South Africa launches digital visa system to boost tourism

CAPE TOWN

Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber has unveiled a new Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) system at the Tourism Business Council of South Africa’s Leadership Conference. The digital platform replaces paper visas with machine learning technology.

Applicants will apply online, submit biometrics digitally, and receive real-time approvals. The system connects with facial recognition technology at airports through the Electronic Movement Control System 2.0 (EMCS 2.0).

Starting with tests later this month, the system will first launch in mid-October for G20 delegates from China, India, Indonesia and Mexico traveling to OR Tambo or Cape Town airports. Tourist applications from these countries follow in phase two.

Once fully operational, the ETA will process all tourist visa applications worldwide. Future plans include adding more visa types and rolling out facial recognition at all ports of entry.

Schreiber stated the move tackles “visa barriers that have suppressed South Africa’s tourism potential for many years”. He highlighted that a pilot scheme – the Trusted Tour Operator Scheme – brought 35,000 extra tourists from China and India within seven months.

The minister emphasized that the technology would “simultaneously revolutionis[e] the security of our immigration processes” while cutting airport queues through automated checks.