Eritrean visa for South African citizens
A visa is REQUIRED for South African passport holders visiting Eritrea for tourism and business purposes. See detailed requirements below:
Visa requirements:
| Visa type | Purposes | Visa requirements | Allowed stay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tourist visa | For South African citizens to enter Eritrea for a short-term tourism purpose. | Visa required | N/A |
| Evisa | Eritrea e-visa for South African citizens | Not Available | |
| Visa on arrival | Eritrea visa on arrival for South African citizens | Not Available | |
Eritrea tourist visa requirements:
- Holding South African passport that is valid for six months beyond the period of the intended stay in Eritrea.
- Proof of onward travel (departure) from Eritrea.
If you are looking for Eritrea 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 Eritrea nearest your place of residence.
- Pretoria: The Embassy of Eritrea in Pretoria, South Africa (Working hours: Close now)
Eritrea visa applications & requirements (For reference purposes only, please visit the nearest Eritrea diplomatic mission offices to South Africa for guidance)
Tourism Statistics Chart
The line chart shows the number of visitors from South Africa traveling to Eritrea from 2008 to 2018.
| Year | Number of visitors (South Africa) estimated | Change (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 581 | N/A |
| 2009 | 656 | 12.91% |
| 2010 | 697 | 6.25% |
| 2011 | 888 | 27.40% |
| 2012 | 1,071 | 20.61% |
| 2013 | 1,170 | 9.24% |
| 2014 | 988 | -15.56% |
| 2015 | 946 | -4.25% |
| 2016 | 1,179 | 24.63% |
References: UNWTO.org, World Bank and multiple sources. (This data is for informational purposes only. Please see our disclaimer page for more information.)
Eritrea & South Africa comparison
Eritrea's area is approximately 101,000 km2 (38,996 sq mi), while the area of South Africa is approximately 1,213,090 km2 (468,376 sq mi). This means South Africa is 12.01 times bigger than Eritrea.
As of November 2025, Eritrea's population is ~3.8 million people - 59,308,003 fewer people than the population of South Africa.
We have highlighted Eritrea & South Africa’s relative positions on world's map for your reference.
| Eritrea | South Africa | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population (est 2025) | 3,796,443 | 63,104,446 | 59.3 million fewer people live in Eritrea than South Africa |
| Number of diplomatic missions abroad (est) | 30 | 124 | Eritrea has 94 fewer diplomatic representations abroad compared with South Africa. |
| Travel freedom (2025) | 10 | 67 | Eritrea passport holders visit 57 fewer countries and territories without a visa. |
| Number of foreign missions hosted | 14 | 197 | Eritrean hosts 183 fewer foreign missions than South Africa. |
Frequently asked questions, answered
How many visitors from South Africa travel to Eritrea in one year?
The number of visitors from South Africa visiting Eritrea in 2016 was approximately 1,179.
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- Chad
- Chile
- China
- Christmas Island
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- Cook Islands
- Costa Rica
- Côte d'Ivoire
- 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
- New Zealand
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- Niger
- Nigeria
- Niue
- Northern Mariana Islands
- North Korea
- North Macedonia
- Norway
- Oman
- Pakistan
- 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
| 28.01°C | ||
| Humidity | 44% | |
| Wind | 5.66 km/h | |
| Sunrise | 10:18 AM | |
Useful Information
- Asmara to Pretoria: 4874.21 km (3028.69 mi)
- Travel time: 10 hours 9 minutes
This page was last updated on: November 2025