What is the new South African Online Traveller Declaration?

With effect from 1 July 2026, the South African Revenue Service (SARS) requires all travellers entering or leaving South Africa through an air, land, sea or rail port of entry to submit an online traveller declaration before travelling. The requirement applies to South African citizens and residents as well as foreign travellers, and each traveller, including children and infants, must be covered by a declaration. There is an exemption for certain transit passengers who remain within the designated transit area and do not formally enter South Africa.

The declaration forms part of South Africa’s Customs process and is completed through the South African Traveller Management System (SATMS). Travellers are generally required to provide their passport or travel-document details, travel and contact information and details of travelling companions. They must also disclose goods, currency or bearer negotiable instruments that are required to be declared, including goods exceeding the applicable duty-free allowances, restricted or prohibited goods and goods of a commercial nature. Ordinary personal effects for the traveller’s own use generally do not need to be declared.

The declaration must generally be submitted no more than 24 hours before departure from the country from which the traveller is travelling. Where a journey to South Africa involves connecting flights or stops, it should be submitted no more than 24 hours before departure on the final leg of the journey to South Africa. After submission, SARS issues an electronic confirmation containing instructions that the traveller must follow at the relevant port of entry or exit.

Although advance online submission is now required, SARS states that a traveller will not be refused entry into or departure from South Africa solely because the declaration was not completed beforehand. Where a traveller could not submit it electronically because of lack of internet access, system failure or another reasonable ground, assistance is available at the entry point and, in limited circumstances, a paper declaration may be used.

The purpose of the system is to simplify Customs compliance while allowing SARS and other authorities to improve cross-border monitoring, data integration and risk management. Failure to make a proper declaration, or making a false declaration, can result in delays, detention or forfeiture of goods, penalties and potentially other enforcement action under Customs legislation.

The declaration can be completed through the SARS Customs Online Traveller Declaration portal (https://www.sars.gov.za/travellerdeclaration) or through the SATMS mobile application.