Posting this in case it helps anyone stuck with South Africa visa issues.

I applied for the South African eVisa and got rejected twice. The reason given was that I needed to apply for a renewal, not a new visa, because the system showed I already had a visa. This was confusing because my previous visa was a short stay conference visa that expired more than one year ago.

After reading a lot of Reddit posts, many people suggested I must have entered the wrong dates. I double checked everything and the data was correct. The portal still forced me into the renewal path.

From what I found, the only real way to fix this eVisa issue is to contact the South African embassy and ask them to correct your visa status in their system. That process can take months with emails and follow ups, and there is no clear timeline.

As a second last option, before going through VFS, I applied for the South African ETA. It got approved. The ETA allows entry to South Africa for one year, with stays of up to 90 days. For my travel plans, this solved the problem completely.

If the ETA had failed, my last option would have been a VFS application. In the UK, the appointment alone costs about 40 GBP, requires a lot of documents, and processing time is usually more than 3 weeks, depending on workload and location (https://visa.vfsglobal.com).

I am an Indian passport holder, currently living and working in the UK, so this may be especially relevant for people in a similar situation.

This YouTube video explains the ETA process clearly and step by step, it helped me a lot (https://youtu.be/X_aahgXrXtA).

Some practical tips for the ETA application: • Photo scanning is very fast, it takes around 2 seconds. • After three failed attempts, the system logs you out, just start the main process again. • It did not cost me anything. • Keep your passport ready. • Use a brightly lit area for the photo, this reduces rejection risk.

Sharing this so others stuck in the eVisa renewal loop know that ETA or VFS are realistic alternatives depending on urgency and cost.

Trying to apply for a South African ETA (Indian passport, flying into one of the three approved airports). I'm completely stuck on the biometric step and hoping someone here has cracked it.

What's happening:
- The passport scan finally worked and my details are captured — I even have an application number.
- But after the selfie/live photo step it just says "biometric failed" every single time.
- I've tried 30+ times, across two different devices, in good front-facing light, neutral expression, plain background, glasses off, following the on-screen prompts exactly. Same result every time.

My questions:
1. Did anyone get past this "biometric failed" error? If so, what actually fixed it (specific device, browser, lighting trick, time of day)?
2. Is this a known system-side issue rather than something on my end? It feels like the face-match service is just rejecting everyone.
3. Is there a working support/helpdesk contact for the ETA portal that actually responds? I have an application number but can't find a real support channel.
4. Did anyone give up and just use the eVisa instead — and was that smoother?
5. Anyone processed application with help of external agencies like Altys?

Travel date is coming up so I'm trying to decide whether to keep fighting the ETA or switch to the eVisa. Any first-hand experience appreciated. Thanks!

Hi everyone,

I’m applying for a South African ETA on an Indian passport and have run into a strange issue.

My passport scanned successfully, but the selfie/biometric verification kept failing. After that, the application got created and now shows:

Status: Submission Pending
No Resume / Continue / Edit
No Cancel / Delete

On desktop, the Actions column is completely blank
On mobile, it only shows “Submission Pending” with no button to proceed

So I’m basically stuck: I can’t complete the biometric step, but I also can’t restart the application.

Has anyone faced this exact issue and managed to resolve it? Did DHA support reset the application, or is there any workaround to resume/cancel it?

I applied for a New Zealand fee paying student visa. The website says October to March is peak season and the average wait time is 7 weeks. I am into the 10th week and my visa application hasn’t even been picked by a CO.

Anyone ever had a similar experience? Is it a queue that is processed “fairly” or other applications can be picked by COs even when they came in later than yours? ( I am thinking if the average wait time is still 7 weeks and mine is in the 10th week, then that means the queue is not first in first out).

Was hoping to hear from anyone who ever had a similar experience or has some knowledge on the matter.

Hello,

I am trying to get South Africa ETA through their ETA website. After signup, the first step in the application is to scan face and then passport from our phone.

I am trying this for last 3 days using my Indian passport, tried multiple phones and different lightning conditions but as soon as I scan my passport, it throws an error -

"Passport scan unsuccessful

Unable to process your application due to identity verification"

Has anyone else faced this issue? I have to travel urgently in the first week of May for a business meet". If this doesn't work, i might have to cancel the plan. Any pointers, suggestions are welcomed.

