Does your passport have a blank page? and other South Africa Warning Or Danger Tips

The information below was taken from the Sunday Times on the 23rd January 2005.

WARNING RE PASSPORT BLANK PAGES

Two recent incidents where foreign visitors have been turned away from South African airports serve as a warning to all visitors to this country: a valid passport is not enough, you need at least one blank page in it.

This would probably not affect South Africans returning home but you may wish to warn family and friends travelling on foreign passports.

Business Day reported this week that Kenny Jacobs, an information technology director, was refused entry to SA on January 5 and locked in a cell before being sent back to the UK for not having enough blank pages in his passport.

Before that, US hedge-fund guru Jack Schwager was refused entry on similar grounds. 'It's the most exasperating run-in I've had with bureaucratic stupidity and rank indifference in my entire life,' said Schwager in an e-mail to his South African colleagues, for whom he was to host two education conferences."

UPDATE May 2006: Please read the tip below. Further precautions are being taken now. Please check with the South African Home Affairs Office prior to travelling.

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Phone: +2721 671 8859
Website: www.sa.gov.za

Please note that with immediate effect, anyone travelling to South Africa must have two consecutive blank pages in their passport which lie side by side when the passport is open (i.e. a left and a right hand page).

Passports must also be valid for at least six months.

Passengers travelling to South Africa with passports which do not comply with these requirements, will either be stopped from boarding the aircraft or risk deportation on arrival in South Africa.

In addition, a parent travelling with children, WITHOUT the other parent, will need a letter of consent from the absent parent.

The letter of consent must be certified by the police. At present, passengers not holding this will be able to board the aircraft, but may be questioned by immigration on arrival. However, this situation may change.

*Please note: A family member emailed this to me. Please double check with the South African Home Affairs Office prior to travel.

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Get a local's perspective - ask someone where you're staying to give you a run-down on any potentially unsafe areas.

As with anywhere in the world, when you're in a city err on the side of caution.

Don't openly carry valuables, avoid deserted areas, avoid areas not lit, do not hitch hike, and just be aware of what's going on around you at all times.

Keep alert.

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