South Africa → Germany

Migration corridor · visas, permits and flows

From: South Africa
To: Germany
Inflow, 2023 (OECD): 1,478
Change since 2018: +18.4%
Share of all arrivals in Germany, 2023: 0.09%

Inflow 20231,478OECD

Year by year

Data as at 2025

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Migration from South Africa to Germany

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

Inflows by year

Data table


2000	1,207
2001	1,173
2002	1,226
2003	1,089
2004	970
2005	842
2006	897
2007	844
2008	886
2009	699
2010	698
2011	804
2012	760
2013	810
2014	785
2015	882
2016	914
2017	1,128
2018	1,248
2019	1,389
2020	919
2021	1,020
2022	1,510
2023	1,478

Year	Inflow	Stock	Acquired nationality
2024	—	9,545	—
2023	1,478	8,760	155
2022	1,510	7,920	230
2021	1,020	7,485	245
2020	919	7,180	150
2019	1,389	6,610	150
2018	1,248	6,090	115
2017	1,128	5,655	154
2016	914	5,308	162
2015	882	5,120	162
2014	785	5,000	152
2013	810	4,814	127
2012	760	4,661	97
2011	804	4,472	119
2010	698	4,531	128

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

Germany's consulates in South Africa

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

Year	Applications	Issued	Not issued	Refusal rate
2024	25,609	24,209	1,346	5.3%
2023	27,733	26,191	1,463	5.3%
2022	26,735	24,626	1,999	7.5%
2021	4,679	3,808	512	10.9%
2020	5,153	4,840	310	6.0%
2019	31,795	30,890	892	2.8%
2018	32,167	31,391	760	2.4%
2017	31,625	31,244	363	1.1%
2016	28,741	28,443	286	1.0%
2015	29,611	29,343	254	0.9%
2014	29,186	28,977	204	0.7%
2013	30,187	29,315	860	2.8%
2012	30,215	30,037	178	0.6%
2011	31,887	31,674	213	0.7%
2010	30,708	30,209	499	1.6%
2009	24,878	24,601	280	1.1%

Applications by year

Data table


2009	24,878
2010	30,708
2011	31,887
2012	30,215
2013	30,187
2014	29,186
2015	29,611
2016	28,741
2017	31,625
2018	32,167
2019	31,795
2020	5,153
2021	4,679
2022	26,735
2023	27,733
2024	25,609

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

Residence permits in Germany

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

First permits by reason, 2025

Family399
Work366
Education215
Other reasons19

Year	First permits	EU Blue Cards	Citizenships acquired	Students
2025	999	269	0	0
2024	826	280	365	1,243
2023	1,166	285	95	1,150
2022	1,171	330	170	1,172
2021	875	259	140	922
2020	750	209	120	828
2019	923	231	135	0
2018	934	127	95	0
2017	700	116	126	0
2016	559	67	125	0
2015	428	57	122	0
2014	459	42	120	0
2013	537	59	92	0
2012	478	5	111	0
2011	427	0	142	0
2010	336	0	150	0

Work permits by type, 2025

Other paid activities184
EU Blue Card129
Highly skilled workers (national schemes)40
Researchers13

Valid residence permits, 31 Dec 2025: 7,099
Long-term residence permits issued, 2025: 420
Changed status into work, 2025: 27
Intra-corporate transferee permits, 2025: 5

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

Mission	City	Official website
Embassy	Pretoria	southafrica.diplo.de
Consulate-general	Cape Town	kapstadt.diplo.de

Source: Wikidata (CC0)Data as at Oct 2026

Compared with other corridors

Nationalities with the most arrivals in Germany, 2023; South Africa ranks 89.

Inflows to Germany, 2023

Ukraine283,631
Romania202,039
Syria128,742
Türkiye115,937
Poland97,945
Bulgaria65,871
Afghanistan58,482
India54,123
Italy38,460
Hungary34,003
Russia26,720
Serbia24,155

Other destinations for people from South Africa, 2023

New Zealand8,667
Australia5,217
Netherlands4,201
United States3,180
South Korea1,468
Portugal773
Japan629
France303
Belgium302