TIA

Update: went for VFS. Manual visa process.

Hello. Me and my wife applied for the ETAs today to travel in Feb 2027. Have received our approvals in 60 minutes.

We have only scanned our passports and got our selfies clicked - using our mobiles. Had to provide an address we’d stay in SA. Booked a fully refundable + pay later hotel in Cape Town on MMT and provided that address.

ETA Fee per person: ~₹4.5K

Our next steps:
Book flights from BLR to CPT
Book a rental car
Finalize itinerary (~ 12 days)
Plan finances

South Africa would be my 11th country to visit. Excited.

​

Hi everyone,

I'm looking for advice from anyone who has dealt with the South African eVisa system.

I applied for a South African eVisa to attend an academic conference. My application was rejected with the reason:

"During the processing of adjudication of your application it was discovered that your host couldn't be verified."

Here's why I'm confused:

I am attending a legitimate conference.

I had an official invitation letter from the organizers.

My labmate and I submitted exactly the same documents, used the same invitation letter, listed the same host, and applied for the same conference.

The only difference was the timing. I applied on Saturday and received a rejection on Monday. My labmate applied on Monday and received an approved eVisa on Tuesday.

After the rejection, the conference organizers told us:

The invitation letter itself was not the problem.

Normally they provide DHA with a list of registered conference attendees for verification.

Has anyone experienced something similar?

Has anyone received a "Host could not be verified" rejection and then successfully reapplied?

Could this simply have been a verification or administrative issue?

I'd really appreciate hearing from anyone who has been through a similar situation or has experience with South African visas.

Thank you!

Hello,Has anyone applied for a Turkish e visa? I have about 20hours transit there and I thought why not explore Istanbul . I do have an onward ticket, But I see to qualify for this you have to have a US/ UK/Schengen visa/resident permit. Tanzania passport holder here.
#weakpassportstruggles

Hello. So I got a fully funded conference which ive attended in Canada before. Id submitted the conference letter, my financial documents, my father's financial documents, and other supporting documents. However, i genuinely forgot my original birth certificate linking me to my dad. Although the conference is fully funded I wrote that asides accomodation and travel all other expenses will be covered by my dad. In my financial documents I had personal savings and investments in dollars as well. Am I cooked?

Hi everyone! I’m a Ghanaian passport holder living in Romania with a temporary residence permit.

I applied for a Saudi tourist eVisa twice — the first application was rejected and the second is still pending.

I’m looking for a reliable visa agent who can help with my application and understands the situation for Ghanaian passport holders living in Europe.

If you’ve used an agent successfully, please share their contact/details. 🙏🏾

Hi everyone, me and my girlfriend are going on a trip to Egypt in less than a week (in 5 days exactly). We initially planned to both get an e-visa on the official website, but after several tries, the website failed to work and when it finally did, it was really buggy and unclear. Moreover, we have no guarantee to get it on time (as I said, it wasnt working before today). So my question is, is it ok and possible to get visas on arrival at the Sphinx International Airport ? And if so, how quick and easy is it ? We're landing around noon on a sunday.

Thanks a lot !!

Heyyah, let me start by saying this is for my MIL so I don't have the full picture/set of details but I'll try and provide as much as I can.
So my MIL applied for a SA retirement visa and had it rejected on the grounds of insufficient evidence that she can meet the R37, 000 per month.
This issue I've been told is that part of her income is basically paid as a lump yearly sum, so from what I read online this needs to be structured to be dealt out in monthly payments. How does a person go about this, like I assume two accounts where you transfer money from one to another would be silly and not acceptable.
Has anyone else been in this scenario and what did they do to circumvent this?
I can try to provide more details on request but I'm a 3rd party in this so yeah

When I go on ETA website it says my passport has less than 19 months expiry so I can’t apply ETA. Evisa process online is confusing and VFS process is also not clear. I read that South Africa has evisa for Indians. What should I do now?
Agent is quoting me about 5-6K fees (INR).

