SA travel: 7 Middle-Eastern nations that allow visa-free visits

As per the Henley & Partners Passport Index for 2023, SA passport holders can visit these SEVEN Middle East countries visa-free.

By: Garrin Lambley

The Henley & Partners Passport Index for 2023 lists the 106 countries that South Africans can travel to without requiring a visa.

The index included 199 passports and 227 travel destinations, ranking them in terms of travel power.

Each passport as scored on the total number of destinations that the holder can access visa-free.

South Africa placed 53rd with a visa-free score of 106.

That means there are 106 countries across the world that a South African passport holder can travel to visa-free.

ALSO READ: These European countries allow visa-free visits for South Africans

South Africa has slipped two positions from 51st last year, but its score has increased by two after Burundi and Gambia allowed visa-free South African passport holders to enter the country.

Meanwhile, the index found that the Japanese passport was the most powerful with a visa-free score of 193, followed by Singapore and South Korea in a tie with 192.

Afghanistan sits at the bottom of the list with a score of 27.

MIDDLE EASTERN COUNTRIES

Of those 106 countries, only SEVEN Middle Eastern allow visa-free travel for South Africans.

They are: Armenia, Iran, Israel, Jordan, Oman, Qatar and Palestinian Territory.

COUNTRIES SOUTH AFRICAN PASSPORT HOLDERS CAN VISIT VISA-FREE PER REGION:

Africa – 35

Americas – 18

Asia – 17

Caribbean – 16

Europe – 4

Middle East – 7

Oceania – 9

THE 106 COUNTRIES SOUTH AFRICANS CAN VISIT WITHOUT A VISA

* visa on arrival, ** electronic travel authority (ETA)

Angola

Antigua and Barbuda

Argentina

Armenia *

Bahamas

Barbados

Belize

Benin

Bolivia *

Botswana

Brazil

British Virgin Islands

Burundi *

Cambodia *

Cape Verde Islands *

Cayman Islands

Chile

Comoro Islands *

Cook Islands

Costa Rica

Dominica

Dominican Republic

Ecuador

Egypt *

El Salvador

eSwatini

Ethiopia *

Falkland Islands

Fiji

Gabon

Georgia

Ghana *

Grenada

Guatemala

Guinea-Bissau *

Guyana

Haiti

Honduras

Hong Kong (SAR China)

Indonesia

Iran *

Ireland

Israel

Jamaica

Jordan *

Kenya

Kosovo

Kyrgyzstan *

Laos *

Lesotho

Macao (SAR China)

Madagascar *

Malawi

Malaysia

Maldives *

Marshall Islands *

Mauritania *

Mauritius

Micronesia

Montserrat

Mozambique

Namibia

Nepal *

Nicaragua

Nigeria *

Niue

Oman

Pakistan **

Palau Islands *

Palestinian Territory

Panama

Paraguay

Peru

Philippines

Qatar

Reunion

Russian Federation

Rwanda *

Samoa *

Senegal

Seychelles *

Sierra Leone *

Singapore

Somalia *

South Korea **

Sri Lanka **

St. Helena *

St. Kitts and Nevis

St. Lucia

St. Vincent and the Grenadines

Tajikistan *

Tanzania

Thailand

The Gambia

Timor-Leste *

Togo *

Trinidad and Tobago

Tunisia

Turks and Caicos Islands

Tuvalu *

Uganda *

Uruguay

Vanuatu

Venezuela

Zambia

Zimbabwe