South Africa vs Botswana Passport Comparison

South Africa flag

South Africa

AFRICA

#48
Rank
Visa-Free Access100 countries
Botswana flag

Botswana

AFRICA

#57
Rank
Visa-Free Access82 countries

Detailed Comparison

Visa-Free Destinations

2026 Ranking

Global Mobility Score

Openness Score

Continent

Schengen Member

Citizenship by Investment

Residency by Investment

Visa on Arrival

eTA Available

e-Visa Available

Visa Required

Comparison Summary & Recommendations

Overall Winner

South Africa

With 100 visa-free destinations, South Africa offers the most global mobility among the compared passports.

Most Unique Access

South Africa

South Africa provides exclusive visa-free access to 19 destinations not accessible with the other passports.

Key Insights

  • All compared passports share access to 49 common destinations
  • The strongest passport offers 100 visa-free destinations
  • Consider your travel priorities: business, leisure, or specific regions when choosing a passport
  • Visa requirements can change - always verify current entry requirements before traveling

Visa Access Analysis

Understanding the overlap and unique access each passport provides

49
Shared Destinations
19
Unique to South Africa
7
Unique to Botswana

Exclusive Visa-Free Access

South Africa flag

South Africa

19 unique destinations

ArgentinaBotswanaChileCosta RicaEl SalvadorFalkland IslandsGabonGuatemalaHondurasMacao (SAR China)+9 more
Botswana flag

Botswana

7 unique destinations

AnguillaBangladeshBermudaGibraltarSouth AfricaSurinameUganda
Note: Exclusive visa-free access means destinations that are only accessible visa-free with that specific passport and not with any of the other compared passports.

Shared Visa-Free Destinations (49)

Countries that all compared passports can access visa-free

AngolaAntigua and BarbudaBahamasBarbadosBelizeBeninBrazilCayman IslandsCook IslandsDominicaDominican RepublicEcuadorFijiThe GambiaGeorgiaGrenadaGuyanaHaitiHong Kong (SAR China)JamaicaKenyaKosovoLesothoMalawiMalaysiaMauritiusMicronesiaMontserratMozambiqueNamibiaPalestinian TerritoryPanamaPhilippinesSenegalSingaporeSt. LuciaSt. Vincent and the GrenadineseSwatiniTanzaniaTrinidad and TobagoTurks and Caicos IslandsVanuatuBritish Virgin IslandsZambiaZimbabweRwandaGhanaKiribatiSt. Helena

Ranking Trends Over Time (Server Rendered)

Historical passport ranking comparison from 2006 to 2025 (lower rank is better)

2025 Snapshot

South Africa

Rank: #48

Visa-free: 106

Botswana

Rank: #57

Visa-free: 88

Recent Historical Ranks

YearSouth AfricaBotswana
2025#48 (106)#57 (88)
2024#53 (108)#59 (91)
2023#53 (106)#63 (87)
2022#51 (104)#60 (86)
2021#58 (103)#67 (86)
2020#52 (101)#59 (85)
2019#53 (100)#62 (83)
2018#52 (102)#63 (82)
2017#55 (98)#65 (74)
2016#54 (97)#66 (72)

Each cell shows rank and visa-free count for that year.

Compare More Passports

Discover how other passports compare in visa-free travel access, global rankings, and travel freedom with our comprehensive comparison tool.

199+ Countries
Compare Up to 3 Passports