I'm planning a trip to South Africa in December and have a few questions about the entry requirements:
Do I need a visa if I'm traveling from Cape Verde?
No, as per TIMATIC (documents database used by airlines), but it is limited to 30 days instead of the regular 90 days. But you can extend it up to 90 days.
Are there any specific documents or vaccinations needed for entry?
You will need to fill the Traveller Declaration
Passengers must complete the “South African Traveller Declaration" before departure or upon arrival at https://www.sars.gov.za/travellerdeclaration/ .
What is the process for extending a tourist visa if needed?
You are to apply online (source)
Extending the validity of a temporary residence permit or applying for change of status or conditions
An application for the extension of the validity of a temporary residence visa must be done at least 60 days prior to the expiry of the visa by submitting an application online at www.vfsglobal.com/dha/southafrica. There is a fee payable when applying for an extension of the validity of a temporary residence visa.
As a Cape Verde citizen, you can get visa-free entry into South Africa for a maximum of 30 days.
Since extensions need to be applied for 60 days before expiration of the visa, that probably means you can't apply for an extension. Alternatively, if you want to stay longer than 30 days, you may want apply for a visa from your local consulate.
Remember that you need to be a genuine visitor (i.e. coming for tourism, business, etc., NOT to work or live in South Africa -- there are other visas for that) and that you need to have a return ticket or sufficient funds to buy one.
People coming from Cape Verde do not need a yellow fever vaccination certificate, though you may need one if you transit for a long enough time (>12 hours!) through a country which is on the list (which includes many other African countries).
