Entry restrictions by the authorities of other states placed on citizens of South Africa
Visa requirements for South African citizens are administrative entry restrictions by the authorities of other states placed on citizens of the Republic of
South Africa.
As of 2024, South African citizens had visa-free or visa on arrival access to 108 countries and territories, ranking the
South African passport 53rd in the world according to the
Henley Passport Index.[1]
Where visa-free access is permitted, such access is not necessarily a right, and admission is at the discretion of border enforcement officers. Visitors engaging in activities other than tourism, including unpaid work, may require a visa or work permit.
It does not provide for where certain people under the assumption remained British Subjects without Citizenship, then later became British Overseas Citizens or British Subjects in 1983, there are different requirements. See
Visa requirements for British Overseas citizens or
South African nationality law.
Visa requirements map
Visa requirements
This list provides for the period of stay under "Allowed Stay" generally for short stay activities where a Visa is not required in sovereign states.
Holders of a valid, multiple entry and previously used visa issued by a Schengen area country, United States, or the United Kingdom can enter Albania without a visa for 90 days.
Biometric Collection is mandatory upon request for the Online Visitor e600 Visa.
Visas can be issued within a matter of seconds depending on the length of queue once all the appropriate information is provided including Biometrics.
Departing Passengers may use SmartGate for a faster entry into the passenger area, this is not applicable to arriving passengers for entry into Australia.
Valid multiple entry visa holders and residents of the European Union, Schengen Area member states, and United States of America can enter Bosnia and Herzegovina without a visa for a maximum stay of 30 days.
5 day Schengen Visa available at the Shenzhen border if travelling from Hong Kong or Macao. Visa holders must stay within the Shenzhen City and surrounds, not travel to other cities and leave at the end of the 5 day permission. Travelling to Guangzhou would be in violation of the conditions.
Holders of a visa or residence permit issued by a Schengen state or Monaco may also travel to Cyprus, without an additional visa, for a stay of up to 90 days in any 180-day period or until visa expiry date (whichever is shorter)
e-Visa holders must arrive via 26 designated airports[Note 1] or 3 designated seaports.[Note 2][100]
An Indian e-Tourist Visa may only be obtained twice within 1 calendar year.[citation needed]
Foreigners of Pakistani origin or who hold a Pakistani Passport are not eligible for an e-Visa. Foreigners who are not Pakistani nationals, but whose parents or grandparents (either paternal or maternal) were born in, or were permanent residents in Pakistan, are also not eligible for an e-Visa.[101]
Entry by air is subject to a manual verification process with Ireland immigration prior to departure, usually facilitated by the airline provider, which could add up to 30 minutes of waiting time prior to departure. Travel departure is conditional on this pre-approval process.
Entry into
Northern Ireland from Ireland is not permitted if the South African passport holder does not have a valid UK Visa.
Visa checks may be carried out if travelling by land between Ireland and Northern Ireland (UK). Further checks are implied when travelling by boat or from Northern Ireland (UK) to mainland UK (Great Britain).
UK direct-airside transit and transit by land visas cannot be used for travel to Ireland by transiting the UK, this is because entry in the first country (either the UK or Ireland) is considered entry to the entire Common Travel Area (UK and Republic of Ireland). Standard Visitor Visa required for the purpose of any transit.
Visa can be obtained upon arrival, it will cost a total of 40 JOD, obtainable at most international ports of entry and land border crossings. (except
King Hussein/Allenby Bridge)
Holders of residence permit's issued by Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, Oman and the United Arab Emirates may apply for an eVisa if the main applicant works in a specific profession. Dependents holding residence permits may also obtain an eVisa, on the conditional they will enter Kuwait with the main applicant.[125]
Certain travelers who are of Lithuanian Descent (i.e. by the parent, grandparent and great-grandparent) may be issued a long-stay Category D Visa or Permanent Residence valid if the relationship can be proved.
