You’ll now need a travel pass before departing or entering South Africa

[Virex]

Next up... R150 payment for each travel pass.

You mean "admin fee"

 

[Mystic Twilight]

Sars used to do this years ago regarding passengers submitting declarations,

they stopped after there was a spate of follow home and highway robberies, some sars officials would do a search of a target to confirm the valuables and then forward the travelers description to a lookout in arrivals to follow. Won't be surprising to see an increase in follow home robberies.

 

[HumanShield]

This is when you know things are becoming desperate

 

[N@t3]

cakes by the ocean with a bit of twisted brain.

 

[Mirai]

SA is a police state. In most other countries you just go through the green line and nobody cares. In SA they regularly search people. What a joke.

 

[Supervan II]

SA is a police state. In most other countries you just go through the green line and nobody cares. In SA they regularly search people. What a joke.

Hy wat agter die deur staan soek altyd 'n maatjie

 

[ISP cash cow]

Never ever been asked to see declaration of laptop, phone or a camera at ORT airport. We travel at least once per year (covid period exception).

Yep also travel a lot and have never been asked, in fact most of the jobs that the customs officials like to do is to stand around as you go through the declaration area and look at you with a deep look of authority but I also have never seen them actually do anything, saying that - I do suffer badly with anxiety and stress and (in all honesty I am a bit of a do as the law requires type of guy). So have always just declared my items. I dont do my mobile or such just my laptop and satnav and if I am taking a camera or other major electronics. I am just a law abiding citizen but this country is making it harder and harder every day.

https://www.sars.gov.za/customs-and-excise/travellers/departure-from-sa/

Residents of South Africa​

Please register your valuables before you leave the country. In order to prove that you took valuable items, such as jewellery, watches, cameras, video cameras, laptops, with you out of South Africa, you need to register them for re-importation before departure. Registration can be done at the Customs office in the international departures hall before handing in your baggage to the airline/shipping line. Please note that if your valuables are not identifiable by a serial number or identification mark, the matter must be discussed with customs well before, to make arrangements for suitable identification, by photographs, seals, etc. before your departure from South Africa. In cases where you board a connecting flight to a designated international airport from where you will depart for your international or regional flight, please make sure that your goods are registered for re-importation before handing in your baggage for the first flight.

 

[ISP cash cow]

Sars used to do this years ago regarding passengers submitting declarations,

they stopped after there was a spate of follow home and highway robberies, some sars officials would do a search of a target to confirm the valuables and then forward the travelers description to a lookout in arrivals to follow. Won't be surprising to see an increase in follow home robberies.

You still get those, they never stopped doing this - However getting someone to ACTUALLY be behind the counter in order to get this form is the mission

 

[Drifter]

Yep also travel a lot and have never been asked, in fact most of the jobs that the customs officials like to do is to stand around as you go through the declaration area and look at you with a deep look of authority but I also have never seen them actually do anything, saying that - I do suffer badly with anxiety and stress and (in all honesty I am a bit of a do as the law requires type of guy). So have always just declared my items. I dont do my mobile or such just my laptop and satnav and if I am taking a camera or other major electronics. I am just a law abiding citizen but this country is making it harder and harder every day.

https://www.sars.gov.za/customs-and-excise/travellers/departure-from-sa/

My folks did not do this on one trip, years ago. On return, they got fined and had to pay duties on watches and cameras we took with.

 

[ISP cash cow]

My folks did not do this on one trip, years ago. On return, they got fined and had to pay duties on watches and cameras we took with.

Yeah it just takes that one prick who wants to show how big and mean he is, and then you screwed. I fly a lot and I have been lucky that I have never been pulled out but with the amount of flying I do, I can see me getting one of these guys one day

 

[MrGray]

My folks did not do this on one trip, years ago. On return, they got fined and had to pay duties on watches and cameras we took with.

Supposedly, if you can later provide evidence that you purchased the goods in SA you can have the fine refunded. But good luck with that process.

