Individuals attending the Summit are responsible for ensuring they have all the information needed pertaining to their circumstances for travel and applicable to their nationality or country of residence, and that the information submitted for the visa application and any transit visas needed is, to the best of their knowledge, accurate and reliable at the time of submission.
Please read this guide carefully when completing your application and contact [email protected] if you have any questions.
Nationals of more than 90 countries can travel to South Africa without a visa, the list of exempt nationalities can be found here.
Regardless of whether you need a visa or not your passport must be valid for at least 30 days from your intended date of departure from South Africa and must have at least 2 consecutive blank pages.
If you are a national of a country that isn’t on the exemptions list then you will need to apply for a visa.
There are different options available depending on your nationality:
- South African ETA.
- South African eVisa.
- South African Visitor Visa.
If you are a national of one of the following countries then you can apply for an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA).
The South African ETA process is entirely online and most applications are approved within 24 hours.
Visit the Southern African ETA website for details on the application process and to begin your application. Please note that South Africa is in the process of expanding the number of countries eligible to receive ETA’s. One Young World will update its guidance on ETA’s as and when the list of newly eligible countries is made available by the Government of South Africa.
If you are a national of one of the following countries then you can apply for a South African eVisa.
*Please note that although nationals of Nigeria are eligible to apply for the South African eVisa, it is strongly recommended that they apply for a South Africa visitor visa via their local mission.
The South African eVisa application process is entirely online and most applications are processed in 10 working days.
Visit the South African eVisa website for details on the application process and to begin your application.
If you are a national of one of the following countries then you must apply for a visitor visa via your local South African Diplomatic Mission.
The exact application process can vary depending on the country in which the application is made. You should consult your responsible Diplomatic Mission for details of the exact application process. You can identify your responsible Embassy/Consulate by visiting the Directory of South African Diplomatic Missions abroad.
One Young World attendees without a South African Diplomatic Mission in their country of residence can submit their application to the responsible diplomatic mission abroad by recorded courier or by proxy. The below are countries without a South African Diplomatic Mission.
If you are a national of a country that requires a South African Visitor Visa then you will need to apply for the visa through a South African Diplomatic Mission.
The Diplomatic Mission responsible for your application depends on your country of residence. If there is a South African Diplomatic Mission in your country of residence then you will need to apply for your visa at the Mission in-person. If there is no Diplomatic Mission in your country of residence, you can submit your application by registered courier or by proxy to the closest Diplomatic Mission in another country. Please consult the list below to find the Diplomatic Mission responsible for your application.
Country of residence | Embassy responsible for your Visitor Visa |
The checklist of supporting documents will vary depending on whether you are applying for an ETA, an eVisa or for a Visitor Visa via your local South African Diplomatic Mission. Applicants applying for an ETA or eVisa should begin the application process to identify the list of supporting documents required for their visa application.
Applicants applying via their local Diplomatic Mission should consult the website of their responsible Embassy/Consulate to identify the document checklist for their application. You can identify your responsible Embassy/Consulate by visiting the Directory of South African Diplomatic Missions abroad. Generally speaking however you will need to submit the following documents as part of your applications:
- A passport or travel document valid for no less than 30 days after the expiry of your intended visit.
- Your passport must have at least TWO unused pages for entry/departure endorsements.
- A completed BI-84/DHA-84 application form (application for a visa).
- Payment of the prescribed fee.
- A yellow fever vaccination certificate (if required).
- Statement and/or documentation confirming the purpose and duration of your visit. The letters of invitation from One Young World and the City of Cape Town serve as this documentation.
- Two colour passport photographs.
- Hotel reservation confirmation.
- A return or onward ticket if you are travelling by air.
- Proof of financial means to pay for your living expenses while in South Africa in the form of:
- Letters of invitation from One Young World and the City of Cape Town.
- Three months bank statements.
- Evidence of employment in your country of residence.
- If you are employed this could be a letter from your employer confirming your role, salary and the fact you have been granted leave to attend the One Young World Summit in South Africa.
- If you are self employed this could be proof of your business registration.
- Salary advances.
- Cash available (including credit cards and travellers’ cheques).
- Department of Home Affairs letter confirming One Young World's status as a registered event.
One Young World will provide:
- A letter of invitation from One Young World.
- A letter of invitation from the City of Cape Town.
- A hotel booking confirmation letter (if your accommodation is included in your delegate place.)
- Department of Home Affairs letter confirming One Young World's status as a registered event.
- A return onward flight ticket (if your flights are being arranged by One Young World).
From 22 June your One Young World letter of invitation, Cape Town letter of invitation, hotel booking confirmation and Department of Home affairs letter can be downloaded from your One Young World Community Platform Profile. To access these documents please follow the steps below.
- Visit https://community.oneyoungworld.com
- Log in
- Click on the profile icon in the top-right corner
- Click on My downloads
- Download the letters of invitation, hotel confirmation letter and department of Home Affairs Letter. Please ensure you check your personal details on the letters before submitting them with your visa application. If there are any errors on the letters (e.g incorrect passport number) please contact [email protected] to request a corrected document.
If One Young World is providing your flights, your itinerary will be shared with you by email from [email protected].
South Africa requires all travellers journeying from yellow fever risk countries to show proof of yellow fever vaccination by means of a valid yellow fever certificate. This also applies to those who have transited through a yellow fever risk country.
The certificates, which are valid for 10 years, must be approved by the World Health Organization, and should be administered at a yellow fever approved vaccination centre at least 10 days before departure to South Africa.
Countries for which a yellow fever vaccination certificate is required for entry into South Africa are:
Most questions simply require you to provide personal information, please make sure all information provided as part of your visa application is true and correct to the best of your knowledge. Find important guidance on other questions that relate to the purpose of your trip/the One Young World Summit below:
Visit to South Africa
Expected date of arrival
Enter the date that you will arrive in South Africa. For most delegates this will be either 02/11/2026 or 03/11/2026. If One Young World is booking your travel and you are not sure what to enter here please contact [email protected]
Expected date of departure
Enter the date that you will leave South Africa. For most delegates this will be 07/11/2026. If One Young World is booking your travel and you are not sure what to enter here please contact [email protected].
Place of arrival
For most delegates this will be Cape Town however, if you will land at a different airport in order to take a connecting domestic flight to Cape Town you should provide the name of that airport.
Purpose of visit
To particpate in the One Young World Summit 2026.
Duration of stay
Enter the number of days calculated from your entry date to departure dates. If One Young World is booking your travel and you are not sure what to enter here please contact [email protected].
Number of entries requested
Single.
Proposed address in South Africa
If your hotel accomodation is provided by One Young World you should provide the address of the hotel from your hotel confirmation letter.
If you are booking your hotel accomodation independently, you should provide the address of the hotel you have booked.
Name of Host or hotel
If your hotel accomodation is provided by One Young World you should provide the name of the hotel from your hotel confirmation letter.
If you are booking your hotel accomodation independently, you should provide the name of the hotel you have booked.
Telephone of host or hotel
If your hotel accomodation is provided by One Young World you should provide the phone number of the hotel from your hotel confirmation letter.
If you are booking your hotel accomodation independently, you should provide the phone number of the hotel you have booked.
Name of organisation/persons you will be contacting while in South Africa
One Young World
Address of the above
14 Irving Street, London, United Kingdom WC2H 7AF
Relationship with the above
Summit Organiser
Identity document or residence permit number of South Africa host
Not Applicable
Note: This guidance was published in June 2026. Regularly check the relevant government and immigration websites for any update or changes in the applications or exemptions.