Several recent issues with visas and vaccinations for sailors entering South Africa have prompted the Ocean Sailing Association of South Africa (OSASA) to remind anyone planning to visit the country to ensure they understand visa and health vaccination requirements before they arrive.

Published 8 months ago

Visa Requirements for South Africa

Most countries get a 90 day tourist visa on entry into South Africa, free of charge. Some other countries get 60 days, and others only get 30. The remainder have to apply for their visa to enter South Africa BEFORE they arrive. For a list of which countries are which, see the relevant page of the OSASA website.

The real problems seem to arise when cruisers either want to extend their visas beyond the time given, or overstay their allotted visa period. The latter is a disaster, as immigration authorities promptly stamp you as “undesirable” and you have no right to return to the country for up to five years. SO DO NOT OVERSTAY YOUR VISA, even by a few hours!

Know your options for Visa Extensions in South Africa

If you wish to extend your visa, the procedure is to make an online application through South Africa’s Department of Home Affairs VFS website. Please ensure that you have entered the correct details at this point and that you have applied for the correct visa.

Dealing with VFS means booking an appointment with them, then visiting their office physically (only in Durban and Cape Town), paying their fee and then waiting. Unfortunately the reality is that because there is a backlog at Home Affairs, you are unlikely to get an extension before your existing visa expires!

The alternative, which is tried and trusted, is to leave the country the day before your visa expires, and cross the border into another country. Why not take a land trip to Namibia, Botswana, or Mozambique? Alternatively, board an overseas flight. On your return to South Africa, you will receive a further full visa allotment, as per the regulations that apply to your country.

Yellow fever vaccination certificates for South Africa

In an incident involving a yacht that  arrived from Fernando de Noronha in Brazil last month, OSASA reports that they were refused a Health Pratique to disembark by Port Health in Cape Town because the crew did not have yellow fever vaccination certificates.

An OSASA spokeperson said this requirement is something of a grey area for arrivals and reported that everal yachts had already entered from the same area without problems.  Fernando de Noronha is an island off Brazil with no yellow fever, but because it is part of Brazil, Cape Town Port Health took a strict line. The crew had to get vaccinated in Cape Town and then quarantine onboard.

If you are coming in from a foreign country, please make sure you check the vaccination requirements for South Africa BEFORE you arrive.

Source:  The Ocean Sailing Association of South Africa (OSASA)

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Related Links:

• OSASA – Visas for Entry into South Africa
• South Africa Department of Home Affairs VFS website.
• Centre for Disease Control – South Africa Vaccination Requirements

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The opinions expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not reflect the view of Noonsite.com or World Cruising Club.

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