Online Travel ConciergeFrom $29.00 all-inclusive

SARS Online Traveller Declaration (SATMS / OTD)

Complete your South Africa digital arrival declaration in 3 easy steps

Non-affiliation notice: NomadicMart is an independent commercial travel facilitation service and is NOT affiliated with the Government of South Africa. Official government applications may be submitted directly via tools.sars.gov.za at no intermediary concierge charge.

SARS Online Traveller Declaration (SATMS / OTD)— Official Filing Window & Rules:Within 24 hours before departure (Travel Date: Today or Tomorrow)

Required for: All travellers entering or leaving South Africa by Air, Land (Road), Sea, or Rail — including South African citizens, permanent residents, foreign tourists/visitors, drivers of foreign-registered vehicles (mandatory from June 1, 2026, including SACU member states Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, and Namibia), crew members, diplomats/VIPs, and minors/infants (mandatory for all travellers from July 1, 2026, whether submitting a Full or Nil declaration).. Applying early? NomadicMart queues your declaration in advance and automatically submits it when the official window opens.

Read South AfricaArrival Card Guide & Window Rules →All 39 Country Arrival Cards

Start South Africa Application View speeds & pricing

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100% Full Error Pre-Check

Application Overview

Verified details for South Africa travel authorizations

Filing method100% Online

Standard speedWithin 24 hours

Starting total$29.00

DeliveryApproved PDF via Email

Support24/7 Human Concierge

Apply online now

Validity

Within 24 hours before departure (Travel Date: Today or Tomorrow)

Filing Window

Within 24 hours before departure (Travel Date: Today or Tomorrow)

Processing Time

Instant – 24 hours

Direction

Arrival & Departure

Official Portal

tools.sars.gov.za

Eligibility & Document Checker

Check Your Eligibility for South Africa

Select the country of your passport to view entry requirements, fees, and processing times.

All 196 countries →

Where is your passport from?

Popular:

United States Passport

Digital Arrival Card Required

All inbound travelers to South Africa must submit the digital arrival declaration before border clearance.

Apply for South Africa

Document Checklist

South Africa Document Requirements

Prepare these items before starting your application. You can submit clear digital photos taken with your smartphone.

Requirement 01

Declaration Type: Full Declaration ('full') or Nil Declaration ('nil')

Requirement 02

Mode of Travel Type: Air ('3'), Sea ('2'), Rail ('5'), or Road ('4')

Requirement 03

Port of Entry/Exit (11 Air, 7 Sea, 4 Rail, 55 Road ports) + conditional 'Reason For Non Designated Port' (if one of 33 non-designated road ports is selected)

Requirement 04

Mode of Transport (e.g., International Aircraft, Private Aircraft, Ship/Vessel, Private Car/Vehicle, Bus, Taxi/MiniBus, Truck, Motorbike, Walk-in, Train)

Requirement 05

Transport Identifier: Flight Number (max 8 alphanumeric chars), Vehicle Registration Number, Voyage Number, Train Number, or Vessel/Charter Name

Requirement 06

Travel Document Type (8 types: Ordinary, Diplomatic, Official, Service, Special, Emergency Travel Certificate, Emergency Passport, Refugee Passport)

Streamlined Process

How It Works in 3 Simple Steps

We handle the complexity of international government portals so you can focus on your journey.

Fill Form Online

Submit your passport details, transport itinerary, and South Africa accommodation address via our mobile-friendly form.

Pay & Submit

Complete checkout with transparent all-inclusive pricing ($29); our queue engine files your card when the official window opens.

Receive via Email

Receive your official SATMS digital confirmation and QR code PDF directly in your email inbox.

Transparent Pricing

All-Inclusive South Africa Processing Speeds

All fees included upfront. Government fee + NomadicMart concierge service. Zero surprise checkout charges.

