Money and duty free for Eswatini (Swaziland)
Currency and Money
Currency information
Lilangeni (SZL; symbol E) = 100 cents. The plural of Lilangeni is Emalangeni. Notes are in denominations of E200, 100, 50, 20 and 10. Coins are in denominations of E5, 2 and 1, and 100, 50, 20, 10, 5, 2 and 1 cents.
The South African Rand (ZAR) is accepted as legal tender in Eswatini at a 1:1 exchange rate with the Lilangeni (E1 = 1 Rand). In other words, visitors travelling from South Africa don't need to exchange their Rand for Emalangeni.
Credit cards
Credit cards, in particularly Visa and MasterCard, are widely accepted in urban areas, particularly in hotels, restaurants, larger retail shops, and tourist attractions in places like Mbabane, Manzini, and the Ezulwini Valley.
ATM
ATMs are available in cities and tourist hubs like the Ezulwini Valley, and some of them accept international debit and credit cards.
Banking hours
Mon-Fri 08:30-17:00, Sat 08:30-12:00.
Currency restrictions
Local Currency (Emalangeni): Residents and visitors are permitted to carry up to E5,000 in local banknotes when entering or leaving Eswatini.
Foreign Currency: There are no restrictions on the amount of foreign currency that can be imported or exported. However, amounts exceeding E5,000 should be declared upon arrival or departure.
Currency exchange
Major banks such as Eswatini Bank, First National Bank (FNB), and Nedbank offer foreign exchange services. Dedicated currency exchange offices are also available in tourist locations and at King Mswati III International Airport.
The South African Rand (ZAR) is accepted as legal tender in Eswatini at a 1:1 exchange rate with the Emalangeni (E). If you're travelling from South Africa, exchanging currency is not necessary.
Before departing Eswatini, it's recommended to convert any remaining Emalangeni back to your home currency or South African Rand, as the Emalangeni is not widely accepted outside the country.
Eswatini (Swaziland) duty free
Overview
The following duty-free allowances are allowed into Eswatini:
• Alcoholic Beverages: 2L of wine, and 1L of spirits or other alcoholic beverages.
• Tobacco Products: 200 cigarettes, 20 cigars, and 250 grams of cigarette or pipe tobacco.
• Perfume and Toiletries: 50ML of perfume, 250ML of toilet water.
General Goods: Up to E5,000 per person if arriving from outside the Southern African Customs Union (SACU), which includes Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia, and South Africa, or up to R25,000 per person if arriving from SACU countries.
For Value Added Tax (VAT) purposes, all travellers, regardless of their origin, are entitled to a relief on new or used goods imported for personal use up to a value of E1,000 per person.
Banned Imports
Prohibited imports include narcotics, illicit drugs, weapons, pornographic materials, counterfeit goods, and unregistered cosmetics.
Restricted imports include used goods, agricultural products, firearms, live animals and animal products, plants and seeds.
Banned Exports
Precious metals, wildlife, and animal products.
