Irish visa for South African citizens
A visa is NOT required for South African passport holders visiting Ireland for a short-term stay: None.
Visa requirements:
| Visa type | Purposes | Visa requirements | Allowed stay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tourist visa | For South African citizens to enter Ireland for a short-term tourism purpose. | Not required | None |
| Evisa | Ireland e-visa for South African citizens | Not Available | |
| Visa on arrival | Ireland visa on arrival for South African citizens | Not Available | |
Ireland tourist visa requirements:
- Holding South African passport that is valid for six months beyond the period of the intended stay in Ireland.
- Proof of onward travel (departure) from Ireland.
If you are looking for Ireland 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 Ireland nearest your place of residence.
- Pretoria: The Embassy of Ireland in Pretoria, South Africa (Working hours: Close now. Open in 17 minutes)
- Cape Town: The Consulate General of Ireland in Cape Town, South Africa (Working hours: Open now. Close in 8 hours 17 minutes)
Ireland visa applications & requirements (For reference purposes only, please visit the nearest Ireland diplomatic mission offices to South Africa for guidance)
Tourism Statistics Chart
The line chart shows the number of visitors from South Africa traveling to Ireland from 2008 to 2018.
| Year | Number of visitors (South Africa) estimated | Change (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 66,616 | N/A |
| 2009 | 59,669 | -10.43% |
| 2010 | 59,212 | -0.77% |
| 2011 | 63,329 | 6.95% |
| 2012 | 62,665 | -1.05% |
| 2013 | 68,558 | 9.40% |
| 2014 | 73,148 | 6.70% |
| 2015 | 79,082 | 8.11% |
| 2016 | 83,830 | 6.00% |
| 2017 | 85,805 | 2.36% |
| 2018 | 90,686 | 5.69% |
References: UNWTO.org, World Bank and multiple sources. (This data is for informational purposes only. Please see our disclaimer page for more information.)
Ireland & South Africa comparison
Ireland's area is approximately 68,890 km2 (26,598 sq mi), while the area of South Africa is approximately 1,213,090 km2 (468,376 sq mi). This means South Africa is 17.61 times bigger than Ireland.
As of November 2025, Ireland's population is ~5.2 million people - 57,887,676 fewer people than the population of South Africa.
We have highlighted Ireland & South Africa’s relative positions on world's map for your reference.
| Ireland | South Africa | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population (est 2025) | 5,216,770 | 63,104,446 | 57.9 million fewer people live in Ireland than South Africa |
| Number of diplomatic missions abroad (est) | 87 | 124 | Ireland has 37 fewer diplomatic representations abroad compared with South Africa. |
| Travel freedom (2025) | 135 | 67 | Ireland passport holders can visit 68 more countries and territories without a visa. |
| Number of foreign missions hosted | 82 | 197 | Irish hosts 115 fewer foreign missions than South Africa. |
Frequently asked questions, answered
How many visitors from South Africa travel to Ireland in one year?
The number of visitors from South Africa visiting Ireland in 2018 was approximately 90,686.
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- Chile
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- Cook Islands
- Costa Rica
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- Croatia
- Cuba
- Curacao
- Cyprus
- Czech Republic
- Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Denmark
- Djibouti
- Dominica
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- 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
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- Guatemala
- Guinea
- Guinea-Bissau
- Guyana
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- Jamaica
- Japan
- Jordan
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- Kiribati
- Kosovo
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- Liberia
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- Malaysia
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- Marshall Islands
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- Namibia
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- Saint Helena
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- Samoa
- San Marino
- São Tomé and Príncipe
- Saudi Arabia
- Scotland
- Senegal
- Serbia
- Seychelles
- Sierra Leone
- Singapore
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- Slovakia
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- Solomon Islands
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- Suriname
- Sweden
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- Syria
- Tajikistan
- Tanzania
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- Timor-Leste
- Togo
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- Tunisia
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Useful Information
- Dublin to Pretoria: 8913.01 km (5538.28 mi)
- Travel time: 18 hours 34 minutes
This page was last updated on: November 2025