Schengen visa for South African passport holders
One Schengen short-stay visa lets South African travelers visit all 29 Schengen countries for up to 90 days in any 180-day period. You file a single application, but where you file it matters.
Apply to the right country
Apply to the country where you will spend the most days. If you will spend an equal number of days in more than one country, apply to the country you enter first.
Applying to the wrong consulate is a top reason Schengen visas get refused.
Schengen countries we cover for South Africa
- South Africa to Austria
- South Africa to Belgium
- South Africa to Bulgaria
- South Africa to Croatia
- South Africa to Czechia
- South Africa to Denmark
- South Africa to Estonia
- South Africa to Finland
- South Africa to France
- South Africa to Germany
- South Africa to Greece
- South Africa to Hungary
- South Africa to Iceland
- South Africa to Italy
- South Africa to Latvia
- South Africa to Liechtenstein
- South Africa to Lithuania
- South Africa to Luxembourg
- South Africa to Malta
- South Africa to Netherlands
- South Africa to Norway
- South Africa to Poland
- South Africa to Portugal
- South Africa to Romania
- South Africa to Slovakia
- South Africa to Slovenia
- South Africa to Spain
- South Africa to Sweden
- South Africa to Switzerland
Common questions
- Which Schengen country should I apply to?
- Apply to the country where you will spend the most days. If you will spend an equal number of days in more than one country, apply to the country you enter first.
- Does one Schengen visa cover every country in the area?
- Yes. A Schengen short-stay (Type C) visa lets you travel across all 29 Schengen countries for up to 90 days in any 180-day period. You still file one application, through the country where you will spend the most days.
- Do the fees and processing times change by country?
- Each Schengen country runs its own consulate or visa center, so appointment waits, processing times, and document details differ by route. Open the country page for South Africa below to see the specifics.
- Can Meridian tell me whether I will be approved?
- No. No honest service can promise a visa outcome. Meridian checks whether your application is ready to submit and flags what is missing or inconsistent, so you can fix it before you apply.
Not sure you are ready to apply? Meridian's free check reviews your details and tells you what to fix first. It never promises an outcome.
Check your application readiness