,118 | 34.60% |
| 2016 | 759,564 | -6.01% |
| 2017 | 736,777 | -3.00% |
| 2018 | 729,181 | -1.03% |
References: UNWTO.org, World Bank and multiple sources. (This data is for informational purposes only. Please see our disclaimer page for more information.)
Botswana & South Africa comparison
Botswana's area is approximately 566,730 km2 (218,815 sq mi), while the area of South Africa is approximately 1,213,090 km2 (468,376 sq mi). This means South Africa is 2.14 times bigger than Botswana.
As of October 2025, Botswana's population is ~2.6 million people - 60,508,250 fewer people than the population of South Africa.
We have highlighted Botswana & South Africa’s relative positions on world's map for your reference.
| Botswana | South Africa | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population (est 2025) | 2,596,196 | 63,104,446 | 60.5 million fewer people live in Botswana than South Africa |
| Number of diplomatic missions abroad (est) | 34 | 124 | Botswana has 90 fewer diplomatic representations abroad compared with South Africa. |
| Travel freedom (2025) | 53 | 67 | Botswana passport holders visit 14 fewer countries and territories without a visa. |
| Number of foreign missions hosted | 31 | 197 | Botswanan hosts 166 fewer foreign missions than South Africa. |
Frequently asked questions, answered
How many visitors from South Africa travel to Botswana in one year?
The number of visitors from South Africa visiting Botswana in 2018 was approximately 729,181.
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- American Samoa
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- Australia
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- Cambodia
- Cameroon
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- Cayman Islands
- Central African Republic
- Chad
- Chile
- China
- Christmas Island
- Colombia
- Comoros
- Cook Islands
- Costa Rica
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- Croatia
- Cuba
- Curacao
- Cyprus
- Czech Republic
- Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Denmark
- Djibouti
- Dominica
- Dominican Republic
- Ecuador
- Egypt
- El Salvador
- Equatorial Guinea
- Eritrea
- Estonia
- Eswatini
- Ethiopia
- Falkland Islands
- Faroe Islands
- Fiji
- Finland
- France
- French Guiana
- French Polynesia
- Gabon
- Gambia
- Georgia
- Germany
- Ghana
- Gibraltar
- Greece
- Greenland
- Grenada
- Guam
- Guatemala
- Guinea
- Guinea-Bissau
- Guyana
- Haiti
- Honduras
- Hungary
- Iceland
- India
- Indonesia
- Iran
- Iraq
- Ireland
- Israel
- Italy
- Jamaica
- Japan
- Jordan
- Kazakhstan
- Kenya
- Kiribati
- Kosovo
- Kuwait
- Kyrgyzstan
- Laos
- Latvia
- Lebanon
- Lesotho
- Liberia
- Libya
- Liechtenstein
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Madagascar
- Malawi
- Malaysia
- Maldives
- Mali
- Malta
- Marshall Islands
- Martinique
- Mauritania
- Mauritius
- Mayotte
- Mexico
- Micronesia
- Moldova
- Monaco
- Mongolia
- Montenegro
- Montserrat
- Morocco
- Mozambique
- Myanmar
- Namibia
- Nauru
- Nepal
- Netherlands
- New Caledonia
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- Niger
- Nigeria
- Niue
- Northern Mariana Islands
- North Korea
- North Macedonia
- Norway
- Oman
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- Palau
- Panama
- Papua New Guinea
- Paraguay
- Peru
- Philippines
- Poland
- Portugal
- Puerto Rico
- Qatar
- Republic of the Congo
- Reunion
- Romania
- Russia
- Rwanda
- Saint Helena
- Saint Kitts and Nevis
- Saint Lucia
- Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
- Samoa
- San Marino
- São Tomé and Príncipe
- Saudi Arabia
- Scotland
- Senegal
- Serbia
- Seychelles
- Sierra Leone
- Singapore
- Sint Maarten
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- Solomon Islands
- Somalia
- South Africa
- South Korea
- South Sudan
- Spain
- Sri Lanka
- Sudan
- Suriname
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- Syria
- Tajikistan
- Tanzania
- Thailand
- Timor-Leste
- Togo
- Tonga
- Trinidad and Tobago
- Tunisia
- Turkey
- Turkmenistan
- Turks and Caicos
- Tuvalu
- Uganda
- Ukraine
- United Arab Emirates
- United Kingdom
- United States
- Uruguay
- U.S. Virgin Islands
- Uzbekistan
- Vanuatu
- Venezuela
- Vietnam
- Wallis and Futuna
- Yemen
- Zambia
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Today’s Forecast
| 17.32°C | ||
| Humidity | 99% | |
| Wind | 4.76 km/h | |
| Sunrise | 10:19 AM | |
Useful Information
- Gaborone to Pretoria: 841.44 km (522.85 mi)
- Travel time: 1 hours 45 minutes
This page was last updated on: October 2025