Important Arrival Information
Border Control and Baggage Collection: Upon arrival in Cape Town, expect to spend approximately 30-45 minutes clearing South African customs and collecting your baggage. It’s wise to carry a print copy of your return flight itinerary as proof that your stay aligns with your visa conditions.
Customs: When passing through customs, specify “tourism” as your purpose of visit. This ensures a smooth process, as mentioning “internship” might lead to confusion regarding work permits. As long as your passport and visa (if needed) are in order, and you have at least two clean visa pages, you should encounter no issues.
Meeting us at the airport: Regardless of your arrival time, a VACorps staff member will be at the airport to greet you. Before your departure, they will contact you via WhatsApp, providing their details for a smooth rendezvous upon arrival. You can expect to find them right at your arrival gate, easily identifiable as they will be holding a sign bearing our organization’s name. Look out for this sign as you exit the gates. If for whatever reason you miss us, please wait around at the arrivals area, and use the airport WIFI to send us a message.
Lost Luggage: In the event of lost luggage in Cape Town, meet the staff member collecting you as you exit the arrival gate, and we will assist you with the lost luggage retrieval process.
Flight Delays and Missed Flights: Don’t fret if your flight is delayed; we monitor your flight for any time changes. If you miss a flight or connection, please let us know, and keep us updated of your new travel plans.
Currency Exchange: You can choose to obtain local currency from an ATM or exchange foreign currency at the airport’s currency exchange. Additional advice on this will be provided as we leave the airport.
Transfer to your accommodation: We’ll help you get settled into your program housing and, give you a quick safety briefing. If your flight arrives after 5 PM we’ll provide you with dinner on your first night.