Residents of French overseas departments and territories, Danish territories and Dutch Caribbean territories, permanent residents or valid visa holders of the United Kingdom or countries that comprise the Schengen area, holders of Permanent Resident Cards or valid visas issued by Canada, holders of permanent residence permits issued by Chile, holders of permanent residence permits issued by Colombia, holders of Permanent Residence Card, Permanent Re-entry Permit or valid visas issued by Japan, holders of permanent residence permits issued by Peru and holders of valid US visas or Green Cards - may enter Mexico without a visa for up to 180 days.
Passport holders with less than six months validity may face difficulty when attempting to enter as a Business Visitor/ Tourist as they are usually permitted six months stay which might exceed the passport's validity.
South African nationals are allowed to visit Moldova without a Moldovan visa if they hold a valid residence permit or a valid multiple entry visa issued by a Schengen member state, the United Kingdom, Ireland or Cyprus.
Nationals of South Africa may visit Montenegro without a visa for up to 30 days if they hold a passport with visas issued by Ireland, a Schengen Area member state, the United Kingdom or the United States or if they are permanent residents of those countries. Residents of the United Arab Emirates do not require a visa for up to 10 days, if they hold a return ticket, fly directly in and out of Tivat Airport on FlyDubai and hold proof of accommodation.
Holders of an Australian Permanent Resident Visa or Resident Return Visa may be granted a New Zealand Resident Visa on arrival permitting indefinite stay (pursuant to the
Trans-Tasman Travel Arrangement), subject to meeting character requirements and obtaining an
Electronic Travel Authority prior to departure.[168]
Holders of a valid multiple entry visa or Residence Permit for the Schengen Area may enter North Macedonia for up to 15 days visa free. A temporary residence permit of a Schengen member state is accepted since 27 February 2019. Holders of a valid UK, Canada or USA visa may enter North Macedonia for up to 15 days visa free.
Available at
Hamad International Airport. The Visa Waiver Facility (of 30 days) cannot be facilitated if stay is less than 1 night, a Transit Visa should be applied for instead. Label is put in the passport in addition to a stamp upon arrival after satisfying the entry requirements.[191]
e-Visa, Transit Visa from Qatar Airways (9–96 hours) and ETA are also available. eVisa refers to a Tourist Visa.[192] These three methods are all acceptable alternatives for tourism should the South African passport holder wish not to use the Visa Waiver Facility available upon arrival.
Male travelers who are ordinarily a resident in Qatar require an Exit Visa/ Permit.
Visa not required in advance if in possession of the Right of Abode in the United Kingdom with a Certificate of Entitlement in Commonwealth passport, may enter the Emirate of Dubai in the same way as a British Citizen.
Right of Abode holders with a Certificate of Entitlement in their Commonwealth passport may enter the United Kingdom and remain indefinitely.
Temporary Visa holders can only enter for 3 months if entering from the Republic of Ireland (Eire).
The Crown dependencies include the Bailiwicks of Jersey and Guernsey as well as the Isle of Man. The same Visa Policy applies mainly to the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar, therefore a United Kingdom Visa can be used.
Transit Visa Required unless in possession of an exemption document; Australian, New Zealand and all other Visas with confirmation slips/ electronically granted Visas with a paper print-out as confirmation are not permitted as an exemption document unless endorsed by the airline. Note: Schengen Visa type "C" is not an approved exemption document. Entry must be refused or denied boarding on vessel. Direct Airside or Transit Visa required depending on type of transit.
Entering the United Kingdom (including Northern Ireland) by land, sea or air from the Republic of Ireland is not permitted unless in possession of a valid U.K. Visa or Immigration Document. UK Land or Transit Visa cannot be used to transit the UK from Ireland or from Ireland to the UK, a Standard Visa is required.
Holders of a B1 / B2 (B) Visa, Permanent Resident Card, D Visa who have entered the United States at least once since 2008 may use the Automated Passport Control (APC) Kiosk for faster processing at selected airports, before proceeding to a US Customs and Border Protection officer for finalization of entry into the United States.
