German citizens require a passport to enter the country. The passport must be machine-readable and valid for at least 30 days after travelling and must still have at least two free pages for visa stamps on departure. Even when travelling on from South Africa to other countries and then returning to South Africa, travellers should therefore ensure that they still have free pages in their passport for all entry and exit stamps. For short-term tourist trips to South Africa, German nationals do not generally require a visa before entering the country. On presentation of a German passport that is still sufficiently valid on the day of entry and a valid return flight ticket, a visitor's visa will generally be issued on entry for the duration of the planned trip, but with a maximum validity of up to 90 days.
Information for the entry of minors
Persons under the age of 18 must present an original birth certificate or a certified copy when entering or leaving the country. In order to avoid difficulties when entering and leaving the country, it is therefore recommended until further notice to carry international birth certificates or, if necessary, notarised English translations.
If a minor is not travelling with both custodial parents, proof must also be provided that the parent who is not present either agrees to the trip (affidavit with a certified copy of the passport and contact details of the parent who is not present) or that the declaration of consent is not required (court order regarding sole custody or death certificate or negative certificate from the German Youth Welfare Office if the minor is resident in Germany).
Persons travelling with minors who are not their own children must present an original or a certified copy of the child's full birth certificate, as well as affidavits, certified copies of passports and the contact details of both custodial parents or the child's legal representative.
Minors travelling alone must also present a letter of confirmation as well as the contact details and a certified copy of the passport of the person with whom the minor is to travel in South Africa upon entry. Notarised copies must be issued by a notary or the authority that issued the document. Affidavits must be notarised by a notary public or a South African diplomatic mission abroad.
It is strongly recommended to submit English-language declarations, documents or translations. Questions in this connection can only be answered by the Department of Home Affairs (www.dha.gov.za) or the South African missions abroad.