“Some Good News”: SA Passport Ranking Climbs, But Schengen Visa Still Needed for Estonia

• Estonia can now visit South Africa visa-free, strengthening bilateral ties in tourism, business and tech
• The move shows growing collaboration, as Estonia is recognised globally for digital innovation
• South Africa’s passport climbs back into the top 50 globally on the Henley Passport Index for the first time since 2014

South African passport holders have received exciting news about international travel after a viral video claimed the country had gained visa-free entry into Estonia, a European nation. However, as Estonia is part of the Schengen Area, South Africans still require a Schengen visa to visit.

Content creator @ejv_27, known for sharing lifestyle updates for South Africans, posted a video on 25 September 2025 celebrating supposed visa-free entry into Estonia. The clip quickly went viral, drawing praise, questions, and some pushback from viewers.

According to the clip, the new agreement, which came into effect on 1 September 2025, was said to allow South Africans to stay in Estonia for up to 90 days within 180 days. In reality, no official confirmation of such a change has been issued, and Schengen rules remain in place. The deal was referenced in the video as being finalised after discussions between South Africa's Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber and Estonia's foreign minister, marking an important step in strengthening bilateral relations between the two countries.

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The visa-free access mentioned in the video isn't just about tourism; it also creates opportunities for business and tech collaborations. Estonia is known as a leader in digital innovation. While South Africans still need a Schengen visa to visit, ties between the two countries have been growing. Estonia’s Ambassador Daniel Erik Schaer said recent cooperation in the economy, digital affairs, and education has deepened relations, with visa-free travel now granted to Estonian citizens visiting South Africa.

The content creator also shared more good news about South Africa's passport ranking. For the first time since 2014, the country's passport has climbed back into the top 50 globally on the Henley Passport Index, currently sitting at position 48 with visa-free access to 103 countries.

However, the young man was careful to point out that this improvement isn't entirely due to South Africa gaining access to more countries. Much of the jump in ranking happened because other countries slipped down the index, and South Africa has actually lost visa-free access to places like Ireland and Nigeria in recent years.

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Mixed reactions to the travel news

The video went viral, getting over 104,000 views, 3,000 reactions, and hundreds of comments from South Africans who had different opinions about the announcement:

@Clive admitted:

"We know very little about Estonia."

@geeta was surprised:

"Estonia, never thought of this as a destination!!!"

@Taylor Smith joked about finances:

"We can't even afford to travel to the shops."

@Gharko questioned:

"China, we are looking at you. We are BRICS buddies. Why do we need a visa?"

@tim disputed the claim:

"This is wrong. South Africans still need a visa to travel to Estonia. Estonia is part of Schengen, so they can't unilaterally allow South Africans into their country as there's effectively no border with other Schengen countries."

@BBM suggested:

"Tighten Home Affairs, then we will be ok."

@Jameela Ibtasam asked:

"Which other European countries as well?"

Estonia and SA strengthen ties

According to the Republic of Estonia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the visa-free travel agreement works both ways. Estonian citizens can now also travel to South Africa without a visa for up to 90 days, which came into effect at the start of September 2025. However, according to BusinessTech, South Africans will still need a Schengen visa to travel to Estonia.

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Content creator @ejv_27 explained how Estonia's Ambassador to South Africa, Daniel Erik Schaer, stated that the two countries have strengthened their bilateral relations in recent years, particularly in the economy, digital affairs, and education.

Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna's visit to South Africa last November with an Estonian business delegation helped make this visa-free travel possible, with easing travel requirements being a central topic in meetings with local representatives.

View the TikTok clip below:

Other travel stories making news in SA

• Briefly News recently reported on a woman who lived in the US for two decades before being deported, but the emotional reason behind her deportation had people asking questions about immigration laws.
• A report highlighted an international country as the best destination for work-life balance, but South Africans who moved there had very different opinions about whether it was actually paradise.
• A South African woman working in America shared her culture shocks, but the interactions she had with people in the United States left Mzansi wanting to know more about adjusting to life overseas.

Source: Briefly News