Schengen Visa Required. Entry can be made from Italy exclusively. Vatican City is a de facto member of the Schengen Area and there are no formal immigration procedures upon entry and exit.
30 days. Landing slip with stay conditions issued upon arrival in place of entry stamp. This is not a permit, however it is used to classify South African citizens as being visa exempted.
3 months. Travel to mainland France is prohibited unless in possession of a Valid Schengen Visa, Identity and Visa checks are conducted between Reunion and mainland France/ EU or EEA countries and Switzerland.
You do NOT need to apply for a visa if: You have a valid visa to enter the UK, US or Canada. A valid UK, US or Canada visa can be used to enter Anguilla.[299]
Visa not required for holders of Canadian, US or UK multiple-entry visa valid for at least 45 days beyond the period of intended stay in Bermuda for a maximum stay of 3 months
Special permit required (4 days: 25
euro for
Orthodox visitors, 35 euro for non-Orthodox visitors, 18 euro for students). There is a visitors' quota: maximum 100
Orthodox and 10 non-Orthodox per day and women are not allowed.[343][344]
With the exception of the capital
Malé, tourists are generally prohibited from visiting non-resort islands without the express permission of the Government of Maldives.[356]
Permit issued by the local police required for staying for less than 24 hours[357] and permit issued by the
Norwegian police for staying for more than 24 hours.[358]
Crossing from Ukraine requires visit purpose to be explained to Ukrainian passport control on exit and those who entered from Russia are not allowed to proceed further into Ukraine.[359]
In some instances, a Visa Exemption permits entry in lieu of obtaining a Visa/ Entry Visa if in possession of the following Visas or Permanent Relationships, this is not limited to entitlements or provisions laid down by the country's law, for instance, right to enter without prior authority due to background such as in the case of former Indian Citizens:
This list does not include the ability of a Visa Document Exemption/ Substitute for a Visa Application, for instance a US Visa as an exemption document for the issue of a Qatari e-Visa.
Summary of Visa Exemptions
Country of Issue where document can be used as an Exemption for entry
United States of America - South African Citizens in possession of a valid United States Multiple Entry Visa in their passport may enter the following country(ies) visa-free for the time indicated beside, this also includes the countries consisting of the former Yugoslavia:
Canada - South African Citizens in possession of a valid Canadian Multiple Entry Visa in their passport may enter the following country(ies) visa-free for the time indicated adjacent:
Right of Abode in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland - South African Citizens who are in possession of a Valid Certificate of Entitlement substantiating their claim to the Right of Abode in the United Kingdom in their South African passport (as either a British National or South African / Commonwealth Citizen) may enter the following Commonwealth Realms / countries for the same period for as a South African Citizen who would usually a Visa but without the Right of Abode in the United Kingdom (+except the United Kingdom as right to reside is automatic):
South African citizens in possession of Leave to Remain or Enter holders(whether permanent or temporary) / Ireland Biometric Visa or Permanent Residency holders:
Holder's of a United Kingdom Visa May enter:
Bermuda of the United Kingdom - 3 months (if arriving or transiting from the United Kingdom).
Australia
Permanent Residence in the Commonwealth of Australia - South African Citizens with any type of a Valid Australian Permanent Resident Visa electronically granted or as a label still valid may enter the following country:
New Zealand - Indefinite. Note: may apply for Permanent Residency in New Zealand after satisfying two years residence with an Australian Resident Visa in New Zealand. Australian Resident Visa is a New Zealand (Indefinite) Visa which is granted at the New Zealand border to Australian Permanent Residents in the form of an entry stamp, if the holder leaves New Zealand the Visa would therefore end and the time spent would not count towards satisfying the Two Year Residence requirement in order to become a New Zealand Permanent Resident (2 years) or a Citizen (5 years). Australian Resident Visa is the name of the Visa given to Australian Permanent Residents or Australian Citizens upon arrival in New Zealand.
