South Africa Automates Visa Decisions with Machine Learning to Combat Fraud and Boost Tourism

South Africa's Department of Home Affairs is implementing a new Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) system that leverages machine learning to automate decisions on visa applications. This system aims to streamline the application process, reduce human discretion, and combat fraud, with human intervention only occurring when anomalies are flagged by the AI.

The ETA system is currently operational at four major international airports, handling short-stay visa applications from 53 countries. The department plans to expand its scope by early 2027 to include study and work visas, ultimately becoming the sole platform for all immigration-related matters. This expansion is expected to eliminate backlogs, which currently stand at over 306,000 paper applications, and significantly cut down processing times from weeks to just 24 hours.

Minister Dr. Leon Schreiber highlighted the system's revolutionary potential, not only in fighting corruption but also in repositioning Home Affairs as a key economic enabler. By accelerating legitimate travel, particularly from crucial markets like China and India, the ETA is anticipated to boost tourism, leading to increased spending in South Africa and the creation of more jobs. The Department of Tourism aims to increase international arrivals to 15 million by 2030, with the ETA playing a vital role in achieving these targets.