The road to visa-free travel is being rebuilt – starting with smarter systems and a more secure passport.
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Johannesburg – South African business travellers have long faced barriers when venturing abroad – from increased visa requirements to frustrating delays. For the country’s SMEs, these challenges can be more than just an administrative hurdle; they can represent missed opportunities, delayed deals and disrupted travel plans.
Now, a major reform is underway. South Africa’s Department of Home Affairs has officially begun overhauling its passport system in an effort to restore global trust in the country’s travel documents and ultimately win back visa-free access to key markets.
Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber, speaking at the 2025 Tourism Business Council of South Africa (TBCSA) Leadership Conference, confirmed several measures designed to close security gaps, modernise passport issuance and improve South Africa’s international standing.
“This reform is long overdue, and it’s a step in the right direction,” says Herman Heunes, General Manager at Corporate Traveller South Africa. “For our SME clients, whose travel budgets leave little room for inefficiency or error, a more credible and secure passport will go a long way toward restoring confidence.”
Here’s what business travellers – and the teams booking and managing their trips – need to know right now.
Shrinking the Gap: What Triggered the Overhaul
The tipping point came in 2024 when Ireland – previously a visa-free destination for South Africans – suddenly imposed visa requirements. This move led to application backlogs of up to 14 weeks, frustrating travellers and business leaders alike.
Minister Schreiber acknowledged that the loss of visa exemptions isn’t political. “Our systems have not been modernised to secure and ensure the legitimacy of the South African passport. It’s on us. We need to work,” he said, admitting that gaps in authentication had created risks other countries could no longer ignore.
The key flaw? While fingerprints and facial scans were collected during passport applications, the actual photograph used was not matched to biometric data. This enabled potential impersonation or duplication – a weakness incompatible with increasingly digitised global border controls.
That loophole has now been closed. “The passport will not be issued if your face doesn’t match your record on the population register,” Schreiber confirmed.
Passport 2.0: Smarter Systems, Safer Documents
The reforms go further than fixing photographs. A complete redesign of South Africa’s identity infrastructure is underway.
The central population register, which underpins identification systems in the country, is being upgraded into what Schreiber calls an “intelligent population register.” This new system will improve interoperability between state agencies and private-sector users, including airlines, banks and international governments, making identity verification more secure and consistent.
South Africans will also receive a new e-passport, embedded with a biometric chip containing their facial and fingerprint data. This aligns South Africa with global standards, placing its passport on par with those used by countries that offer smoother international entry processes and e-gates.
“Incorporating international best practice into our documents makes compliance easier,” notes Heunes. “Security upgrades like biometric chips are no longer just ‘nice to have’, they’re an expectation from many border agencies abroad.”
Regaining Visa-Free Access: What It Will Take
While the passport improvements have been welcomed, Schreiber has made it clear that restoring visa exemptions won’t happen overnight.
“This isn’t a quick fix. Once we’ve modernised our systems, we’ll invite other governments to assess them for themselves. Only when they are confident in the integrity of our processes can we begin negotiating the return of visa-free access,” he said.
The goal? To give South Africa’s passport a clean bill of health, strengthen its credibility and, in time, bring down the number of visa requirements placed on South African travellers.
Until then, the visa burden on South African passport holders will remain, especially for popular business and trade destinations in Europe, North America, and Australia.
Pain Points That Persist
Despite the promising news, many SMEs continue to grapple with legacy challenges. Long visa lead times, varying embassy requirements and high costs take their toll. Delayed travel not only affects meetings and project timelines – it also introduces opportunity cost.
“We’ve had clients postpone international launches or move meetings online simply because they couldn’t get visa approval in time,” says Heunes. “The current environment forces SMEs to plan business travel more conservatively and much further in advance than before.”
For travel programme managers, the responsibility is equally heavy. Staying up to date with shifting entry requirements, submission timeframes and destination-specific protocols can be overwhelming, especially for lean teams.
What SMEs Should Do Now
While the passport overhaul is underway, practical steps can help SMEs minimise disruption to their travel plans:
- Apply early and plan ahead. Even domestic passport applications can face delays. Anticipate visa timelines and set realistic lead times for key trips.
- Monitor destination requirements. Many embassies have updated their application processes. A reputable travel partner can assist in navigating changes.
- Keep documentation updated. Ensure travellers’ passports are valid for at least 6 months beyond their return date, and that all business invitation letters and supporting documents meet current requirements.
- Lean on expert support. TMCs like Corporate Traveller provide real-time information, visa assistance and proactive travel advice customised for you and your team.
The Long Game: Building for Tomorrow
South Africa’s passport overhaul signals a renewed government commitment to facilitating travel and improving global mobility. For local businesses – particularly growth-focused SMEs eyeing expansion – this matters.
“International mobility is critical for our clients,” says Heunes. “Whether it’s securing funding, exploring new markets or attending trade expos, every delayed visa or slow border checkpoint has a knock-on effect. This reform gives us reason to be hopeful.”
As the new systems roll out and e-passports are delivered, business travellers can look forward to smoother journeys in the future and hopefully a return to more visa-free doors opening once again.
-ENDS-
MEDIA CONTACT
For more information about Corporate Traveller, or to interview Corporate Traveller South Africa GM Herman Heunes, call Sonnette Fourie on 081 072 2869 or email sonnette@bigambitions.co.za.
About Corporate Traveller
Corporate Traveller is a division of the Flight Centre Travel Group, dedicated to saving businesses across Southern Africa time and money. Corporate Traveller has the benefit of being part of the world’s third-largest travel retailer, leveraging its global negotiating strength. It has access to over 50 of the world’s leading airlines and deals with more than 100 000 hotels around the world to guarantee savings for clients. Corporate Traveller provides clear, consolidated reporting of all its clients’ travel activities, helping them to control travel spend and identify opportunities to save costs.
Issued by:
Big Ambitions
Sonnette Fourie
+27 81 072 2869