Holder's must also consider that they will be able to return to Australia as a Permanent Resident should the expiry of their travel facility on their Australian Permanent Residence occur whilst they are in New Zealand. The Australian Resident Visa granted in New Zealand is indefinite if in New Zealand, however expires when leaving.
As of 1 October 2019, Australian Permanent Residents need to apply for a New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority (NZeTA) if they wish to enter New Zealand. The ETA is valid for 2 years however there is no time limit on the length of stay, this is just the time the holder must enter within. The cost is NZD 9 on the mobile app and NZD 12 on the internet per traveller and takes about 5 minutes to complete. The aim is to preauthorise travel to New Zealand. Once the Australian Permanent Resident arrives, they will be granted a New Zealand Visa for Australian Residents (Australian Resident Visa) subject to satisfying character requirements. It is very important to consider three things: Validity of Australian Permanent Residence in order to return to Australia or New Zealand, Validity of NZeTA and leaving New Zealand. Leaving New Zealand will terminate the New Zealand Visa for Australian Resident, if the Australian Permanent Resident Visa is not Valid then they will not be able to return to New Zealand or Australia. There are no other costs involved.
https://www.immigration.govt.nz/new-zealand-visas/apply-for-a-visa/about-visa/australian-resident-visa
European Union
European Union Family Member - South African Citizens who are travelling with or joining their EU family members in the European Union in a Country other than where their family member is a citizen of does not require a Visa to enter and enjoy the same entry rights and stay, however this would be difficult to prove and as a result, entry could be refused. Visa should be applied for in advance which is usually with no or minimal requirements to meet if the applicant is a family member of an EU Citizen. For instance, a person who wants to travel with their spouse to France where their spouse is a Citizen of the Republic of Lithuania should apply for a Schengen Visa in advance or where a person wants to join their Lithuanian spouse who resides in France should also apply for a Schengen Visa in order to prove their right and avoid misconception. In most cases, airlines will not permit travel without a visa. There is no time limit a family member can stay (indefinite stay), they must just enter before the Visa expires if joining their family or travelling at the same time. There are no costs involved either. European Union citizens and their South African family members will need to apply for settled or pre-settled status if they wish continue residing in the UK after 31 December 2020. Settled Status can be granted when the applicant has resided in the UK for 5 years and is valid indefinitely. In order to maintain settled status, people must visit the UK every 5 years. Pre-Settled status is granted when the applicant has resided in the UK for less than 5 years and is valid for 5 years. In order to maintain pre-settled status, people must visit the UK every two years. However, applicants would have to meet continuous residence until they reach 5 years if they want to qualify for settled status after 31 December 2020. It will not be possible to be granted another pre-settled Visa.
Schengen Visa (Long Stay) - Holder's of a Valid Long Stay Category D Visa who arrive in the Schengen European country of their Visa and apply for a Residence Card shortly after arriving will be able to use their EU residence permit/ card for travel within the Schengen States, if granted.
Many countries have entry restrictions on foreigners that go beyond the common requirement of having either a valid
visa or a visa exemption. Such restrictions may be health related or impose additional documentation requirements on certain classes of people for diplomatic or political purposes.
Blank passport pages
Many countries require a minimum number of blank pages to be available in the passport being presented, typically one or two pages.[378] Endorsement pages, which often appear after the visa pages, are not counted as being valid or available.
Some other countries require vaccination only if the passenger is coming from an infected area or has visited one recently or has transited for 12 hours in those countries: Algeria, Botswana, Cabo Verde, Chad, Djibouti, Egypt, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Lesotho, Libya, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Papua New Guinea, Seychelles, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Tunisia, Uganda, United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe.[381][382]
Passport validity length
Very few countries, such as Paraguay, just require a valid passport on arrival.
