Travelling abroad this December? These passport mistakes could ground you

Travelling abroad this December? Your passport might not be as ready as you think.

It could be valid. It could even have months left on it.

And you could still be turned away at the check-in counter.

Every festive season, South Africans miss flights over small details they never thought to check.

Here’s what to look at now, while there’s still time to fix it.

CHECK YOUR PASSPORT’S EXPIRY DATE, NOT JUST THAT IT’S VALID

An unexpired passport isn’t always enough. What matters is the rule in the country you’re visiting.

The Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) advises travellers to check their destination’s rules if their passport expires within the next six months.

Thailand, Indonesia, China, India and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are among the countries that usually require your passport to be valid for six months from the day you arrive.

So a passport expiring in April 2027 could be fine for one December trip, and rejected for another.

COUNT YOUR BLANK PAGES

Blank pages trip up as many travellers as expiry dates.

DIRCO says your passport should have at least two blank pages.

If you need a visa, immigration advisers recommend having two blank facing pages: one for the visa and one for the entry stamps.

Damaged passports can cause problems at border controls too, so check yours for water damage or loose pages.

If your passport is close to expiring, or nearly full, DIRCO recommends applying for a new one six to 12 months beforeit expires.

Frequent travellers can also ask for a maxi passport, which has 48 pages instead of 32.

APPLY FOR YOUR VISA EARLIER THAN YOU THINK

If you’re heading to Europe or the UK, December is not the time to leave your visa to the last minute.

Schengen visa: You can apply up to six months before you travel.

A decision usually takes about 15 calendar days, but it can take up to 45 days in busy periods.

Demand is high.

According to visa agency Visaline, the European Commission confirmed in June 2025 that Schengen visa requests from South Africans had reached record highs, almost 40% higher than in 2023.

UK visa: A decision usually takes about 15 working days after your biometrics appointment. But getting the appointment itself can take another 10 days or so.

That means a realistic total of four to six weeks. Faster priority services are available, but at an extra cost.

Planning a trip to the US? Visa applicants must list their social media accounts, and some must now make their profiles public.

DON’T FORGET ABOUT TRANSIT RULES

Many South Africans assume a layover doesn’t need paperwork.

That’s not always true.

UK transit: South Africa is on the UK’s visa national list.

That means South Africans usually need a transit visa, even if they never leave the airport.

There are exemptions, such as for travellers flying on to the US, Canada, Australia or New Zealand who hold valid visas for those countries. Check the rules on GOV.UK before you fly.

Dubai transit: You don’t need a visa if you stay in the airport’s transit area. But you’ll need a transit visa if you want to leave the airport during your layover.

You’ll also pass through immigration if you change airlines and have to collect your luggage, so you’d need a visa then too.

TRAVELLING WITH CHILDREN? PACK THE RIGHT DOCUMENTS

If both parents are travelling with a child, the child usually only needs a valid passport.

If only one parent is travelling, the child may also need an unabridged birth certificate or equivalent document, plus a parental consent affidavit from the parent who isn’t travelling.

You’ll also need that parent’s full contact details and a copy of their ID or passport.

A court order or the other parent’s death certificate can replace the affidavit in some cases.

If parents are divorced and share custody, both parents need to give consent.

Children travelling with another adult, including on school tours, need similar documents. 

According to Arrive Alive, that means a valid passport, an unabridged birth certificate and a parental consent affidavit, along with the parents’ contact details and copies of their IDs or passports.

COMMON AIRPORT MISTAKES TO AVOID

Using the wrong passport. 

South African citizens aged 18 or over must use a South African passport to enter and leave South Africa. It’s illegal to use another country’s passport, even if you’re a dual citizen.

Booking before your visa is approved. Avoid non-refundable flights until your visa is in your hand.

Assuming “visa-free” means “no checks.” You may still need to show a return ticket, proof of accommodation or proof of funds.

Leaving it too late. If something’s wrong, you need time to fix it. Check your documents now, not at the airport.

Speaking from experience, checking passport pages isn’t the fun part of planning a holiday.

But I’d much rather spend ten minutes at my kitchen table than ten hours at a check-in counter.

My advice? Pull out your passport tonight. Check the expiry date, count the pages, and look up your destination’s rules.