UK visa approval rates for South Africans
In 2025, the UK approved 96.2% of visitor visa applications from South Africa — 76,169 granted and 2,984 refused, out of 79,153 decisions. Student visas: 92.1% approved (605 decisions). Work visas: 93.9% approved (3,914 decisions). The visitor approval rate is about the same as in 2019 (97%). Source: UK Home Office entry clearance visa outcomes.
By visa type, 2025
| Visa type | Approved | Refused | Granted | Refusals | Decisions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Visitor | 96.2% | 3.8% | 76,169 | 2,984 | 79,153 |
| Study | 92.1% | 7.9% | 557 | 48 | 605 |
| Work | 93.9% | 6.1% | 3,674 | 240 | 3,914 |
| Family | 93.8% | 6.2% | 716 | 47 | 763 |
| Other | 94.0% | 6.0% | 3,648 | 232 | 3,880 |
Approval rate is granted ÷ (granted + refused). Withdrawn and lapsed applications are excluded because they are not decisions on the merits. Visa types with fewer than 100 decisions are left out — below that the rate swings on a handful of cases.
Visitor visas, every year
| Year | Approved | Decisions |
|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 98.8% | 91,888 |
| 2016 | 98.4% | 76,845 |
| 2017 | 98.6% | 91,574 |
| 2018 | 98.0% | 95,464 |
| 2019 | 96.9% | 104,751 |
| 2020 | 95.9% | 17,971 |
| 2021 | 96.2% | 12,241 |
| 2022 | 97.7% | 82,734 |
| 2023 | 96.6% | 85,401 |
| 2024 | 96.4% | 83,683 |
| 2025 | 96.2% | 79,153 |
Calendar years. 2020–2021 volumes collapsed during the pandemic, so those rates describe a very different applicant pool. The current year is left out until it is complete.
Questions people ask
What is the UK visitor visa refusal rate for South Africans?
3.8% in 2025: 2,984 refusals out of 79,153 decisions on visitor visa applications from South Africa, so 96.2% were approved (UK Home Office data).
Is it getting harder for South Africans to get a UK visa?
The visitor approval rate in 2025 was 96.2%, about the same as in 2019 (97%).
Which UK visa is hardest for South Africans to get?
Of the main visa types with at least 100 decisions in 2025, study visas had the highest refusal rate (7.9%) and visitor visas the lowest (3.8%).
Does a high refusal rate mean I will be refused?
No. It is an average over everyone who applied. Your own documents, travel history, finances and ties to home matter far more than your country's average.
Schengen visa refusal rates from South Africa · US visitor visa refusal rate for South Africa · Compare destinations in the tool
Source
UK Home Office, Immigration system statistics — entry clearance visa outcomes (dataset Vis_D02), 2025. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Primary source ↗
Grouped by nationality. "Visitor" includes standard visitor and transit routes; groups follow the Home Office's own visa-type categories. Methodology.