However many countries and groupings now require only an identity card – especially from their neighbours. Other countries may have special bilateral arrangements that depart from the generality of their passport validity length policies to shorten the period of passport validity required for each other's citizens[383][384] or even accept passports that have already expired (but not been cancelled).[385]
Some countries, such as Japan,[386] Ireland and the United Kingdom,[387] require a passport valid throughout the period of the intended stay.
In the absence of specific bilateral agreements, countries requiring passports to be valid for at least 6 more months on arrival include Afghanistan, Algeria, Anguilla, Bahrain,[388] Bhutan, Botswana, British Virgin Islands, Brunei, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Cayman Islands, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Costa Rica, Côte d'Ivoire, Curaçao, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Fiji, Gabon, Guinea Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Israel,[389] Jordan, Kenya, Kiribati, Kuwait, Laos, Madagascar, Malaysia, Marshall Islands, Mongolia, Myanmar, Namibia, Nepal, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Oman, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Peru,[390] Philippines,[391] Qatar, Rwanda, Samoa, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Tanzania, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Tokelau, Tonga, Turkey, Tuvalu, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, Vanuatu, Venezuela, and Vietnam.[392]
Countries requiring passports valid for at least 4 months on arrival include Micronesia and Zambia.
Countries requiring passports with a validity of at least 3 months beyond the date of intended departure include Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Honduras, Montenegro, Nauru, Moldova and New Zealand.
Similarly, the
EEA countries of Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, all
European Union countries (except Ireland) together with Switzerland also require 3 months validity beyond the date of the bearer's intended departure unless the bearer is an EEA or Swiss national.
Countries requiring passports valid for at least 3 months on arrival include Albania, North Macedonia, Panama, and Senegal.
Bermuda requires passports to be valid for at least 45 days upon entry.
Countries that require a passport validity of at least one month beyond the date of intended departure include Eritrea, Hong Kong, Lebanon, Macau, the Maldives[393] and South Africa.
Criminal record
Some countries, including Australia, Canada, Fiji, New Zealand and the United States,[394] routinely deny entry to non-citizens who have a
criminal record while others impose restrictions
depending on the type of conviction and the length of the sentence.
Persona non grata
The government of a country can declare a diplomat persona non grata, banning entry into that country. In non-diplomatic use, the authorities of a country may also declare a foreigner persona non grata permanently or temporarily, usually because of unlawful activity.[395]
Israeli stamps
Kuwait,[396] Lebanon,[397] Libya,[398] Syria,[399] and Yemen[400] do not allow entry to people with
passport stamps from Israel or whose passports have either a used or an unused Israeli visa, or where there is evidence of previous travel to Israel such as entry or exit stamps from neighbouring border posts in transit countries such as Jordan and Egypt.
To circumvent this
Arab League boycott of Israel, the Israeli immigration services have now mostly ceased to stamp foreign nationals' passports on either entry to or exit from Israel (unless the entry is for some work-related purposes). Since 15 January 2013, Israel no longer stamps foreign passports at
Ben Gurion Airport. Passports are still (as of 22 June 2017[update]) stamped at
Erez when passing into and out of
Gaza.[citation needed]
Iran refuses admission to holders of passports containing an Israeli visa or stamp that is less than 12 months old.
Several countries mandate that all travellers, or all foreign travellers, be
fingerprinted on arrival and will refuse admission to or even arrest travellers who refuse to comply. In some countries, such as the United States, this may apply even to transit passengers who merely wish to change planes rather than go
landside.[401]
Fingerprinting countries/regions include Afghanistan,[402][403] Argentina,[404] Brunei, Cambodia,[405] China,[406] Ethiopia,[407] Ghana, Guinea,[408] India, Japan,[409][410] Kenya (both fingerprints and a photo are taken),[411] Malaysia upon entry and departure,[412] Mongolia, Saudi Arabia,[413] Singapore, South Korea,[414] Taiwan, Thailand,[415] Uganda,[416] the United Arab Emirates and the United States.
