- The requirement applies to arrivals and departures by air, land, sea and rail from 1 July 2026.
- Submit within the 24 hours before departure; on a connecting journey to South Africa, use the 24 hours before the last flight or leg that travels directly to South Africa.
- Every traveller must be covered, including children and infants, although an eligible adult may complete a declaration for someone who cannot do it themselves.
- Use the official SARS website or Traveller Management System, then save the confirmation and follow its port instructions.
Who needs a South Africa online traveller declaration?
In general, every person entering or leaving South Africa by air, land, sea or rail must submit a declaration. SARS says this includes citizens, residents and foreign travellers.
If you are arranging your journey, you can compare flights to South Africa before completing the time-sensitive declaration.
Can you complete it on someone else’s behalf?
Each traveller needs a declaration. A parent or legal guardian may submit one for a minor.
A caretaker or another assisting person may submit for someone unable to complete it because of age, ill-health, or a mental or physical disability. The person completing it accepts responsibility for the accuracy of the information.
Is there an exception for transit passengers?
SARS lists one clear transit exception: travellers arriving by air or sea who remain inside the designated transit area and do not enter South Africa do not have to submit the declaration.
Do not extend that exception to a self-transfer, overnight stop or connection that requires you to pass border control unless SARS or an officer confirms it applies.
When should you submit the SARS traveller declaration?
Submit the form no more than 24 hours before departure from the country you are travelling from. If your trip to South Africa includes stops, SARS says to submit it no more than 24 hours before the last leg travelling directly to South Africa.
The same online requirement applies when leaving South Africa. Because the form collects direction-specific travel details and sends instructions for the relevant port, treat an arrival and a later departure as separate travel movements rather than assuming one submission covers the entire trip.
What information do you need?
SARS says travellers generally need:
- passport or other travel-document details;
- travel details, including whether the journey is into or out of South Africa;
- contact details and a valid email address for the confirmation;
- details of travelling companions, where applicable;
- entity details when travelling in a business capacity; and
- details of goods, currency or bearer negotiable instruments that must be declared.
If you are travelling with family or friends, a declaration must still be submitted for each person. Do not use one group form as a substitute for individual coverage.
How to submit the South Africa travel declaration
- Start from an official SARS page. Use the SARS Customs Online Traveller Declaration page or go to the official Traveller Management System.
- Confirm the direction of travel. Choose whether you are travelling into or out of South Africa.
- Select “Complete Declaration”. Enter the requested traveller, journey and Customs details, then check them carefully before submitting.
- Receive the email confirmation. Each traveller needs a valid email address for the response.
- Save or print the confirmation. Keep it accessible for Customs officers and follow the instructions it contains.
SARS also lists the SATMS mobile app, the SARS MobiApp, Scan-to-Declare QR codes and self-service terminals at ports where available. App availability and the facilities at an individual port can change, so the SARS declaration page is the safest starting point.
Avoid links sent by unknown contacts, sponsored results that imitate SARS, and unofficial sites that ask you to upload documents.
Save the submission confirmation privately rather than posting a screenshot online, because it may contain personal travel information.
If a page, message or request looks unusual, stop and return to the SARS declaration page or use the published support channel.
What must travellers declare?
The form helps travellers meet Customs obligations; it is not a visa or immigration application. Ordinary personal effects for your own use do not need to be declared.
However, SARS says you must disclose goods, currency or other items that exceed the relevant allowance or otherwise require Customs attention.
- Goods above your duty-free allowance
- Commercial goods or goods carried for another person
- Restricted, prohibited or controlled items
- Currency or bearer instruments above the applicable threshold
- Temporary imports or exports, and goods for re-import or re-export
- Goods repaired, remodelled or processed abroad
- “Nothing to declare” means you may skip the online form
- Allowances can be combined between travellers
- A transit exemption applies if you leave the designated transit area
- An email confirmation replaces the port instructions it contains
- A false or incomplete declaration is harmless
Current SARS guidance says goods worth up to R5,000 per person may be imported without duty or VAT. Additional goods up to R20,000 may be admitted but can attract duty and VAT; above a total value of R25,000, normal Customs duties and VAT apply.
This allowance is generally available once per person in a 30-day period and does not apply to a person returning after being away for less than 48 hours. Allowances cannot be transferred or combined.
How much currency can you bring in or take out?
SARS currently states that travellers may carry up to R100,000 in local or foreign currency, or bearer negotiable instruments, without prior approval. Amounts above the applicable limit require attention before travel.
Because values and rules can change—and special controls can apply to particular items—check the latest SARS guidance rather than relying only on a summary.
What happens after submission?
SARS emails a confirmation containing instructions for the relevant port of entry or exit. On arrival, proceed through Immigration and then follow the confirmation’s Customs direction.
When departing, follow the declaration instructions; depending on your circumstances, you may need to visit Customs before Immigration to register goods for re-importation, deal with a temporary import, or complete VAT-refund formalities.
If your declaration needs to change
If any submitted information changes before you pass through Customs processing, update the declaration.
A proper and truthful declaration matters: SARS warns that failing to declare relevant goods or making a false declaration may lead to delays, detention or forfeiture of goods, penalties, or other enforcement action.
What if you cannot submit online?
SARS says a traveller will not be refused entry or departure solely for failing to complete the form before reaching the port. Customs officials and self-service terminals can assist where available.
A paper declaration is limited to circumstances such as a SARS system failure, unavailable internet connectivity, or another reasonable reason the traveller cannot submit electronically.
What to do if you need extra help
This is a fallback, not a general opt-out. Build a little time into your journey if you expect to need help.
SARS lists [email protected] for support and says assistance may be available at Customs service counters.
Frequently asked questions
Do all travellers need the South Africa online traveller declaration?
In general, yes. From 1 July 2026, SARS requires everyone entering or leaving South Africa by air, land, sea or rail to submit it, including citizens, residents, foreign visitors, children and infants.
How early can I complete the SARS traveller declaration?
No more than 24 hours before departure from the country you’re travelling from. For a connecting journey to South Africa, use the 24-hour window before the final leg that travels directly to South Africa.
Do transit passengers need to submit the declaration?
Only if they leave the designated transit area. Air or sea transit passengers who stay inside it are excluded, but if your connection requires border control, confirm your obligation with SARS.
Does a child need a traveller declaration?
Yes. Every child and infant must be covered by a declaration, and a parent or legal guardian may complete it on the child’s behalf.
Will I be denied entry if I could not submit online?
No, not solely for that reason. Officials and self-service terminals can assist at the port, though you still need to complete the required Customs process.
Plan your South Africa trip
Complete the declaration inside the correct 24-hour window, keep the response ready, and allow time to follow Customs instructions. Once your travel dates are set, compare hotels in South Africa on Wego and keep your booking details together with your other trip documents.
Sources
- South African Revenue Service: Required Online Traveller Declarations from 1 July 2026
- South African Revenue Service: Customs Online Traveller Declaration
- South African Revenue Service: Required online declaration FAQs
- South African Revenue Service: Customs guidance for travellers
Disclaimer: We’ve worked hard to make sure the information in this article is as accurate and up to date as possible at the time of publishing. Travel details such as prices, schedules, visa rules, and entry requirements can change at short notice, so it remains your responsibility to verify the current details with official sources before you book or travel.
Wego accepts no liability for any loss or inconvenience arising from the use of this content.
