South Africa has recently revised its entry requirement for New Zealand citizens. But there are no plans of New Zealand to offer visa-free traveling to South African tourists in the country. New Zealand Immigration minister lain Lees-Galloway has considered the change ‘welcome news’ but he said that nothing will change for New Zealand-bound South Africans.
New Zealand has not set any immigration rules that offer visa-free access to any country based on reciprocity. That means if a country is offering New Zealand citizens visa-free traveling, then it is not obvious that New Zealand will also offer visa-free traveling to that country’s citizens. New Zealand has been working closely with South African officials on visa issues to improve the experience of New Zealanders and South Africans traveling in both countries. It has not set any plan at this stage to change visitor visa requirement for South Africans traveling to New Zealand.
A South African citizen has to obtain New Zealand ETA visa like other countries’ travelers that want to visit the country with any type of visa including student visas, traveling visa, tourist visa or short term working visa. South Africa’s Department of Home Affair announced on 10th July that New Zealand tourists would soon be able to visit the country without any visa.
South Africa has also exempted visa regulation for citizens of Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Saudia Arabia, Cuba, Ghana, and Sao Tome and Principe. The department of Home Affairs has not cleared exactly when the new regulation will be applied for New Zealand and other countries.
