Before You Fly to Cape Town

Save your documents offline

Passport, boarding pass, first-night address and onward or return details, saved where you can open them with no signal.

Check your visa

Visas are not issued at the port of entry, so check yours before you fly. Make sure your visa or entry authorisation is checked, and that onward or return travel details are available if required.

Official sources: South Africa visa information (gov.za)

Complete the SARS Traveller Declaration

Required from 1 July 2026 and submitted no more than 24 hours before departure. Save the confirmation. Everyone needs one, including children, and a parent or guardian can complete it for a child. The full detail is on the Baggage & Customs page.

Official sources: SARS Traveller Declaration

Get your phone ready

Charged, with your eSIM installed before you land. Check that your phone supports eSIM and is network-unlocked.

Keep the essentials in hand luggage, never the hold

Passport, phone, declaration confirmation and accommodation details. You may need them the moment you leave the aircraft.

Request help in advance if you need it

• Reduced mobility: request assistance through your airline in advance (ACSA commonly advises about 48 hours). Use the lifts for a step-free route.
• Unaccompanied minors: the airline’s process controls the handover. Before departure, confirm the exact meeting desk, who may collect the child and what ID they must carry.

Plan around your landing time

Immigration queues vary through the day, and the busiest window is generally 09:30 to 12:30. Never book a tight pickup, tour or connection straight after you land. See the Immigration page for the full planner.