New SARS Travel Rules Now Mandatory for Everyone Entering or Leaving South Africa

• SARS has made online traveller declarations compulsory for anyone entering or leaving South Africa from 1 July 2026
• Travellers must complete the declaration within 24 hours of travel and disclose goods, currency and other items requiring customs attention
• The new rules also introduce mandatory declarations for anyone travelling with more than R100,000 in cash or qualifying financial instruments

Anyone travelling into or out of South Africa will now have to complete a mandatory online traveller declaration before their journey, following the implementation of new customs rules by the South African Revenue Service (SARS). The new requirements came into effect on 1 July 2026, marking the end of the voluntary pilot phase of the South African Traveller Management System (SATMS), which has been tested at selected airports, land border posts and sea ports since 2022. The digital system forms part of SARS' broader modernisation programme aimed at streamlining customs procedures while strengthening border security and compliance.

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Under the new rules, travellers must submit their online declaration no more than 24 hours before departing from the country where their journey begins. The declaration requires travellers to provide their passport or travel document details, travel itinerary, contact information and, where applicable, information about people travelling with them. Travellers must also declare any goods, currency or other items that require customs attention.

According to Business Tech, the requirement applies to South African citizens, permanent residents and foreign nationals travelling by air, road, rail or sea. Parents, legal guardians or caregivers must complete declarations on behalf of minors or individuals who are unable to do so themselves.

However, SARS has provided limited exemptions. Air and sea passengers who are merely transiting through South Africa without leaving designated transit areas are not required to complete the online declaration. In exceptional circumstances, travellers experiencing internet connectivity or technical issues may still receive assistance at ports of entry or use paper declarations where permitted.

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What travellers must declare

Current duty-free allowances permit travellers to bring goods worth up to R5,000 into South Africa without paying customs duty or VAT. Goods valued above that amount, but below R25,000, may still be imported, although duties and VAT could apply. Once the total value exceeds R25,000, normal customs duties and VAT become payable. SARS noted that this allowance generally applies once every 30 days and excludes certain travellers returning after being outside the country for less than 48 hours.

From 1 July 2026, anyone entering or leaving South Africa while carrying cash, goods, currency or bearer negotiable instruments exceeding R100,000 must declare these through the traveller management system. The information will also be made available to the Financial Intelligence Centre as part of efforts to combat money laundering, illicit financial flows and other financial crimes.

3 Other Briefly News stories about SARS

• Sonia Mbele’s production company, Sonia Mbele Films, is facing legal action from SARS over an unpaid tax bill.
• A financial advisor has broken down how much Bafana Bafana players could pay in tax to SARS from their FIFA World Cup earnings of around R1.6 million each.
• Former SARS official Hlengiwe Khumalo shared an emotional account of how corruption led to a 10-year prison sentence and cost her everything she had worked for.

Source: Briefly News