What you need to know when crossing a border
Motorists planning on traveling to neighbouring countries in Southern Africa this coming holiday must have a lot of patience when it comes to crossing the border. It can be quite a lengthy procedure.
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Make sure you have a valid passport – South Africans luckily don’t need visas for admission into neighboring countries. Foreigners should however check whether they will need a visa or not.
Ensure your driver’s licence is in English. If not, you might need to get an international one.
Drivers of South African registered vehicles crossing the border must now carry certified documents proving ownership.
For those who own their vehicles outright, a certified copy of vehicle registration/vehicle licence is required.
However, if the vehicle is still owned by the bank, the driver must present a certified letter from the bank giving authorisation for the vehicle to cross the border. The letter must indicate dates of travel.
Both the bank letter and licence papers should be signed by a commissioner of oaths.
If the driver of the vehicle is not the owner of the vehicle, the owner must sign an affidavit giving authorisation for the vehicle to cross the border.
If the car is rented, the driver must have a letter from the rental company giving permission to take the vehicle out of the country.