South Africa's New ETA Digital Pass to Streamline G20 Delegates' Entry
South Africa is set to modernize its entry process with the introduction of the Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA). The digital pass aims to streamline access for visitors, with the first phase focusing on delegates attending G20 meetings from visa-required countries arriving at Johannesburg's O. R. Tambo or Cape Town international airports.
The ETA system is expected to go live at the end of September and have an official launch next month. Initially, it will apply only to travelers holding a valid ordinary passport and arriving through the specified airports. The first phase will concentrate on attendees of the G20 meetings, with the second phase opening applications to all tourists from the same four countries after the event.
Leon Schreiber, South Africa's Minister of Home Affairs, recently unveiled the first images of the upcoming ETA portal. The ETA is valid for up to 90 days with a one-time extension of another 90 days possible. Over the next few years, the ETA will be expanded to other visa categories and automated entry-and-exit based on facial recognition will be rolled out to all ports of entry. Notably, visa-exempt travelers can also apply for an ETA to travel to South Africa.
The ETA's phased rollout begins with selected countries for G20 delegates, then expands to all tourists from those countries, before eventually encompassing all visa categories and ports of entry. This digital pass signals South Africa's commitment to modernizing its immigration processes.
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