Via embassy

Vatican City visa for citizens of South Africa

Citizens of South Africa need a visa for the Vatican City 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 — Vatican City: ≈ 7,690 km, about 10 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 the Vatican City 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

Vatican City 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; Vatican City passport: 92.
Citizens of South Africa and the Vatican City can travel together visa-free to 38 countries, for example: Botswana, Eswatini, Zambia, Angola, Mauritius, Seychelles, Palestine, Gambia, Tunisia, Georgia, Brazil, Uruguay, Argentina, Malaysia, and Singapore.
Citizens of the Vatican City, in turn, need an embassy visa to travel to South Africa. South Africa visa for citizens of the Vatican City

Travelling to the Vatican City: good to know

Pretoria — Vatican City: about 7,690 km in a straight line; a direct flight takes roughly 10 hours.
No time difference with your country’s capital.
Local currency: Euro.
Languages: Italian and Latin.
Exchange rate: $1.00 ≈ €0.88.
Vatican City is the 83rd closest of 197 destinations open to citizens of South Africa.