South Africans and international visitors travelling into or out of the country will now have to complete a compulsory online traveller declaration before they travel.
This comes after the introduction of a new digital customs system by the South African Revenue Service (SARS).
The new requirement came into effect on July 1 2026 and applies to most people travelling by air, road, sea and rail. The move forms part of SARS’ efforts to modernise customs processes, reduce delays at ports of entry and improve compliance with customs laws.
This is everything travellers need to know.
Online declarations are now the default and under the new rules, travellers must submit their declaration electronically within 24 hours before departure.
The declaration replaces the need to complete most paper customs forms and allows travellers to declare goods, cash and other items before arriving at a South African border or airport.
According to SARS, the system is designed to make customs processing quicker while improving its ability to identify high-risk travellers and undeclared goods.
