Travelling with Minors To Rsa

TRAVELLING WITH MINORS TO THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA

1) Admission of Children into and departure from the Republic of South Africa

In terms of Section 9 of the Immigration Act, as amended, read with Immigration Regulation 6(12), whenever an adult travels with a minor child under the age of 18, he or she has to produce amongst others; an unabridged birth certificate in respect of that child with effect 01 June 2015.

Please refer to the Department of Home Affairs for amended regulations with effect 01 December 2018:

Please click here for the Amended Immigration Regulations effective 01 December 2018

2) South African Minors travelling to or from South Africa

New South African child passports are being issued containing details of both the parents as a standard feature; therefore

• Children travelling with both parents and in possession of such a passport need no other documentation.
• Children travelling with both parents on a passport that does not reflect the details of the parents must carry an unabridged birth certificate with the details of the parents.
• Children travelling with one parent or unaccompanied must produce an unabridged birth certificate; letters of consent from the parents, adoption orders, custody or guardianship papers and or death certificates; as the case may be.

3) Foreign Minors travelling to and from South Africa

In terms foreign minors, the following now applies:

Visa Exempt Countries:

Children travelling with both parents must produce:

• a valid passport;
• and an unabridged birth certificate / or equivalent document reflecting the details of the parents for each child travelling.

Children travelling with only one parent must produce:

• a valid passport;
• an unabridged birth certificate / or equivalent document reflecting the details of the parents for each child travelling;
• the Parental Consent Letter from the non-travelling parent whose details are recorded on the birth certificate;
• copy of valid passport / identity document of the non-travelling parent / legal guardian.

Children travelling as unaccompanied minors must produce:

• a valid passport;
• and an unabridged birth certificate / or equivalent document reflecting the details of the parents for each child travelling.
• the Parental Consent Letter from the non-travelling parent whose details are recorded on the birth certificate;
• copy of valid passport / identity document of parents / legal guardian;
• letter from the person who is to receive the child in the Republic containing such person’s residential and work address and full contact details in the Republic;
• a copy of the identity document or valid passport and visa or permanent residence permit of the person who is to receive the minor in the Republic.

When a person is travelling with a child who is not his or her biological child, such child must produce:

• a valid passport;
• an unabridged birth certificate / or equivalent document reflecting the details of the parents for each child travelling;
• the Parental Consent Letter or adoption order;
• copy of valid passport / identity document of parents / legal guardian.

A child in alternative care shall produce:

• a valid passport;
• a letter from the Provincial Head of the Department of Social Development where the child resides authorizing his or her departure from the Republic as contemplated in section 169 of the Children’s Act (Act No. 38 of 2005).
• Please click here for a suggested format for the Parental Consent Letter

Visa Required Countries:
Requirements for children travelling with only one parent or another adult from countries that require a South African visa prior to sojourning to the Republic have been retained. This means that they have to produce the documentation on application for a visa, and a copy of the birth certificate will be required when applying for any child visa;

4) School Tours

In the case of school tours, the parental consent letter should be replaced with a letter from the school principal confirming that all consent letters are held by the school.

Upon producing this letter, immigration officers at ports of entry and South African Missions abroad would not require any additional documents from individual scholars such as parental consent letters, birth certificates, death certificates, court orders or copies of the passports or identity documents of the parents and of the person receiving the child in South Africa.

This special dispensation applies to all schools registered with the Department of Basic Education in South Africa and its equivalent abroad and is relevant for educational, cultural and sport tours.

Please click herefor a suggested format to be used by the school and printed on the school letterhead

5) NOTES

• The Parental Consent Letter must be in English
• A period of 24 hours is provided to acquire documents on arrival if they are requested and are not in the traveler’s possession.
• The Parental Consent Letter no longer has to be on a Department of Home Affairs template or be an affidavit.
• Copies of documents are sufficient and need not be certified.
• Where applicable: an adoption order, court order granting full parental responsibilities and rights or a death certificate must be produced.
• Where only one parent’s particulars appear on the birth certificate, no parental consent letter is required when that parent travels with the child.
• Where a Parental Consent Letter is presented, the following information is required:
  • full contact details of the parent’s or legal guardian;
  • copies of the identity documents or passports of the parent’s or legal guardian.
• The consent of parents recorded on the birth certificate shall be required regardless of the marital status of the parents if a court order does not exist. The Parental Consent Letter must not be older than 6 months when presented.

6) Definitions

Alternative Care

Section 167 of the Children’s Act, 2005 2005 (Act No. 38 of 2005), states that a child is in Alternative Care if the child has been placed in:

• foster care; 
• the care of a child and youth care centre following an order of a court in terms of that Act or the Criminal Procedure Act, 1977 (Act No. 51 of 1977);
• temporary safe care.

Birth Certificate
In South Africa, a Birth Certificate (BC) is an extract from the Birth Register containing the particulars of a child and those of his or her parent or parents. BCs are official documents issued by the Department of Home Affairs in terms of the Births and Deaths Registration Act, 1992 (Act No. 51 of 1992). All birth certificates containing the details of a child as well as the parents of the child shall be accepted for the purposes of these Requirements as BCs, regardless of the country of issue.
In the case of countries that do not issue BCs, an ‘Equivalent Document’ containing the particulars of the child and his or her parent or parents, issued by the competent authority of that country, or an embassy of that country may be used instead of a BC.  .

Child
South African law regards any person younger than 18 years as a child.

Parent 
Unless the context indicates otherwise, the word “parent” includes adoptive parents and legal guardians.