Exchange Control

The following is an extract from the Currency and Exchanges Manual, published by the South African Reserve 

Bank and is reproduced verbatim, with acknowledgement to the SARB. We will update this text from 

time to time as and when amendments are issued, but we suggest that visitors check with a Tower 

Bureau de Change Branch for the latest allowances and regulations. 

 

 

Travel facilities may be provided by way of traveller's cheques, foreign bank notes and credit and/or debit cards. In the event of traveller's cheques being issued, such cheques must be signed in the presence of the issuing official and unsigned traveller's cheques may under no circumstances be made available. 

 

Persons eligible to receive foreign exchange allowances for travel outside the Common Monetary Area 

(CMA), within the limits described hereunder, fall into the following categories: 

 Permanent residents of the RSA i.e. persons whether of South African or other nationality who 

have taken up residence or are domiciled in the Republic; 

 Emigrants from South Africa i.e. persons who have been resident in the Republic for at least 

five years and who are leaving to take up permanent residence in any country outside the 

CMA; 

 Persons who have applied for but have not yet been granted permanent residence in South 

Africa (funds tendered in payment must be savings from local earnings or the proceeds of 

foreign exchange imported into the country, and these persons must have declared their 

foreign assets and liabilities to Exchange Control); and 

 Nationals of countries outside the CMA who are not permanent residents of the Republic but 

are in the country for a lengthy period (funds tendered in payment must be savings from local 

earnings or the proceeds of foreign exchange imported into the country). 

 In terms of the Financial Intelligence Centre Act you must provide proof of your residential 

address to obtain foreign exchange. 

Not eligible to receive foreign exchange travel allowances are: 

 Residents of Lesotho, Namibia and Swaziland who should apply to their own exchange control 

authorities; 

 South African residents studying abroad; 

 Nationals of countries outside the CMA who are not permanent residents but are in South 

Africa to fulfill a temporary engagement, e.g. entertainers and sportsmen; and 

 Nationals of countries outside the CMA who can be regarded as purely temporary visitors to 

South Africa. 

 

 

The total amounts of foreign exchange, which may be availed of for travelling expenses during 

the calendar year for one or more visits outside the CMA are listed below: