No appointments available
Book as early as 6 months ahead and check for released slots. Never pay touts.
Do South Africans need a visa for Europe (Schengen area)?
Embassy visafor South African passports
South Africans need a Schengen visa for Europe’s 29 Schengen countries. It costs €90 plus a service fee, and decisions usually take 15 days.
StayUp to 90 days in any 180
Schengen visa (adult)€90, about R1,670 (Spain charged R1,689)
Difficulty 4 of 5
Last checkedChecked17 Oct 2026
What changed: South Africans were refused only 5.3% of the time in 2025, against 14.8% worldwide.
What you need
Tick these off as you go. Your ticks are saved on this device.
How to do it
- Apply to the country where you’ll spend the most nights (or the first one, if equal).
- Book an appointment at that country’s visa centre, up to 6 months and at least 15 days before you travel.
- Give fingerprints and pay; decisions usually take 15 days.
Official site:
Airlines decide whether you can board using a database called Timatic. Before you fly, check your route on the IATA Travel Centre.
What it costs in rand
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Schengen visa (adult) | €90, about R1,670 (Spain charged R1,689) |
| Children 6 to 12 | €45, about R830 |
| Visa centre service fee | About R300–R850, depending on the country |
Rand amounts use the exchange rate on 9 October 2026 (R16.53 to the US dollar, R18.50 to the euro, R21.87 to the pound) and are rounded. Work out your whole trip in the budget calculator.
Common problems and fixes
Refused for “insufficient ties”
Add an employer letter with your leave dates, payslips and proof of your home.
Plan your trip
Best timeApril to June, and September to October
MoneyEuro (EUR) in most Schengen countries
Three trip ideas
Italy
Rome, Florence and the Amalfi coast.
Portugal
Lisbon, Porto and the Algarve.
France and Spain
Paris, then Barcelona by train.
Good to know
- Read the full Schengen guide before you apply.
Book
Some of these links earn us a small commission, at no extra cost to you. How we make money.
Sources and checks
Checked17 Oct 2026
Checked on 17 Oct 2026 against the official government or embassy page, plus at least one independent source.
- officialApplying for a Schengen visa · European Commission · no date shown
- officialSchengen visas · Consulate General of Spain in Cape Town · no date shown
- secondarySA Schengen visa demand rises (2025 statistics) · Travelnews · published 2 Jun 2026
- secondaryMore than 10 million Schengen visas issued in 2025 · VisasNews (European Commission data) · published 28 May 2026
How we check: our method and every source we use.
Spotted a change?
Rules change often. If something here is out of date, tell us and we’ll check it.
Hear it first
Visa rules change every few months. Get the changes by email: one a week at most, plus urgent ones. Unsubscribe with one click.
Visa alerts
Opens our email sign-up form. We only keep your email address and the date you agreed. Unsubscribe any time.