The airport experience has morphed dramatically in the past decade with the introduction of biometric security, mobile check-in, and baggage tracking. That’s really just the tip of the iceberg. Passenger numbers are set to double in the next twenty years, according to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), but airport expansion won’t keep up. The challenge is to facilitate smooth journeys through airports for the increasing number of passengers. To this end, South Africa has recently introduced a new travel pass that facilitates pre-declaration of goods for customs purposes.
What necessitated the new travel pass?
The travel pass facilitates compliance with custom legislation. The digital declaration system forms part of the SMART border project. It is also designed to further modernise the system and improve tax non-compliance.
South African Revenue Service (SARS) declared that the new online traveller declaration system that grants a travel pass via email, will be implemented at all South African airports. According to Beyers Theron, the director of customs and border control at SARS, travel cards and declaration documents are becoming increasingly prevalent globally and the move to the new travel pass brings South Africa in line with these trends. The new online declaration process is expected to provide a smoother experience for travellers in South Africa.
Which airports will be affected in the first phases?
The implementation of the travel pass system was first rolled out in KwaZulu-Natal in 2022, then at Cape Town International Airport on 28 February 2023 and O.R. Tambo International Airport on 23 March 2023.
The next steps are to implement it at:
- Other airports in the second and third quarters of 2023
- Cape Town Seaport during the last quarter of 2023
What you need to declare
The new system is a web-based application that allows travellers to pre-declare goods they have acquired and pay the applicable taxes upon entering or leaving the country.
It requires travellers to declare various goods, including products purchased or acquired abroad, repaired or remodelled goods, and anything that is prohibited or controlled by law.
“Travellers who are travelling with children or infants will also need to complete a declaration on their behalf.”
Currently, all visitors to South Africa are required to fill out a paper-based Traveller Card (TC-01) at the airport if they have any items to declare, said the director. The new online system is much more efficient and streamlined, making documentation less cumbersome for travellers.
To have an overview of the process and requirements at ports of entry, kindly click here .
If you would like more detail about the arrival process and the various allowances, click here to read the Traveller’s Guide.
This shift to an online declaration process is expected to provide a smoother experience for travellers at any entry or exit point in South Africa.
Although it will have a widespread implementation, the new system will continue on a voluntary basis during the pilot phase.