Many countries also require a photo be taken of people entering the country. The United States, which does not fully implement
exit control formalities at its land frontiers (although long mandated by domestic legislation),[417][418][419] intends to implement
facial recognition for passengers departing from international airports to identify people who overstay their visa.[420]
Together with fingerprint and face recognition,
iris scanning is one of three biometric identification technologies internationally standardised since 2006 by the
International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) for use in
e-passports[421] and the United Arab Emirates conducts iris scanning on visitors who need to apply for a visa.[422][423]
Consular protection of South African citizens abroad
^"Information about: Australian Resident Visa". immigration.govt.nz. Immigration New Zealand. Retrieved 21 May 2020. Australian citizens and permanent residents can visit, work and live in New Zealand. You do not need a visa before you travel to New Zealand.
^Division, c=AU;o=Commonwealth of Australia;ou=Department of the Environment and Energy;ou=Australian Antarctic (28 February 2005).
"Frequently asked questions". www.heardisland.aq.{{
cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (
link)
^Baker, Vicky (20 June 2013).
"Passport expiry dates and blank pages: what are the rules?". The Guardian. Retrieved 13 January 2024. The number of remaining blank pages a passport should have is also an issue. Some travellers have reported arriving with one or less than one full page left and waiting for hours at immigration, until an official reluctantly grants them entry. The FCO lists no hard and fast rules because, in many cases, there aren't any.
^"Yellow Fever". Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC). African Union. Retrieved 23 August 2021. African countries that requires (sic) Yellow Fever vaccination certificate: Countries that require vaccination for all travellers older that 9 months or 1 year: Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameron, Central African Republic, Congo, Côte d'lvoire, DRC, Gabon, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Liberia, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Niger, Togo.
^"Fièvre jaune" (in French). 2 September 2018. Retrieved 27 August 2019.
^"Yellow Fever". Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC). African Union. Retrieved 23 August 2021. African countries that requires Yellow Fever vaccination certificate: Countries that requires (sic) vaccination for travellers from countries with risk of yellow fever transmission or transit for 12 hours in those countries: Algeria, Botswana, Cabo Verde, Chad, Djibouti, Egypt, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Lesotho, Libya, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Papua New Guinea, Seychelles, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Tunisia, Uganda, United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe.
^"Visitor Visa". travel.state.gov. US Department of State. Retrieved 13 January 2024. Passport valid for travel to the United States – Your passport must be valid for at least six months beyond your period of stay in the United States (unless exempt by country-specific agreements). Each individual who needs a visa must submit a separate application, including any family members listed in your passport.
^"Countries whose citizens are allowed to enter Turkey with their expired passports". Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Republic of Turkey. Archived from
the original on 8 October 2015. Retrieved 6 July 2018. Countries whose citizens are allowed to enter Turkey with their expired passports: 1. Germany – Passports expired within the last year / ID's expired within the last year, 2. Belgium - Passports expired within the last 5 years, 3. France - Passports expired within the last 5 years, 4. Spain - Passports expired within the last 5 years, 5. Switzerland - Passports expired within the last 5 years, 6. Luxemburg - Passports expired within the last 5 years, 7. Portugal - Passports expired within the last 5 years, 8. Bulgaria – Valid ordinary passport
^"Frequently Asked Questions". Embassy of Japan in Malaysia. Retrieved 13 January 2024. Q: Do I need at least 6 months passport validity in order to enter Japan? A: Japan does not have any regulations relating to passport validity, so long as your passport will be valid until after you leave Japan.
^"Entering the UK". Gov.UK. Retrieved 17 March 2021. You're not from an EEA country: you must have a valid passport to enter the UK. It should be valid for the whole of your stay.
^Calder, Simon (24 April 2017). "Airline lobbying for a relaxation of draconian rules for London-Auckland travellers". The Independent.
