The Schengen visa for South Africans: one visa, 29 countries
€90, biometrics at a visa centre, about 15 days' processing — and one rule that catches more South Africans than any other: you must apply to the right country's consulate, or your application fails on a technicality.
Schengen at a glance
| Visa needed? | Yes — South African passports need a Schengen short-stay (Type C) visa |
| Government fee | €90 |
| Where you apply | VFS Global, TLScontact or CAPAGO — depending on the country |
| Biometric cities | Johannesburg, Pretoria, Cape Town, Durban |
| Processing time | ~15 calendar days (can be extended) |
| Earliest application | 6 months before travel |
| Insurance | Mandatory — minimum €30,000 medical cover |
| EasyVisa service fee | R3,500 (Tier 2) |
The Schengen area covers 29 European countries — including France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, Portugal, Greece and Switzerland — under a single short-stay visa. One approved visa lets you move freely between all of them for up to 90 days in any 180-day period. That convenience comes with one structural catch South Africans trip over constantly, so let's start there.
The main-destination rule: get this wrong and you're refused
You don't apply for "a Schengen visa" in the abstract — you apply to one specific country's consulate, and the rules decide which one:
- Visiting one country? Apply to that country.
- Visiting several? Apply to your main destination — the country where you'll spend the most days.
- Days split equally? Apply to the country you enter first.
Apply to the wrong consulate — say, France because the appointment was easier to get, when you're really spending most of your trip in Italy — and the consulate can refuse the application without ever weighing its merits. It's a technical refusal: the paperwork was fine, the consulate was wrong. It still goes on your record as a refusal, and you start over, fee and all. Working out the correct consulate from your itinerary is one of the first things we check at intake.
Where South Africans actually apply
Schengen consulates in South Africa outsource visa intake to three companies, and which one you use depends on the country you're applying to:
- VFS Global — handles many Schengen states (for example the Netherlands, Italy and Greece)
- TLScontact — handles others (for example Switzerland and Belgium)
- CAPAGO — handles France
Between them they run application centres in Johannesburg, Pretoria, Cape Town and Durban. You attend once, in person, to submit your file and give fingerprints (biometrics). Fingerprints are then re-usable for Schengen applications for 59 months, though you may still be asked to appear.
What it costs
Two separate amounts — and they go to different people, which is exactly how it should be:
- Government fee: €90 per adult (children 6–11 pay €45, under-6s are free), paid at the visa centre when you apply. The visa centre adds its own service fee, typically R450–R750 depending on the provider. The rand amount moves with the exchange rate — treat any figure as an estimate and verify before you pay.
- EasyVisa service fee: R3,500 — our published Tier 2 price for biometric visas. No VAT is added — the price you see is the final price. We never handle the government fee: you pay it directly to the authority on your own account.
The document pack
Exact checklists vary slightly by country, but a South African visitor application is built around:
- Passport valid at least 3 months beyond your departure from Schengen, issued within the last 10 years, with two blank pages
- The application form and two ICAO-compliant photos
- Travel medical insurance with at least €30,000 cover, valid in all Schengen states for your full stay — this is mandatory, not optional
- Flight reservations and a day-by-day itinerary that supports your main-destination choice
- Proof of accommodation for every night
- Proof of funds — usually 3 months of bank statements
- Proof of ties to South Africa: employment letter, business registration, or proof of study
- For children: a birth certificate and consent documentation (we can apostille supporting documents through our parent company if a consulate requires it)
How long it takes — and when to apply
The standard decision time is about 15 calendar days from your biometric appointment. Consulates can extend this in busy periods or when extra checks are needed, so don't book non-refundable travel around the minimum. You can lodge an application up to 6 months before travel; we recommend 6–8 weeks ahead, earlier for the December rush, when appointment slots in Johannesburg and Cape Town genuinely run out.
The process, start to finish
- Confirm your main destination country (the consulate that must process you)
- Complete that country's application form online or on paper
- Book a biometric appointment at the correct visa centre (VFS, TLScontact or CAPAGO)
- Assemble the document pack — insurance, funds, itinerary, accommodation, ties
- Attend in person, give fingerprints, pay the €90 fee
- Track the application and collect your passport (or have it couriered back)
With EasyVisa, steps 1–4 are done for you and step 6 is tracked for you — here's exactly how the split works. You attend the appointment; the law requires it.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a Schengen visa cost for South Africans?
The standard Schengen visa fee is €90 for adults, paid to the consulate or visa centre when you apply. Children aged 6 to 11 pay €45 and children under 6 are free. Visa-centre service fees and courier costs are extra. EasyVisa's separate service fee for biometric visas is R3,500.
Which country should I apply to if I am visiting several Schengen countries?
Apply to the country that is your main destination — the one where you will spend the most days. If your days are split equally, apply to the country you enter first. Applying to the wrong consulate is a common technical reason for refusal.
How long does a Schengen visa take for South Africans?
The standard processing time is about 15 calendar days from your biometric appointment, though it can be extended in busy periods or if more checks are needed. You can apply up to 6 months before travel — we recommend applying 6 to 8 weeks ahead.
Do I need travel insurance for a Schengen visa?
Yes. Travel medical insurance covering at least €30,000, valid across the whole Schengen area for your full stay, is a mandatory requirement. The insurance certificate must be in your application pack.
Can EasyVisa guarantee my Schengen visa is approved?
No — no honest service can. The consulate alone decides every application. What we control is that your application is complete, correct and consistent, which removes the most common avoidable refusal reasons.
Fees and rules change — verify on the official portal. This guide was checked on 11 June 2026 against the European Commission's official Schengen visa policy pages and the relevant visa-centre sites. Government fees are estimates in rand terms and are paid by you directly to the authority. We never promise an outcome — the consulate decides.