Swaziland

This advice has been reviewed and reissued with an amendment to the Health section (prevalence of HIV/AIDS in Swaziland). The overall level of the advice has not changed.

(see travel advice legal disclaimer)

Travel advice for this country

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Travel Summary

There is no British High Commission in Swaziland. In case of an emergency you should contact the British High Commission in Pretoria. There is an Honorary British Consul in Mbabane, but he should be contacted for consular emergencies only. See the Contact Details section of this advice for more details.
Do not drive at night along the N4 or other isolated roads, as there is a risk of being hijacked. Livestock and unlit, parked vehicles pose additional hazards. See the Road Safety section of this advice for more details.
HIV/AIDS prevalence is high – around 43% of the local population are infected. You should be alert to the dangers of unprotected sex.
Most visits are trouble- free. We are not aware of any British nationals who required consular assistance in Swaziland in 2007. Crime levels are low but sensible precautions are needed. See the Crime section of this advice for more details.
There is a low threat from terrorism. But you should be aware of the global risk of indiscriminate terrorist attacks which could be in public areas, including those frequented by expatriates and foreign travellers.
We strongly recommend you obtain comprehensive travel and medical insurance before travelling. You should check any exclusions, and that your policy covers you for the activities you want to undertake. See the General (Insurance) section of this advice and Travel Insurance for more details.

Safety and security

Terrorism

There is a low threat from terrorism. But you should be aware of the global risk of indiscriminate terrorist attacks which could be in public areas, including those frequented by expatriates and foreign travellers.

For more general information see Terrorism Abroad.

Crime

You should avoid travelling into or out of Swaziland by road at night. There have been numerous incidences of car hijacking on major routes from South Africa and Mozambique.

The level of crime is low in Swaziland. But street crimes and burglaries do occur, sometimes involving violence. There have also been incidents of vehicles being taken at gunpoint. Avoid walking in the downtown areas of Mbabane and Manzini after dark.

Keep valuables in a safe place and avoid carrying large amounts of money or wearing conspicuous jewellery.

For more general information see Victims of Crime Abroad.

Political Situation

Swaziland Country Profile.

The political situation is stable, but demonstrations do occur.

Local Travel

All areas of Swaziland are accessible by road, though care should be taken in rural areas (see Road Travel below).

Road Travel

UK or international driving licences (provided the latter are in English) are acceptable.

The standard of driving is lower than in the UK. Drivers often cross the central reservation to avoid obstructions. Speeding (the maximum speed limit is 120 km) by other drivers is a problem on the good tarmac roads. Minor roads are not well maintained and road markings are poor.

On rural roads there have been a number of serious accidents and deaths as a result of animals straying onto roads. Avoid driving on rural roads at night. As well as the risk of hitting animals, there is the additional risk of abandoned unlit trailers and poorly lit heavy vehicles.

Do not use public transport (buses and taxis). Vehicles are poorly maintained and overloaded.

Be wary of anyone who offers you help if you breakdown or need to change a tyre as it presents the opportunity for theft, muggings and hijackings. You should park in well-lit areas. Do not pick up strangers. Do not stop to assist (apparently) distressed motorists, as these are all techniques sometimes used by hijackers. Instead, report the incident to the police.

For more general information see Driving Abroad.

Air Travel

The EU has published a list of air carriers that are subject to an operating ban or restrictions within the community. You should check the following link to see whether this will affect your travel: http://europa.eu.int/comm/transport/air/safety/flywell_en.htm

Local laws and customs

Drug taking (dagga/marijuana) and smuggling, though common in local culture, is illegal. Foreign nationals have been imprisoned on drug offences. Punishments can be severe.

Homosexuality is legal.

For more general information for different types of travellers see Travel Advice Relevant to You.

Entry requirements

Visa

British passport holders and most Commonwealth citizens do not require visas for Swaziland. Visitors will normally be given entry permission for up to fourteen days. This can be extended at the Swaziland Immigration Department in Mbabane. All Swaziland border posts open daily throughout the year but hours of operation are variable.

Passport validity

Your passport should be valid for a minimum of six months and have several blank pages. Applications for new passports are accepted by the Consular Section at the British High Commission in Pretoria in person or by courier (if a courier is used, the cost is borne by the applicant).

