South Africa has quietly moved its long-promised Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) system from plan to reality, and Indian travellers are already managing to secure approvals in minutes.

The pilot, officially meant for G20 delegates from China, India, Indonesia and Mexico ahead of the Johannesburg G20 Summit in November 2025, appears to be functioning more broadly in practice. Early users report that the portal is live, the process is fully digital, and approvals are being issued with one-year, multiple-entry validity. Advertisement

Here’s what the new ETA system is, how it works, and what it could mean for Indian travellers once it is formally rolled out.

What is South Africa’s ETA and who is it for?

Last September, South Africa confirmed the upcoming launch of a new Electronic T

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