South Africa has officially ended its paper-based customs system, requiring all travellers crossing its borders to complete a digital declaration before entering or leaving the country. The new requirement took effect on 1 July 2026 and marks the final phase of a years-long “Smart Border” modernisation programme led by the South African Revenue Service (SARS), the Border Management Authority, the Financial Intelligence Centre and the South African Reserve Bank. The aim is to move customs compliance online so travellers can meet their legal declaration requirements before arriving at the border.
The rule applies to everyone travelling by air, land, sea or rail, including citizens, permanent residents and foreign nationals. Parents, guardians and caregivers can submit declarations for minors or travellers who cannot do so themselves. Forms can be completed within 24 hours of departure through the SARS Traveller Management System on the agency’s website, the SATMS mobile app, a scan-to-declare QR code or self-service kiosks at major ports of entry. Travellers who arrive without a completed declaration won’t be turned away, as officials will be available at self-service terminals to help them complete the process.
The mandatory rollout expands a system SARS first tested at selected airports in 2022 before extending it voluntarily to land and sea borders. It also raises the cash declaration threshold from R25,000 to R100,000, aligning it with South African Reserve Bank regulations. Anyone carrying cash, foreign currency or bearer negotiable instruments above that amount must obtain prior approval from the Reserve Bank and comply with the Financial Intelligence Centre Act and the Customs and Excise Act.
Travellers must also continue declaring goods that exceed their duty-free allowance. The existing limits remain unchanged. Goods worth up to R5,000 per person are exempt from duty and VAT. A further R20,000 may be imported on payment of duty and VAT, while goods valued above R25,000 attract full customs duties and taxes. The allowance can only be used once every 30 days and doesn’t apply to travellers returning to South Africa within 48 hours. Business travellers and those transporting commercial goods face additional reporting requirements, while passengers simply transiting through South African airports or ports without leaving designated transit areas are exempt.
The timing has drawn attention. The digital declaration requirement came into force just a day after thousands of people joined the nationwide “March and March” protests, calling for tougher action against undocumented migration and more deportations. Police and soldiers were deployed across several areas to prevent unrest, and organisers have vowed to continue holding weekly demonstrations until the government responds. SARS says the new system is strictly a customs and revenue measure, not an immigration tool, though its introduction comes amid an increasingly heated debate over border security and migration.
Officials say the system will allow customs officers to assess travellers and cargo before they arrive, helping identify undeclared goods and suspicious shipments while speeding up clearance for compliant travellers. Those who fail to submit a declaration or provide false information could face delays, fines or the seizure of goods under existing customs laws. SARS says the broader goal is to improve revenue collection, reduce customs fraud and allow enforcement officers to focus on higher-risk cases instead of screening every traveller equally.
By: Andrews Kwesi Yeboah