TRAVEL DOCUMENTATION

PASSPORT

• Issued by a national government for international travel.
• Certifies the identity and nationality of the holder.

Regular tourist passport: 32 pages
Maxi tourist passport: 48 pages for frequent travellers.

The E-Home Affairs system Launched in 2016. South Africans apply and pay for their passport on the Home Affairs website.
Collect passport at Home Affairs office or the nearest supported bank that offers a Home Affairs Live Capture Service.
Applicants to provide biometric authentication to receive their documents.

Tourist passports:
16 years and older (valid 10 years)
15 years or younger (valid 5 years)
Passports cannot be renewed. Re apply after expiry date
South African passports include the following information:

• A photo of the passport holder 
• Type of passport
• Issuing country
• Passport number
• Given names and surname of the passport holder
• Nationality of the passport holder
• Gender of passport holder
• Birth date
• Birth place
• Issue date
• Expiry date

South Africa: discontinued temporary passports – apply for emergency travel certificate (ETC) – not accepted by all countries

TYPES OF PASSPORTS 

• Tourist: Regular of Maxi passports 
• Official passports
•  Diplomatic passports
•  Crew Member Certificates

APPLY IN PERSON

•  Verify identity
• Photograph is a true image
• Fingerprints taken & checked against the National Population Register (people 16 years or older)

YOU WILL NEED

• Passport application Form DHA-73 
• identity document
• two coloured photos
• fingerprints be taken (Biometrics) 
• Cost: R400

HEALTH CERTIFICATES
Travel Clinics, Doctors, Hospitals, Airport Clinics

Cost of a yellow fever vaccine in South Africa is about R 350.00 - excluding the consultation fee.

THE PROCESS

1. Decide on the destination
2.  Book travel & accommodation
3. Apply for a passport at Home Affairs 
4. Apply for a visa (if required)
5. Buy travel insurance
6. Appear in person for visa consultation

VISAS OPTIONS
SHORT TERM / LONG TERM VISA
up to 6 months / longer than 6 months

TYPES OF SHORT TERM VISAS
TOURIST VISAS - from R3200 (e.g. UK)
TRANSIT VISA - from R1200
SCHENGEN VISA - from R1100

WHAT IS NEEDED FOR A VISA APPLICATION?
As a minimum:

• fully completed and signed visa application form (usually on line)
• two recently taken passport photographs
• a valid passport with more than three months left until it expires, and older passports with past visas (if applicable)
• an itinerary of your trip
• flight details
• proof of accommodation / invitation letter from the people you are visiting
• Letter from the employer
• Proof of civil status (e.g. marriage certificate)
• 3 months’ bank statements
• Proof of travel insurance
• Proof of visa payment

APPEAR IN PERSON FOR VISA CONSULTATION

THE VISA APPLICATION FOR VISITING THE UK

INTERNATIONAL DRIVING PERMIT (IDP)

An International Driving Permit can only be obtained from the country where you obtained your driving license.
AA-SA can only issue IDPs to holders of a valid South African issued driving license.
IDP is a legal travel document regulated by the United Nations. It contains your name, photo and driver information in several languages – so it is
understandable to authorities of almost 150 countries.

Documents needed to apply for an IDP
Valid South African driving license.
South African ID
One passport size photograph
https://www.aa.co.za/travelcol-1/international-driving-permit

IDPs are issued by the Automobile Association of South Africa

KEY FACTS ABOUT INTERNATIONAL DRIVING PERMITS

An IDP is not a stand-alone document or a substitute for a valid driving license – the South African driving license must be carried with the IDP.
IDPs do not diminish the driver’s obligations to conform to the laws and regulations of the countries visited. The validity of the IDP can never exceed the validity of your domestic driving license
IDPs can only be issued to people over 18 years of age. IDPs cannot be issued to people who hold a learner driver permit. An IDP is a helpful form of identification, even if you do not intend to drive when you travel abroad.
IDPs are officially sanctioned by the United Nations and accepted worldwide (in over 150 countries) as a recognisable form of identification.
IDPs allow you to carry your identification details in several different languages (English, Spanish, Russian, Chinese, Italian, German, Arabic and French, among others) in case you need to communicate with foreign authorities.
An IDP gives you an extra form of photo ID along with your personal details (this can be useful if you are ever asked to surrender your passport, which can happen under certain circumstances in some countries).

LEGISLATION
All incoming travellers, including the captains and crew members of airlines, and their baggage to be cleared by Customs before they can enter South Africa.

GENERAL RULE
As with other imported goods, the general rule is that goods are entered for home consumption and duty is payable. Each person entering South Africa must therefore declare the goods in their possession

Larger international airports and land ports of entry: a red and a green channel system. Random declarations
Smaller airports and land ports of entry: single Customs control point – all travellers to declare
Customs Officers may at any time request a traveller to answer questions relating to the goods obtained and in their possession. Searches of baggage, luggage, carriers, vehicles and search of person may be conducted.

PROHIBITED GOODS

PROHIBITED GOODS VS RESTRICTED GOODS
PROHIBITED GOODS are never allowed to enter or exit South Africa under any circumstances
RESTRICTED GOODS are allowed to enter or exit South Africa only in certain circumstances or under certain conditions.

Prohibitions and restrictions: not limited to goods carried by travellers, but all modalities of transport (road, rail, air, sea, post or other), in any form of package or packaging they are imported or exported.

RESTRICTED GOODS
Currency
South African bank notes in excess of R25 000; foreign currency above $10 000; gold coins; coin and stamp collections; and unprocessed gold.
Endangered plants and animals
Species of plants or animals that are listed as endangered, whether they are alive or dead, as well as any parts of or articles made from them.
Food, plants, animals and biological goods
All plants and plant products, such as seeds, flowers, fruit, honey, margarine and vegetable oils. Also animals, birds, poultry and products thereof, such as dairy products, butter and eggs.

Medicines
You are allowed to bring in one month’s supply of pharmaceutical drugs or medicines for your personal use. Any other medicines must be accompanied by a letter or certified prescription from a registered physician, and have to be declared.

The limit in South African bank notes tourists are allowed to carry with them when leaving or entering SA: R25 000
Consumable Goods
The limit on consumable goods that inbound tourists may bring into South Africa
200 cigarettes | 20 cigars | Combined 250 gram pipe and / or cigarette tobacco | 2 litres of wine | 1 litre of other alcoholic beverages (including beer) | 250 ml eau de toilette | 50 ml perfume

Travel allowance:
The amount a traveller may take out of the country in one year determined by Treasury.
R1 million per year per adult (person older than 18) / Children under 18 - R200 000 per year
https://www.resbank.co.za/en/home/what-we-do/financial-surveillance/FinSurvFAQ

COVID-19 TRAVEL

All INBOUND international travellers must provide a valid certificate of a negative COVID-19 test, recognised by the World Health Organisation, which
was obtained not more than 72 hours before the date of travel.
Failure to submit, the must do an antigen test on arrival at his or her own cost. If testing positive for COVID-19, isolate him or herself at his or her own
cost, for a period of 10 days.

UPDATE
Adjusted alert level 1: Air travel [Gazette 44208, 1 March 2021]
International scheduled operations and charter flights carrying passengers are allowed at the following airports: 

1. OR Tambo International Airport;
2. King Shaka International Airport; and
3. Cape Town International Airport. [Catering only on international flights / masks compulsory]

Long-haul flight departures and landings - permitted during curfew hours.
Passengers must present evidence of a flight ticket when stopped by law enforcement officers during curfew hours.