South Africa

South Africa authorities state that officially only one blank passport page is required for entry. But there have been reports that some South Africa officials insist on two blank pages. We recommend you have two blank pages.

Vehicles

If you travel in a vehicle other than one registered in South Africa, you will have to complete Form 36 at Swazi border posts on entry and departure for customs purposes.

Vehicles may be searched at the borders.

Travelling with children

Single parents or other adults travelling alone with children should be aware that some countries require documentary evidence of parental responsibility before allowing lone parents to enter the country or, in some cases, before permitting the children to leave the country.

Health

Basic healthcare is available in Swaziland, but there are increasing shortages of even common medications. Medical evacuation to South Africa is necessary for serious accidents and emergencies. Local private hospitals can arrange evacuation but only if you are fully insured or you can produce funds in advance to pay for evacuation and treatment.

Rabies is common to most African countries. You should also be aware of the risk of tick bites in the bush.

Drinking water may not be safe, especially in rural areas. Bilharzia, a tropical flat worm found in water and which is parasitic in humans, exists in some rivers. You should drink or use only boiled or bottled water and avoid ice in drinks. If you suffer from diarrhoea during a visit to Swaziland you should seek immediate medical attention.

In the 2006 Report on the Global AIDS Epidemic the UNAIDS/WHO Working Group estimated that around 210,000 adults aged 15 or over in Swaziland were living with HIV; the prevalence rate was estimated at around 33.4% of the adult population. This compares to the prevalence rate in adults in the UK of around 0.2%. You should exercise normal precautions to avoid exposure to HIV/AIDS. For more general information on how to do this see HIV and AIDS.

You should seek medical advice before travelling to Swaziland and ensure that all appropriate vaccinations are up-to-date. For further information on vaccination requirements, health outbreaks and general disease protection and prevention you should visit the websites of the National Travel Health Network and Centre (NaTHNaC) and NHS Scotland's Fit For Travel or call NHS Direct on 0845 46 47.

For more general health information see Travel Health.

Natural disasters

Swaziland has suffered from a drought in the lowveld in the past two years. In the wet summer months (November to April) violent thunderstorms with lightning and heavy rains are common in the highveld areas.

General

Insurance

We strongly recommend that you obtain comprehensive travel and medical insurance before travelling. You should check any exclusions, and that your policy covers you for all the activities you want to undertake. For more general information see Travel Insurance.

If things do go wrong when you are oversees then this is How We Can Help.

Registration

Register with our LOCATE service to tell us when and where you are travelling abroad or where you live abroad so our consular and crisis staff can provide better assistance to you in an emergency. More information about registering with LOCATE can be found here.

Representation

There is no British High Commission in Swaziland, but there is an Honorary British Consul in Mbabane, who can be contacted for assistance with consular emergencies only.

Frank Pettit
PO Box A 41
Eveni
Mbabane
H103
Swaziland

Telephone/Fax: +268 551 6247

E-mail: honbritcon@realnet.co.sz

All other enquiries should be directed to the British High Commission in Pretoria, who cover Swaziland.

Money

The local currency (Emalangeni) is not convertible. South African Rands are accepted, as are most major credit cards. ATM machines are readily available.

Travel advice for this country

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contacts

South Africa, Pretoria, British High Commission

Address:

British High Commission
255 Hill Street,Arcadia 0002, Pretoria, South Africa

Consular Section: 256 Glyn Street, Hatfield 0083, Pretoria, South Africa

Telephone:

(27) (12) 421 7500 Switchboard
(27) (12) 421 7733 General Enquiries
(27) (12) 421 7800 Consular Enquiries
(27) (12) 421 7801 Passport Enquiries
(27) (12) 421 7802 Visa Enquiries

Fax:

(27) (12) 421 7555 Switchboard
(27) (12) 421 7599 General Enquiries
(27) (12) 421 7877 Passport Enquiries
(27) (12) 421 7888 Visa Enquiries

Email: media.pretoria@fco.gov.uk

Email: pta.passportenquiries@fco.gov.uk

Email: pta.visaenquiries@fco.gov.uk

Email: satrade@fco.gov.uk

Office hours:

GMT:
Mon-Thurs: 0600-1500
Fri: 0600-1030

Local Time:
Mon-Thurs: 0800-1700
Fri: 0800-1230

Out of hours, High Commission provides contact number.

Website: http://www.britishhighcommission.gov.uk/southafrica