TRAVEL ADVICE

IFA 2024 participants should be particularly aware of visa requirements to visit South Africa. Please plan your travel well in advance and allow plenty of time to apply for a visa.

Many countries are exempt from the visa requirement, but the status can change at any time. Please visit the South African Department of Home Affairs for more information on exempted countries >>

The congress secretariat cannot issue actual visas to attend the congress but can issue a Visa Support Letter to assist with your visa application. Visa Support Letters are issued through the online registration system. If you require a Visa Support Letter, please complete the relevant sections when you register.

Please note that Visa Support Letters will only be issued upon confirmation of registration and after full payment for registration fees has been received. Visa Support Letters are issued via email in PDF format and will be sent within approximately two weeks after your information and confirmation of payment is received by the congress secretariat.

Please visit the South African Department of Home Affairs visa page for more information >>

Paperwork needed to enter South Africa

• An acceptable passport or travel document valid for your intended stay
• At least two blank pages in your passport for endorsements
• A valid visa, if required. Here is the list of countries exempt from the visa requirement >>
• Sufficient funds to pay for your day-to-day expenses during your stay
• A return or onward ticket
• Yellow fever certificate if your journey starts or entails passing through the fever belt of Africa or South America

A yellow fever vaccination certificate (International Certificate of Vaccination or Prophylaxis (ICVP)) is required for those entering South Africa within six days of leaving (or travelling through) a yellow fever zone. You cannot get vaccinated upon arrival and your vaccination certificate must be dated at least 10 days prior to your arrival in South Africa. South Africa considers ICVP to be valid for life. Babies under 1 year are exempt.

The risk of Mpox to tourists in South Africa is minimal. Please refer to the SATSA (South African Tourism Services Association) and National Institute for Communicable Diseases websites for further information.

While the closest malaria and bilharzia regions are approximately 1600 km from Cape Town, if you plan to visit other parts of South Africa please be aware that malaria is endemic in some parts of Mpumalanga, Northern Province, and northern KwaZulu-Natal and it is essential to take precautions if you intend to visit these areas. The bilharzia parasite is present in streams, rivers, lakes, and dams in some of the northern and eastern parts of the country, and visitors should avoid contact with the water in these regions.

Please consult your local doctor or travel clinic for further advice.

South Africa is home to a multi-cultural melting pot of 55 million people of diverse origins, languages, cultures, and religions. Although English is widely spoken and is used for informational signage, South Africa celebrates diversity in language with a total of 11 official languages.

The rand is the South Africa currency. It takes its name from the Witwatersrand – the ridge on which Johannesburg is built and where most of South Africa’s gold deposits were found.

It is divided into 100 cents and there are five denominations of banknotes in circulation: R10, R20, R50, R100, and R200.

Visit www.xe.com for up to date exchange rates >>

In South Africa, the standard voltage is 230 volts and the frequency is 50 Hz.

The power plugs and sockets are of type M and C.

– It is not recommended to use a metred taxi off of the street corner – these are not regulated in South Africa.

– Uber is widely available, and there is a dedicated e-hailing pick up area at the airport. Choose Uber Black if you are able to.

– Use EZ Shuttle to pre-arrange an airport transfer, or other transfers. The congress website has details for pre-booking an airport transfer with EZ Shuttle.

– All of the congress hotels can recommend safe and reliable transfers, and provide information about transport and safety.

South Africa is unique in that it does not observe daylight saving time or adjust its clocks with the changing seasons. This means that the country operates on South African Standard Time (SAST) throughout the entire year, maintaining a consistent time zone of UTC+2. This decision is partly due to its geographical location, as South Africa lies in a region where the variation in daylight between summer and winter is not as pronounced as in more temperate zones. As a result, South Africans enjoy a relatively stable daily schedule without the need to change their clocks, simplifying timekeeping for residents and businesses alike.

NB: All times indicated are South Africa Standard Time (SAST). South Africa does not adjust time for the seasons or daylight savings.

In restaurants, typically 10% but 15% is always welcome. Check to make sure that the establishment has not included a gratuity.

Like any other destination, it is important to take necessary precautions and be aware of your surroundings. It is recommended to stay in well-populated areas, avoid walking alone after sunset, and use the bus service of the Congress or EZ Shuttle or take an Uber. It is not recommended to take a taxi off the street as these are not regulated.

Read more about Safety and Security here >>

If the congress fee is paid for attendance of a conference in South Africa, then foreign attendees cannot recover the VAT as the benefit of the event was consumed in South Africa.

Please visit South African Tourism for more information on geography, weather, facilities, and infrastructure, and more