South Africa: New requirements when traveling with minors

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As of the 1st June 2015, the South African Department of Home Affairs has implemented a new immigration law: all minors under the age of 18 year will be required to travel with their unabridged birth certificate.

What is an Unabridged Birth Certificate: Unlike the standard birth certificate – where only the child’s Date of Birth and full names are viewed – the unabridged certificate shows both parents’ full names as well.

The reason for this change is to eliminate child trafficking in and out of SA. South Africa’s Department of Home Affairs (DHA) has advised that on average 30 000 minors under the age of 14 years are trafficked through SA border annually, and insists that the regulations need to be intensified to protect all children from the horrors of child trafficking.

Even so, the tourism industry is up in arms because of this new regulation, with warnings that it will most likely cripple the industry and the local economy as South Africa relies significantly on the tourism industry for job creation and the influx of foreign currency in the country.

WHAT TO DO WHEN TRAVELLING THROUGH SOUTH AFRICAN BORDERS:

• When a minor is traveling with both parents in or out of SA – the child must have an unabridged birth certificate.

• When a minor is traveling with only 1 parent in or out of SA –  the child must have a unabridged birth certificate as well as one of these additional documents:

  1. Affidavit whereby the absent parent gives his/her consent for the child to travel in or out of SA (not older than 3 months); or
  2. Court order granting the accompanied parent full custody of the child; or
  3. Death certificate of the absent parent.

• When a minor is traveling with another person other than a parent / guardian – the child must have a unabridged birth certificate as well as all of these documents:

  1. Affidavits of from the parents giving the child consent to travel with the accompanying adult; and
  2. Copies of the parents’ Identity Documents or passports; and
  3. Full contact details of the parents / guardians.

• When a minor is traveling on their own – the minor must have an unabridged birth certificate and all the following:

  1. Affidavits from parents granting consent for the minor to travel; and
  2. Full contact details of the parents; and
  3. A letter from the parents stating who will be receiving the minor in the destination country, with full contact details of the receiving person and full address. This letter must be accompanied by a copy of the receiving person’s ID document or passport.

DHA has advised that they are able to read birth certificates that are not translated – however to avoid any delays it is advisable that any unabridged birth certificate that is not in English be accompanied by a translated and notarised copy.