Frequently asked questions

No — South African passport holders can travel visa-free or visa-on-arrival to over 100 destinations, including Mauritius, Brazil, Kenya, Namibia and much of Africa. But the big ones — the UK, USA, Europe (Schengen), Canada and Australia — all require visas. Use our visa finder to check your destination in 30 seconds.

It varies hugely: a Türkiye or India e-visa can be done in days, a UAE e-visa in under a week, Schengen around 15 working days, the UK about three weeks, and the US can take months because of interview wait times. Always apply as early as possible — most embassies accept applications up to 6 months before travel.

As early as the embassy allows — usually up to 6 months before your travel date, and never less than a month before for sticker visas. Peak seasons (SA school holidays, December, European summer) fill appointment slots fast. If your trip is close, ask us about urgent preparation.

The country where you'll spend the most nights. Visiting France, Germany and Spain but spending most of your time in Germany? Apply through Germany. If your stay is split equally, apply through the first country you enter. Getting this wrong is a common refusal reason — we check it for you.

Yes, frequently — fees are updated, document rules shift, and appointment processes move between providers. That's a core part of what you pay a consultant for: we track current requirements so your application is right on the day it's submitted, not the day a blog post was written.

Two parts: the official embassy fee and the service fee. Official fees range from around R900 for an India e-visa to R3,050 for a UK visitor visa and R12,600+ for UK student visas, usually plus a VFS service charge of around R610 where biometrics are lodged. Our service fees start at R790 for e-visas. Build an itemised estimate in our quote builder.

No. Official embassy fees are non-refundable, even when a visa is refused — that's true worldwide and no agency can change it. It's exactly why a properly prepared application matters: you only want to pay that fee once.

Often less: Schengen charges roughly half for children aged 6–11 and nothing under 6, while the UK charges the full visitor fee at any age. Each applicant, adult or child, needs their own application. Our quote builder counts every traveller; group discounts apply from 3 applicants.

Beyond the official fee, budget for VFS service charges, visa photos, bank statement fees, courier return, travel insurance and — for work and study visas — police clearance, medicals and document certification. Our quotes itemise all of it upfront so there are no surprises.

The universal core: a passport valid 6+ months with at least 2 blank pages, photos to spec, 3 months of bank statements, proof of employment or income, a flight itinerary and accommodation proof. Study and work visas add acceptance letters, qualifications, police clearance and medicals. Use the interactive checklist on our visa types page for your exact list.

No — never buy non-refundable tickets before approval. Embassies only require a flight reservation or itinerary at application stage. We prepare compliant itineraries so you don't risk your ticket money on a pending application.

Insufficient or unclear proof of funds is one of the top refusal reasons. Embassies want to see stable income and enough money for the trip — not a large unexplained deposit made last week. We review your statements before submission and tell you honestly if they need strengthening.

A police clearance certificate (PCC) verifies your criminal record status, and it's required for most work visas and many long-stay applications. In South Africa, SAPS clearance can take several weeks — it's usually the slowest document, so we start it first.

The big four: incomplete or inconsistent documents, weak proof of funds, unclear travel intent (the embassy isn't convinced you'll return home), and information that contradicts itself across documents. Nearly all are preventable with proper preparation — which is our whole job.

Yes — and you can often dispute the decision too; the refusal letter includes the reasons and contact details for appeals. A reapplication must directly address every refusal reason, not just resubmit the same file. Bring us your refusal letter and we'll build a stronger application around it.

No — the decision always sits with the embassy, and no honest consultant guarantees approval. Treat 'guaranteed visa' offers as a red flag. What we guarantee is a complete, correct, well-presented application submitted on time — which is what drives high success rates.

For many destinations, yes. Schengen countries require minimum cover of €30,000 for the application to even be accepted, and several others have their own minimums. We arrange embassy-compliant cover as part of your application — from around R450 per trip.

Sometimes partially, but embassies want a certificate showing specific coverage amounts, territory and dates — which most medical aid letters don't provide in the required format. It's usually simpler and safer to add compliant travel insurance; we handle the certificate.

For many visas, yes, at least once — biometrics (fingerprints and photo) must be given in person at VFS or the consulate, and the US requires an interview. We prepare you fully for the appointment, book the earliest workable slot, and handle everything around it.

Yes — the finder and quote builder cover the most popular destinations, but we assist with 30+ countries. WhatsApp us your destination and plans, and we'll confirm the current requirements and quote you.