Standard

Within 24 hours

Total: $29.00all fees & taxes included

Official government visa fee included
Full manual document pre-verification
24/7 real-time tracking & chat support
Free re-submission if immigration requests info

Select Standard

Rush

Within 4 hours

Total: $44.00all fees & taxes included

Official government visa fee included
Full manual document pre-verification
24/7 real-time tracking & chat support
Free re-submission if immigration requests info

Select Rush

Super-Rush

Within 1 hour

Total: $59.00all fees & taxes included

Official government visa fee included
Full manual document pre-verification
24/7 real-time tracking & chat support
Free re-submission if immigration requests info

Select Super-Rush

Why Travelers Choose Us

NomadicMart vs. Applying on Your Own

Compare applying directly through government portals against our full-service concierge experience.

Feature	NomadicMart Concierge	Government Portal Self-Apply
Price & Transparency	Transparent all-inclusive $29 filing fee with advance queuing months ahead	Free government portal with strict filing window and no concierge review
Processing Time	Automatic scheduled submission the moment the government window opens	Must remember to file manually within the pre-departure window
Support	24/7 dedicated human support via chat, WhatsApp, and email across all time zones	No live customer service available on the government portal
Error Handling	Specialist pre-check of passport MRZ, flight numbers, and address formatting	Typographical errors require re-submission at airport arrival kiosks
Refund Policy	Full service fee refund if your declaration cannot be submitted	Zero customer assistance for portal timeouts or formatting rejections

Got Questions?

Frequently Asked Questions About South Africa

Clear answers on eligibility, processing times, validity, and entry requirements.

Is the South Africa SARS Online Traveller Declaration mandatory?

Yes. Following the phased rollout launched in November 2022, online declaration via SATMS is mandatory from June 1, 2026 for all travellers entering or leaving South Africa with a foreign-registered vehicle (including SACU states), and mandatory from July 1, 2026 for ALL travellers (citizens, residents, foreign visitors, crew, diplomats, and minors) across Air, Land, Sea, and Rail ports — whether submitting a Full or Nil declaration.

Is there a fee to submit the SARS Online Traveller Declaration?

No. Submitting the Online Traveller Declaration is completely free (ZAR 0.00). Only travellers arriving with goods that exceed South Africa's duty-free allowances are required to pay the calculated Customs Duties and VAT (either online via SARS eFiling or at a designated port).

When can I submit the South Africa Traveller Declaration?

Official SARS policy requires submission not earlier than 24 hours before departure from your country of origin (or upon arrival/departure before passing through Customs). In the live SATMS web portal, the Travel Date picker strictly allows Today (D) and Tomorrow (D+1).

Does the SATMS form apply to both Arrival and Departure?

Yes. SATMS is bidirectional. By default, selecting any foreign country in 'Travelling From' locks 'Travelling To' as South Africa (Arrival). Selecting 'South Africa' (ZAF) in 'Travelling From' unlocks 'Travelling To' for Departure declarations.

What are South Africa's duty-free allowances and currency thresholds?

Travellers entering South Africa may bring up to ZAR 12,500 in new or used personal/gift goods duty-free (plus 2L wine, 1L spirits, 200 cigarettes, 20 cigars, 250g tobacco for ages 18+, and 50ml perfume / 250ml eau de toilette). An additional ZAR 25,000 in goods (up to ZAR 37,500 total) can be assessed at a 20% flat customs duty rate exempt from VAT. For currency, SATMS applies a shared ZAR 100,000 threshold across all currency categories.

Can I include my children or family members on my declaration?

Yes. On Step 1 (Travel Details), parents or legal guardians can add up to 5 accompanying family members or assisted travellers (such as minors or elders) under the 'Travelling Companions' section by entering their First Name, Surname, Travel Document Number, and Issuing Country.

Can NomadicMart guarantee border admission into South Africa?

No commercial service or private agency can guarantee border admission into South Africa. Final entry permission rests exclusively with border control and immigration officers at your port of entry. NomadicMart is an independent private application concierge not affiliated with the Government of South Africa or tools.sars.gov.za. We verify your declaration data and submit it accurately within the official filing window.