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#1
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Taking Camera Into/Out of South Africa
I have done 2 trips to Sth Africa in the last 2 yrs, carrying a couple of
camera bodies and a couple of lenses, for photographing animals. The customs declaration asks (not sure of the exact wording) "Are you carrying any items of value......?" and there is a space to list such items, but no guidance as to what should be included. Further down the form there is a question "Do you wish to register the above items for re-export?" with no explanation of when this would be required. While standing in the interminable queue to hand in this slip of paper 2 years ago, I asked one of the officials if I should "register" my camera gear for "re-export". She laughed and said "No, not if it is just for use on your holiday". On the recent trip, I didn't list the items for re-export and was mildly rebuked for not doing so - but not required to alter the form. I'm curious as to what the real requirement is. Does anyone out there know? |
#2
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Welcome to the twilight zone...
The SA Revenue Services form is primarilly intended fo South African citizens who are returning to SA. We are supposed to list all items of value that were purchased outside SA, and over R3000 in value. We are also supposed to list all items we take OUT of SA in the first place, so that these items are not taxable when we return. These forms are never available at the airport, so technically there is no way to prove that you actually took your laptop with you, and that you are returning with your own laptop. For foreign visitors, you are not required to list items of a personal nature that you will be taking with you when you leave. Technically this means your camera does not have to be listed as it is of a personal nature. They may require you to list your camera equipment in order to prevent you from selling it in SA, thereby effectively avoiding import duties. The catch is that they don't ever check to see if you take the equipment with you when you leave, so they have no idea whether you sold it or not. It's a completely shambolic, poorly though-up system that is totally untennable. A ten-year old could come up with a better system. All it does is provide hassles for legitimate travellers and tourists, while providing absolutely no criminal deterrent to people who are intent on avoiding import duties and VAT. I'm on my soapbox now. I'd best climb down before my blood pressure gets too high. Marc On Fri, 3 Sep 2004 18:56:06 +1000, "Michael Kilpatrick" mkilpatr(at)optusnet(dot)com(dot)au wrote: I have done 2 trips to Sth Africa in the last 2 yrs, carrying a couple of camera bodies and a couple of lenses, for photographing animals. The customs declaration asks (not sure of the exact wording) "Are you carrying any items of value......?" and there is a space to list such items, but no guidance as to what should be included. Further down the form there is a question "Do you wish to register the above items for re-export?" with no explanation of when this would be required. While standing in the interminable queue to hand in this slip of paper 2 years ago, I asked one of the officials if I should "register" my camera gear for "re-export". She laughed and said "No, not if it is just for use on your holiday". On the recent trip, I didn't list the items for re-export and was mildly rebuked for not doing so - but not required to alter the form. I'm curious as to what the real requirement is. Does anyone out there know? |
#3
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Welcome to the twilight zone...
The SA Revenue Services form is primarilly intended fo South African citizens who are returning to SA. We are supposed to list all items of value that were purchased outside SA, and over R3000 in value. We are also supposed to list all items we take OUT of SA in the first place, so that these items are not taxable when we return. These forms are never available at the airport, so technically there is no way to prove that you actually took your laptop with you, and that you are returning with your own laptop. For foreign visitors, you are not required to list items of a personal nature that you will be taking with you when you leave. Technically this means your camera does not have to be listed as it is of a personal nature. They may require you to list your camera equipment in order to prevent you from selling it in SA, thereby effectively avoiding import duties. The catch is that they don't ever check to see if you take the equipment with you when you leave, so they have no idea whether you sold it or not. It's a completely shambolic, poorly though-up system that is totally untennable. A ten-year old could come up with a better system. All it does is provide hassles for legitimate travellers and tourists, while providing absolutely no criminal deterrent to people who are intent on avoiding import duties and VAT. I'm on my soapbox now. I'd best climb down before my blood pressure gets too high. Marc On Fri, 3 Sep 2004 18:56:06 +1000, "Michael Kilpatrick" mkilpatr(at)optusnet(dot)com(dot)au wrote: I have done 2 trips to Sth Africa in the last 2 yrs, carrying a couple of camera bodies and a couple of lenses, for photographing animals. The customs declaration asks (not sure of the exact wording) "Are you carrying any items of value......?" and there is a space to list such items, but no guidance as to what should be included. Further down the form there is a question "Do you wish to register the above items for re-export?" with no explanation of when this would be required. While standing in the interminable queue to hand in this slip of paper 2 years ago, I asked one of the officials if I should "register" my camera gear for "re-export". She laughed and said "No, not if it is just for use on your holiday". On the recent trip, I didn't list the items for re-export and was mildly rebuked for not doing so - but not required to alter the form. I'm curious as to what the real requirement is. Does anyone out there know? |
