Travel Documents & Airport Requirements

Entry Requirements

The information below addresses entry requirements for U.S. and Canadian citizens residing in the United States. U.S. citizens living outside the U.S. and Canada, and citizens of other countries living in the U.S. and Canada, should contact CGEE for further information. If you are a citizen of a country other than the U.S., check with your nation’s consulate for visa and entry requirements. CGEE will assist you in reviewing information, but the responsibility for obtaining and paying for proper documentation is yours.

South African law requires travelers to have one (1) totally blank (unstamped) visa page in their passport in order to enter the country. Visitors who do not have enough blank visa pages in their passport risk being denied entry in South Africa and returned to the United States at their own expense. All travelers are strongly advised to have at least two fully blank passport visa pages upon arrival in South Africa. Travelers without the requisite blank visa pages in their passports may be refused entry into South Africa, fined, and returned to their point of origin at their own expense. For more specific information consult the U.S. Department of State’s website for entry requirements to South Africa: South Africa State Department Information 

• Passport Book: Keep any documents inserted into your passport or given to you by immigration officials upon arriving in South Africa. You will need to present them upon departure.

•  Visa & Entry Requirements: Since you will only be visiting South Africa for less than 30 days, no visa is required. You will enter as a tourist. On the arrival form, you will need to tick a box under "Purpose of Entry". Please mark Holiday/Tourist. THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT. Although your occupation may be a student, you are not entering South Africa to study, as you will not be receiving the credit from the Center for Global Education and Experience.

When you arrive at the airport in South Africa:

• When you arrive in South Africa: You may be asked by the officials what your itinerary and schedule are. If so, simply respond: you don't know what your schedule is. (You will receive a tentative schedule of appointments from the Center staff upon arrival in South Africa.) Identify yourself as a tourist if asked; the official purpose of your trip is educational tourism. Watch your bags and documents at the airport, as bags have been stolen before and while loading luggage into the vans.

Luggage:

Most travelers to South Africa use South African Airways (www.flysaa.com), which has fairly specific guidelines for economy class passengers. Since they are more restrictive than many U.S. carriers, we urge you to follow their standards. Only one carry-on item is allowed with a maximum weight of 15 pounds, and no larger than 22” by 14” by 9”. International travel baggage restrictions and fees for excess cargo may vary by airline and destination. In general, the maximum allowance per piece of checked luggage is 50 pounds and 62 linear inches (total length + width + height) for international flights. 

Due to space restrictions on our vehicles in South Africa, you are allowed to only pack one large, soft-covered bag and one carry-on, plus a purse, camera case, or briefcase. Pack as lightly as you can. In general, if you cannot comfortably walk five city blocks with all of your gear, you have packed too much. You may want to pack a small tote bag or collapsible suitcase in your luggage for souvenirs you will acquire during your trip. The suitcases designed to double as large backpacks are especially good for travel in South Africa.