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South Africa for Turkmen passport holders: Embassy visa

Your circumstances

Passport:
🇹🇲 Turkmen
Lives in:
Not specified (general rule)
Going to:
🇿🇦 South Africa
Purpose:
Holiday

Route summary

Embassy visa

Visa required before travel

Turkmenistan ordinary passport holders are not visa-exempt on the official South African DHA exemption list (issued 09 Dec 2025): a visitor visa is needed before travel from a South African mission/VFS. It is not on the DHA eVisa nationality list; DHA is progressively adding visa-required countries to the new ETA (eta.dha.gov.za) since 12 Aug 2026, so check there first.

Conditions

  • Turkmenistan ordinary passport holders are not visa-exempt on the official South African DHA exemption list (issued 09 Dec 2025): a visitor visa is needed before travel from a South African mission/VFS. It is not on the DHA eVisa nationality list; DHA is progressively adding visa-required countries to the new ETA (eta.dha.gov.za) since 12 Aug 2026, so check there first.

About this route

Route type
Embassy visa: you apply through an embassy, consulate or appointed visa centre.
Documents
Document list not published by the official source.
Fee
Fee not published by the official source.
Processing
Processing time not published by the official source.

Next step

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

Official sourcedha.gov.za ↗ (opens in a new tab)

Last checked 1 Nov 2026 against dha.gov.za · Official page read 2026-11-01 (audit)

Documents

Document list not published by the official source.

Fees

Official government fee
Not published by the official source
Visa-centre / service fee (not a government fee)
None stated by the official source
Notes from the source
Not on the exemption list; fee not stated on the list.

Visa-centre, service or other third-party charges are never official government fees.

Processing and validity

Processing time, validity and maximum stay: not published by the official source.

Quick answers

Do Turkmen passport holders need a visa for South Africa?

Visa required before travel. Turkmenistan ordinary passport holders are not visa-exempt on the official South African DHA exemption list (issued 09 Dec 2025): a visitor visa is needed before travel from a South African mission/VFS. It is not on the DHA eVisa nationality list; DHA is progressively adding visa-required countries to the new ETA (eta.dha.gov.za) since 12 Aug 2026, so check there first. Source: https://www.dha.gov.za/index.php/immigration-services/exempt-countries

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 South Africa

Not verified yet (not yet covered). We haven't verified the business rules for Turkmen 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 dha.gov.za.

Working in South Africa

Main work visa routes for South Africa

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

Critical Skills Work Visa (section 19(4))

For: People in an occupation on the latest Critical Skills List

  • Occupation on the latest Critical Skills List
  • Valid offer or contract of employment signed by employer and applicant
  • Confirmation of skills/qualifications and post-qualification experience by a SAQA-recognised professional body or government department
  • SAQA evaluation of foreign qualifications (or proof of application)
  • Medical report and police clearance certificates
Length
Up to 5 years at a time (1 year if the SAQA evaluation is still pending)

Source: Department of Home Affairs (South Africa) – Critical Skills Work Visa requirements (Oct 2024) (dha.gov.za).

What the source says

"The occupation/critical skill must be on the latest Critical Skills List." … "A valid offer of employment or contract of employment stipulating the conditions of employment and signed by both the employer and the applicant." … "confirming the skills or qualifications of the applicant and appropriate post qualification experience" … "proof of application submitted to SAQA for evaluation of foreign qualifications" … "A critical skills work visa shall be issued for a period not exceeding five years at a time." … "the critical skills work visa shall be issued for a period of one year"

Checked 16 Oct 2026. Overview: Department of Home Affairs. Requirements, fees and thresholds change; confirm on the official page before applying.

Transit through South Africa

Option 1
Visa-freeTransit (changing flights)

Air transit at OR Tambo, Cape Town, King Shaka or Lanseria: no transit visa

South Africa's Minister of Home Affairs has exempted travellers transiting through OR Tambo, Cape Town International, King Shaka and Lanseria airports from transit visas; you will be biometrically captured. Pakistani and Bangladeshi passport holders have their own rule (transit visa required). Transiting overland needs a port-of-entry visa.

Conditions

  • Applies at OR Tambo, Cape Town International, King Shaka and Lanseria airports.
  • Land-border transit needs a port-of-entry visa.
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.

✓ Checked on the live official page

Official wording

“South African High Commission Canberra (DIRCO): 'The Minister of Home Affairs has exempted travellers transiting through the following international airports of South Africa from transit visas in terms of section 10B(4)(a) of the Immigration Act 2002: OR Tambo International, Cape Town International, King Shaka and Lanseria. Travellers transiting these airports will be subjected to biometric capturing. Travellers using land ports of entry to transit through South Africa will have to apply for a port of entry visa.' 'Transit visa will now be required for Pakistani and Bangladesh passport holders as per ID No.11 of 2022.'”

Alert me if this route changes

Get an email when we update the guidance for Turkmen passport holders going to South Africa, 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 South Africa

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

Common tourist traps

  1. Fake ride-hailing drivers

    How it works: Unregistered drivers pose as Uber or other app drivers, especially at airports.

    How to avoid it: Check the car and driver match the app, and wait in a designated pick-up area.

  2. 'Help' at ATMs

    How it works: Crime around ATMs and money exchanges is common, including strangers offering help or luring you to an ATM.

    How to avoid it: Refuse help from strangers at ATMs, and change large sums only in banks or secure malls.

  3. Followed from the airport

    How it works: Criminals have followed people from OR Tambo airport to where they were going and robbed them, often at gunpoint.

    How to avoid it: Stay alert to anyone following you after you leave the airport.

All 5 traps for South Africa →

Emergency numbers in South Africa

Other traps paraphrased from official travel advice: gov.uk · FCDO page updated 8 Jul 2026 · Last checked 24 Oct 2026.

Explore South Africa

Planning more than the paperwork? Our South Africa guide picks out things to do, with a source for every tip.

Things to do:
Table Mountain cableway · Robben Island · Boulders Beach penguins
Read the full South Africa guide

Turkmen passport: of the 152 destinations with a rule verified from an official source, 12 visa-free, 16 visa on arrival, 37 eVisa or travel authorisation, 87 embassy visa.

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

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

Optional travel offers

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Plan your trip to South Africa

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 1 Nov 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.