South Africa has officially launched its Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) program, designed to boost border security while improving travel and the passenger experience.
To support South Africa’s hosting of the G20 Presidency, ETA was initially introduced in four strategic source markets: China, India, Indonesia and Mexico. South Africa has now officially launched the system and is planning to expand it to additional countries.
Eligible travelers will be able to apply for the ETA online from anywhere in the world without having to visit a South African mission or visa processing center.
Once an approved traveler arrives at the airport immigration counter, they look into a camera for biometric verification. To enable this functionality upon arrival, the Border Management Authority (BMA), in collaboration with the South African Revenue Service (SARS), has upgraded the Electronic Movement Control System to create the biometric-enabled EMCS 2.0 at South Africa’s international airports.
At the OR Tambo International Airport launch, President Ramaphosa said the new digital platform would enable the government to obtain more information about travelers before they arrive, while strengthening border security processes such as biometric verification and identity management.
Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber said the dedicated ETA counters will speed up processing, adding, “We now need to also link the ETA and EMCS 2.0 to e-gates, which are owned by Airports Company South Africa (ACSA).” He encouraged ACSA, the BMA, Home Affairs and SARS to urgently accelerate the work to integrate the ETA with the e-gates.
In related news, Airports Company South Africa invests R21.7bn in airport network upgrades
