UK visa fees hike: Here’s how much South Africans will now pay to see Buckingham Palace
The UK government is increasing its visa fees in April, meaning South African travellers will have to dig deeper into their pockets.
As the UK visa fees are set to increase on 8 April, South African passport holders planning to travel to the United Kingdom will soon need to pay more for entry.
The UK government announced the price hike on 23 March, affecting all visa types, including standard visitor visas, transit visas, and Electronic Travel Authorisations (ETA).
South Africans have had to pay for UK entry since early 2009, when the British government revoked the country’s visa-free access. Previously, South African citizens could spend up to six months in Britain without prior permission.
However, the UK ultimately enacted the sweeping requirements after citing serious concerns over the security of South African passports and a rise in nationals working illegally.
UK visa fees hike: The new costs broken down
The following increases will be implemented next month for travellers:
- Visit visa (up to six months) will increase from £127 (R2 988) to £135 (R3 082).
- Visit visa (up to two years) will increase from £475 (R11 175) to £506 (R11 552).
- Visit visa (up to five years) will increase from £848 (R19 951) to £903 (R20 614).
- Visit visa (up to 10 years) will increase from £1 059 (R24 915) to £1 128 (R25 750).
Discovery Bank launches dedicated application centre
To ease the administrative burden of travel, Discovery Bank has partnered with VFS Global to launch South Africa’s first dedicated UK visa application centre.
Located within the Discovery Store in Sandton, Johannesburg, the centre allows clients to submit biometrics and supporting documents in a streamlined process. Bookings are facilitated through Vitality Travel and are strictly by appointment only. Standard visitor visas are typically processed within 15 working days.
Botswana nationals slapped with new restrictions
In a move mirroring South Africa’s 2009 experience, last year the UK announced that all Botswana nationals must now obtain a visa before travelling to the country, effective from 14 October 2025.
The UK government said the decision was necessary to curb a high number of Botswana nationals claiming asylum upon arrival. Affected travellers with a pre-approved ETA were then granted a short transition window until 25 November 2025 to enter without a visa.
Where else can South Africans travel?
Despite the UK visa fees hike, the South African passport has climbed three positions to 48th place on the Henley Passport Index.
South Africans can currently travel to 101 destinations worldwide without needing a traditional visa beforehand. This includes visa-free access to popular destinations like Brazil, Thailand, Singapore, and Barbados.