Effective 1 July 2026 the South African Customs Online Traveller Declaration System will transition from its multi-year pilot phase to a mandatory electronic declaration framework across all international airports, land borders, seaports, and the rail network.
This online declaration system represents an improvement over the manual declaration process, enabling travellers to fulfil their legal obligation of declaring goods, including currency, in their possession. The system also provides a more seamless experience through asimplified digital declaration process and enhanced risk management at ports of entry.
We have tried to highlight a few of the more commonly asked questions below. For a more comprehensive list please click here: https://www.sars.gov.za/travellerdeclaration/faqs-for-the-required-online-traveller-declarations-from-1-july-2026/
Q: Who needs to submit an online traveller declaration?
Any person entering or leaving South Africa by air, land or sea and rail must submit a traveller declaration. This includes South African citizens, residents and foreign travellers. A parent, legal guardian, caretaker or another assisting person may complete the declaration on behalf of a minor or a person who cannot complete it themselves.
Q: Are any travellers excluded from submitting a declaration?
Yes. Air or sea travellers who are only transiting through South Africa and who do not leave the designated transit area are excluded from submitting a traveller declaration.
Q: When must a traveller submit the online declaration?
They must submit the online declaration no more than 24 hours before departure from the country from which they are travelling. If they are travelling to South Africa on a journey with stops, the declaration must be submitted no more than 24 hours before departure on the last leg of their journey directly to South Africa.
Q: What if a traveller cannot submit the declaration online before they arrive at the port?
If they could not submit electronically because of a systems failure, a lack of internet access, or another reasonable ground, they may be assisted at the port by an officer or at a self-service terminal where available. In limited cases, a paper declaration may still be used.
Q: When can a paper declaration still be used?
A paper declaration may be used only where there is a SARS systems failure, where internet connectivity is not available at the relevant place of entry or exit, or where a traveller is otherwise reasonably unable to submit electronically. In those cases, the traveller may complete the prescribed paper forms at the Customs processing area.
Q: Must children also have a traveller declaration?
Yes. Each traveller must be covered by a declaration, including children and infants. A parent or legal guardian may complete and submit the declaration on behalf of a child and is responsible for ensuring that the information provided is correct.
Q: Can someone submit a declaration on behalf of another person?
Yes. A parent or legal guardian may submit a declaration on behalf of a minor, and a caretaker or another assisting person may submit on behalf of a person who cannot do so because of age, ill-health, or mental or physical disability. The person completing the declaration takes responsibility for the accuracy of the information provided.
SARS Traveller Declaration online form: https://tools.sars.gov.za/sarsonlinequery/traveller
Watch a short Traveller Declaration System video on the SARS YouTube channel.
