By Mark Ogagan
South Africa will launch its new Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) system in September 2025, aimed at short-term tourists. This AI-based system is designed to eliminate border queues, fraud, and administrative burdens.
The planned ETA, which was first announced last September, is now moving into its implementation phase and has been introduced to President Cyril Ramaphosa by Minister of Home Affairs Leon Schreiber.
The system will officially go live in September 2025 for visa-required tourists staying in the country for less than 90 days.
During his State of the Nation Address (SONA) in February, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced the digitalization of South Africa’s immigration processes. “This year, we will launch an Electronic Travel Authorisation system to enable a secure, fully digital visa application process,” the South African president declared.
A few months later, Minister of Home Affairsm Leon Schreiber presented the new ETA system to the president.
“It was my privilege to demonstrate the digital future of our immigration system to President Cyril Ramaphosa yesterday. During SONA in February, the President announced that Home Affairs would build an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) to digitalise visa and entry/exit processes at ports of entry,” Schreiber said on June 12.
The ETA, built on advanced artificial intelligence technology, will initially allow for short-stay tourist visa applications of up to 90 days. The system is set to be rolled out at South Africa’s major international airports by the end of September.
Leon Schreiber stated, “I am delighted to announce that, by the end of September, the ETA will go live for tourist visa applications shorter than 90 days and will be rolled out by the BMA at major international airports.”
“Over time, we will expand the ETA so that every type of visa application is processed only through this AI-based system to eliminate fraud and inefficiency – forever,” the Home Affairs Minister explained.
Discussion about this post