• From blank passport pages to missing birth certificates, small paperwork errors still stop South Africans from travelling.

• Many countries won’t let you in — or even on the plane — without a few months’ passport validity and enough blank pages.

• And South Africa still requires unabridged birth certificates and consent letters for those travelling with children.

Travel abroad is layered with so many tasks and so much admin that we often forget the most important paperwork until it's too late.

Ask anyone who's pulled an expired passport out of a drawer less than a week before a trip, and they’ll tell you how quickly the blood drained from their faces — and the logistical nightmare that ensued.

Even seasoned travellers are turned away at check-in desks and border posts — often for simple documentation errors. And if there's one person you can't charm, distract or negotiate with, it's a border official.

From expired passports to missing child travel documents, avoidable admin mistakes still trip up many South Africans before they even reach the airport — below are some of the most common errors and how to avoid them.

Passport validity and blank pages

Most travellers assume that a passport is valid as long as it's not expired. In reality, many countries require six months validity from your return date — and at least two blank pages for visas and entry stamps.

"One of the most common mistakes we see is travellers assuming their passport expiration date doesn’t matter as long as it’s still valid for the duration of their trip," says Lynette Machiri, Customer Experience Leader at Flight Centre South Africa. "Unfortunately, many countries turn travellers away if they have less than six months remaining on their passport – and some airlines won’t even let you board."

It's advisable to renew your passport at least seven months before it expires — and immediately on return from a trip when you have fewer than five blank pages. If you’re in doubt, check the destination country’s official websites for more information on validity and blank page requirements.

Dual citizenship complexities

Many South Africans carry passports for two countries and travel with both for ease of getting around while outside the country.

But if you hold dual citizenship, you must also use your South African passport when leaving and returning to South Africa, even if you plan to use another passport while away.

Travelling with minors

If you're travelling with a child under 18, you’ll need to present an unabridged birth certificate at any South African port of entry — regardless of whether both parents are present.

"A frequent mistake we see is parents assuming that Unabridged Birth Certificates are no longer needed. That’s incorrect," says Machiri.

"And if one parent is travelling alone with their child, extra documentation is required – like consent letters and copies of the absent parent’s ID. Immigration officials do not make exceptions, and airlines will deny boarding if documents aren’t in order."

Here’s what you need depending on who the child is travelling with:

- Both parents: Passport and unabridged birth certificate.

- One parent: Passport, unabridged birth certificate, parental consent letter, copy of the absent parent's ID, and their contact details.

- Legal guardian or non-parent: Passport, Unabridged Birth Certificate, consent letters and IDs from both parents.

- Unaccompanied minor: Passport, Unabridged Birth Certificate, parental consent letters, letter from the recipient including residential address and ID copies.

How to apply for or renew your passport

With the Department of Home Affairs’ Branch Appointment Booking System (BABS), you can now start your application online and book a biometrics appointment at either a Home Affairs office or a participating bank.

Bank branches generally offer faster processing, but appointments fill up quickly, so plan ahead.

To apply, you'll need:

• A completed DHA-73 form

• Your green ID book or smart ID (or a birth certificate if under 16)

• Two passport photos (unless using a smartcard office)

• Parental consent if under 18

• Proof of travel (for emergency certificates)

• The applicable fee: R600 for a standard passport or R1 200 for a 48-page maxi passport

If your previous passport was lost or stolen, you’ll also need to submit a DHA-335 loss report and police confirmation.

Passports usually take 7 to 21 working days to process, but this can stretch significantly over school holidays or the festive season.

Take a breather in your busy day with this curated collection of real-life stories, sitdown interviews, everyday tips and expert insights.

And if that passport you pull out of the draw has expired or is no longer there, you’ll need to act fast.

"We get monthly requests from stressed-out travellers looking for a "rush" passport. Here’s the truth: there’s no such thing! Aim to apply at least six months before your passport expires due to limited appointment availability," Machiri says.

Valid visas

Visas cover an entirely different aspect of the travel process, and waiting times and delays can also interfere with trips.

