Rwanda and South Africa set 12-month deadline to lift ordinary passport visa freeze, unlocking stalled trade corridors

Rwanda and South Africa have agreed to restore visa issuance for holders of ordinary Rwandan passports within twelve months, marking a significant step toward normalizing relations after years of diplomatic strain between the two countries.

• Rwanda and South Africa have agreed to resume visa issuance for Rwandan ordinary passport holders within the next twelve months.
• The decision was made during a working visit by Rwanda's Foreign Minister to Pretoria, where further steps to strengthen ties were discussed.
• A key outcome includes reviving the Joint Commission of Cooperation, with Rwanda set to host the next session in early 2027.
• Both countries committed to deepening cooperation in trade, tourism, education, investment, and regional security.

The agreement was reached during a working visit to Pretoria by Rwanda’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Olivier J.P. Nduhungirehe, where he met South Africa’s International Relations Minister, Ronald O. Lamola.

According to a statement issued by the High Commission of Rwanda in South Africa, the visit marked an important step in the continued normalization and strengthening of relations between both countries.

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Before now, visa access for ordinary Rwandan passport holders to South Africa was more restricted, with tighter application requirements and less predictable approval processes, limiting ease of travel for tourism, business, and study purposes.

The statement said the ministers reviewed progress made through ongoing diplomatic engagements and reaffirmed their shared commitment to deepening cooperation for mutual benefit.

A key outcome of the talks was the agreement to revive the Joint Commission of Cooperation (JCC), with Rwanda set to host the next session in the first quarter of 2027.

Diplomatically, the most significant development was the decision to resume visa issuance for holders of ordinary Rwandan passports within twelve months, a move expected to ease travel for business, tourism, education, and people-to-people exchanges between Rwanda and South Africa.

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The announcement signals a notable shift in relations that had been strained for years following disputes linked to security concerns and allegations involving attacks on Rwandan dissidents in South Africa.

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Those tensions led to reduced engagement and tighter travel conditions, weakening one of Africa’s more strategically important bilateral relationships.

Beyond the visa decision, both governments said they would deepen cooperation in trade, investment, tourism, education, and regional security.

Lamola said Pretoria was taking steps to normalise visa arrangements and expected the restrictions to be removed as South Africa reforms its immigration and visa systems.

“As South Africa fine-tunes its immigration laws and visa regulations, we also follow with keen interest the enormous strides Rwanda has made in modernising its visa regime, which continues to remain attractive for various categories of visas, including… visa-free and visa on arrival dispensation,"

“It is also against this background that this meeting will also take steps towards enabling us to lift the ban with regard to the Rwandan ordinary passports into South Africa,” Lamola said.

The statement added that both sides also exchanged views on regional peace and security issues, including developments in eastern DR Congo, Mozambique, Sudan, South Sudan, Somalia, and the Sahel, reaffirming support for African-led solutions to African challenges.

The Government of Rwanda welcomed the outcomes of the working visit and expressed readiness to work closely with South Africa to advance a renewed partnership promoting peace, prosperity, and regional integration.

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The visa breakthrough is the most visible outcome for citizens of both countries. It is expected to improve mobility and reopen channels of economic and cultural exchange that had gradually weakened over the past decade.

While full diplomatic normalisation will depend on sustained political trust, the latest agreement suggests both Pretoria and Kigali are now prioritising pragmatic engagement over past tensions, with people-to-people mobility emerging as a key test of the new phase in relations.