#4
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Thanks Marc
So the upshot is that it is all pretty confused and it presumably depends on who happens to be on duty at the airport when you arrive. No big deal but, after a long flight, bureaucratic complications aren't welcome. Oh well........ the Australian Customs people are a lot more confronting than they used to be also. When I got home I was bombarded with a lot of idiotic, repetitive questions about the purpose of my trip when I had already told them I had been in ZA for a holiday. Presumably they think if they ask you the same question enough, you will crack and admit you are smuggling an elephant in your hand luggage. Michael |
#5
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Thanks Marc
So the upshot is that it is all pretty confused and it presumably depends on who happens to be on duty at the airport when you arrive. No big deal but, after a long flight, bureaucratic complications aren't welcome. Oh well........ the Australian Customs people are a lot more confronting than they used to be also. When I got home I was bombarded with a lot of idiotic, repetitive questions about the purpose of my trip when I had already told them I had been in ZA for a holiday. Presumably they think if they ask you the same question enough, you will crack and admit you are smuggling an elephant in your hand luggage. Michael |
#6
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Thanks Marc
So the upshot is that it is all pretty confused and it presumably depends on who happens to be on duty at the airport when you arrive. No big deal but, after a long flight, bureaucratic complications aren't welcome. Oh well........ the Australian Customs people are a lot more confronting than they used to be also. When I got home I was bombarded with a lot of idiotic, repetitive questions about the purpose of my trip when I had already told them I had been in ZA for a holiday. Presumably they think if they ask you the same question enough, you will crack and admit you are smuggling an elephant in your hand luggage. Michael |
#7
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Michael Kilpatrick wrote:
So the upshot is that it is all pretty confused and it presumably depends on who happens to be on duty at the airport when you arrive. No big deal but, after a long flight, bureaucratic complications aren't welcome. African customs officials....:-) But I must admit that on my trips to ZA I have never had any hassles from the ZA customs. They never asked any questions and never even looked at my photo equipment. A couple of years ago my wife and I made a trip with a 4x4 through some african countries (South Africa, Botswana, Zambia and Zimbabwe). As all countries have seperate customs and immigrations for leaving as wel as entering the countries, you can imagine the amount of paperwork and stamps needed. :-) The customs in Zambia were quite "nice". They needed all information on the rented 4x4 including all kinds of manufacturers numbers. They even asked me to write down the serial number of the car radio. Of course I didn't know (and cared even less :-) so I wrote down 123456789 and that was okay too. They didn't look into the car and didn't even ask what kind of luggage we had with us. No questions about all our photo equipment at all. When I was filling in the forms and waiting for the right stamp, I overheard a conversation next to me. A truck driver was asked if he had anything to declare. He answered he had a shotgun with him. The customs official didn't even look up and just asked: "reason?" The truckdriver answered: "supplementary food" and everything was okay. My wife and I were amazed. At the same border point (Kazungula ferry from Botswana to Zambia) they also try to sell you a road insurance. I can't remember the price but it was something like 50 US dollars. The guy has an office inside the customs office and looks official. He claims such insurance is mandatory. We told him our 4x4 was already fully insured for Zambia by the rental company and showed him the papers to proof it. (Our insurance covered MUCH more than the insurance he was trying to sell us.) But he kept repeating it was mandatory. After a while we just left his office and went back to the car. He followed us outside to the car still wanting to sell the insurance. We left and about a kilometer down the road, after the first corner, we were stopped at a police check point. They were only interested in the insurance, nothing else. We explained the policeman we already had full cover insurance and showed him the papers, but he specifically wanted a paper from the guy who sells the insurance. Luckily the policeman was a nice guy and with some chatting and smiling he accepted our insurance and we could drive on. Regards, Hans ================================== Hans Martens Wildlife & Nature Photography http://www.wildpicture.com ================================== |
