Entry Requirements for South Africa

This is general information without guarantee. We will provide you with legally binding entry requirements based on your nationality before you book your trip and will inform you of any changes in the further course of your trip.

Passport

German nationals and many other European nationals do not need a visa for short-term tourist, visit, or business trips to South Africa. Upon presentation of a valid return ticket, a visitor’s visa will be issued upon entry for the duration of the planned trip, up to a maximum of 90 days. Personal travel documents (passport, provisional passport, or child’s passport) must be valid for at least 30 days beyond the date of departure and have at least two blank pages available for visa stamps. Even when traveling on to neighboring countries and subsequently returning to South Africa, there must still be sufficient pages available for visa stamps. Children’s passports may not have been extended. If minors are not entering the country with both biological parents, additional documents must be carried.

Health regulations

If you have been in a yellow fever area before entering the country, you must provide proof of a yellow fever vaccination. There is an exception for transit travelers whose transfer time does not exceed twelve hours.

Customs Declaration

Every traveler (including children) must complete a customs declaration online no earlier than 24 hours before departure. For more information, visit www.sars.gov.za/travellerdeclaration