Flights & Visas to South Africa

Flights

There are several aviation companies who offer good value flights to South Africa, but still there is quite a difference between the fees. The best way to make sure you’ve got a good value flight is to sit down for a while and browse the internet for the best deals. You can use http://www.farecompare.com/ or http://www.cheapflights.co.uk/ to compare ticket prices.

Keep in mind that the earlier you book, the less you pay for your ticket!

If you fly to Port Elizabeth for your volunteering project, it’s cheaper to book a flight to Cape Town or Johannesburg and from there book a domestic flight with a local aviation company to P.E.

When flying to P.E., make sure you’ve got some time between you’re arrival in South Africa and the departure to your final destination. Otherwise you’ve got the chance you’ll miss your connection. For domestic flights in South Africa, take a look at:

• www.kulula.com
• www.flysaa.com
• www.flymango.com
• www.1time.co.za 

Visa application and Extension

Please note that you do NOT need a special visa for volunteering if you stay maximum of 90 days in South Africa. You will get a visitors permit upon arrival if you are from Europe, Australia or the USA. If you do want to stay longer then 90 days in South Africa, please take note of the following;

There are two different visa procedures:

1. Your stay in South Africa is longer than 90 days, and shorter than 180 days.
2. Your stay will be 180 days or longer

Read the following carefully and follow the instructions to avoid ambiguity and problems with extending your visa at Home Affairs in South Africa.

Procedure 1: Your stay in South Africa is longer than 90 days, and shorter than 180 days.

Upon arrival:

Upon arrival at the Cape Town or Johannesburg international airport, make sure you show the "Invitation letter" of the institution or project where you are going to volunteer at the Immigration office. You will get the letter from Kaya before you come to South Africa.
When you get an immigration form on the plane, you must fill in the purpose why you are going to South Africa. On this paper, fill in"Volunteer work and holiday" as your purpose. If you do not get this form, do not panic, the reason is that the procedures change frequently.  In this case, ask the customs officers what the current procedure is and emphasize what the intention is for your visit; volunteering!

After seeing your invitation letter, the immigration officer should place a sticker or stamp in your passport, tick the sign that says you are a Visitor in the country and make a note: "volunteer work" (this must be on the lines behind ‘2’. Request it emphatically; it may be that they indicate that it is not necessary). Yet it is important that you get the correct entry in your passport, so explain your situation clearly and clearly show on your Invitation letter that you are here for volunteer work.

Important! Ask the immigrations officer to put a entry stamp on your invitation letter also. This as proof the immigration officer has seen your letter and you entered as a volunteer.

Unfortunately it sometimes occurs that you do not get this stamp, as procedures change frequently. If you have not received an endorsement in your passport: when you arrive iat your project you should as soon as possible, preferably within one day, go to Home Affairs. Then explain that you've not been given the right endorsement and want to notify them of this. If you are unsure if all had gone well, you can always ask us. 

When you will stay longer than 180 days, you most arrange a meeting with the South African Embassy in your home country. They will tell you exactly what to do and how to apply.

• Passport
• Return ticket only
  
• Invitation letter of the project
  
• Proof of bank statement or sufficient financial funds
  
• Proof of medical insurance
• ZAR 425 as the fee
• Lots of patience and time