South Africa Travel Information

The following information is for ESA travelers to Durban, South Africa for the 2008 International Congress of Entomology. If you have further questions, try calling the South African embassy in Washington, D.C. at (202) 232-4400, or try Richard Levine at ESA Headquarters at 301-731-4535, ext. 3009.

Travel Alerts

Alerts are issued by the U.S. Department of State to disseminate information about short-term conditions that pose imminent risks to the security of U.S. citizens. On May 21, a travel alert was issued for South Africa. Although it mainly pertained to refugees and immigrants to South Africa, American citzens have been "urged to monitor media reports and to avoid areas where attacks may be likely to occur."

All Americans in South Africa are urged to register either online at https://travelregistration.state.gov or by phone or in person directly with the U.S. Embassy in Pretoria or the Consulates General in Johannesburg, Cape Town, or Durban. Registering gives U.S. citizens access to updated information on travel and security within South Africa and makes it easier for the Embassy to contact them in case of emergency. The U.S. Embassy is located at 877 Pretorius Street, Arcadia in Pretoria, telephone (27-12) 431-4000 (from South Africa 012-431-4000), fax (27-12) 431-5504 (from South Africa 012-431-5504). The U.S. Embassy web site is http://usembassy.state.gov/pretoria/.

Click here for the full text of the travel alert. This page will be updated as events occur, so you may want to bookmark it.

Visas

According to the South African embassy in Washington, D.C., visitors to South Africa with U.S. passports do not require visas for stays of up to 90 days for tourism, short business meetings, or those in transit. Holders of other passports may need visas.

However, the following requirements also apply:

1.       The traveler must show a return-trip airline ticket.

2.       There must be at least six months left on the passport before it expires.

3.       The passports of all travelers to South Africa must contain at least two blank (unstamped) visa pages each time entry is sought; these pages are in addition to the endorsement/amendment pages at the back of the passport. 

4.       Travelers arriving from countries where yellow fever is present must present proof of yellow fever vaccination (yellow fever is not a disease risk in South Africa).

If these conditions are not met, the traveler, even when in possession of a valid South African visa, may be refused entry into South Africa, fined, and returned to their point of origin at the traveler’s expense. As a general precaution, all travelers are advised to carry a photocopy of the photo/bio information page of their passport and keep it in a location separate from the passport.

Vaccinations and Malaria Pills

The Centers for Disease Control recommends that your routine vaccinations are up-to-date. Durban is not considered high-risk for malaria, but travelers to certain areas that are high-risk are advised to take anti-malaria pills. High risk areas include the low-altitude areas of the Mpumalanga Province, Northern Province (Limpopo), and northeastern Kwa- Zulu-Natal as far south as the Tugela River. Risk in Kruger National Park. More information is available at http://wwwn.cdc.gov/travel/destinationSouthAfrica.aspx.

Currency

South Africa’s currency unit is the Rand. Banknotes are issued in denominations of R200, R100, R50, R20 and R10. Currently, one U.S. dollar is worth about eight rand. Major credit cards and traveler’s checks are generally accepted.

Taxes

Value-added tax (VAT), currently set at 14%, is included in the price of most goods and services. Visitors are required to pay VAT on purchased goods but may claim refunds on VAT on items taken out of the country when the total value exceeds R250.  Claims can be made at departure airports by presenting the items with purchase slips.

Tipping

In restaurants a gratuity of 10% of the bill generally applies, depending on the standard of the service. Restaurants do not usually include the tip in the bill. Luggage porters are given R-6, while taxi-drivers expect 10% of the fare.

Electricity

The standard electricity supply in South Africa is 220/230 volts AC 50 Hz. You may want to bring an adapter for laptops and other devices. For example, http://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&keywords=south+africa+converter&tag=googhydr-20&index=aps&ref=pd_sl_9fico93nm_b.  

For more information, visit the U.S. State Department’s website at http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1008.html.