South Africa passport → Gambia

Gambia visa for South African citizens

Visa-free

90 days visa-free

South African citizens can visit the Gambia without a visa for up to 90 days. Every air traveller pays a US$20 airport security fee on arrival and again on departure. A yellow fever certificate is needed if you arrive from a yellow fever risk country.

Official details are shown in English.

Status
Visa-free
Max stay
90 days
Last checked
30 October 2026

What it means in practice

90 days is about three months. If you arrive on 1 November 2026, your last legal day is 29 January 2027, because the arrival day is day one. Use the stay calculator for your own dates.

How the Gambia counts your stay: The entry stamp shows your permitted stay (28 days for visa-exempt visitors).

Before you go

Official details are shown in English.

  • Airport Security Fee — On arrival and on departure at Banjul airport; US$20 each way (EUR, GBP or dalasi also accepted). Children aged 1 or under and transit passengers are exempt. Card machines are often out of order: bring cash and pay at the kiosks at Banjul International Airport. Official site
  • Yellow fever vaccination certificate — Vaccinate at least 10 days before arrival; Depends on the vaccination centre. A yellow fever vaccination certificate is required if you arrive from a country with risk of yellow fever transmission (including transit there). Some onward destinations may also ask for it. Official site

At the border

Official details are shown in English.

  • Passport valid for the whole stay
  • US$20 airport security fee in cash on arrival
  • Yellow fever certificate if arriving from a risk country
  • At land borders, drivers of private vehicles may be charged a vehicle registration fee
  • Declare any goods that may be prohibited or subject to duty; customs rules are strict

How to avoid overstaying

  • Go by your stamp or visa. The date the officer gives you is the one that counts, even if it is shorter than the maximum.
  • Plan to leave a day or two early. With 90 days, book your exit before the last legal day so a cancelled flight doesn't push you over.
  • Extend before you run out. Two extensions of 28 days each at the Immigration Office in Banjul or the tourist police stations in the Tourism Development Area. Longer stays need a residence permit.
  • Penalties. Our data does not list the overstay penalty for the Gambia. Ask the immigration authority before you risk it: fines, deportation and entry bans are common elsewhere.

Questions

Do South African citizens need a visa for the Gambia?

South African citizens can visit the Gambia without a visa for up to 90 days.

How long can South African citizens stay in the Gambia?

Up to 90 days, according to Bordr's data. The entry stamp shows your permitted stay (28 days for visa-exempt visitors).

Can I extend my stay in the Gambia?

Two extensions of 28 days each at the Immigration Office in Banjul or the tourist police stations in the Tourism Development Area. Longer stays need a residence permit.

What do I need at the border in the Gambia?

Passport valid for the whole stay; US$20 airport security fee in cash on arrival; Yellow fever certificate if arriving from a risk country.

When was this checked?

Bordr last checked the entry rules for the Gambia against official sources on 30 October 2026. Rules change: confirm with the official source before you travel.

Sources and last check

Entry rules for this destination were last checked against official sources on 30 October 2026. Visa-free days come from the passport matrix in the Bordr app, corrected where the official rules differ.

This page is general information, not legal advice. Entry rules change and border officers have the final say. Check the official government source for your destination before you travel.

Includes visa data from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0), retrieved 1 November 2026; Bordr's official-source checks take precedence.

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