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Pakistan for South African passport holders: eVisa

Your circumstances

Passport:
🇿🇦 South African
Lives in:
Not specified (general rule)
Going to:
🇵🇰 Pakistan
Purpose:
Holiday

Route summary

eVisa

Online tourist visa (up to 3 months)

South African citizens can apply online for a Pakistan tourist visa (single entry, up to 3 months) through the Pakistan Online Visa System.

Conditions

  • Only nationals of the listed countries who are residing in those countries can apply online (Pakistan Online Visa System FAQ); you may be called for an interview at a Pakistan mission.
  • Issuance of a visa is the prerogative of the Government of Pakistan.

About this route

Route type
eVisa: you apply online before you travel.
Documents
3 listed by the official source.
Fee
US$20 (as published).
Processing
7–10 working days.

Next step

Steps not published by the official source — use the official link to start.

Official application pagevisa.nadra.gov.pk ↗ (opens in a new tab)

Last checked 9 Oct 2026 against visa.nadra.gov.pk · Checked on the live official page

Documents

3 documents listed by the official source
  • Passport
  • Photograph
  • Hotel booking details

Fees

Official government fee
US$20
Visa-centre / service fee (not a government fee)
None stated by the official source
Notes from the source
US$ 20 for Tourist/Visit, individual less than 3 months, single entry, applying from South Africa (official fee calculator); paid online by card.

These notes may mention other charges that we have not yet separated into government and service fees. Visa-centre, service or other third-party charges are never official government fees.

Processing and validity

Processing time
7–10 working days
Validity
Not published by the official source
Maximum stay
Up to 3 months, single entry

How to apply: Online tourist visa (up to 3 months)

Where to apply

Where: Online (Pakistan Online Visa System)

Official application page: visa.nadra.gov.pk ↗ (opens in a new tab)

Quick answers

Do South African passport holders need a visa for Pakistan?

Online tourist visa (up to 3 months). South African citizens can apply online for a Pakistan tourist visa (single entry, up to 3 months) through the Pakistan Online Visa System. Source: https://visa.nadra.gov.pk/tourist-visa/

Business, work or just passing through?

The rules above are for a holiday: tourism and visiting family and friends. Business visits, paid work and transit are covered separately below.

Business visits to Pakistan

Not verified yet (not yet covered). We haven't verified the business rules for South African passport holders, and we don't publish rules we haven't checked against an official source. A rule that is awaiting verification or not yet covered is not a negative visa decision: it only means we haven't confirmed it on an official source yet. Until then, see visa.nadra.gov.pk.

Working in Pakistan

Option 1
eVisaWork

Work – General visa (online, up to 2 years)

Foreign nationals with a valid job offer apply online for a Work – General visa: up to 2 years, multiple entries, processing about 4 weeks. Board of Investment / concerned ministry recommendation required.

Conditions

  • Valid job offer.
  • If you apply from a third country, upload proof of legal residence there.
  • See the Board of Investment work visa page for requirements (invest.gov.pk/work-visa).
Government fee
Fee not officially published
Fee depends on nationality – shown in the official fee calculator.
Processing
4 weeks
Validity
Up to 2 years, multiple entries
Max stay
Not verified yet
Steps, documents & where to apply

How to apply

Steps not verified yet — follow the official source below.

Where: Online (Pakistan Online Visa System)

Official application page ↗

Documents checklist

  • Passport
  • Photograph
  • Employment letter from an SECP-registered company (salary, duration) or sponsorship/guarantee letter
  • Recommendation of BOI / concerned ministry (CWA)

✓ Checked on the live official page

Official wording

“Pakistan Online Visa System – Work – General Visa: "Citizens of foreign countries who have a valid job offer and meet the requirements are eligible to apply for this visa… Entry/Extension: 2 Years (Multiple Entries)… 4 weeks (For Entry/ Extension)." Documents include an employment letter from an SECP-registered company and the recommendation of BOI/CWA concerned.”

⚠ Not from an official source: items marked below come from secondary sources (law firms, employer-of-record guides, IOM, Wikipedia), not the destination government. They are not verified and may be out of date; confirm with the embassy or immigration authority.

Main work visa routes for Pakistan

These are the main routes and what they require. Whether you qualify depends on your circumstances; the official page decides.

