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The easiest way to find out whether you need a visa for a specific country is to phone that country's embassy or consulate in South Africa. The visa issue is quite complicated.
For instance, South Africans do not need a visa to enter the United Kingdom (if you do not intend to stay for longer than six months), but must have one to visit Angola. You also need a visa for a business trip to Namibia, but not if you go there on holiday. South Africans need a special visa to enter France but Switzerland does not require one.
Different countries also require different documents before they issue a visa. These could vary from your air ticket to foreign currency (in the currency of the particular country) and medical insurance. You can obtain this information from the consulate or embassy.
Thirdly, the price of visas varies dramatically from just R150 to a little more than R1 000. An American visa costs about US$100.
If you do not feel like phoning around yourself you could ask your travel agent to do this for you. Travel agents charge a standard service fee of between R140 and R300 depending on whose services you use. The travel agent's fee is a one-off charge and you pay the same amount irrespective of whether you need one or five visas.
The process can be time- consuming, so apply well in advance at least a month before your intended departure date.
Click here for an efficient Visa acquisition service
Image: Mouton van Zyl/ Die Burger
