This article was published more than 12 months ago. Immigration rules and requirements can change frequently, so some information may no longer be current.
The Ministry of Home Affairs announced South Africa has missed a deadline to implement a digital nomad visa by the end of the year.
South Africa is hoping to cash in on the growing market for so-called “digital nomad” visas – visas which allow holders to work remotely for an extended period of time in a country different from their own. The South African government believes the country, particularly the region around Cape Town which is popular with international tourists, could become a top destination for digital nomads.
But since President Cyril Ramaphosa announced his intention to launch a digital nomad visa during his February 2022 State of the Nation Address, the country still has not launched one, and is now on track to miss an end-of-year deadline. One reason given for the delay was a failure to amend the country’s Immigration Act to account for remote workers.
Other countries in the region, such as Namibia, have instituted their own digital nomad visa programs.