Hallo zusammen,
ich habe mein e-Visum für Ägypten über die offizielle Website beantragt:
https://visa2egypt.gov.eg/
Wie lange hat es bei euch gedauert, bis das e-Visum genehmigt wurde bzw. ihr es per E-Mail bekommen habt?
Mich würden vor allem aktuelle Erfahrungen interessieren. Danke! 😊

Hello everyone,
I’d love to visit Egypt and meet some friends that I know there but the embassy where I live now isn’t working ( there’s no ambassador at the moment ) and thus they don’t issue any visas, and it’s been the case for a year now
Is there any other way to get a visa to Egypt from any neighboring country maybe?
If anyone tried something similar even with different countries I’d really appreciate the help !
Thanks in advance

I will likely need to travel to South Africa soon, which ordinarily would be no problem as Americans can go and stay there visa-free up to 90 days. However, the issue arises in that I recently was approved for a long-term visa that takes effect in December and have the stamp in my passport.

My question is, should I arrive in South Africa before then, will it present a problem when they see that visa stamp? Because I will not be going there for purposes under which that visa was issued, but just as a visitor staying for a few weeks at most, not months or years. Thanks.

ETA—should I use my secondary/limited validity passport to prevent any possible complications?

I need to go to Capetown for two weeks in order to complete a school certificate. Do you think there is any chance for me to get the evisa in this short timeframe ? Also I've seen in the requirements that I need to book my flights and hotels in advance. Any advice please ?
J6l

Apparently Botswana E-visa, requires notarized/authenticated copy of passport, marriage, birth certificate, birth certificate or any government document if applying for E-visa. Tried to do this with our notary but they said it's first time hearing of it for travel purposes

I am a Pakistanis national with a Pakistani passport but currently living in the UK on a work visa. I am wanting to visa Egypt for a holiday. Does anyone know if I am eligible for a visa on arrival?

I have checked the Egypt consulate website and point 2 under the visa section seems to suggest I can get a visa on arrival but the wording is a little confusing.

Does anyone have any similar experiences and did you manage to get a visa on arrival or an e-visa?

Here is the link to the consulate website- https://egyptconsulate.co.uk/visas/

I'm a UK national holidaying in Africa in a couple of months. The planned itinerary is Uganda - Kenya - Uganda. Kenya doesn't offer the East African Tourist visa from what I can see. But would they honour one where the first stop was Uganda or do they need their own visa?

My partner is a South African citizen and I am an Indian citizen

Recently i visited him on visitors visa for 20 days and we applied for temporary life partner visa on 7th july

I left the country on 14th july and my visa was expiring on 25th july

Now that i have left the country, is that application considered abandoned?

I need help pls

My South Sudan eVisa says “Validity: 1 month” and “This permit is valid until 10 August 2026 and must be surrendered to the Department of E-Visa Services.”

I’m arriving in South Sudan 12 July and my return flight is 12 August.

This has happened to me twice where they give me an eVisa that expires before my stay is over - for this single trip - despite me making sure every detail with: entry point, 7 day window to apply, and length of stay are correct yet they do this again.

I can’t call the offices because they’re closed for independence weekend.

So does this mean I’ll be barred from boarding my flight from London Gatwick to South Sudan?

Got a mail stating that my e-visa for tourism was rejected because my bank statements weren’t certified. Anyone can suggest what should be done? I guess I must visit a branch and ask for a physical copy stamped and then scan and upload it? Also I need to re-apply now? Or can I just send the correct version of the rejected document?

Hi, I am traveling to Morocco in September and I hold an Indian passport. I also have a residence permit of Netherlands (expiring in November) and UAE (expiring in December). Hence, I will also be uploading my UK multi-entry visa which expires in 2027.

My question is what should I state as my usual country of residence because neither have the 180 days validity. Has anyone else been in a similar situation? What was your experience? Thanks

I recently traveled to Nigeria.

I received a 30 days at a time multi entry 5 year visa to Nigeria. My trip is roughly 70 days and I’m about 20 days in.

The Nigerian officials upon landing told me, that I’d have to pay 15 US dollars every day I over stay past the initial 30. This was also indicated on the website.

I got a Nigerian passport in these 20 days, hoping that maybe it would solve the issue. But I’m not sure.

Should I leave the country and come back? Get a new visa in the country if possible? Ask me anything because I’m lost myself.