Via embassy

Eritrea visa for citizens of South Africa

Citizens of South Africa need a visa for Eritrea that is issued through the embassy or a visa centre: it can’t be obtained online, because you must attend in person to submit documents and biometrics. Visago fills in the form, prepares your documents and books your appointment. The service costs $49.

For citizens of South Africa: the passport opens 60 countries visa-free; Pretoria — Asmara: ≈ 4,710 km, about 6.5 hours of flying.

Checked by visa analyst Albert Brown, 13 years of experience · September 26, 2026

99% of the applications we submit are approved

How we achieve this

After payment, a manager will contact you.

Choose your visa

Document preparation and appointment bookingWe fill in the form, prepare your documents and book the visa centre appointment$49

The consular fee is paid separately when you apply. Your manager will confirm the exact amount.

Apply in 10 minutes

Can I travel to Eritrea without a visa on a South Africa passport?

No: citizens of South Africa need a visa, issued by the embassy. We prepare your documents and book the appointment for just $49.

Apply for a visa

Eritrea visa rules at a glance

With a South Africa passport you can visit 60 countries visa-free, 29 with a visa on arrival and 39 with an e-visa; 70 more require an embassy visa.
By the number of visa-free destinations, the South Africa passport ranks 96th of 199.
South Africa passport: visa-free access to 60 countries; Eritrea passport: 12.
Citizens of South Africa and Eritrea can travel together visa-free to 11 countries, for example: Rwanda, Kenya, Seychelles, Benin, Gambia, Singapore, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Dominica, Philippines, Haiti, and Micronesia.
A language both countries share: English.
Citizens of Eritrea, in turn, need an embassy visa to travel to South Africa. South Africa visa for citizens of Eritrea

Travelling to Eritrea: good to know

Pretoria — Asmara: about 4,710 km in a straight line; a direct flight takes roughly 6.5 hours.
Time difference with your country’s capital: +1 hour.
Local time: Pretoria 12:00 — Asmara 13:00.
Local currency: Eritrean Nakfa.
Languages: Arabic, English, and Tigrinya.
Exchange rate: $1.00 ≈ ERN 15.
Eritrea is the 37th closest of 197 destinations open to citizens of South Africa.