Work visa

⚠ Not from an official source

For: Foreign employees with a job offer in Pakistan

  • A job offer is needed
  • Entry work visa up to 3 months; extension up to 2 years
Length
Entry visa up to 3 months; extension up to 2 years

Source: G-P Globalpedia – Pakistan visas & permits (employer-of-record guide) (Not official) (globalization-partners.com) · Not from an official source.

What the source says

"They must have a job offer and meet certain requirements to apply for a visa." … "An entry work visa can be granted for up to 3 months (single entry), while an extension work visa can be granted for up to 2 years (multiple entries)."

Checked 16 Oct 2026. Requirements, fees and thresholds change; confirm on the official page before applying.

Transit through Pakistan

Option 1
Visa-freeTransit (changing flights)

Airside transit may not need a visa - depends on airline and airport (not from an official source)

Unofficial source – not verified

This rule is not from an official Pakistan government source. It is based on a secondary reference source (dict.dyimin.com). Confirm with the embassy or the official immigration authority before you travel.

Not from an official Pakistan government source: based on the World Visa Encyclopedia (dict.dyimin.com, an unofficial reference site), a single unofficial source. Not verified - conditions vary by airline and airport; confirm with your airline and the embassy before travel. The site says: “Airside Transit: A visa may be exempted if the traveler remains exclusively within the international transit area of the same airport without undergoing immigration clearance, provided the airline permits such transit.”

Conditions

  • Stay in the international transit area (airside); do not pass immigration.
  • Check your airline allows it (through ticket and checked-through baggage).
Government fee
Fee not officially published
Processing
Not verified yet
Validity
Not verified yet
Max stay
Not verified yet
Steps, documents & where to apply

How to apply

Steps not verified yet — follow the official source below.

Documents checklist

Document list not verified yet — check the official source.

✓ Secondary_research

Official wording

“World Visa Encyclopedia (dict.dyimin.com), 'Pakistan' chapter 14 Transit / Transfer: “Airside Transit: A visa may be exempted if the traveler remains exclusively within the international transit area of the same airport without undergoing immigration clearance, provided the airline permits such transit.””

Your transit travel report

We only create the PDF report from rules checked against an official government source.

Alert me if this route changes

Get an email when we update the guidance for South African passport holders going to Pakistan, after we've checked the change against the official source. Nothing else.

Tell me about changes to

We send a confirmation email first. Unconfirmed sign-ups are deleted after 7 days.

Before you go to Pakistan

Customs cash limits and the scams official travel advice warns about in Pakistan.

Cash you can bring in and take out

Bringing cash in
Incoming passengers carrying foreign currency over US$10,000 (or equivalent) must file a customs declaration.
Taking cash out
Adults may take out up to US$5,000 per visit and US$30,000 per calendar year (minors US$2,500 / US$15,000); to Afghanistan US$1,000 per visit. Anyone taking foreign currency out must declare it before or at departure.

Official source: download1.fbr.gov.pk · Last checked 9 Oct 2026 · Details

Common tourist traps

  1. Street taxis and ride apps

    How it works: FCDO advises against street taxis, e-taxis and online taxi apps.

    How to avoid it: Only use taxis from reputable, licensed companies that you call, where the operator assigns the driver.

  2. Card fraud and scams

    How it works: Credit card fraud is common and there is a black market in forged and stolen passports.

    How to avoid it: Keep your card and passport secure and be wary of scams.

  3. Property scams

    How it works: British nationals have been victims of property scams such as selling the same plot to several buyers or impersonating the owner.

    How to avoid it: Use reputable legal advice before buying or transferring property.

Emergency numbers in Pakistan

Paraphrased from official travel advice: gov.uk · FCDO page updated 22 Sept 2026 · Last checked 6 Oct 2026.

Explore Pakistan

Planning more than the paperwork? Our Pakistan guide picks out places to visit, with a source for every tip.

Places to visit:
Lahore Fort and Shalamar Gardens · Moenjodaro · Makli necropolis, Thatta
Read the full Pakistan guide

South African passport: of the 153 destinations with a rule verified from an official source, 51 visa-free, 13 visa on arrival, 31 eVisa or travel authorisation, 58 embassy visa.

Pakistan: rules verified from an official source for 192 of 198 passports. Pakistan guide and every passport →

Where else can South African passport holders travel? See every destination we cover →

Optional travel offers

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Plan your trip to Pakistan

Verify with the embassy before you book. Visa rules change without notice. We link every rule to its official source and last checked it on 9 Oct 2026, but the embassy, official e-visa portal and your airline have the final say. MyVisaPort is not a visa agent and is not affiliated with any government.