Archived from the original on 21 June 2022. Retrieved 7 July 2018. Travellers heading west from the UK to New Zealand may soon be able to avoid the onerous requirement to clear US border control during the refuelling stop at Los Angeles airport (LAX). Unlike almost every other country in the world, the US insists on a full immigration check even for passengers who simply intend to re-board their plane to continue onwards to a foreign destination. Air New Zealand, which flies daily from Heathrow via Los Angeles to Auckland, says there are currently "strict requirements for travellers" in transit at LAX. Through passengers to Auckland on flight NZ1 or Heathrow on NZ2 must apply in advance for an ESTA (online visa) even though they have no intention of staying in the US. They also have to undergo screening by the Transportation Security Administration.
^"China to Start Fingerprinting Foreign Visitors". Air Canada. 31 January 2019. Retrieved 7 July 2018. Effective April 27, 2018, border control authorities at all of China's ports of entry, including its airports, will start collecting the fingerprints of all foreign visitors aged between 14 and 70. Diplomatic passport holders and beneficiaries of reciprocal agreements are exempted..
^"Immigration & Visas FAQs". Kenya Airports Authority. Retrieved 6 May 2019. Will visitors still have their digital photo and fingerprints taken at the immigration desk on arrival? Yes, the need to have photos and fingerprints taken upon arrival is to authenticate that the person who applied for the Visa is the same person at the port of entry
^"Malaysia". CountryReports. Retrieved 7 July 2018.
^Brown, Theresa Cardinal (9 May 2016).
"Biometric Entry-Exit Update: CBP Developing Land Border Process". Bipartisan Policy Center. Retrieved 25 April 2019. While a requirement for a biometric entry-exit system has been in law for over a decade, it is not yet a reality. Many reasons for the long gestating development have been documented in BPC's 2014 report Entry-Exit System: Progress, Challenges, and Outlook, including the technological, operational, and cost challenges of creating exit systems and infrastructure where none exist today. However, many critics, especially in Congress, simply accused the Department of Homeland security of dragging its feet... the major operational, logistical, and technical challenge in implementing exit capability at our ports has been the land borders. Unlike airports and seaports, the land border environment is not physically controlled, there is no means to get advance information on who is arriving, and the sheer volume of travel—both vehicular and pedestrian—creates challenges in any system to not further exacerbate delays. While biometric exit for land vehicular traffic is still in the "what if" stage, CBP is moving ahead and piloting systems and technology to use with the large population of pedestrian crossers at the U.S.-Mexico border.
^Lipton, Eric (21 May 2013).
"U.S. Quietly Monitors Foreigners' Departures at the Canadian Border". The New York Times. Retrieved 25 April 2019. Long demanded by lawmakers in Congress, it is considered a critical step to developing a coherent program to curb illegal immigration, as historically about 30 percent to 40 percent of illegal immigrants in the United States arrived on tourist visas or other legal means and then never left, according to estimates by Homeland Security officials.
^Lipton, Eric (15 December 2006).
"Administration to Drop Effort to Track if Visitors Leave". The New York Times. Retrieved 25 April 2019. Efforts to determine whether visitors actually leave have faltered. Departure monitoring would help officials hunt for foreigners who have not left, if necessary. Domestic security officials say, however, it would be too expensive to conduct fingerprint or facial recognition scans for land departures.
^"Iris Scanner Could Replace Emirates ID In UAE". SimplyDXB. 11 June 2017. Retrieved 7 July 2018. The breach of privacy is probably the biggest threat to the biometric technique of iris recognition. Secondly, a device error can false reject or false accept the identity which can also have some heinous consequences. Lastly, the method isn't the most cost-effective one. It is complex and therefore expensive. Furthermore, the maintenance of devices and data can also be relatively burdensome. However, thanks to the oil money and spending ability of Dubai, they are economically equipped to effectively embrace this system.
1British Overseas Territories.
2 These countries span the conventional boundary between Europe and Asia.
3 Partially recognized.
4Unincorporated territory of the United States.
5 Part of the Kingdom of Denmark.
6Egypt spans the boundary between Africa and Asia.