South Africa has introduced a R500 ($31) processing fee for applications under its Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) system, adding a new cost for Indian travellers using the digital immigration route.

The fee came into effect on August 17, according to information released by South Africa’s Department of Home Affairs. The charge follows the official launch of the ETA system by President Cyril Ramaphosa on August 12. The government has positioned the system as a shift towards faster and more digital immigration processing.

India was among the countries included in the ETA pilot, alongside China, Indonesia and Mexico. The official ETA portal currently lists citizens of these four countries as eligible applicants, subject to conditions including age, passport validity and arrival through specified airports.

What has changed for Indian travellers?

The R500 charge is an electronic processing fee for an ETA application. It is separate from any visa fee that may apply.

Under the new fee structure, travellers from countries that require a visa could face a combined cost of R925 — R500 for electronic processing and R425 as the applicable visitor visa fee, according to the proposed fee structure reported during the implementation process.

The new charge replaces the earlier arrangement under which fees for the initial ETA phase were waived. South Africa's Home Affairs authorities had said the waiver was linked to the absence of an integrated online payment facility when the system was first introduced.

The change therefore needs to be viewed alongside the wider digitalisation of South Africa's visa system rather than simply as a new travel charge.

ETA is designed to replace a more cumbersome visa process

The South African government says the ETA combines biometric verification, automated risk analysis and its upgraded Electronic Movement Control System.

Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber said at the launch that the system is intended to identify fraud indicators more quickly while making legitimate travel faster. According to the government, an approved ETA can be issued within 24 hours and stored in a traveller's digital wallet.

For Indian tourists, this could remove some of the logistical difficulties associated with conventional visa applications. The application is completed online, with applicants required to provide passport information, answer questions about themselves and their trip, submit a live image and make the applicable payment.

However, the digital process does not mean that every Indian traveller can use the ETA irrespective of their circumstances. The current official platform says applicants must hold an ordinary passport, be at least 18 years old and enter South Africa through OR Tambo, Cape Town or Lanseria international airports under the current eligibility arrangement.

What Indian travellers should check before booking

The introduction of the fee makes it important for travellers to distinguish between the ETA and a conventional visa.

The South African government describes the ETA as a digital authorisation linked to a traveller’s passport. It is intended for eligible tourism and visitor travel and does not permit employment in South Africa.

Travellers should therefore check:

whether their passport qualifies for the ETA;

whether their intended airport is covered by the current system;

the applicable visa and electronic processing fees;

passport validity requirements; and

the latest status of their application before travelling.

The official ETA portal is the appropriate place to check eligibility, complete an application and make the applicable payment.