Tips and recommendations for traveling to South Africa. To Africa without a visa: what Russian tourists need to know about South Africa Tree Frog Hotel

South Africa, a vacation in which leaves no one indifferent, is one of the most expensive tourist destinations. However, tourists do not regret the money spent, since this country is capable of giving more than you actually expect. A holiday here in 2019 will not only be interesting and varied, but will give you the most vivid memories for a lifetime.

Here you can relax on magnificent beaches surrounded by coral reefs and mountain ranges. Not far from the luxury hotel, elephants, lions, rhinoceroses, giraffes and other wild animals live in their natural environment, seeing which in such conditions is a real happiness for all romantics and lovers of life.

The highlight of a holiday in South Africa are excursions to nature reserves and national parks. In addition to exciting mini-tours and safaris, tourists are offered:

boat trips,
wonderful fishing,
kitchen with unique food,
excursions to local cellars with wine tasting,
superb surfing and much more.

South Africa excursion

The territory of the country is divided into several provinces, which differ from each other not only in size, but also in appearance, climate, history, and ethnic composition.

The capital of the republic, Pretoria (Tshwane), where the largest diamond in the world was once found, is very attractive as an excursion route. In September, jacaranda trees bloom here and decorate the city. The most significant landmark of the capital is the Union Building architectural complex, which symbolizes the awakening of national feelings after the Boer War. The residence of the President of South Africa, the State Theater Complex, and the Tshwane Forts are also noteworthy.

One of the most colorful cities is Durban, where you can visit:

various museums,
Center for African Art,
Church of St. Paul.

Near the city is the Valley of a Thousand Hills, where you can meet the Zulu tribe, visit a crocodile farm and a snake reserve.

Another popular South African city is Port Elizabeth, located in the Eastern Cape state. Here it is worth visiting the Donkin Reserve Museum, which presents the life of the first British colonists, and visiting the city hall and Fort Frederick. Of considerable interest are the Wezandla Gallery, which displays exhibits of African art, and the Air Force Museum, dedicated to South Africa.

National parks and safaris in South Africa

The hallmark of holidays in South Africa are its national parks, among which Kruger Park is worth highlighting. This breathtaking place is located in the provinces of Limpopo and Mpumalanga and covers almost 2 million hectares. Here, tourists go on exciting safaris and walks in the wild, and also try to see the Big Five all at once. The reserve is divided into 14 ecological zones, each of which represents its own unique nature with different flora and fauna. In addition, the park has camps, lodges and picnic areas. There are restaurants, shops and tourism organizations offering spectacular excursions.

Another nature reserve worth mentioning is the Cape of Good Hope. He serves as the personification of the hope of the Portuguese, who were looking for India in the 15th century. Today this place attracts with its beautiful scenery. The uniqueness of the protected area lies in the fact that, in addition to other animals, penguins are found here. Surprisingly, they were once able to swim to the coast of Africa from Antarctica itself and then settled here forever.

Beach holidays in South Africa

South Africa also boasts its beaches. The Cape of Good Hope has a beautiful coastline that makes for a great holiday. Blue Flag beaches are popular among travelers.

The shores of Clifton, Victoria, and Llandudno, which are reliably protected from the winds by granite rocks and offer tourists a romantic atmosphere and entertainment such as surfing, diving, kiting, and yacht trips, are characterized by excellent reviews.

Resorts such as Cape Town and Durban deserve attention, which can be proud of their golden shores and rich infrastructure. Accommodation here varies: from very inexpensive hostels to luxury hotels.

The coast of the Indian Ocean gives the impression of coziness and comfort. The beaches here are great for families with children.

Holiday seasons in 2019

Holidays in South Africa are often associated with hot weather, but this is not the case. The climate in this part of Africa is mild and very pleasant, and throughout the year there is no sweltering heat, as in neighboring countries. The climate is more determined by the influence of the oceans.

