In a promising development for South Africa’s global travel standing, the country’s passport has made a notable leap in the latest Henley Passport Index.

This has been met with praise from the Minister of Home Affairs, Leon Schreiber, who highlighted the impressive 10% increase in the passport’s ranking between 2024 and 2025.

South Africa Moves Up the Global Passport Rankings

South Africa’s “green mamba” passport has made an exciting jump from 53rd place in 2024 to 48th place as of early 2025.

This marks the country’s return to the top 50 global passport rankings for the first time in over a decade, with its citizens now enjoying visa-free access to 106 destinations.

Henley Passport Index Highlights South Africa’s Growing Global Mobility

The Henley Passport Index, a well-regarded and authoritative ranking of global passports, measures the strength of passports based on how many destinations they allow holders to visit without a visa.

The index evaluates 199 passports and covers 227 travel destinations, offering a detailed overview of global mobility.

South Africa’s significant rise reflects both the growing power of the passport and the evolving global travel landscape.

Digital Transformation at Home Affairs Will Boost Passport Power Further

Schreiber emphasized that this improvement in the passport’s ranking is just the beginning, as it aligns with ongoing reforms at Home Affairs.

These reforms are focused on a digital transformation, which includes increasing security measures and tackling fraud in document processing.

This digital shift aims to make the process of obtaining key documents, such as passports, both more efficient and secure.

Future Plans for e-Passports and Enhanced Security Measures

One of the key reforms that Schreiber highlighted is the introduction of biometric “e-Passports.”

These passports will feature an embedded microprocessor chip to authenticate the biometric data of South African travelers.

Schreiber believes that these upgrades, alongside a broader move to digitally secure both domestic passport and visa processes, will significantly increase the strength of South Africa’s passport in the coming years.

Public Feedback on Recent Travel Experiences

As South Africa’s passport continues to climb the ranks, the Ministry of Home Affairs invites South Africans to share their experiences.

Have you traveled recently using your South African passport? Did you encounter any challenges during your journey? Schreiber and his team are keen to hear from the public as part of the ongoing efforts to improve the travel experience for South Africans and streamline processes further.

This article was published on TDPel Media. Thanks for reading!

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