South Africa → France

Migration corridor · visas, permits and flows

From: South Africa
To: France
Inflow, 2023 (OECD): 303
Change since 2018: +7.8%
Share of all arrivals in France, 2023: 0.12%

Inflow 2023303OECD

Year by year

Data as at 2025

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Migration from South Africa to France

Inflows of nationals of South Africa recorded by France; stock of nationals of South Africa living there; and acquisitions of France's nationality (OECD).

Inflows by year

Data table


2000	77
2001	147
2002	145
2003	138
2004	110
2005	122
2006	162
2007	184
2008	168
2009	193
2010	174
2011	179
2012	191
2013	191
2014	227
2015	272
2016	259
2017	272
2018	281
2019	349
2020	273
2021	439
2022	464
2023	303

Year	Inflow	Stock	Acquired nationality
2023	303	—	79
2022	464	—	50
2021	439	—	65
2020	273	—	64
2019	349	—	66
2018	281	1,956	61
2017	272	1,780	56
2016	259	1,606	47
2015	272	1,466	44
2014	227	—	55
2013	191	—	51
2012	191	—	57
2011	179	—	59
2010	174	1,294	44

Source: OECD, International Migration Database (OECD.ELS.IMD), accessed 24 Oct 2026Data as at 2023

France's consulates in South Africa

Short-stay Schengen (C) visa applications at France's consulates located in South Africa.

Year	Applications	Issued	Not issued	Refusal rate
2024	30,304	27,375	2,842	9.4%
2023	39,862	37,317	2,254	5.7%
2022	25,796	23,886	1,389	5.4%
2021	6,977	6,317	275	3.9%
2020	5,518	5,257	235	4.3%
2019	36,284	34,850	1,160	3.2%
2018	37,042	35,809	860	2.3%
2017	34,071	33,259	501	1.5%
2016	27,448	26,937	320	1.2%
2015	32,160	31,564	412	1.3%
2014	29,612	29,160	435	1.5%
2013	32,721	32,436	272	0.8%
2012	32,010	31,758	252	0.8%
2011	32,017	31,705	312	1.0%
2010	28,020	27,825	197	0.7%
2009	25,699	25,619	81	0.3%

Applications by year

Data table


2009	25,699
2010	28,020
2011	32,017
2012	32,010
2013	32,721
2014	29,612
2015	32,160
2016	27,448
2017	34,071
2018	37,042
2019	36,284
2020	5,518
2021	6,977
2022	25,796
2023	39,862
2024	30,304

Source: European Commission, DG Migration and Home Affairs, visa statistics for consulates (CC BY 4.0)Data as at 2024

Residence permits in France

First residence permits issued by France to citizens of South Africa (Eurostat).

First permits by reason, 2025

Education144
Work108
Family92
Other reasons72

Year	First permits	EU Blue Cards	Citizenships acquired	Students
2025	416	15	0	0
2024	520	22	59	241
2023	588	26	79	229
2022	612	27	50	189
2021	513	15	65	186
2020	354	15	64	208
2019	467	16	66	163
2018	392	15	61	134
2017	379	17	56	147
2016	356	5	47	121
2015	379	5	44	117
2014	315	8	55	91
2013	300	5	51	98
2012	298	2	57	0
2011	269	0	59	0
2010	250	0	44	0

Work permits by type, 2025

Other paid activities67
Researchers21
EU Blue Card15
Highly skilled workers (national schemes)5

Valid residence permits, 31 Dec 2025: 2,848
Long-term residence permits issued, 2025: 27
Changed status into work, 2025: 39
Intra-corporate transferee permits, 2025: 11
Seasonal work authorisations, 2024: 25

Source: Eurostat (migr_resfirst, migr_resbc11, migr_acq, educ_uoe_mobs02, migr_eirfs, migr_pop1ctz), CC BY 4.0Data as at 2025

Embassy and consulates

Missions of France in South Africa, as recorded in Wikidata. Details change; the mission's official website is authoritative.

Mission	City	Official website
Embassy	Pretoria	za.ambafrance.org
Consulate-general	Cape Town	consulfrance-lecap.org
Consulate-general	Johannesburg	consulfrance-jhb.org

Source: Wikidata (CC0)Data as at Oct 2026

Compared with other corridors

Nationalities with the most arrivals in France, 2023; South Africa ranks 86.

Inflows to France, 2023

Algeria20,762
Morocco17,703
Tunisia14,656
Afghanistan10,974
Italy10,113
Spain9,628
Côte d’Ivoire7,945
Belgium7,813
Portugal7,426
Germany7,105
Türkiye6,780
Romania6,667

Other destinations for people from South Africa, 2023

New Zealand8,667
Australia5,217
Netherlands4,201
United States3,180
Germany1,478
South Korea1,468
Portugal773
Japan629
Belgium302