Everyone has the obligation to report cross-border movements of physical currency. Visitors to South Africa and South African residents are not permitted to import or export South African Reserve Bank notes or any banknotes of other member countries of the Common Monetary Area (CMA – Lesotho, Namibia, and Swaziland) more than R25 000 per person.

Visitors to South Africa are entitled to bring foreign currency in any format into South Africa, where the currency is convertible into Rands at any bank. Confirmation of this conversion should be kept if the visitor wants to convert the Rand back into foreign currency.

You usually declare physical currency at the Customs examination area when entering or leaving South Africa. You can fill in the form at the international airport or seaport, or you can download and complete the form before you leave.