Although many embassies or visa processing agencies may promise a specific turnaround time, these are not guaranteed — and it’s advisable to apply for your visa as far in advance as possible. It’s also worth remembering that you will need to hand in your passport for processing, so unless you have a special concession, you won’t be able to travel abroad during this time.

You must also check your paperwork for any countries you may be transiting through. Although you may not even be leaving the airport, some destinations require travellers from South Africa to apply for a visa, even if you’re immediately connecting to another destination.

The ultimate paperwork checklist

Before you head to the airport, make sure you’ve covered the basics:

• Is your passport valid for at least six months after your return date?

• Do you have at least two blank pages in your passport?

• Have you checked visa requirements for your destination?

• Are all child travel documents in order—including unabridged birth certificates and consent letters?

• Have you scanned and backed up all important documents?

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The Department of Home Affairs has only issued 24 Digital Nomad Visas since 20 May, 2024, when the controversial permit was implemented.

Though it was touted as a game-changer for SA’s economy and tourism sector, only 24 people have bought into the country’s remote work visa since May 2024.

When the Department of Home Affairs announced last year that it would be implementing a remote work visa, more commonly known as the digital nomad visa, many South Africans — particularly those living in Cape Town — had strong reactions, the majority of them negative.

The common concern was that, backed by their foreign currency, the influx of digital nomads that the new visa would create would exacerbate the housing crisis and cause the cost of living to skyrocket, effectively pricing locals out of the market.

President Cyril Ramaphosa first announced that the government was looking into introducing the visa in April 2022, and after two years of delays — about which the Democratic Alliance-run Western Cape government routinely complained — the visa was finally implemented in May 2024.

It was expected that the new work permit would attract high-earning professionals and entrepreneurs to South Africa, which would spur local economic growth and development.

Phindiwe Mbhele, the director of corporate accounts at Home Affairs, in discussion with Marisa Jacobs, the managing director of Xpatweb, a work permit and immigration provider, said the department had seen an uptick in enquiries from remote workers looking to move to South Africa.

However, since May 2024, Home Affairs has issued only 24 digital nomad visas — a figure far lower than the droves of international remote workers the government had anticipated would flock to the country.

Digital nomads are mostly young foreign professionals in tech, finance, media or insurance, who move to a country for short stints and work for foreign-based companies online.

The number of visas issued was revealed by Home Affairs Minister Dr Leon Schreiber in response to questions from Rise Mzansi leader Songezo Zibi.

The breakdown of digital nomad visas issued is as follows:

• United Kingdom: 6;

• United States: 4;

• Russia: 4;

• Germany: 2;

• Kenya: 2;

• Brazil: 1;

• Kenya: 1;

• Mozambique: 1;

• Spain: 1;

• Sweden: 1; and

• Zimbabwe: 1.

The figure released by the Department of Home Affairs accounts for the number of visas issued as of 27 March 2025.

Several studies have ranked South Africa among the most popular digital nomad destinations in the world. Nebeus, a financial services provider specialising in global payments, released a study earlier this year ranking South Africa as the fourth most popular global digital nomad destination.

This is because South Africa, with its low cost of living compared to its Western counterparts, is among the most affordable places to live for remote workers. Nebeus estimated the monthly cost of living in South Africa to be $564 (about R10,500), with rent averaging $436 (about R8,100) for a total monthly expenditure of $1,000 (about R18,700). So, for a remote worker earning in pounds, euros or dollars, South Africa is an attractive destination.

Alternative routes to remote work in SA

The low number of remote work visas issued doesn’t necessarily mean that there are only 24 digital nomads working in South Africa. While there are no definite metrics on the number of international remote workers in South Africa, LinkedIn estimates that the number is about 10,000.

This suggests that while the digital nomad industry in South Africa is alive and well, remote workers are not opting for the official visa. The visa allows digital nomads to stay in South Africa for up to three years, provided they have proof of remote employment and a minimum annual salary of R650,796. If they spend more than six months a year in the country, they must register with the SA Revenue Service (SARS) to pay tax.