High season

You can relax at the resorts all year round, but perhaps the most comfortable time to visit the country is from May to July. At this time, it is winter in South Africa: the air warms up to +23oC, and the grass is still low and animals can be seen more easily.

Low season

This is the time of summer (September-March). During these months, the mornings are sunny, and thunderstorms often occur in the afternoon, most of which are observed in the northern regions of the country. On average, the air temperature is recorded around +38°C. However, it is during the summer months that the cold waters of the Atlantic Ocean warm up well and become comfortable for swimming, so it is better to take a beach holiday from November to March. The peak prices for such holidays are observed in December.

*reissue with pictures

It must be warned that the people undertaking this trip are not clients of travel agencies and prefer the backpacker style of travel, i.e. I bought a ticket, made my own visa, bought the LONELY PLANET guide (hereinafter referred to as LP) and boarded the plane, arrived and settled in a cheap hostel with amenities in the hallway. If you like beach and vegetable holidays or travel in the style of “we were brought by bus and everything was told to us in Russian” - do not read this story.

South Africa

Initial data:

4 people with a Russian passport.

Flight on the route Moscow - Cairo - Johannesburg and back.

17 days “clean” in South Africa.

More than 4000 km behind the wheel.

Provinces Gauteng, Mpumalanga, Free State, Northern Cape, Eastern Cape, Western Cape.

Travel budget:

1) Flight - about $ 1000 - Egypt Air

2) Visa 1800 rubles

3) Per person with accommodation and meals approximately $1000 for 16 days, not including national parks and souvenirs

4) Car rental for the entire time without mileage limitation $900 for four

Consumer Facts:

1) Currency - African Rand (R). €1 is equal to approximately R10 (2007)

2) liter of 95 gasoline - R7 ($1)

3) accommodation from R160 per night

4) Beer costs about R30 for 6x0.33 in the store

5) Entry to national parks from R100 per person

6) A decent, huge two-course meal in a restaurant costs between R50 and R120 per person, depending on the city.

The idea of our visiting the Republic of South Africa belonged to an aborigine who now lives between London and Zurich, who was carried to Moscow by a crazy wind, and for whom we helped him get to the Russia-England football match, for which it was very difficult to get tickets. In response, he helped with the invitations by asking his friend, the owner of a small hotel in Cape Town, to make us invitations.

As it turned out, we could have printed these invitations ourselves, since the only significant requirement of the South African Embassy in Moscow, in addition to having a passport, is financial solvency, i.e. confirmation of the person's availability of money at the rate of approximately $1,500 for a two-week stay per person. Visas for individuals are issued in 10 days and the process of obtaining them is as simple as possible. The visas were issued on time, in mid-January, and we were fully prepared for the departure date.

The cheapest flight available was an Egypt Air flight from Moscow to Johannesburg with a 5-hour connection in Cairo. The flight turned out to be quite convenient, a day flight to Cairo from Domodedovo, and departure from Cairo at 22 o'clock, with arrival in Joburg around 9 am the next day. The Egyptians' planes are new, clean, the pilots are neat, and the stewards are helpful. Only the Cairo airport, or rather its international zone, which consists of two floors, made an unpleasant impression: on the first there is a whiff of the good old “scoop”, on the second there is a more or less modern duty-free zone. Nothing special, dirty and unfriendly.

When flying to Joburg, the border guards tried to take away a bottle of vodka, which we were carrying as a gift to a man from Cape Town for the invitations made to us, but at the cost of certain efforts associated with stuffing the gift “@@@ink” into a photo backpack with equipment, traditional Russian We defended the souvenir.

Day1st, Pretoria (Tswane City), Gauteng.

The Egyptians took us to Joburg on their A330-200 without incident, and at around 10 a.m. we were already waiting for our luggage, wondering whether the Egypt Air employees at Cairo airport had stuffed it onto the wrong conveyor belt or not. After receiving our luggage and some hiccups with the customs declaration, we finally ended up in the arrival hall of the O.R. International Airport. Tambo and found a welcoming person - a girl named Monique, co-owner of our first refuge in South Africa - the 1322 Backpackers hostel, located in the safe “white” area of Pretoria - Hatfield. For quite reasonable money, about R280 for four, she took us to the shelter and provided us with two wooden houses for accommodation, R175 each. After cleaning up and other related procedures, we went out into the city to look around. We spent the first day wandering around the surrounding shopping complexes, Sunday markets and at the same time strolled through the streets of Hatfield, finding the car rental agency where we had a reservation, and also went to the beautiful rose garden of Venning Park. We spent the evening in a noisy group of Americans eating barbecue prepared by the hostel owners Tim and Monique.

Day 2, Transfer from Pretoria (Gauteng) to Nelspruit (Mpumalanga) and on to Sabie.

Early in the morning we went to the TEMPEST-SIXT branch, where we ordered a TOYOTA COROLLA 1.6AT and, to our surprise, instead of a Toyota they gave us a free upgrade to an AUDI A4 2.0AT, a delicate silver-blue color with Cape Town license plates. As it turned out later, this car simply had to be transported to Cape Town, since the previous tenants had apparently made the return trip, but we, in fact, did not resist, since upgrading the car was free. The rental cost us $900 for 15 days, including super insurance with two drivers included, unlimited mileage and one way extra charge (R800), as well as half of the security deposit (approximately R1900). The 15-minute battle with fear of right-hand drive ended as soon as we drove onto Pretorius Street, one of the busiest streets in Pretoria, at 9am on Monday. Without incident, we got to the hostel, where we loaded our backpacks, set up a navigation system from a PDA, a GPS receiver and a voltage converter, and started northeast along the N12, and then along the N4, to the final point in Sabie - the optimal base for exploring the third largest city in the world of a river canyon - Blyde River.

On the way, we stopped at a branch of NEDBANK, a local bank that exchanges the Am.Express travel checks we had stored without commission. This procedure took quite a long time, spent filling out forms and checking receipts. What caught my eye was the system for introducing clients to the bank, which we later encountered in all banks without exception. When you enter, you are searched with a metal detector, then you go through the door and find yourself in a transparent vestibule, and the next door does not open until the previous one is locked. At the same time, in such an airlock a maximum of two adult men can fit, and it is quite easy to isolate them during a robbery attempt. Apparently they took a long time to achieve this...

After conducting currency transactions, we plunged into the atmosphere of the South African federal highways. When leaving the populated area, we passed the “120” sign, after which the road gradually began to narrow until it became single-lane in each direction, with a shoulder the same width as the lane, separated by a bright yellow line. It is worth mentioning road etiquette in South Africa. Western drivers are more civilized; you feel completely safe on the road. Slow-moving trucks pull over to the designated side of the road, or, as they themselves say, an emergency lane, and let faster cars pass, for which they are always told “thank you” with the help of an emergency signal and in response they receive a “yes please” with high beams. Moreover, etiquette was strictly observed by everyone, which was very pleasant both when they missed and when they overtook. Overtaking, by the way, is done only on the right, which would probably be extremely pleasant for our “chess players” on the Moscow Ring Road)).

The highway that our navigator suggested to us, speaking in a female voice called Natasha (IGO program on HP4700), turned out to be a toll road, marked with the letter “T”, or TOLL ROUTE, and on the way to Nelspruit we had to pay money three times at the so-called plazas. In total we paid about R80.

We reached the first stop on the route in Nelspuit around 15:00, unexpectedly covering a distance of about 450 km. The trip along the eastern N4 highway, which we turned onto from the Pretoria N12 highway, was especially fast, as we had already gained a certain confidence in our abilities behind the right wheel on the left side of the road and the ability to turn on the sport mode in our Audi.

