Department of Home Affairs South Africa

As has now been reported in various media, the Ministry of Home Affairs of South Africa has introduced an amendment to the immigration legislation.

This new legislation means that you are officially not required to carry an original birth certificate or an extract of it when travelling with minors. This will only be requested in exceptional circumstances.

Despite these changes, we still recommend carrying a birth certificate or an (international) extract thereof when customers travel with minors to South Africa, as airlines or customs officials may still request this document.

The rules for countries that do not require a visa, such as the Netherlands and Belgium, are as follows:

• If the child is travelling with both parents, it is not obligatory to have a birth certificate or an extract thereof. (So our advice is to take this with you)

• If the child is travelling with one of the biological parents, permission or authorisation must be available. This can be in the form of a signed letter or statement. This no longer needs to be legalised by a municipal official or notary. A copy of the passport must also be available.

• Copies of original documents are sufficient, so they do not need to be certified. Consent and authorisation can be provided in the form of a letter; a notarised deed or an affidavit are not required.

• If children are travelling alone, additional documents are required, such as a consent form, birth certificate or an extract thereof (international), with copies sufficing.

• If children are travelling with an adult other than their parents, additional documents are required, such as a consent form, birth certificate or an (international) extract thereof. Copies suffice.

Should you have any questions, please contact us via the website. www.southafrica.net

Source: Marco Jonk
South African Tourism