Apply In-Person:

1. To Apply for South Africa Exchange Visa, the applicant has to approach the South African embassies and consulates residing in their respective country link

   Note: The applicant has to click on their Country’s first letter to find the details of the office.

2. An application form will be provided to the applicant by the concerned officer. Or the applicant can download the application form BI- 1738 from the following link

   Note: The Application form BI-1738 is widely used for all type of Visas.

3. The applicant has to fill in all the necessary details in the application form. (Incomplete applications are not accepted)
4. Make sure that the applicant has to attach all the necessary documents that are mentioned in the “Required Documents” section of this page.
5. The applicant has to attach the photocopies of the required documents along with the application form while submitting.
6. Submit all the documents with the completed form to the concerned officer.
7. The applicant has to pay the prescribed fee as requested by the authority.
8. After receiving the application, the concerned authority will check the submitted application and document set. If all are in place, the application will be accepted.
9. An acknowledgment receipt will be provided. Please save it for future reference.
10. Then the application will be processed further. All the updates on the application status will be sent via SMS to the applicant’s mobile number.
11. Once the process gets completed, the applicant gets the call from the office regarding the Visa.
12. This entire process can be completed within 30 days or as per the timeline advised by the respective department authority.

Requirements for entering South Africa
The applicant will need the following if they wish to visit South Africa:

• A valid and acceptable passport or travel document for your intended stay
• At least one blank page in your passport for endorsements
• A valid visa, if required Sufficient funds to pay for your day-to-day expenses during your stay
• A return or onward ticket.
• Yellow fever certificates if your journey starts or entails passing through the yellow fever belt of Africa or South America.

Requirements for Exchange Visa South Africa

• Completed application form link
• A passport valid for no less than 30 days after the expiry of intended visit
• Payment of the prescribed fee
• A vaccination certificate, if required by the Act
• Proof of financial means to cover envisaged living expenses during the sojourn in the Republic and to also pay for the tuition fees. This should be in the form of:
  • bank statements
  • cash available,
  • or travellers’ cheques
• Proof of medical cover
• A cash deposit equivalent to the value of a return ticket.
• In the case of African students, an undertaking from the relevant government to take full responsibility of the student and to pay all costs, should it become necessary to deport the student
• Undertaking(s) by the host(s) in the Republic of South Africa
• Proof of medical cover and Medical and radiology reports
• A cash deposit equivalent to the value of a return ticket or an undertaking by the relevant institution to cover costs for deportation, if necessary, along with proof of a return ticket
• A letter from the organ of state confirming the status/existence of the exchange programme.
• A letter from the educational institution abroad confirming your enrolment or a letter from the foreign state organ confirming your participation in the programme and their awareness of the exchange programme.
• Annual reports from the sponsoring body, outlining progress of the programme. In the absence of a sponsoring body, the educational institution or organ of state must submit the reports.
• A police clearance certificate from each country in which you resided for 12 months or longer since the age of 18 years

DEPARTMENT OF HOME AFFAIRS – SOUTH AFRICA
DHA Head Quarters
Pretoria, Gauteng,
South Africa
Phone: 0800 60 11 90
Email: hacc@dha.gov.za
Contact Details Link
List of South African embassies and consulates link

Note: The applicant has to click on their Country’s first letter to find the details of the office.

• Any person who intends to Apply for South Africa Exchange Visa, is eligible to make this application.

• The applicant has to pay the prescribed fee of R425 per category.

Use the following link to know more about fee details link

• The validity period of an exchange permit depends on the length of the programme for which it is issued and usually does not exceed 12 months.

Note: Exchange permits cannot be renewed or extended.

• Application Form Link

Please attach sample completed documents that would help other people.

• This entire process can be completed within 30 days or as per the timeline advised by the respective department authority.

Videos explaining the procedure or to fill the applications.
Attach videos using the following tag <&video type='website'>video ID|width|height<&/video&> from external websites.
Please remove the '&' inside the tags during implementation.
Website = allocine, blip, dailymotion, facebook, gametrailers, googlevideo, html5, metacafe, myspace, revver,
sevenload, viddler, vimeo, youku, youtube
width = 560, height = 340, Video ID = Can be obtained from the URL of webpage where the video is displayed.
e.g In the following url 'http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0US7oR_t3M' Video ID is 'Y0US7oR_t3M'.

• Applicants must complete the application form before submitting it. Incomplete applications will not be accepted.
• Applicants must provide genuine information while applying for this procedure.

• Name of the applicant
• Age
• Date of birth
• Gender
• City
• State
• Country
• Residential address
• Telephone number(s)
• Email
• Citizenship details
• Passport details

• Exchange Visas may be issued to foreigners who are not older than 25 years of age and wish to participate in cultural, economic, or social exchange programmes administered by an organ of the State or a public higher educational institution in conjunction with an organ of a foreign state.

• For more Information Link
  
• Countries exempt from South African Visas Link
  

Please explain what are other uses of obtaining this document/certificate.
e.g. Birth Certificate can be used as proof of identity.

• Link
  

More information which might help people.