Over lunch in the rather nice and large Nelspruit, we opened the LP and called the first phone number in the town of Sabie listed for the Billy Bongo Backpackers Hostel. The road to Sabie took another two hours, despite the 70 km distance, since when leaving Nelspruit we got into evening traffic.

Arriving in Sabie, with the help of a local descendant of the Dutch, who turned out to be a friend of the owner of our hostel, we found accommodation for the night. A very nice house, with several rooms, located at the foot of the mountains. The owner, a rather unpredictable funny guy named Gath, turned out to be a pretty good guy, but he abused marijuana and beer, which he bought from himself, and also very persistently offered guests bungee jumping. He is helped in running the hotel by a guy from Malawi called Master, since his name is almost impossible to pronounce. In general, a very good and very budget option in a picturesque place with a good geographical location relative to local attractions. I recommend it, you won't be bored.

Day 3, Sabie-Graskop-Blyde River Canyon-Pilligrim’s Rest-Sabie. Mpumalanga.

This day was spent visiting numerous local attractions, including cascading waterfalls along a local fault, small towns and the main point of interest - the huge and picturesque Blyde River Canyon. Following the advice from LP in Graskop, we bought food and had a picnic on the edge of the Berlin Falls. As they say, scary and delicious)). We returned in the dark, wandering along local roads and serpentines.

Day 4. Return to Pretoria via N4 and N12 (approximately 500km).

Since we decided not to venture into a potentially dangerous area where malaria is spreading, so as not to become dependent on antimalarial drugs based on mefloquine with serious consequences, we did not go further east, stopping at the border of the main national park in South Africa - Krueger National Park. Although we did not fulfill one of the main goals of any tourist in South Africa - wildlife watching in the Kruger National Park, in the future we partially compensated for this loss at the expense of other reserves and smaller national parks located in safe areas.

Our route that day was in the opposite direction, but we got to Nelspruit by a different road, as we decided to stop at a small elephant sanctuary, which is privately owned. We wasted our time in vain, since we were never shown the elephants due to the heat, and we made a detour of 70 kilometers.

In Nelspruit itself we stopped at a small private Zoo dedicated to the traditional inhabitants - Crocodile River, on which it is actually located - i.e. to crocodiles.

We arrived in Pretoria after dark, and on the way we had time to stop at some roadside liquor store before 20 o’clock, purchasing excellent Namibian Windhoek beer.

Day5th. MovingPretoria - Kimberley. 450 km along N12 to the South-West.

The day spent on the road began with a visit to one of the few tourist places in Pretoria - the Monument to the Conquerors of South Africa - Voortrekker Monument, located on the southwestern outskirts of the city, on the road to Joburg. We looked at the museum, climbed onto the massive monument itself and moved on. At the exit to the highway, right next to the monument, we met the local traffic police. It’s all the fault of the leisurely guy driving his Corolla in front of us and, of course, the sport mode of our Audi. On a long straight stretch of highway, under the “80” sign, we overtook, at the end of which a dark-skinned traffic cop, waving his arms, ran out onto the road and motioned us to the side of the road. Exceeded by 19 km/h. The policeman took my license, offered to “pass”, then took out a thick notebook with a table of fines and showed me a picture from a video radar that captured us overtaking. They didn’t deny it. A fellow in uniform asked if we were from Cape Town after looking at our plates, and when he found out we were from Russia and not Cape Town, asked if it was okay for us to pay the R300 official fine. Having received an affirmative answer, he began to write a protocol, but when he was asked how to pay the fine - through a bank or some other way, he stopped and directly asked whether we wanted to pay the fine on the spot and what the desired amount of the fine was. Seeing some bewilderment, he simply asked the question: “R100, is it OK?”, after which he immediately received the required bill and let us go in peace.

Encouraged by the ease of communication with the traffic police, we spent the rest of the day on federal highways accompanied by wind at a speed of 120 to 160 km/h, which we had to reduce to 80, caught in a tropical downpour near the town of Potchefstroom.