#8
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Michael Kilpatrick wrote:
So the upshot is that it is all pretty confused and it presumably depends on who happens to be on duty at the airport when you arrive. No big deal but, after a long flight, bureaucratic complications aren't welcome. African customs officials....:-) But I must admit that on my trips to ZA I have never had any hassles from the ZA customs. They never asked any questions and never even looked at my photo equipment. A couple of years ago my wife and I made a trip with a 4x4 through some african countries (South Africa, Botswana, Zambia and Zimbabwe). As all countries have seperate customs and immigrations for leaving as wel as entering the countries, you can imagine the amount of paperwork and stamps needed. :-) The customs in Zambia were quite "nice". They needed all information on the rented 4x4 including all kinds of manufacturers numbers. They even asked me to write down the serial number of the car radio. Of course I didn't know (and cared even less :-) so I wrote down 123456789 and that was okay too. They didn't look into the car and didn't even ask what kind of luggage we had with us. No questions about all our photo equipment at all. When I was filling in the forms and waiting for the right stamp, I overheard a conversation next to me. A truck driver was asked if he had anything to declare. He answered he had a shotgun with him. The customs official didn't even look up and just asked: "reason?" The truckdriver answered: "supplementary food" and everything was okay. My wife and I were amazed. At the same border point (Kazungula ferry from Botswana to Zambia) they also try to sell you a road insurance. I can't remember the price but it was something like 50 US dollars. The guy has an office inside the customs office and looks official. He claims such insurance is mandatory. We told him our 4x4 was already fully insured for Zambia by the rental company and showed him the papers to proof it. (Our insurance covered MUCH more than the insurance he was trying to sell us.) But he kept repeating it was mandatory. After a while we just left his office and went back to the car. He followed us outside to the car still wanting to sell the insurance. We left and about a kilometer down the road, after the first corner, we were stopped at a police check point. They were only interested in the insurance, nothing else. We explained the policeman we already had full cover insurance and showed him the papers, but he specifically wanted a paper from the guy who sells the insurance. Luckily the policeman was a nice guy and with some chatting and smiling he accepted our insurance and we could drive on. Regards, Hans ================================== Hans Martens Wildlife & Nature Photography http://www.wildpicture.com ================================== |
#9
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Hans,
The insurance that the chap at the border was trying to sell you IS actually mandatory. It is not insurance for the vehicle as such (which is covered by the rental company) but third-party road insurance. Most, if not all, countries in Southern and East Africa have a mandatory third-party insurance fee. In COMESA countries there is a "Yellow Card" that covers all COMESA countries. In South Africa the third-party insurance is added onto fuel charges, so by using petrol you are paying the fee automatically. You were very lucky that you were only stopped once in Zambia. The Zambian police are very keen to stop foreign vehicles and hassle the driver for almost any reason. The price of third party insurance varies. Exchange rates are fairly arbitrary, and if you had changed US$ to Kwacha at the border, I'm sure the insurance would have been around US$15. Regards, Marc PS: Don't try this in Mozambique. If you don't buy insurance at the border, you WILL pick up problems later on. On Sat, 04 Sep 2004 11:45:54 +0200, Hans Martens wrote: Michael Kilpatrick wrote: So the upshot is that it is all pretty confused and it presumably depends on who happens to be on duty at the airport when you arrive. No big deal but, after a long flight, bureaucratic complications aren't welcome. African customs officials....:-) But I must admit that on my trips to ZA I have never had any hassles from the ZA customs. They never asked any questions and never even looked at my photo equipment. A couple of years ago my wife and I made a trip with a 4x4 through some african countries (South Africa, Botswana, Zambia and Zimbabwe). As all countries have seperate customs and immigrations for leaving as wel as entering the countries, you can imagine the amount of paperwork and stamps needed. :-) The customs in Zambia were quite "nice". They needed all information on the rented 4x4 including all kinds of manufacturers numbers. They even asked me to write down the serial number of the car radio. Of course I didn't know (and cared even less :-) so I wrote down 123456789 and that was okay too. They didn't look into the car and didn't even ask what kind of luggage we had with us. No questions about all our photo equipment at all. When I was filling in the forms and waiting for the right stamp, I overheard a conversation next to me. A truck driver was asked