SA rejects 6 126 fraudulent applications as new ETA system goes live.
South Africa’s new Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) system has flagged thousands of suspicious applications, with more than 6 000 travel requests rejected over fraud concerns.
The digital system is being introduced as the government seeks to modernise immigration controls and strengthen border security, while making South Africa more accessible to legitimate tourists, investors, and other travellers.
The system, designed to screen eligible travellers before they enter the country, comes against the backdrop of longstanding challenges in the country’s immigration system, including irregular migration, fraudulent documentation, corruption, and administrative backlogs.
Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber said the new system was already helping authorities identify fraudulent applications, with 6 126 applications rejected after fraud indicators were detected.