When there were about 150 kilometers left to Kimberley, night overtook us. We drove along a luxurious road, with reflectors implanted into the road surface, and additional lighting came from lightning from a massive thunderstorm front, which, fortunately, we carefully avoided along the highway.

In Kimberley, I had to stay at a shelter called Stay A Day, which was a three-story “dorm” type building with the Old Testament lying on the tables and a ban on alcohol consumption. Double room - R260. Not the nicest or cheapest place.

Day 6. Kimberley and move to Cradock. The journey is approximately 600 km.

The second of three days occupied by large and long journeys through the provinces of the Northern Cape, Free State and Eastern Cape, and the most difficult day.

Contrary to the original plan, we decided not to make a three-hundred-kilometer detour and not go to the Kalahari Desert; accordingly, there was no point in basing an extra day in Kimberley, and we decided to rush further south, to the planned intermediate overnight stay in the town of Cradock.

But first we did what we came to this Kimberley for - we went to look at the Big Hole Complex museum complex, built around the largest hand-dug kimberlite pipe, mothballed in 1914. The De Beers company has built a wonderful museum complex, including the quarry itself, dungeons, with an audiovisual simulation of the diamond mining process (with explosions and smoke), a cinema hall, and even a city built around the time the company was founded.

It's worth a look, however, with the caveat that, by and large, there is nothing else to do there; if you are not traveling further north to the Kalahari, then think - do you need Kimberley? We needed it))). There is a shorter route to the south, passing through the city of Bloemfontein, considered the homeland of the Hobbits (the inventor of these creatures lived there as a child).

We left Kimberley heading south on the N12. A good road did not foreshadow troubles, but they happened. In the area of the town of Petruisville, when we, rejoicing at the time we had gained on the highway, turned into the city of Colesberg, according to the request of electronic Natasha, we ended up on a South African dirt road. And the remaining 90 km to the intermediate point were passed in agony at a speed of 20 km/h along a terrible “gravel road”, crossed by farm fences, concreted beds of dry watercourses and rarely seen cars, some of which stood on the side of the road without wheels. Bearing in mind the sharp gravel on the road and low-profile sports tires, as well as the fact that we were not driving a jeep, we had to move very carefully and slowly.

Our reward was a traditional Afrikaans dish - BOBOTI, a lamb casserole with curry rice in the small town of Colesberg.

The rest of the way to Cradock was spent competing with crazy trucks on the night highway.

Overnight at the Aureyanna B&B, which is run by a good-natured fat aunt, a descendant of the Boers. The place is not the cheapest - R360 per room, but there is nothing cheaper in Cradock.

Day7th. Cradock, Mountain Zebra National Park, overnightVAddo (300km).

The night before, the idea came to take advantage of the time gained at the expense of the Kalahari and visit the main attraction of Cradock - the Mountain Zebra National Park (a zebra is like a zebra, but only with a brown nose).

A very good park, no predators, wild animals. The zebras are only scared, but it depends. We were lucky, and at the end of the safari that we took around the park in our own car, what seemed to be the only unafraid zebra came out of the thickets towards us and proudly posed for us for several minutes. In addition, we saw enough of ostriches, buffalos and Kudu antelopes.

On the way back from the park we again passed through Cradock and a few hours later we arrived in the small village of Addo, located 50 km from the Indian Ocean, next to which is the second most famous national park in South Africa - Addo Elephant National Park.

We settled in perhaps the most pleasant place we have ever lived in South Africa - the Homestead Hostel, located in the middle of orange farms and surrounded by a museum garden with growing fruit trees. The establishment is run by two local pensioners who sold their farmland and concentrated on the tourism business. We were the first Russians in this place and, in addition, it happened to be the hostess’s birthday. For which we received a piece of local birthday cake.

The next morning we booked the so-called. Game Drive, i.e. safari in the park at 9 am.

