Passports must be valid for at least 30 days beyond the period of intended stay. An onward or return ticket is required, as well as sufficient funds and documents needed for further travel. Note that visitors to
South Africa must have at least one blank (unstamped) page in their passport, each time entry is sought; these pages are in addition to the endorsement/amendment pages at the back of the passport.
Americans: United States nationals need a valid passport, but no visa is needed for stays of up to 90 days.
UK nationals: British nationals need a valid passport,
but no visa is needed for stays of up to 90 days if passport is endorsed British Citizen including
Guernsey, Jersey and
Isle of Man, British Dependent Territories Citizen, or British Overseas Territories Citizen (
Virgin Islands). Those whose passports state British National (Overseas) may stay up to 30 days without a visa. All others require a visa.
Canadians: Canadian nationals need a valid passport, but no visa is needed for stays of up to 90 days.
Australians: Australian nationals need a valid passport, but no visa is needed for stays of up to 90 days.
Irish nationals: Irish nationals require a valid passport, but no visa is necessary for a stay of up to 90 days.
New Zealanders: New Zealand nationals require a valid passport, but no visa is necessary for stays of up to 90 days.
Health
Travelers arriving in South Africa from infected areas require a yellow fever vaccination certificate; otherwise no vaccination is required. There is a malaria risk in the low-lying areas of the Northern Province and
Mpumalanga (including the
Kruger National Park) and northeastern
KwaZulu-Natal, and precautions are advised when traveling to these areas. There is a high prevalence of HIV/AIDS. Tap water is safe in urban areas but sterilization is advisable elsewhere, as there are periodic outbreaks of cholera in the poor communities of rural South Africa, particularly in Northern KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga, and
Limpopo provinces. Drug-resistant TB has been reported throughout the country. Food poisoning is rare. Medical facilities in South Africa are good, but medical insurance is strongly advised as private hospitals expect cash upfront and public hospitals are best avoided.
Safety
Visitors to South Africa should be aware of the country's high incidence of crime. Although this tends to be concentrated in pockets throughout the country, for example in the township areas, opportunistic crime is fairly widespread. Travelers should always be aware of these risks and exercise the necessary precautions. Doors should be locked when driving and one should not walk alone at night in city streets, isolated beaches or remote areas.
Berea and Hillbrow in
Johannesburg are high-risk areas and visitors should be cautious in these areas. There have been recent incidents of robbery involving hikers walking on Table Mountain and Lions Head in
Cape Town so visitors should avoid hiking alone. Be vigilant when using ATMs and do not display signs of wealth (e.g. mobile phones, money, expensive jewelry) on the streets. It is worthwhile noting that the South African authorities do give high priority to the protection of tourists. Power outages are common throughout the country; frequent blackouts and rolling power cuts in January 2008 has forced the government to acknowledge that the country has an electricity crisis on its hands.