Senior Daily Maverick journalist Rebecca Davis has reported that the efficacy of the remote work visa is in question, since South Africa’s current immigration system makes it possible for tourists to stay for long periods without a digital nomad visa.

Davis wrote that many nomads do “border runs” or “visa runs”, where they travel to non-neighbouring countries for an unspecified period and return to South Africa to receive a fresh tourist visa. Working in the country on a tourist visa is, of course, illegal. However, the nation’s lax enforcement of its immigration framework — particularly when it comes to travellers with deep pockets — creates loopholes for many digital nomads.

Cape Town seems to be the destination of choice for digital nomads in South Africa. This has resulted in residents calling on the city council to implement a “tourist tax”. Mail & Guardian reported that more than 3,000 people signed a Change.org petition stating, “Cape Town is currently grappling with a severe housing crisis, as many locals are unable to afford the rising costs of rent, transportation, and basic necessities like food.”

However, poor regulation of digital nomads — many of whom are working in South Africa without the proper visas — could make it almost impossible to implement such a tax.

Additionally, the fact that many digital nomads are essentially working in the country illegally means they are not registered with SARS, and the country is missing out on much-needed tax revenue that could go toward maintaining public services and infrastructure. DM

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Court hears 52-year-old lied about being married to a Zimbabwean - his wife lives in UK with their 2 kids

Tricked … Nigerian man allegedly stayed in Zimbabwe for 5 years using false claims that he was married to local woman

BULAWAYO – A 52-year-old Nigerian man allegedly forged papers over several years to trick Zimbabwe’s immigration department to issue him temporary permits to stay in the country while claiming that he was married to a local woman.

Kelechi Godwin was released on US$400 bail by a court in Bulawayo on Tuesday after he was charged with four counts of fraud involving forged documents and false declarations in his applications for spousal resident permits over a five-year period.

The charges stem from separate incidents that occurred between 2009 and 2014, all involving the Bulawayo Immigration Office.

Prosecutors allege that Godwin deliberately misrepresented material facts on each occasion in an attempt to obtain Zimbabwean residency.

In the first count, the court heard that on September 16, 2009, Godwin submitted an application for a Spousal Resident Permit to the Department of Immigration. He allegedly attached a forged supporting letter, purporting it to have been written by his Zimbabwean wife.

Investigations have now established that Godwin is in fact married to a woman who lives in the United Kingdom, with whom he has two children.

Godwin repeated the trick on March 11, 2013, with another forged spousal letter to immigration officials at the same office to obtain a new permit.

He would submit forged papers again on January 18, 2014, according to the prosecution.

Immigration officials visited Godwin at his home during an unannounced visit to verify his claims, the court heard. He introduced the officials to an unknown woman claiming her to be his wife. He also stated that the two had no children together.

However, it was established that his real wife lives in the United Kingdom and that the couple had twin children born on October 17, 2011.

The National Prosecuting Authority argues that these falsehoods directly influenced the Immigration Department’s decision to approve his permit application. The misrepresentations “caused prejudice to the good administration and reputation of the department.”

In granting bail, magistrate Shepherd Mjanja imposed strict conditions, ordering Godwin to continue residing at the address he provided to the court. He was also instructed to report to Bulawayo Central Police Station twice a week—on Mondays and Fridays—between the hours of 6AM and 5PM.

The magistrate emphasised that failure to comply with the reporting conditions or any attempt to interfere with investigations could result in bail revocation.

Godwin is expected to return to court on April 30 for continuation of proceedings.

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New data from Discovery Bank and Visa shows that foreigners from the UAE, Canada, the USA, Germany and the UK are making their way to South Africa.

This was found in the latest SpendTrend25 report by Discovery Bank and Visa. The report tracks spending habits based on an in-depth analysis of credit card spending data.

The report tracks how consumer spending has evolved between 2019 and 2024 among Discovery Bank clients and the broader South African population.

The financial service providers also commissioned an independent public survey amongst a set of South Africans to capture a more detailed perspective on spending habits.

Data from the VisaNet showed that the top nation from which inbound travellers come to South Africa is the UAE, which led throughout 2024.