Customs regulations

Customs rules in South Africa are liberal and do not create problems for tourists. The strict ban applies only to the import of weapons and drugs. Currency imported into the country is not declared. Persons with a foreign passport have the right to export any amount of legally purchased goods from the country. It should be borne in mind that by presenting special checks (tax invoice) at customs, which, at your request, will be issued by any store where the goods were purchased. You will be refunded 14% of the cost of the goods, the so-called VAT. However, if you want to take with you, as a souvenir of South Africa, skins and stuffed wild animals, as well as products made from them, at customs you need to present the license received when purchasing them. Ivory is prohibited from being exported in any form.

We inform you that from May 13, 2014, Resolution of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 398 of April 29, 2014 “On invalidating paragraph 7 of Resolution of the Government of the Russian Federation of December 31, 2005 No. 866 “On labeling alcoholic products with excise stamps” comes into force ". In this regard, the import of any alcoholic beverages into the territory of the Russian Federation from abroad is prohibited. The exception will be alcoholic beverages purchased at airports in Duty Free shops.

General information

One of the richest countries in the world, occupying the southernmost part of the African continent. South Africa has become one of the most attractive holiday and travel destinations today. The total area of the country is 1,220,430 square meters. km. In the north, South Africa borders Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe and Mozambique; Inside the country there are small independent states - Swaziland and Lesotho. South Africa is washed by the waters of two oceans: the Indian in the east and the Atlantic in the west.
What is it that attracts tourists to South Africa so irresistibly? Nature comes first. National parks and private reserves, where in natural conditions you can observe wild animals up close and, most importantly, the famous “Big Five” - elephant, lion, rhinoceros, buffalo, and leopard. By the way, it was believed that elephants, rhinoceroses and hippopotamuses in South Africa disappeared in the middle of the last century. Today, in the largest national park in the world, Kruger Park, special events are being carried out to resettle, and sometimes even shoot, elephants in order to regulate their numbers.
The capital is Pretoria. Cape Town (2 million people), Johannesburg (1.8 million people), Durban (1 million people), Port Elizabeth (400 thousand people), Germiston (200 thousand people), Bloemfontein (180 thousand people).
Population - 43 million people. The Niger-Congo group (Zulu, Xhosa, Tswana, Pedi, Suto, Tsongo, Swazi, etc.) - 72%, Afrikaners (white descendants of the Dutch) - 9.5%, mestizos - 9%, Indians - 3%.
In South Africa, two miracles coexist: geographical - the Cape of Good Hope, rightfully called the end of the Earth, and man-made - the fabulous city of Sun City, a grandiose entertainment complex, the amazing architecture of which leaves no one indifferent. Here is the best PALACE hotel in the world, here is one of the best casinos in the world. In Sun City you can practice any famous sport - even skiing.

Transport

The main mode of transport in South Africa is a personal car. Double-decker buses on main city routes rarely operate.
When using a taxi, you must make a reservation through the hotel or a representative of your host travel company. It is not safe to “catch” a taxi on the street. Voting in cities and on the road is not accepted.

The official currency in South Africa is the rand. It is issued in the form of banknotes in denominations of 10, 20, 50, 100 and 200 rand. In any of the banks in South Africa, upon presentation of your passport, the required amount of currency will be freely exchanged. Information on the exchange rate of the rand in relation to any of the hard currencies of the world is given in any of the local banks. It is best to exchange currency not at a hotel, where the rand exchange rate is always undervalued, but at a bank.

It lags behind Moscow by 1 hour.

