The southernmost African country has officially launched its long-awaited welcome to remote workers, digital nomads in New South Africa.
As of March 3, 2025, applications are accepted for South Africa's digital nomadic visas!
Already a favourable destination among digital nomads, South Africa is working to enjoy the country to attract more foreigners and tourists, especially during the winter. Visitors have dropped sharply after the impact of travel restrictions.
Therefore, the country is increasing its local economy as it focuses on digital nomads who tend to stay at their destinations longer than traditional tourists.
The South African Digital Nomad Visa allows digital nomads to live in the country for one year and have the opportunity to renew them for up to three years.
Digital Nomads will not be taxed if your six-month visa is not taxed in South Africa if it does not come from a country with a double taxable agreement (DTA). However, digital nomads from countries with a South African DTA must stay at least 183 days for 12 months. You must register with the South African Income Service (SARS) and pay local income tax. Digital nomads in South Africa and countries that do not have a DTA must automatically register with SARS, regardless of their plans to stay in the country.
South America has joined other African countries such as Namibia, Kenya and the Seychelles.
What is a digital nomadic visa?
Digital nomadic visas allow remote workers in locations independent of living abroad with temporary residence permits.
To qualify for a digital nomadic visa, you must be employed or owned by a company established outside the country where you hold the visa. They may also be freelancers or self-employed with clients outside the country.
Most digital nomadic visas last for a year, but offer the option to renew. This means that you can potentially live abroad in the same country for a few years.
Requirements for a digital nomadic visa in South Africa
Like all digital Nomad visas, there is a set of requirements that must be met to qualify for a digital Nomad visa in South Africa.
Valid Passport – The passport must be valid at least 30 days after the visa period work – you must prove that you will work remotely through the contract. Applicants must earn at least R650,796 annually to present clean criminal compensation checks from clean criminal insurance from the South African Digital Nomad Viza Clean Clean Clean Crimit Records. Yellow fever vaccination for duration of stay – If you are planning to travel or travel to a destination with a high risk of yellow fever, you will need to present proof of the accommodation's vaccination address. You will need to lease or book online for the location you plan to stay in South Africa
Procedure to apply
Although the application process for the South African Digital Nomad visa has not yet been accepted, the application process may look like the following:
Step 1: Collect the documents
As you are waiting for the official list of documents for your South African Digital Nomad Visa, you can assume that you will need the following documents based on other visa applications:
The document will be submitted in English and must be deposited if necessary.
Step 2: Attend a visa booking
To apply for a South African digital nomadic visa, you must visit the South African Embassy or VFS office in your country of residence.
Depending on the availability of your reservation, you can wait up to several months before attending a visa reservation.
You will need to bring the completed visa application form along with the required documentation. We recommend bringing a copy of the original and documents.
Step 3: Wait for approval
After attending a visa booking, you will have to wait several weeks to get approval for your South African Digital Nomad visa application. Once approved, you can travel to South Africa.
No information has been released on the next steps after arriving in South Africa. With many digital nomadic visas, visa holders will also need to apply for a residence permit, but they don't bother with the case of a digital nomadic visa in South Africa.
South Africa for Digital Nomads
How do you want to see penguins playing on the beach? Or hike the infamous Table Mountain overlooking Cape Town? Maybe you just want to experience a unique new culture and country with an important history. South Africa is the place for you!
Modern cities such as Cape Town and Johannesburg have long welcomed remote workers and digital nomads. There are plenty of cafes with free WiFi and coworking spaces pop up, so you'll find a comfortable place to set up your laptop. It is important to note that WiFi is not always the best in the area. Therefore, we recommend bringing in a mobile hotspot.
If that's the nature and wildlife you're looking for, South Africa has it all for you. Hop on a real safari and hike some of the most luxurious trails this world has to offer.
Living costs in South Africa are also quite affordable. You can live comfortably for just $2,000 a month, including rent. You will also find large expat communities to make friends and grow your network.
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Content created by
Brittany
When you're not writing or teaching people how to achieve a place-independent lifestyle, you can experience glove trotting, a new culture and tackle amateur photography skills.
