Pretoria – South Africa’s Department of Home Affairs has dismissed as false reports circulating in the media and on social media claiming that Lesotho nationals will no longer need valid passports to enter South Africa.
The department said the claims are unfounded and that citizens of the Kingdom of Lesotho are still required to present valid passports at all ports of entry into South Africa and cannot use only their national identity cards for travel.
“No such agreement has been reached between the Republic of South Africa and the Kingdom of Lesotho,” the department said in a statement. 
The department warned that allowing entry without a valid passport would violate South African law, specifically section 9 of the Immigration Act of 2002, which stipulates that no person shall enter or depart from the Republic unless they have a valid passport.
The clarification comes after the Home Affairs Ministers of Lesotho and South Africa met in Cape Town on April 17, 2026, to receive a study report from a joint task team established to look at the development of a new migration model. The ministers were directed by the Bi-National Commission between the two countries to undertake the study, and the meeting marked the first time the outcome of the study was presented to the ministers, along with various recommendations to be considered by the Bi-National Commission.
“For any such change to even be considered, a legislative process involving Parliament would be required to amend existing immigration laws. No such process is currently underway,” the department said.
“The status quo remains. All Lesotho nationals and South African citizens must continue to present valid passports for all entry and exit purposes at our shared ports of entry. The department urges the public to desist from spreading this misinformation,” it added.