South Africa is located in the Southern Hemisphere, so you need to remember that the seasons here are directly opposite to the Northern Hemisphere.
In South Africa there are no clear divisions into seasons.
The only thing that differs sharply from the other three is the winter period - June, July, August, when the temperature at night in Johannesburg and Pretoria can drop to + 0.+ 3 C.
However, during the day, due to the bright sun, which shines 300 days a year, the temperature rises to + 16, + 18 C.
In Cape Town, due to its proximity to Antarctica, it can be colder. Sometimes snow even falls there, which, however, immediately melts. It happens that in the extreme south, cloudy weather can last 2-3 days, and then the bright sun will shine again. But winter time is considered the best for observing animals and going on safari, as well as hunting.
Durban, on the Indian Ocean, is much warmer. Even in winter, seasoned people swim in the waters of the Indian Ocean, where the water temperature is approximately + 18, + 20 C.

Eleven languages spoken by the ethnically diverse population of South Africa have been declared official in the New South Africa. However, the vast majority of South Africans understand English. If you have knowledge of English, this is quite enough for normal communication.

Despite its diverse population, South Africa is a predominantly Christian country with predominant influences from the Protestant, Dutch Reformed and Anglican churches. Christians - 60%, pagans - 25%, Muslims - 10%, Hindus - 5%.

In cafes and restaurants, hotel receptionists and porters, it is customary to tip. For example, in cafes and restaurants you are supposed to tip 10% of the order value.
It is also customary to tip the rangers who accompany you on safari. The amount should be discussed with your guide before leaving for Game Lodge; if you are traveling with an accompanying person, you can discuss it right on the spot. Gratitude to the guides working with you in the form of tips is entirely at your discretion.

Features of staying in the country

Personal safety.
In cities such as Johannesburg and Cape Town, and to a lesser extent Pretoria and Durban, walking around the center in the evening is not recommended. In the fashionable Sandton area of Johannesburg you can walk freely even in the evening. However, we recommend storing cash and documents in a safe, the keys to which will be given to you by the hotel receptionist upon your request.

What clothes to take with you on the road.
When visiting National Parks and relaxing on the ocean, you need to take light clothes that are comfortable on the road. For an evening visit to a restaurant, you should have smart, but not chic clothes, which are usual for you in such cases. You should definitely have a woolen sweater with you for evening walks or safari , and when traveling to Cape Town, a light but not windy jacket due to the strong winds that often blow there.

Since March 30, 2017, a visa-free regime has been introduced between the Russian Federation and South Africa. Tourists can stay in the African republic without a visa for up to 90 days. The entry stamp will be placed at the border. Apart from a foreign passport and return tickets, no additional documents are usually required. For transit passengers - no problems either.

Below is information that is relevant before the cancellation of visas, or for issuing a long-term visa. Plus some useful details about traveling to South Africa.

On the entire African continent, one of the most attractive places for tourism is South Africa. In this country you can find an enchanting mixture of cultures and customs, modern cities and the benefits of humanity and the splendor of natural reserves. In order to get to this country of contrasts Russians need a visa, which can be obtained through the consular section of the South African Embassy in Moscow. It is necessary to collect a lot of documents to provide complete information about the applicant, so that a visa to South Africa will be in hand in a short time.

The main feature is a mandatory invitation or a detailed travel plan, which is agreed upon with a travel agency in South Africa itself. The procedure for submitting documents and the form that should be filled out is similar to the same when registering for entry into. This is not surprising, because much of the structure of South Africa takes its roots from Foggy Albion.

Types of visas

In addition to the tourist visa, the following types of visas can also be obtained with appropriate justification:

Guest, by invitation from a private person legally residing in South Africa on a permanent basis;
Business, subject to a detailed invitation from legal entities or a partner registered in South Africa on a permanent basis and conducting business in South Africa;
Visa for students. Having in hand an invitation or a training agreement from an educational institution from South Africa, you can attend the necessary courses for up to 90 days;
A medical visa is designed for cases where there are supporting documents for the need to undergo treatment in South Africa;
Visa for 90 days for the purpose of marriage;
Research, conferences, participation in sporting events can be carried out upon receipt of the appropriate visa. In any case, a reasoned justification and an invitation from the board organizing the relevant event are required;
A transit visa is needed if you need to visit South Africa only for a transfer while traveling to a third country.

