UPDATE: The Department of Home Affairs has decided to delay the implementation of the new visa and unabridged birth certificate rules. Read more here.
Video Transcription
Welcome to another edition of Travelstart’s FAQ Friday with me, Nick Paul. This week we are talking about the new immigration laws that affect travelling with children.
So what are they?
Coming 1 October 2014, 1 June 2015 under the new law all minors (children under the age of 18) will be required to produce an unabridged birth certificate as well as their passport upon check-in for their flights leaving South Africa, and also upon entering South Africa. This applies not only to South Africans but any nationality passing through South Africa.
Why is this law in place?
This is being done in order to curb human trafficking. According to the Department of Home Affairs every year 30 000 children are trafficked through South Africa, and 50% of these are under the age of 14 years old.
How do you apply for an unabridged birth certificate?
If your child was born after the 14th of March 2013 you should have been given an unabridged birth certificate with the childs birth. For everyone else, you will need to apply at your nearest Home Affairs Department. You will need to take along your child’s ID book and pay the fee of R75 in cash. The unabridged birth certificate can take up to 8 weeks to be processed.
Who is exempt?
- Domestic Travel – the law does not apply to children travelling domestically within South Africa.
- School tours
Cruises to no-where – these are cruises which do not stop off anywhere, they literally just go out to sea and then back again to a South African port.Correction: 27 August 2014: MSC Cruises South Africa has confirmed that no cruises are exempt from the new requirements.
Click image to expand infographic. Source: Go2Africa.com
Applications of the Law
Child travelling with both parents:
A child travelling with both parents will be required to travel with their passport and unabridged birth certificate.
Child travelling with one parent:
For a child travelling with only one parent you will need your childs passport, unabridged birth certificate and a signed affidavit or court order stating that the other parent is aware that the child is travelling and has given permission for the child to travel. If one of the parents has passed away a death certificate will suffice.
Child travelling with a guardian:
For a child travelling with a guardian the child will need to have a passport, unabridged birth certificate and an affidavit or court order signed by both parents allowing permission for the child to travel. In the event that both parents have passed away a death certificate for both deceased parents must be used.
Unaccompanied child:
If your child is travelling unaccompanied the situation is slightly more complicated. You will still need the passport, unabridged birth certificate and affidavit or court order stating the child has permission to travel. To add to this you will need contact details of the person receiving the child, as well as a certified copy of their ID or passport and their physical address.
For more information for the documentation you will need and the process of applying for an unabridged birth certificate please click here.
Thank you for watching, if you have any other travel related questions please ask them in the comments below and we might make them into a video next time. Don’t forget to subscribe to our channel by clicking here.
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