South Africa vs Thailand Passport Comparison
South Africa
AFRICA
#48
Rank
Visa-Free Access100 countries
Thailand
ASIA
#61
Rank
Visa-Free Access78 countries
Detailed Comparison
| Metric | South Africa | Thailand |
|---|---|---|
| Visa-Free Destinations | 100 | 78 |
| 2026 Ranking | #48 | #61 |
| Global Mobility Score | 47/100 | 67/100 |
| Openness Score | 58/100 | 72/100 |
| Continent | AFRICA | ASIA |
| Schengen Member | No | No |
| Citizenship by Investment | No | No |
| Residency by Investment | No | Yes |
| Visa on Arrival | 28 | 32 |
| eTA Available | 6 | 5 |
| e-Visa Available | 31 | 36 |
| Visa Required | 93 | 110 |
Visa-Free Destinations
South Africa
100
Thailand
78
2026 Ranking
South Africa
#48
Thailand
#61
Global Mobility Score
South Africa
47/100
Thailand
67/100
Openness Score
South Africa
58/100
Thailand
72/100
Continent
South Africa
AFRICA
Thailand
ASIA
Schengen Member
Citizenship by Investment
Residency by Investment
Thailand
Yes
Visa on Arrival
eTA Available
e-Visa Available
Visa Required
Thailand
110
Comparison Summary & Recommendations
Overall Winner
South Africa
With 100 visa-free destinations, South Africa offers the most global mobility among the compared passports.
Residency by Investment
Thailand
Thailand offers a Residency by Investment program for those seeking alternative pathways.
Most Unique Access
South Africa
South Africa provides exclusive visa-free access to 44 destinations not accessible with the other passports.
Key Insights
- • All compared passports share access to 24 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
24
Shared Destinations
44
Unique to South Africa
19
Unique to Thailand
Exclusive Visa-Free Access
South Africa
44 unique destinations
AngolaAntigua and BarbudaBahamasBelizeBeninBotswanaCayman IslandsCosta RicaEl SalvadorFalkland Islands+34 more
Thailand
19 unique destinations
JapanAlbaniaBruneiCambodiaIndonesiaKazakhstanLaosMongoliaMyanmarNauru+9 more
Shared Visa-Free Destinations (24)
Countries that all compared passports can access visa-free
ArgentinaBarbadosBrazilChileCook IslandsDominicaDominican RepublicEcuadorFijiGeorgiaHaitiHong Kong (SAR China)Macao (SAR China)MalaysiaMicronesiaOmanPanamaPeruPhilippinesSenegalSingaporeSt. Vincent and the GrenadinesVanuatuKiribati
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
Thailand
Rank: #61
Visa-free: 82
Recent Historical Ranks
| Year | South Africa | Thailand |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #48 (106) | #61 (82) |
| 2024 | #53 (108) | #63 (82) |
| 2023 | #53 (106) | #68 (78) |
| 2022 | #51 (104) | #65 (79) |
| 2021 | #58 (103) | #72 (79) |
| 2020 | #52 (101) | #63 (79) |
| 2019 | #53 (100) | #66 (77) |
| 2018 | #52 (102) | #68 (77) |
| 2017 | #55 (98) | #67 (71) |
| 2016 | #54 (97) | #67 (71) |
Each cell shows rank and visa-free count for that year.