Separately, it is worth noting that holders of diplomatic and service passports do not need to obtain a visa if the period of visiting South Africa does not exceed 90 days. In any other case, an application and all necessary documents are submitted.

List of documents

The initial package of documents required for any visa contains:

A foreign passport with two blank visa pages and a validity period that exceeds the validity of the visa received by one month;
Completed application form (you can download it;
One photo 3x4 cm pasted into the application form;
Confirmation of booking of tickets in both directions.

Filling out the form is done only in English using one black pen (including signature). A sample of filling out the form can be viewed. If you are not sure that the applicant will be able to independently fill out all the items without errors, then it is better to contact a translation agency that can help with this. Moreover, you need to contact the bureau in order to translate into English all related documents, such as a child’s birth certificate or any applications that will be required to obtain individual visas. In fact, only a bank statement cannot be transferred. Your version of answers is sent to the bureau, respectively, for all questions of the questionnaire; for this purpose, all questions in the questionnaire are duplicated in Russian, so that there will be no problems with interpretation and understanding.

The photo requirements are standard, as in most consulates around the world - 3.5 by 4.5 cm. Take a photo shortly before submitting documents, against a light background, frontal view and without any elements that will hide the face or part of it. Digital photos should not be processed, so you should refuse the services of those photographers who offer to correct your photo.

When submitting documents, proof of ticket reservation is provided. There is no need to buy them back, because it may happen that a visa will be refused. Fully purchased tickets will only need to be shown upon receipt of a visa in order to pick up your passport.

Additional documents

Confirmation of solvency

For tourists and guests, you must confirm your solvency or indicate a sponsor who will cover all costs for the period of your stay in the country. Confirmation may be a bank statement about the status of accounts, a receipt for the purchase of currency, or confirmation of the purchase of traveler's checks for the required amount. The required amount of money can be approximately calculated from the condition of spending 100 USD per day per person.

For employees, it is mandatory to provide a certificate from their place of employment indicating the average monthly and average annual earnings. A letter from the company indicating the length of service in this workplace and confirmation of the provision of leave sufficient for the entire period of stay in South Africa on the requested visa. Completed and approved Form 2-NDFL. Civil servants (freelancers) or those working under contracts will need to provide a certificate from the tax office regarding registration.

Pensioners confirm their income only by providing a pension and an extract from the pension fund on the status of provision. Students who provide a student card must indicate a sponsor in the person of close relatives who will cover all travel expenses. Confirmation in this case is the same bank statement or receipt for the purchase of currency and traveler's checks for the required amount, a letter of sponsorship and copies of all significant pages in the civil passport.

Invitation

Whether it is a visiting trip, a business trip or training, you must provide an invitation from an individual, enterprise or educational institution. The more detail the purpose of the visit is covered, the better. A mandatory item in the invitation must be information about the inviting party, indicating all contact details. Students who require a visa to study must provide a letter from the South African institution confirming the invitation and acceptance of the student.

Birth certificate for minors

In case of obtaining a visa, children under 18 years of age must obtain their own passport for them, even if the parent has one entered in their passport. The birth certificate must be translated into English and the translation must be certified either by a translation agency or by a notary. Also, statements from the remaining parents and guardians about their consent to the child’s departure, or other official documents that would explain the absence of these permissions, must be attached.

Yellow fever vaccination certificate

This is one of the most important requirements for any visitors and those wishing to obtain a visa to South Africa. However for Russian tourists who travel directly from the Russian Federation, no such certificate is needed.

Submitting an application and documents. Cost and terms

You must submit both an application and a complete package of documents at the same time. You can use the mail or contact directly the consular section of the South African Embassy in Moscow. For each applicant, including each minor, documents are packed into separate envelopes. Before sending documents by mail, the consular fee is paid in order to enclose a receipt for payment in the envelope. When visiting the consulate in person, you can pay the fee on the spot in rubles.