Mexico Visa Requirements for South African Citizens (2026)
Yes — South African passport holders need a visa to enter Mexico. Cost: US$10. Every number on this page carries the date we last verified it.
Required documents
- Passport holders with less than six months validity remaining may face difficulty when entering Mexico.
Fees & processing
| Visa fee | US$10 — e-Visa (validity 180) |
|---|
From official-portal extracts (captured ):
- •The tourist e-Visa costs USD 10 and is valid for 180 days.
- •Consular visa fees are paid in cash in the local currency, and the exact amount varies with the monthly exchange rate. [2]
How to apply
- Apply through the Mexican consulate responsible for the area where you live. [2]
- Request an appointment by email, giving your full name, passport number, nationality, date of birth, the province and city where you live, and the visa type you want. [2]
- Wait for the confirmation email, which usually arrives within five working days, and check your spam folder if nothing appears. [2]
- Attend the visa interview with all your documents, where the consulate reviews your information and materials. [2]
- If your application is approved, pay the visa fee and collect the visa, which is issued within ten working days of the interview date. [2]
Before you fly
- •A short non-labor visit of up to 180 days, such as tourism or business, is issued as a multiple-entry permit. [2]
- •Nationals of countries on Mexico's INM visa-exempt list and APEC Business Travel Card holders do not need a visitor visa for short trips. [2]
Full Mexico entry guide — customs, health, long stays — on the destination page.
Conditions & fine print
- •Travellers who wish to visit Mexico (regardless of their nationality or itinerary), holding either a valid, multiple entry visa OR who are permanent residents of the United States, Canada, Japan, the United Kingdom or the EU Schengen Space countries, DO NOT require a Mexican tourist visa. Dependent upon the immigration officer, the maximum period of stay authorised is 180 days at a time.
Watch out for
Apply in the consular district where you live; residents of other districts must apply at the Mexican mission covering their area. [2]
Appointment confirmations may be delivered to your spam folder, so check it before assuming nothing was sent. [2]
Accompanying persons are not allowed inside the consulate, so only the applicant should attend the interview. [2]
Recent changes
- · confirmedPeru
- · confirmedBrazil
- · confirmedVenezuela
- · confirmedEcuador
- · confirmedBolivia
- · confirmedUnited Arab Emirates
- · confirmedColombia
- · confirmedBarbados
- · confirmedHungary
- · confirmedSouth Korea
- · confirmedGreece
- · confirmedJapan
Policy updates affecting this route
- · confirmedShort-stay visa applicants generally needed in-person fingerprint capture → Through 31 Dec 2026, fingerprinting is waived for short visas of ≤180 days (not for D/J1/Q1/S1/X1/Z residence-track visas) — Mexico waives in-person fingerprinting for short-stay visa applicants
Frequently asked
How much does the Mexico visa cost for South African passport holders?
US$10 — e-Visa (validity 180).
What documents are required?
Passport holders with less than six months validity remaining may face difficulty when entering Mexico..
How do I book a visa appointment?
Send an email with your full name, passport number, nationality, date of birth, the city where you live and the visa type. A confirmation usually arrives within five working days.
How long does the visa take after the interview?
The visa is issued within ten working days counting from the date of the visa interview.
Do older tourists need to prove their finances?
No. Applicants aged 65 or over travelling for tourism do not have to submit financial evidence under Article 102 of the immigration law.
Sources & last verified
Fact data cross-checked against English Wikipedia “Visa requirements for South African citizens” and “Visa policy of Mexico”, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 — attribution, not copied text.
Official-source extracts captured : [1] consulmex.sre.gob.mx [2] consulmex.sre.gob.mx [3] consulmex.sre.gob.mx. Attribution to the publishing agencies; every bracketed number above points to its row here.
Last verified: . Entries, fees and rules change — confirm on the official portal before you travel.
This is general travel information, not legal or immigration advice. Rules change and enforcement varies at the border — always confirm on the official portal before you travel.