 

[surface]

You still get those, they never stopped doing this - However getting someone to ACTUALLY be behind the counter in order to get this form is the mission

There is always someone in OR Tambo airport. I don't register camera, phone or laptop. It seems that you just have to register it once and keep that copy with you and you don't have to do it every flipping time you go out.

 

[surface]

Supposedly, if you can later provide evidence that you purchased the goods in SA you can have the fine refunded. But good luck with that process.

heh. I buy tech stuff off carbonite. There is no proof except forum messages.

 

[creeper]

Looking at this logically. I suspect the passport information isn’t of quality and thus SARS can’t track who comes and goes. I suspect it relates also to the expat tax as they want to be able to enforce it better.

Said that. You can also put the conspiracy hat on and think that it is another way lo keep those that can leave within the country.

 

[ISP cash cow]

There is always someone in OR Tambo airport. I don't register camera, phone or laptop. It seems that you just have to register it once and keep that copy with you and you don't have to do it every flipping time you go out.

I guess you did not read my comment properly and I am not typing it again. The first time there WAS NO-ONE present at either of the desks and the second time she wasnt interested.

the last time I checked the declaration form only last 6 months (and I do keep it with me for that period)

 

[MrGray]

the last time I checked the declaration form only last 6 months (and I do keep it with me for that period)

Yeah, but if you have an old form with for e.g. your laptop serial number it pretty much proves you didn't just import it. It would be really churlish of them to fine you when there is obvious evidence that you had it in SA previously.

 

[Mystic Twilight]

You still get those, they never stopped doing this - However getting someone to ACTUALLY be behind the counter in order to get this form is the mission

You get those in the sense the forms exists, but they no longer issue passengers with these, you need to request a copy which by that time you already walking in the red channel for declarations. In the past either the airline would issue each passenger one copy or there was a whole stack to take from to fill in before passport control.

Yeah it just takes that one prick who wants to show how big and mean he is, and then you screwed. I fly a lot and I have been lucky that I have never been pulled out but with the amount of flying I do, I can see me getting one of these guys one day

You probably white or black, I know from friends/acquaintances that ironically sars does racial profiling and if you're asian looking (indian, sri lankan, chinese, japanese, etc), regardless of having a foreign or sa passport, you have a 99% chance of getting forced into the red lane for a full luggage search.

Yeah, but if you have an old form with for e.g. your laptop serial number it pretty much proves you didn't just import it. It would be really churlish of them to fine you when there is obvious evidence that you had it in SA previously.

Declaration forms have an expiry and become invalid, you can argue and eventually win against the customs official at the expense of a few hours at the airport waiting for someone to bring the original invoice/receipt.

 

[MrGray]

Declaration forms have an expiry and become invalid, you can argue and eventually win against the customs official at the expense of a few hours at the airport waiting for someone to bring the original invoice/receipt.

I have actually had this happen some years ago - pulled over to red, bag ransacked - shown them a 2 yr expired old form for a camera and there was no fuss.

They don't seem to be as forceful these days, though. I think there is less price differential for overseas goods, anyway, so the days of buying for e.g. all your electronics cheaply in Hong Kong are a thing of the past. And they now have the full suitcase X-ray machines which makes things faster and obviates the need to pick through all your things questioning every item like the gestapo.

 

[Spizz]

Seems a bit short sighted that we can't register our valuables online before flying, would save the no doubt long queues this will bring.

 

[surface]

You probably white or black, I know from friends/acquaintances that ironically sars does racial profiling and if you're asian looking (indian, sri lankan, chinese, japanese, etc), regardless of having a foreign or sa passport, you have a 99% chance of getting forced into the red lane for a full luggage search.

What crap. I am Indian and I never heard of racial profiling in South Africa at airports from any of my friends/families. Of course, one does experience odd behavior once in a while but one can't just brush it as a racial profiling.

If I have to guess, some of my Asian brothers & sisters bring lot of "stuff" that is not declared intentionally. Also, I see some people at the agriculture declaration section. Some village idiots really bring dodgy baggage (just from the looks of it) and that attracts attention as well.