To enter any foreign country, including Bahrain, the most important thing you need is a valid visa. The Bahrain government offers different types of visas to different nationality holders. While some foreign nationals enjoy visa exemptions, others must obtain a travel document prior to entering the country.
Unfortunately, South African citizens do not enjoy visa-free travel, so they must obtain a valid visa before traveling to Bahrain. They can get either a traditional visa or an electronic visa. That being said, applying for a Bahrain e-visa is certainly a better option!
Bahrain Electronic Visa - An Overview
Bahrain online visa or an e-visa is a travel document that permits holders to enter the country legally. E-visa holders enjoy all the rights of a regular visa. The only difference between a regular visa and an e-visa is that you can apply for a Bahrain electronic visa from the comfort of your home!
Unlike a traditional visa, applicants are not required to visit the Bahrain embassy or consulate office to apply for an e-visa. You don’t need to waste an entire day at the embassy or even schedule a visa interview. All you need to do is visit VisaHQ and apply for your online visa.
Validity Period
Bahrain offers two types of e-visas: tourist visa and business visa. As the name suggests, a Bahrain tourist visa allows you to visit Bahrain for tourism purposes, such as visiting relatives and exploring the country.
Alternatively, South African nationals can also apply for a business visa if they want to perform professional or commercial activities, such as attending seminars and conferences.
Both of these visa types come in different variations in terms of the validity period. You can get any one of the follow Bahrain e-visas, depending on the nature of your stay:
Single-Entry Visa - A single-entry visa allows holders to stay in the country for 14 consecutive days within a 30-day period.
Multiple-Entry (30-Day) Visa - This travel document allows you to stay in Bahrain for 30 days within a 30-day period.
Multiple-Entry (90-Day) Visa - South African passport holders can also apply for a travel document that allows them to stay in the country for 90 consecutive days within a 12-month period.
Required Documents
Regardless of the e-visa type, there are some necessary documents that you must have to apply for a Bahrain e-visa, also known as the Bahrain visa requirements. These documents are as follows:
Valid Passport - A copy of your original passport with at least 6 months of remaining validity and 2 blank pages for stamps.
E-mail Address - An active and valid e-mail address. Your email will be electronically linked to your passport. Upon approval, you'll receive your travel documents via email.
Means of Payment - You are required to pay the embassy fee as well as the visa service fee. As this entire process is online, you'll need online means of payment, such as a debit card, credit card, or PayPal account.
Itinerary - A detailed itinerary or a copy of your round-trip tickets.
How to Apply for a Bahrain Visa from South Africa?
Compared to a traditional paper or stamp visa, applying for an e-visa is a simple process. You don’t need to visit the Bahrain embassy. All you need to do is visit VisaHQ, select your citizenship, and follow the following steps:
Fill out the visa application form
Pay the visa processing fees
Submit your application
That's it! You can complete this entire process within 10 minutes. To fill out the visa application form, you'll need to provide the following details:
Personal Details - Name, date of birth, nationality
Passport Details - Passport number, issue, and expiry date
Travel Plans - Intended departure date, hotel booking
Contact Details - Phone number, email address
Make sure to double-check the provided date prior to submitting your application. This is because if there are errors or mistakes in your application, your e-visa will more likely be delayed or denied by the Bahrain authorities.
Processing Fee and Time
The estimated processing time for a Bahrain e-visa is 5 business days. However, due to high demand and secondary checks, you may have to wait a little longer.
When it comes to the processing fee, the actual cost depends upon your selected e-visa type. You need to pay both the embassy fee as well as the visa service fee; which are as follows:
Single-Entry Visa - The embassy fee for a single-entry visa is $24, and the service fee is $59.
Multiple-Entry (30-Day) Visa - The embassy fee for this travel document is $77, and the service fee is $59.
Multiple-Entry (90-Day) Visa - The embassy fee for this Bahrain visa is $117, and the service fee is $59.