South Africa Travel Tips, Visa & Health Information

Travel Tips for Globetrotters

At Goway we take all reasonable measures to ensure the safety and enjoyment of our “Globetrotters” while they're travelling with us. Our Travel Tips for Globetrotters, complied by the editors of Globetrotting Magazine, is a list of over 60 tips designed to further enhance your experience, and help ensure your own safety while abroad. 

What to Pack

When visiting South Africa, informal and casual dress is standard. Restaurants, nightclubs or concerts may require more smart casual or formal attire (ie a jacket and tie). During South African summers, clothing made of lightweight materials is best. Evenings can get chilly in the summer even in the hottest of places, as such a sweater or jacket may be needed. Most of the country (except for the Western Cape region) experiences summer rains, so it is wise to bring a small umbrella and a raincoat. Winter months require warmer clothing to accommodate drops in temperature.

Passports

A passport is the only reliable and universally accepted identification document, and it proves that you have a right to return to your country. You are strongly advised to always carry a valid passport when travelling to any foreign destination. Crossing international borders can be complicated and sometimes requires many different kinds of documents. Being prepared is the key to easing your way through this process, so make sure you know what documents you need, where to get them, and which ones will make your crossing quick and easy. 

Remember to:

• Carry a passport for all trips outside your country.
• Be sure that your passport is still valid.
• Check that your passport is valid for 6 months beyond your date of entry.
• Scan a copy of your passport and email it to yourself or carry it to a separate location 
• Leave a copy with a trusted friend or relative who is not travelling with you.
• Keep your passport safe while travelling.
• Do not leave it unattended in your luggage, vehicle, hotel or elsewhere.
• Carry it in your money belt, inside your coat pocket or purse, or lock it in your hotel safe.

For more information about passports, applications or renewals please visit the links below. For all other nationalities please check with your local government websites.

CIBT Visa Service

Need a visa? At Goway, we are making it easier for you to get the travel documents needed for your trip. Goway has partnered with CIBT Visa Service, and its subsidiary VisaCentral, the largest and most well-established travel visa company in the world to assist you in obtaining your required documents for international travel.

 It’s the fast and easy way to obtain a travel visa and Goway travelers receive significant discounts on CIBT service fees. See below for more CIBT Visa information.

Travel Health

According to the World Health Organization, more than 900 million international journeys are undertaken every year. It doesn’t come as a surprise that Global travel on this scale exposes many people to a range of health risks. International travellers should always be extra concerned about their health and safety, as every region and country around the world has its own risks, customs and level of health care. However, whatever your age or destination, properly preparing before you leave, and staying in good health while travelling, can help you have a happy and enjoyable trip.

At Goway we do our best to provide our clients with the most accurate and up-to-date travel health information for the region you will be visiting. Some essential information on travel health risks and preventive measures is provided in the website links below. Finally, it is important that you get advice from your family physician or a specialist from a Travel Health clinic before travelling. Keep you and your loved ones healthy during your travels.

US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

World Health Organization

National Travel Health Network and Centre

Public Health Agency of Canada

Government of Canada – Travel Health and Safety

Government of Australia – Smart Traveller

TRAVELLING WITH CHILDREN

Please take note of the following new information for everybody (South Africans and foreigners) who are travelling with children to/from South Africa - effective from the 01st of June 2015 and applicable to children under the age of 18yrs.

Following are the new South African immigration regulations concerning travelling with children - Regulation 6: (12)

(a) Where parents are travelling with a child, such parents must produce an unabridged birth certificate of the child reflecting the particulars of the parents of the child.
(b) In the case of one parent travelling with a child, he or she must produce an unabridged birth certificate and

(i) consent in the form of an affidavit from the other parent registered as a parent on the birth certificate of the child authorizing him or her to enter into or depart from the Republic with the child he or she is travelling with and a copy of his/her identity document or passport;
(ii) a court order granting full parental responsibilities and rights or legal guardianship in respect of the child, if he or she is the parent or legal guardian of the child; or
(iii) Where applicable, a death certificate of the other parent registered as a parent of the child on the birth certificate;

Provided that the Director-General may, where the parents of the child are both deceased and the child is travelling with a relative or another person related to him or her or his or her parents, approve such a person to enter into or depart from the Republic with such a child.

(c) Where a person is travelling with a child who is not his or her biological child, he or she must produce-

(i) a copy of the unabridged birth certificate of the child;
(ii) an affidavit from the parents or legal guardian of the child confirming that he or she has permission to travel with the child;
(iii) copies of the identity documents or passports of the parents or legal guardian of the child; and
(iv) the contact details of the parents or legal guardian of the child, Provided that the Director-General may, where the parents of the child are both deceased and the child is travelling with a relative or another person related to him or her or his or her parents, approve such a person to enter into or depart from the Republic with such a child.

(d) Any unaccompanied minor shall produce to the immigration officer-

(i) proof of consent from one of or both his or her parents or legal guardian, as the case may be, in the form of a letter or affidavit for the child to travel into or depart from the Republic: Provided that in the case where one parent provides proof of consent, that parent must also provide a copy of a court order issued to him or her in terms of which he or she has been granted full parental responsibilities and rights in respect of the child;
(ii) a letter from the person who is to receive the child in the Republic, containing his or her residential address and contact details in the Republic where the child will be residing;
(iii) a copy of the identity document or valid passport and visa or permanent residence permit of the person who is to receive the child in the Republic; and () the contact details of the parents or legal guardian of the child.

Country Travel Advice and Advisories

No matter where in the world you intend to travel it is always important to have the most up-to-date travel information. At Goway we do our best to provide our clients with the latest destination information when planning their trips. As well, most governments provide travel advice and advisory websites for their citizens. On the websites below you will find official information and advice from the Governments of Canada, United States, Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom on situations that may affect your safety and well-being abroad, as well as other important travel issues such as security, local laws and culture, entry and exit requirements and health.

Government of Canada - Country Travel Advice and Advisories

US State Department - Bureau of Consular Affairs

Government of Australia – Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade

Government of New Zealand - Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade

Government of United Kingdom - Foreign Travel Advice

South Africa Travel Information

At Goway we believe that a well-informed traveller is a safer traveller. With this in mind, we have compiled an easy-to-navigate travel information section dedicated to South Africa.

Learn about the history and culture of South Africa, the must-try food and drink, and what to pack in your suitcase. Read about South Africa's nature and wildlife, weather and geography, along with 'Country Quickfacts' compiled by our travel experts. Our globetrotting tips, as well as our visa and health information, will help ensure you're properly prepared for a safe and enjoyable trip. The only way you could possibly learn more is by embarking on your journey and discovering South Africa for yourself. Start exploring… book one of our South Africa tours today!

Extend Your Stay

After your South Africa vacation, why not consider one of Goway's Europe tours or Egypt tours en route from South Africa or perhaps a stopover in Dubai on one of our United Arab Emirates tours.

CIBT can assist you in obtaining travel visas to over 200 countries

Book your South Africa vacation with Goway! 

AfricaExperts is the exclusive division of Goway that specializes in planning and organizing South Africa tours and experiences. Choose from a simple city stopover, an exclusive african game lodge, a Holiday of a Lifetime, a stay of distinction, a self-drive tour and more. We want to be your first choice when next you go globetrotting to South Africa.