19/12/2023
equipment
form
We received a notification earlier today that travellers arriving at Cape Town Airport were asked for payment by customs officials, for bringing camera equipment into South Africa, although this equipment belonged to these travellers and was not being imported into South Africa.
With high volumes expected through South Africa's ports of entry and exit, officials will likely be enforcing policies very strictly in the coming weeks. Please find some useful reminders and resources below:
Declaring electronic equipment in South Africa
Travellers arriving in South Africa are advised to declare their electronic equipment, including cameras and laptops, even if they intend to take these items with them upon their departure from South Africa.
Although customs officials may not always enforce this rule for travellers with standard personal electronics, it is best practice to comply, avoiding potential hassles and delays. There is currently no specific value threshold for declaring electronic equipment.
Declaration process
Online Traveller Declaration System: https://www.sars.gov.za/travellerdeclaration/
Manual Declaration: Complete the physical Traveller Card (TC01 form) upon arrival at customs
Returning home: When departing South Africa, travellers are not required to declare the same equipment again if this was declared upon arrival and proof (online confirmation or stamped TC01 form) has been retained
Refundable cash deposits or import duties on goods
Ensure your travellers are aware they may need to pay refundable cash deposits or import duties on certain goods brought into South Africa temporarily. Refunds are provided once the goods are shown to have left the country.
You can access the SARS Traveller Leaflet here which provides essential information on prohibited items, restrictions, duty-free allowances, and other pertinent customs details. It is critical that you share this with your clients to review before their travel to South Africa.
What you need to know The online Traveller Declaration System introduced in November 2022 has been successfully implemented at King Shaka International Airport (KSIA), Cape Town International Airport (CTIA) and OR Tambo International Airport (ORTIA). The online declaration system is an improvement f...
