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In response to the presence of the B.1.351 variant of COVID-19 in South Africa (also known as the Beta variant), travel restrictions are in place on arrivals from South Africa to the UK. All visitors arriving into the UK who have been in or transited through South Africa in the previous 10 days will be denied entry. British and Irish citizens, and third country nationals with residence rights in the UK, may enter the UK and must adhere to strict rules governing arrivals from red-listed countries. If you only hold a visit visa for travel to the UK, you will not be able to enter if you have been in South Africa in the past 10 days. If you are eligible to enter England from South Africa, you must follow the requirements for quarantining in a hotel on arrival and taking additional COVID-19 tests. You will need a PCR test before you leave South Africa. Different rules apply for arrivals into England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. From 1 January 2021 those with residence rights in...

There are additional entry requirements in place during the coronavirus pandemic. See Entry requirementsto find out what you will need to do before and when you arrive in South Africa.

When you return, you must follow the rules for entering the UK. You are responsible for organising your own COVID-19 test, in line with UK government testing requirements. You should contact local authorities for information on testing facilities. See International travelfor further information. Commercial direct flights are operating between South Africa and a dedicated terminal at Heathrow. Different requirements may apply for arrivals into Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Some internal flights are operating. Public transport is operating with reduced passenger numbers. You must wear a mask if using public transport. Children aged six years or younger are not required to wear a face mask. Failure to comply with South African government regulations could result in a fine or arrest.

Hotels, guest houses and private rental accommodation are open, with protective measures in place. Upon arrival at your accommodation, you will normally be subject to a temperature test and asked to complete a health questionnaire. Some accommodation providers will request your travel history. You should contact your accommodation provider for more information.

The South African authorities have published COVID-19 guidelinesand advice and have introduced a number of measures to limit the spread of the virus. Failure to comply could result in a fine or arrest. South Africa has introduced a risk-based, five-level approach to lockdown restrictions. Level three restrictions are currently in place across the country.

South Africa is currently experiencing a third wave of COVID-19 infections. If you take regular medication, make sure you can access a repeat prescription if you need to. Most medicines that require a prescription from a doctor in the UK will require a ‘script’ in South Africa (‘script’ is the widely used term in South Africa for ‘prescription’). If you need a prescription in advance, you can visit a local doctor. The doctor might prescribe on the basis of your visit, or they may ask you to obtain an electronic prescription from your medical practitioner in the UK to allow them to write a script. Pharmacies are readily available, with larger pharmacy groups Dis-Chem and Clicks having stores across the country. Some (but not all) of these stores have medical practitioners on site who can write prescriptions. For contact details for English speaking doctors, visit our list of doctors. If you think you have COVID-19 symptoms, you should contact your health insurer for advice. You can a...

Wherever possible British nationals should aim to be vaccinated in the country where they live. We will update this page when the Government of South Africa announces new information on the national vaccination programme. You can sign up to get email notificationswhen this page is updated. The South African national vaccination programme started in January 2021, using the Pfizer/BioNTech and Janssen (Johnson and Johnson) vaccines and British nationals resident in South Africa are eligible for vaccination. The South African Department of Health is managing the process of vaccine procurement, distribution and administration throughout the country. The details can be found on South Africa’s Government website. Vaccine registration is now open for anyone over 18. If you live in South Africa, you can register for your vaccine by one of four ways: 1. Online, at http://vaccine.enroll.health.gov.za 2. Over the telephone by calling this free number: 0800 029 999 3. Using your mobile phone by...

For information on financial support you can access whilst abroad, visit our financial assistance guidance.