SARS Introduces Mandatory 24-Hour Online Customs Declaration for All SA Travellers
- SARS has launched a compulsory online customs declaration system for anyone entering or leaving South Africa
- The South African Traveller Management System replaces paper forms at all airports, seaports, land crossings, and rail networks
- All travellers, including citizens, residents, and foreign tourists, must submit their declarations within 24 hours before departure
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SOUTH AFRICA — The South African Revenue Service (SARS) has made online customs declarations compulsory for all individuals crossing South Africa's borders, introducing a strict 24-hour submission window tied to the new South African Traveller Management System (SATMS).
The SATMS replaces traditional paper-based customs forms at every point of entry into and out of the country, covering airports, seaports, land border crossings, and rail networks. The requirement applies to South African citizens, permanent residents, and foreign tourists alike. Parents and guardians are required to submit separate declarations on behalf of minors in their care.
Who must file and when
Declarations must be submitted online no later than 24 hours before a traveller's initial departure or, for those on connecting flights, before the final leg into South Africa. Travellers who remain in international transit zones without clearing immigration are exempt from the requirement.
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Standard personal items such as clothing, phones, and laptops do not need to be declared. However, goods that exceed duty-free thresholds, commercially intended items, and cash or currency equivalents above R100,000 must be reported. Goods valued up to R5,000 attract no duty or VAT, while items worth between R5,001 and R20,000 are subject to reduced duties. Any goods with a combined value exceeding R25,000 will be assessed at the full customs rate.
How to complete the declaration
According to reports, travellers can access the system through the SARS Customs Online Traveller Declaration Portal or via the official SATMS mobile application. The process requires passport details, travel itinerary information, and an itemised list of any goods or currency subject to customs attention.
Once submitted, the system generates an electronic confirmation by email, which includes specific customs instructions for the traveller. SARS advises saving the PDF confirmation to a mobile device or printing a hard copy to present to customs officers at border control points.
Importantly, travellers will not be denied entry to or departure from the country solely because they did not complete the pre-travel declaration. Self-service terminals and SARS Customs officers are stationed at ports of entry to assist those who were unable to submit electronically before travelling.
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More on SARS and South African tax changes
- Briefly News recently reported on a South African woman who revealed how a scam operation in Cambodia allegedly used fake SARS calls to target Mzansi victims.
- SARS also angered some South Africans after closing a tax loophole that had allowed married couples to transfer assets between each other without donation tax.
- A proposed tax change could also affect South African retirees with multiple living annuities held with the same provider.
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Source: Briefly News