if he had anything to declare. He answered he had a shotgun with him. The customs official didn't even look up and just asked: "reason?" The truckdriver answered: "supplementary food" and everything was okay. My wife and I were amazed. At the same border point (Kazungula ferry from Botswana to Zambia) they also try to sell you a road insurance. I can't remember the price but it was something like 50 US dollars. The guy has an office inside the customs office and looks official. He claims such insurance is mandatory. We told him our 4x4 was already fully insured for Zambia by the rental company and showed him the papers to proof it. (Our insurance covered MUCH more than the insurance he was trying to sell us.) But he kept repeating it was mandatory. After a while we just left his office and went back to the car. He followed us outside to the car still wanting to sell the insurance. We left and about a kilometer down the road, after the first corner, we were stopped at a police check point. They were only interested in the insurance, nothing else. We explained the policeman we already had full cover insurance and showed him the papers, but he specifically wanted a paper from the guy who sells the insurance. Luckily the policeman was a nice guy and with some chatting and smiling he accepted our insurance and we could drive on. Regards, Hans ================================== Hans Martens Wildlife & Nature Photography http://www.wildpicture.com ================================== |
#10
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Hans,
The insurance that the chap at the border was trying to sell you IS actually mandatory. It is not insurance for the vehicle as such (which is covered by the rental company) but third-party road insurance. Most, if not all, countries in Southern and East Africa have a mandatory third-party insurance fee. In COMESA countries there is a "Yellow Card" that covers all COMESA countries. In South Africa the third-party insurance is added onto fuel charges, so by using petrol you are paying the fee automatically. You were very lucky that you were only stopped once in Zambia. The Zambian police are very keen to stop foreign vehicles and hassle the driver for almost any reason. The price of third party insurance varies. Exchange rates are fairly arbitrary, and if you had changed US$ to Kwacha at the border, I'm sure the insurance would have been around US$15. Regards, Marc PS: Don't try this in Mozambique. If you don't buy insurance at the border, you WILL pick up problems later on. On Sat, 04 Sep 2004 11:45:54 +0200, Hans Martens wrote: Michael Kilpatrick wrote: So the upshot is that it is all pretty confused and it presumably depends on who happens to be on duty at the airport when you arrive. No big deal but, after a long flight, bureaucratic complications aren't welcome. African customs officials....:-) But I must admit that on my trips to ZA I have never had any hassles from the ZA customs. They never asked any questions and never even looked at my photo equipment. A couple of years ago my wife and I made a trip with a 4x4 through some african countries (South Africa, Botswana, Zambia and Zimbabwe). As all countries have seperate customs and immigrations for leaving as wel as entering the countries, you can imagine the amount of paperwork and stamps needed. :-) The customs in Zambia were quite "nice". They needed all information on the rented 4x4 including all kinds of manufacturers numbers. They even asked me to write down the serial number of the car radio. Of course I didn't know (and cared even less :-) so I wrote down 123456789 and that was okay too. They didn't look into the car and didn't even ask what kind of luggage we had with us. No questions about all our photo equipment at all. When I was filling in the forms and waiting for the right stamp, I overheard a conversation next to me. A truck driver was asked if he had anything to declare. He answered he had a shotgun with him. The customs official didn't even look up and just asked: "reason?" The truckdriver answered: "supplementary food" and everything was okay. My wife and I were amazed. At the same border point (Kazungula ferry from Botswana to Zambia) they also try to sell you a road insurance. I can't remember the price but it was something like 50 US dollars. The guy has an office inside the customs office and looks official. He claims such insurance is mandatory. We told him our 4x4 was already fully insured for Zambia by the rental company and showed him the papers to proof it. (Our insurance covered MUCH more than the insurance he was trying to sell us.) But he kept repeating it was mandatory. After a while we just left his office and went back to the car. He followed us outside to the car still wanting to sell the insurance. We left and about a kilometer down the road, after the first corner, we were stopped at a police check point. They were only interested in the insurance, nothing else. We explained the policeman we already had full cover insurance and showed him the papers, but he specifically wanted a paper from the guy who sells the insurance. Luckily the policeman was a nice guy and with some chatting and smiling he accepted our insurance and we could drive on. Regards, Hans ================================== Hans Martens Wildlife & Nature Photography http://www.wildpicture.com ================================== |
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