This is followed by Canada, where many travel from to escape the harsh Canadian winters. The UK, Germany and the US also saw travellers flock to South Africa in the local summer.

Cape Town is the main spending destination for travellers, with its share of international traveller spend sitting at 46%.

This is better than the 24% for Johannesburg and the 3% for Durban. Other South African cities hold 27% of the overall international spend.

In Cape Town, 34% of the international spend is on accommodation, 19% is on retail, 17% is for eating out, 10% is on groceries, while the remaining 20% is on other activities.

The other way around

The SpendTrend Report also looked at the most popular international destinations for South Africans.

The group noted that South Africans are travelling less, but travel spend is returning to pre-COVID levels—showing higher costs per trip.

Although overall growth in travel spend slowed in 2024 compared to the prior years, the post-pandemic recovery continues. Discovery Bank clients also travel far more, with up to 24% more spent on travel.

The United Kingdom was the most popular destination for Discovery Bank clients, making up 22% of total visits, even if its total share dropped by one percentage point.

Mauritius was in the second place at 7% followed by the USA at 6%. The UAE, Italy and Australia all saw growth of 5%.

Other popular destinations are France, Portugal, Namibia, New Zealand, Germany, Switzerland, Zimbabwe and India.

Notably, flight prices are still at astronomical levels. The most expensive destination among the top five was the USA, where round-trip flight prices increased by 16% to R37,800.

Despite decreasing by a lower 8%, Australia’s average ticket price of R31,150 is still extremely expensive.

Flights to the UK also increased by 8% to reach R22,240, while flights to the UAE jumped by 2% to R18,020. Flights to Mauritius also increased by 6% to R11,820 per flight.

However, the report noted that longer flights generally result in a longer stay in that country.

South African travellers to Australia spend 22 days there, while travellers to the UK and USA spend 17 days in those countries.

With its relatively shorter flights, travellers spend only 10 and 9 days in the UAE and Mauritius, respectively.

The report noted that while growth in travel spend slowed, spend on international platforms increased significantly, outstrippping in-store spend at international destinations.

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• Home Affairs has launched the Trusted Tour Operator platform.

• The platform will make it easier for large groups of tourists from China and India to travel to South Africa.

• The platform’s launch is the first step of a five year digitalisation plan for the department.

The Department of Home Affairs has launched one of its first steps in its overarching digitalisation goals, with the introduction of the digital Trusted Tour Operator (TTOS) platform, going live on Wednesday morning.

Launched with the hopes of increasing tourism in South Africa from traditionally large markets like India and China, the platform allows local tour operators to apply to host large tour groups from these two countries.

This would allow large groups of tourists from China and India to come to South Africa more frequently.

In 2023, the country saw 37 000 tourists from China and 79 000 from India and the department believes more will come if it the processes to do so become easier.

“This addresses a long-standing obstacle to tourism growth, whereby long queues, red tape and the inability to process group applications timeously led to inefficiency in the issuing of visas for tourists from these countries,” the department said in an announcement.

It added that previous to this launch, there were only two South African missions in China and two in India, supposedly to serve the 2.8 billion people living in the two nations and the many that wished to visit South Africa as tourists.

Prospective tourists would have had to visit these missions, stand in long queues, and fill in forms, the department explains.

Now, “tourists from India and China who use approved tour operators will no longer have to visit a mission, will no longer fill in a single form, will not need to stand in a single queue, and will receive their visas digitally within three days,” it says.

“The fact that Home Affairs took the TTOS from conceptualisation to implementation in less than six months demonstrates our commitment to embracing digital transformation and to playing our role as an economic enabler to create jobs,” said Leon Schreiber, Minister of Home Affairs.

“I want to acknowledge our in-house team of developers who built this system. I also want to thank the Minister in the Presidency, Khumbudzo Ntshaveni, as well as the Minister of Tourism, Patricia de Lille, for their support in rolling out this innovative new system in record time.”

Schreiber and his team are working on a five-year plan to implement a digitalisation strategy of Home Affairs, with plans to introduce a digital ID system, an electronic travel authorisation to automate short stay visas for tourists and more

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