South Africa passport → Guatemala

Guatemala visa for South African citizens

Visa-free

90 days visa-free

South African citizens can visit Guatemala without a visa for up to 90 days. Guatemala is part of the CA-4 area with El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua: one stay of up to 90 days covers all four countries. Air and sea travellers fill in the free electronic Traveller's Affidavit (DJRV) before arrival and before departure.

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 Guatemala counts your stay: Up to 90 days from the first CA-4 entry stamp, shared across Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua. Maximum 180 days in total with the extension. Overstaying incurs a fine for irregular stay.

Before you go

Official details are shown in English.

  • Electronic Regional Traveller's Affidavit (DJRV) — Before arrival and before departure (can be filled in several days ahead); valid for the travel date you enter; Free. Required for all travellers entering or leaving by air or sea. Takes about 4 minutes on any device; you get a QR code — keep it printed or on your phone. A QR link is also posted at the airport. Official site

At the border

Official details are shown in English.

  • Passport valid at least 6 months
  • DJRV QR code when arriving or leaving by air or sea
  • Get entry and exit stamps; leaving without an entry stamp leads to a fine and delays
  • After leaving the CA-4 area you may return after 72 hours; the officer can refuse entry
  • Yellow fever certificate only if arriving from, or transiting an airport in, a country with yellow fever risk
  • A child travelling with one parent or another adult needs a notarised consent letter from the absent parent(s)

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. Apply at the Guatemalan Migration Institute (IGM) before your stay expires: one extension of up to 90 days, fee USD 25 (paid in quetzales). Bring the form, passport valid 6+ months with your last entry stamp, and an exit ticket, an international credit card or a Guatemalan guarantor's certificate. If the entry stamp is missing you also need a migration record (USD 10). For longer stays apply for temporary residence.
  • What overstaying costs. Overstaying incurs a fine for irregular stay.

Good to know

Official details are shown in English.

  • Each CA-4 country checks its own entry rules: a visa-free passport for Guatemala may still need a visa for El Salvador, Honduras or Nicaragua.
  • If you bring a vehicle, leave by the date on the temporary import permit; each extra day is fined.

Staying longer

Visa-free days are for visits. For months or years in Guatemala, these are the long-stay routes in Bordr's guide (checked against official sources):

Official details are shown in English.

Costs, income thresholds and how to apply are in the Bordr guide.

Questions

Do South African citizens need a visa for Guatemala?

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

How long can South African citizens stay in Guatemala?

Up to 90 days, according to Bordr's data. Up to 90 days from the first CA-4 entry stamp, shared across Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua. Maximum 180 days in total with the extension. Overstaying incurs a fine for irregular stay.

Can I extend my stay in Guatemala?

Apply at the Guatemalan Migration Institute (IGM) before your stay expires: one extension of up to 90 days, fee USD 25 (paid in quetzales). Bring the form, passport valid 6+ months with your last entry stamp, and an exit ticket, an international credit card or a Guatemalan guarantor's certificate. If the entry stamp is missing you also need a migration record (USD 10). For longer stays apply for temporary residence.

What do I need at the border in Guatemala?

Passport valid at least 6 months; DJRV QR code when arriving or leaving by air or sea; Get entry and exit stamps; leaving without an entry stamp leads to a fine and delays.

When was this checked?

Bordr last checked the entry rules for Guatemala 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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