All COVID restrictions in the country have been lifted. You no longer need to provide a vaccination certificate or PCR test.
the passport must be valid for at least 30 days after the expected date of departure from South Africa + 2 blank pages for entry stamps.
+ It is necessary to have a completed Health Declaration
Yellow fever vaccination is often required for travelers arriving from endemic areas of North and South America and Africa. Passengers arriving from non-infected areas are not required to have yellow fever certificates.
Therefore, travelers planning a trip to South Africa should visit their doctor at least 6 weeks before departure to get the necessary vaccinations.
Apart from the yellow fever vaccine, there are no mandatory vaccinations for South Africa, although there are a number of recommended ones.
Travelers are strongly advised to meet all requirements for entry into South Africa. For example, every foreign national must have a valid South African visa upon arrival.
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If you do not need a visa to enter, your total stay in the country must not exceed 90 days.
Citizens of 14 countries can now obtain an e-Visa to South Africa. The South African e-Visa was launched for travelers from 14 countries in February 2022. This e-Visa is valid for short-term stays in South Africa, tourism, and other permitted activities.
Documents required for submitting an e-Visa application
To enter South Africa, you must have a passport that is valid for at least 30 days from the intended date of departure. It is necessary to have the same passport with you that was used when submitting the application since the e-Visa and the passport are connected electronically.
How to get a South African visa at the embassy
Travelers who are not citizens of one of the 14 countries must obtain a visa in person at a South African embassy or consulate before departure.
This process can be longer and more expensive than applying online due to longer waiting times and costs associated with a trip to the embassy.
Currently, submitting an application in paper form can entail:
- appointment at the embassy
- visiting the embassy with relevant supporting documents to submit the application
- payment of the application fee
- return to the embassy after obtaining a visa.
The above may not apply to all applications, the specific process depends on the type of visa, as well as the circumstances of the traveler.
Documents required for obtaining a visa to South Africa in paper form
Below is a list of accompanying documents that may be required to obtain a guest visa at the South African embassy or consulate:
- Passport or travel document valid for at least 30 days after leaving the country (passport must have 2 unused pages for stamps).
- Completed BI-84 form (visa application)
- Proof of payment of the application fee
- Yellow fever vaccination certificate (if applicable)
- Documents confirming the purpose and duration of the visit
- 2 color passport photos
- Round-trip plane ticket
- Proof of financial resources for the duration of your stay in South Africa (e.g. bank statements, salary advances, scholarships, cash or credit cards, etc.).
Foreigners traveling with minors must provide the following additional documents:
- Proof of custody or care or
- Guardian's consent in the case of an unaccompanied minor.
Dogs and cats imported into South Africa must have an ISO 11784/11785 microchip.
The microchip must be implanted before or together with the rabies vaccine. Tattoos are not accepted in South Africa.
Dogs and cats imported into South Africa must have a valid rabies vaccination. Vaccination must be done at least 30 days before the date of import.
The authorities of South Africa require that dogs and cats enter South Africa with a rabies vaccine that was given no more than 12 months before the animal was imported.
If your cat/dog is coming from Australia, New Zealand, Great Britain, or Northern Ireland, you do not need to have a rabies vaccination. However, we recommend that you get vaccinated against rabies as South Africa is not rabies free.
Puppies and kittens under the age of 3 months do not need vaccination against rabies. In order for puppies and kittens to travel to South Africa, their mother must be vaccinated against rabies more than 30 days and less than 1 year before they are born. Once puppies/kittens arrive in South Africa and reach the age of 3 months, they must be vaccinated against rabies.
In addition, we strongly recommend that you vaccinate your dog/cat with all the necessary annual vaccinations that are given in your country.
Vaccination against kennel cough is also recommended.
If you wish to import a dog into South Africa, your dog must pass the following blood tests within 30 days before the date of export:
- Brucella canis
- Trypanosoma evansi
- Babesia gibsoni
- Dirofilaria immitis
- Leishmania
If your country is free of one or more of the diseases listed above, your dog will not need to be blood tested for diseases that your country is free of. Please note that the veterinary authorities of your country must officially declare this.
Dogs that test positive for any of the five diseases will not be able to enter South Africa. Dogs requiring quarantine in South Africa will be re-tested for these five diseases.
During quarantine, if your dog tests positive for Brucella canis, Babesia gibsoni or Leishmania, your dog will have to return to the exporting country. If your dog tests positive for Dirofilaria immitis or Trypanosoma evansi during quarantine, you will be given the opportunity to treat your dog as necessary. After the treatment, the dog will need to be tested again, and only with negative results will it be released from quarantine. If you choose not to treat the dog, you will have to send it back to the exporting country.
It is important to note that all costs (such as quarantine, testing, treatment and reshipment of the dog) are the responsibility of the owner.
Unlike dogs, cats imported into South Africa do not need to undergo any of the above blood tests.
The veterinary health certificate provided with the import permit must be completed within 10 days before the flight.
The veterinary certificate must be completed by a private veterinarian and certified by the veterinary authority of the exporting country.
The original health certificate must be presented to the State Veterinarian of South Africa at the port of entry.
Dogs and cats entering South Africa from Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, and Swaziland must undergo a health check within 7 days before the flight.
Dogs and cats entering South Africa must have a veterinary import permit. The import permit is usually issued within 2-5 working days. The original import permit must be presented to the State Veterinarian of South Africa at the port of entry. Pet owners can send the original import permit along with the dog/cat or it can be presented to the officials at the airport by the person that will collect the pet.
Dogs and cats entering South Africa from the following countries are not required an import permit:
- Malawi
- Namibia
- Botswana
- Zimbabwe
- Lesotho
- Swaziland
Dogs and cats can enter South Africa only as declared cargo (with an air waybill), as pet owners cannot bring their pets to South Africa as excess baggage or in the cabin of an aircraft.
Dogs that need to undergo quarantine can enter South Africa only through the international airports of OR Tambo (Johannesburg) or Cape Town.
Cats and dogs (which do not require quarantine) can also enter South Africa through Durban International Airport.
Dogs entering South Africa from the following countries will not be quarantined: Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Botswana, Bulgaria, Canada, Comoros, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungry, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Latvia, Lesotho, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malawi, Malta, Mauritius, Namibia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Poland, Reunion, Romania, Seychelles, Spain, Slovakia, Slovenia, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, UK, United States, and Zimbabwe.
If your country is not listed above, your dog will be quarantined for 14 days.
If your dog is coming from an island, you should contact the Ministry of Agriculture to find out if your dog will be quarantined upon arrival.
Cats entering South Africa are usually not quarantined.
Here are some questions about bringing pets to South Africa:
Is a rabies antibody test required to import a dog or cat into South Africa?
Dogs and cats do not need to be tested for rabies antibodies to bring them into South Africa.
I have a small dog. Can I bring my dog on the plane?
No! Pets may enter South Africa only as declared cargo.
How long does it take to import a dog/cat into South Africa?
The duration of the process depends on many factors, such as: where you are moving from, what animal you have (dog or cat), the age of your pet, etc.
It is recommended that pet owners start the process 2-3 months before the planned travel date.
Can I bring my pit bull to South Africa?
South African authorities allow pit bulls and other "dangerous" dog breeds to enter South Africa.
South Africa