Starting 1st July, travel from and to South Africa will require a signed South Africa travel declaration form. All passengers leaving and entering SA via air, land, sea, and rail ports are required to submit said application 24 hours prior to their visit or departure. This has caused a frenzy of confusion, as most of the information was buried in the FAQs. South Africa has, since, clarified the requisites to travel and why it has digitized a good chunk of its customs process.
The South African Traveller Management System (SATMS) is part of the South African Revenue Service (SARS )’s broad move to centralize data and enhance monitoring. The body has since also announced that this does not mandate the denial of entry should the form not be filled.
The system is not exactly new; it was first piloted on a trial basis in 2022 at major airports. It is not being transitioned into a mandatory electronic declaration framework for all travelers across air, land, sea, and rail ports. Let’s look at the details.
What Exactly Is Changing With the South African Declaration Form?
The SATMS has mandated that travelers must now complete the online declaration no more than 24 hours before their flight or departure. The system also allows travellers to fulfill their legal duty to declare currency and goods. Declarations can be made through the SARS Customs Online Traveller Declaration Portal, the SATMS mobile app, or by using Scan-to-Declare QR codes.
Who Needs To File A South African Declaration Form?
In general, everyone who is leaving the country or entering it will be required to fill out a form. This included foreign visitors as well as South African residents. All modes of transportation- air, rail, sea, and land are covered. In the case of a minor (infants included) taking a trip, a parent or any legal guardian should be able to complete the process on their behalf. Assistants to people of age, in ill-health, or those with mental or physical disabilities will take responsibility of the accuracy of data. In case of inaccuracy or false declarations, visitors may also be detained and/or goods may be seized.
You will also still be eligible to claim a VAT refund. Simply declare your goods through the declaration system. Present them to Customs at the port for verification. Once approved, visit the VAT Refund Administrator office and they shall finalise your claim.
Who Does Not Need A Declaration Form?
Only people who do not leave their transit area should not be required to fill out a declaration form. The exemption is thin, but important. If you are taking multi-stop tours, by air or sea, but you do not leave the designated transit area, you will not need a form. Only those who clear immigration and gather baggage and go for terminal changes outside the transit area will need a form.
When Do You Need To Submit The Declaration Before A Trip?
SARS has specified that you need to submit the online declaration not more than 24 hours before leaving the country from which you are travelling. In case of connecting flights, the 24-hour window is considered from the last stop before you get into South Africa. For example, say you are travelling from New York City to Johannesberg and take the John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) to O R Tambo International Arpt (JNB) via Adolfo Suarez Barajas Arpt (MAD). You will need to file your form 24 hours before the last leg of your journey, i.e., before leaving Madrid.
What if I Did Not File the Declaration Form?
SARS has given a few contingency plans in the system. Keeping lack of internet or accessibility witholdings in mind, the SARS has nudged to get required help at the Custom Officer’s port or at one of the self-service terminals. This means that not signing a declaration form with valid reasons does not mean you will not be able to visit the country. In some rare cases, even paper applications and declarations would be considered, but the condition would be limited to SARS systems failure. To reiterate, this does not mean there is a fallback or a workaround of the new system. Such exceptions will only be made on reasonable grounds.
How Do I Fill the South African Travel Declaration Form?
You can fill the digital form on the SARS Traveller Declaration Portal or the SATMS App. Login on the SARS Travel Management System App and complete the due procedure. Upon filling, you will recieve a digital confirmation and instructions about what you must do at entry or exit. You will need to feen in your passport details or travel document details, travel itinerary details, and contact information. In some cases, you might need to fil in details of travelling companions where applicable. Any information about goods, currency, or negotiable instruments you intend to bring along must be declared. Ordinary personal effects for personal use needn’t be filed in. You can also edit and update your form in case of a discrepancy.
For more help you can also email SARS help desk at [email protected] for assistance.
Why is SARS Introducing the New Declaration Form?
SARS has claimed that the effort is done to “make it easier for travellers to comply with Customs formalities before arriving at a port of entry or exit” (SARS Govn.). This will help them process passenger information faster and aid in Risk Management. This makes sense, especially considering 2025 was a profitable year for SA tourism. Tourism recovered with a staggering 10.5Mvisits in 2025. This was a substantial 17.7% up from the 8.9Min 2024. WIth the rise in numbers, South Africa has correctly predicted a rapid increase on pressure on transportation management systems. To alleviate such concerns, this online process will give custom authorities prior visibility and help separate high-risk attendees in need of a Customs Review.
